Au revoir French West Africa

Well, here we are once again, at an airport awaiting an aeroplane which is, of course, late (30 minutes, we have just been informed). We also realise that we have been very remiss in not updating the blog for at least two weeks. This means that you will know nothing of our time in Ouagadougou and our return to Kenya. (incidentally, the plane when it arrived was all little and cute).

Let us start with Ouagadougou. Ouaga is still hot. It is still sandy. The people are still unreasonably friendly. Basically, it hadn’t changed much from the West African capital city we had visited two months before. What had changed was our desire for good old fashioned Western food and as such one of the first things we did was go for a Chinese.

Okay, quick rundown of our time there…

• Eating (a lot)
• Swimming in the American Rec Centre (God Bless America – the first and last time I shall ever say this and mean it)
• Met two of the most amazingly stereotypical Americans you can imagine (‘D’y’all know the Smiths from Nottingham?’ – to which the reply must surely be ‘Are you serious?!?’ I wimped and just said no.)
• Watch Reverend James baptise many, many people, which was somewhat sad as many of them were orphans or desperately poor, having come to the city for a better life (car) and found only unemployment, and poverty. In case you are wondering and have a spare million, the thing they want most is a school.

It was then back to Kenya alongside James’ amazing twitching leg (which didn’t stop for the whole flight and was rather better viewing than the film), to a period of rest and relaxation before being joined by family Passmore, ex-sister, for a safari. But first we had to negotiate Ouaga airport. This harrowing experience was much smoothed by a mate of James who got us through relatively easily. For example, we handed over our passports to James’ buddy, and when they returned found that we had cleared customs without being present. This may sound like lax security, but I am obliged at this point to mention that Ouaga security noticed Joanna’s scissors in hand luggage, something that Terminal 5 and BA had overlooked.

 This may sound too easy to some, and it was. We then had to pass security (having passed it twice), empty out our hand luggage (thanks go to Jo for leaving certain lady items in Edd’s bag, and then leaving him alone to explain their presence to a grinning policeman), go through security again before getting on a bus to take us to the plane. Waiting for 10 minutes, then driving the 10 meters to the plane, before being checked by security again, and finally being allowed to embark. They then had the cheek to ask for our boarding passes.

The safari was unfeasibly exciting. First we travelled north to Nakuru, where we saw cute lion cubs, and then south to the Masai Mara where we had the great pleasure of watching grass being eaten by gazelles, and gazelles being eaten by lions and cheetahs (which are quite quick by the way). Sadly, the gazelles’ looks were rather ruined by the whole experience.

The weather in the Masai was variable. At one moment we would be driving through an airborne lake; to open the windows being to invite in the lake and receive an instant soaking. An hour later and the sun would break through a gap in the clouds and we would be greeted by an incredible sight of golden grass under rain heavy skies.

 We also particularly enjoyed watching inferior tourist busses get stuck, whilst negotiating the mud with ease in our juggernaut (Toyota Land Cruiser for the goon- like detail people out there). We should have tempered our smugness because leaving the park for the last time we got seriously stuck, nearly uprooting a tree in our efforts to extricate ourselves.

And now? Now we continue waiting for our plane, which will take us to Lamu for a week of anticipated uneventful relaxation, so it may be worth skipping the blog for a fortnight or so. Au revoir (as we learnt to say in Togo).

And if I may, I shall leave you with one final thought: Poppa should wear pants!