Tangaweezi time

Just returned from a 10 day trip to Nairobi and its surrounding area. Amazing place. Wild, rugged and rough, rich in beauty and spectacular panoramas, warm and welcoming, breathtaking and awe inspiring for its landscapes and natural settings. What a holiday. The trek started at 4.30am in a Campanile airport hotel at Paris Charles de Gaule – staggered out of bed, had a cold shower due to lack of hot water, took the shuttle to the airport then wondered around in a daze searching for a coffee – it being 5am everything was closed….a disaster. Gregoire, Scarlet and I very grumpy morning people so the mood was not great. We checked in the bags, and set off in search of something to do. Fortunately the flight was called early so we joined the business travellers heading to Zurich (we were the only tourists I think) and relaxed. Coffee and yummy muffins were served on the plane, landed, had 30 minutes to scoot across the airport, do endless security checks and board the flight to Nairobi. Cool. Except we were stuffed at the back of the plane in teeny tiny seats, but even this didn’t dampen our excitement. Landed bang on schedule and were met by a beaming Tim. Nairobi airport a dream – our bags came out first (amazingly none lost in transit) so off we drove to their house in Nairobi …in the Karen district. Very nice. Lovely house, fab garden, gorgeous dogs Fudgie and Toffee….had large gin and tonics, caught up with news and relaxed into Sophie and Tim’s warm and generous hospitality. Whilst in Nairobi we did the Elephant Orphanage (soooo cute) and the Giraffe Centre …..and fed some real live giraffes! Then when Oscar and Felix broke up from school we head off to Malu up near Lake Naivasha. After a bumpy rickety journey in a smooth and powerful Landcruiser we arrived – somewhat fraught after a difficult journey with the kids (except Louis who was a little dream the whole way – only crying when his brothers got told off – such cool solidarity!). Wow. Malu. It is incredible. Even under a dark threatening heavy thunderstorm sky it is spectacular. Paradisaical. We had a wonderful time – swam in a hot spring plunge pool, went horseriding, played in forest steams, went off roading up to the ridge, slept in a beautiful guest cottage, complete with (real) zebra and donkey and ibis on the lawn, played with the dogs Tanga, Sidney, Bess and Chessie, (Scarlet falling in love with Sidney and Tanga), ate yummy scrummy Italian gourmet food, discovered Tangaweezi (ginger beer), visited the stunning treehouse, stayed with Jeanine in her pristine cottage by the gates – Jeannine being a self exiled French woman in her 60’s (or maybe older) living with her dogs, tending her garden, making her jams and cakes ….she ran a restaurant (Belle Inn) in Naivasha and now lives in a lovely old house within Malu. A slight problem with a car and its steering caused much mayhem on our final day and Gregoire, Tim, Dave, Dick and a host of other blokes got involved in trying to diagnose the problem. To no avail. So Gregoire and Tim came back in a different car than planned and we girls and kids all returned to Nairobi in the Landcruiser. This time good behaviour all round made for a much easier journey. Back in Nairobi we took things easy, had a great scrumy nyama choma night (roast goat bought by the kilo that you eat with your hands and accompany with beer (the boys) or – for Sophie and me – vodka), bought some nice little gifts and things, did the Nairobi national park, Scarlet and I were treated to a great pedicure and manicure, Scarlet had her hair plaited by Sarah’s hairdresser, Gregoire cooked dinner, and then suddenly it was time to leave. Usual airport chaos, followed by good night flight. All slept well, Sophie and Louis were on the flight too as things are maybe happening in the cote d’azur for them. More of that as and when. Rushed to make connection in Zurich, once again a very comfortable business flight, landed, luggage out first again (still no baggage problems) then train direct to Laval from CdG, met by my dad and back we are. Nothing has changed in the 10 days we were away, yet it feels as if things are very different. A proper holiday, a real break, a wonderful time.

Scaramouche, scaramouche

...what a fun GNI we had chez Nicky. Elle, Erica, Mandy, Micky, Nicky, Trish et moi-meme were a la Chataigneraie on Sunday evening for a GNI and a 'surprise' evening's entertainment. Nicky served up a fine spread of jacket spuds and scrummy salad followed by a killer chocolate mousse (that nearly beat me, but serious peer pressure from les filles forced me to finish it) and then the mystery was revealed. Karaoke. After initial nervousness and anxious sweating, much fun was had by all. We are a mere handful of slips of girls - and yet we made some big BIG noise. T'was very very funny - the highlight of the evening was a truly wonderful rendition of "Fever" by Mandy - and then musical mayhem was achieved when we group-sang Bohemian Rhapsody...poor Jasper the spotty dog. He will never be the same again. Maylin was sorely missed - we could have done with an 8th person to round off our very personalised version of Bohemian R. Not sure Freddy M would have approved, but we all enjoyed it. The evening was slightly marred by an unfortunate collision between a bunny wabbit and my bumper on the way home...turning Erica and I into squealing hysterical girlies, though it has to be admitted that we stopped crying long enough to sing Bright Eyes. Oh that Karaoke machine has a lot to answer for....

Bedroom antics - part II

Finally it is finished. Done and dusted. After 4 solid hours of humping furniture and moving books and toys, notre fillette is safely and happily installed in the most gorgeous attic bedroom I have ever seen. So big too - 45m² of space - and it is all hers. Looks quite delightful, the radiators work a treat and we can now get on with the rest of the flat. Gregoire currently going mad with a tin of white monocouche - transforming what was the pink palace into a serious office work environment. Amazing what you can do when you set your mind to it.

what a palaver

Who said nothing ever happens here? At last - some REAL village gossip. Scandal scandal. Lots of talking in hushed tones behind hands and whispering. I imagine I shouldn't name names as it may become a legal thing. What a mess it all is. Wednesday evening late at night our *colleagues* were seen packing bags and shifting mattresses and moving on out. Doing a runner. Off and away. Unfortunately they leave behind a failing business, an unhappy, unpaid waitress and lots of pissed off suppliers. And no forwarding address. Questions are on the lips of many...has the bank foreclosed? Has she scarpered thus escaping debts? Will the bar ever re-open? If it does will it be owned by English (not the general souhait of the village) or French? Young or old (the villagers are leaning towards young in their preferences...). Whatever has happened we will be run off our tootsie toes tomorrow after the mass and no doubt the old men and women folk of St Fraimbault will want to fill us in on all the gory details as they have heard or seen them. Village life eh? More will follow as and when we find out what has really happened.