Swatting at flies

It’s the end of December and Ian and I are enjoying the peace and quite of Moshi with her usual inhabitants off on Christmas holidays. We had originally planned to have some time in South Africa, then we decided on Zambia, (which would have been ideal as I have contacts there that want me to check out an area for a homeopathic clinic), but as we talked more and more about it, it just seemed as though going anywhere was going to take too much effort.   After all we've just spent months being on the road.

We are also hot as hell.  Tanzania is moving into the hottest months of the year, Jan and Feb, and we’re getting lazier from the heat by the minute.  This is in total contrast to Congo where we were bundled up in our sweatshirts for the past month.

Ian chillaxing on a hot day

Everyday we try to sit in one spot and mentally ask the breeze to cool us, while we fan at the maddening amount of flies that seem to be taking over our compound.  Eventually we succumb to the heat and are less and less vigilant about the flies, it takes too much effort even to swat at the flies with the flyswatter,  so we are soon just sitting lazy with our computers on our laps, mind numbingly surfing the web, all work forgotten, waiting for the cool of night, which doesn't come.  Our dog Layla is no better.  She lays on the veranda all joy of chasing the chickens gone till late evening before they retire to their coop.

Layla too hot to chase the chickens

Since we leave our doors open all day because of the heat we were wondering what to do about the issue of the flies.  A friend of ours told us the strangest remedy.  Hang a bag of water above the doorway, it keeps the flies out, and it actually worked!!  Granted, this happened to be our entertainment for about an hour, watching to see how many flies would cross the threshold.  Of course there’s always the odd fly that doesn't know the rules and still comes in even with the bag hanging there, but we were at least able to take a break from swatting flies. 

our "stay out flies" remedy. A clear bag filled with water hanging in the doorway

Revved up Nairobi

I have to work, (homeopathy), in Democratic Republic of Congo, and Ian is on winter break, (well there is no winter here so technically maybe its not winter break), from school for 2 months so we're traveling East & Central Africa together.  On the way to Congo from Tanzania we have to pass through 3 other countries so we've decided to travel the continent by bus stopping along the way to check out Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda before finally spending a month in DRC.   We wake early on a Tues morning and hop on the 6am bus headed for Nairobi.  I've already called my friend Didi and alerted her we're coming to crash at her place for a few days.
Karibu!" (Welcome!), Didi tells us and we're headed off to Nairobi.

This is Ian's first trip by bus and border crossing by road is a bit different than by air. The bus pulls over and the conductor tells us we're at the border. We get off, head into the immigration office, essentially check out of Tanzania and Ian's looking around for the bus. I say to him, we have to walk across no man's land and into Kenya... Ian "What??!! We're walking to Kenya?!! African's have it tough they gotta walk border to border".. lol.. its only like a 2 minute walk to the other side.

We go through immigration on the Kenya side buy our 3 country visa (Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda), do the temp scan for Ebola, grab some local currency from the money changers hanging around the border and hop back on the bus.

Ian's and my taste are very different country wise, I want toned down and he wants revved up.. 2 travel companions, mother and son and yet we see things so different.















I've been to Nairobi before so it doesn't hold the same wonder for me but Ian is looking around as if its his first trip to NYC, "wow Mom, look the mall,  KFC!!Subway, we can get a sandwich!!" I'm starting to wonder if people around us are wondering if I'm depriving him of food.. and forget it when we get to Didi's and he realizes she has wifi, he doesn't want to continue on with this journey, he's in teen heaven right here.

KFC Nairobi

KFC Nairobi

We meet up with my friend Chris and he tells Ian about the financial advance that is Nairobi, and believe me, Nairobi is on the move, people there walk with purpose, they are going places.  Ian keeps asking, "mom, why don't you move to Nairobi?  I like it here!"  I pretend I don't hear him, Nairobi's too revved up for me.
We hang out at the mall, eat at KFC, (which is high end fast food here, so pretty pricey), and wonder around Nairobi for a couple of days, traveling like locals on the back of motorcycles.  Ian is now convinced that he's buying a motorcycle once he gets back to the USA.

traveling local in his new cap and sneakers

Ian and I walk to the second hand market and just like a local he buys a pair of sneakers and a baseball cap from a guy on the street.. remember those shoes I've been collecting over the past 2 summers?  Well Ian is participating by buying from the local second hand sellers here.

Ian buying a pair of sneakers and baseball cap from the guy on the streets

We head out for Uganda on the night bus, Ian LOVES Nairobi and wants to stay longer, I promise a few more days on the way back.
He loves it for the same reason I'm not a fan... its extremely revved up!!

Bye Nairobi and hello Uganda!