Jambo rafikis

Here is this weekend's top news:

 1.Lions, Zebra, Ku-du, Elephants, Girrafe, Dik-Diks, Water Buffalo, Ostrich, Pumba, Owl, Tortoise, Egyptian Goose, Mongoose, Ants, Beetles, Hyrax, Lizards, Baboons, Water Bucks, Go Away Bird, Impala, Eagle, Ealand, Antelope, Gazzele Girrafe, Stalk and Vultures all run for cover during two day siege of Tsavo East by the Kenya 15.

2. Italian Tourists rescued by Kenya 15 after leaving the road in Tsavo East - don't even say thank you!

3. Rhys, William, Josh Collet, Page all infected by lazyituss or some sort of real bug, but don't worry they are all fine.

4. Kenya 15 survive Safari Bus ride from Tsavo East through diversions and all sorts of other hairy moments

5. Kenya 15 become Kenya 17 as two Victory students join them for Safari

6. Staff contemplate swapping Alfie and Ben for the two Kenya students!!!! It was a close call, but the two Victory Students (Isaach and Joseph) turned us down!

7.Staff survive beetle attack at the end of dinner.....just

Well good evening everyone I hope you are fine, we are all fine here and guess what? We are back, but only just!

So Saturday morning came early and everyone took breakfast with their tablet and then piled into 3 nice Safari Buses. these are basically up marked matatus with a few armchair stykle setas in them. Staff donned their headphones and enjoyed a blissful 3 hour drive without bieng disturbed by a single question, moan, whine and absolutely no jibber-jabber - wow! Unfortunately we could still smell the children though, so goes to show you can never have everything!

At around 11am we arrived at the Safari gate of Tsavo East and had a reather enjoyable bartering session with the hat salesman whilst we waited to be let in at the animals. The best bit was winding up Cheesmur that the hat he had bought for 700KES all the kids had bought for 400KES. It was of course a lie, but filled 10 minutes.

Straight into the gate and after about 10 minutes we came across our first animals. Cows! The Maasai are allowed to keep cattle in the park as they are herders, it always surprises me to see cows where the lions are (in Keeeeeenyaaaaaa and the zeeeebraaaaa (ask the kids for the youtube link) but there they always are. Pretty soon afterward we  say an elephant and then all the animals came after that. On the way to the hotel we were flagged down by a group of Italian tourists who had strayed from the path. I mean ahve these people never watched an American Werewolf in London...REALLY! So they had driven off the path and got stuck, our driver argued with their driver in Swahili for around 15 minutes before they all finally trudged (very slowly in my humble opinion (and didn't even speed up when I shouted "look! A lion! Though it could have been due to them speaking Italion and not English!)) to our bus. We gave them a lift to the nearest lodge and dropped them off and they didn't even say thank you, or Merci or whetever they say in Italian! Anyway, we left them and hurried of for lunch. We arrived at the hotel and quickly dropped bags off at rooms (nice little three bed rooms with direct views out on to the plains and the water holes below) before heading for lunch. Lunch was good and after we had about an hour before the afternoon safari. We all went down to the Elephant Hide to have a look up close at the water hole. It was at this point that a small lizard charged Alex, much to the screams of panic from him and the cries of laughter from everyone else. There are a lot of steps down to the hide and Alex had to bound down them as someone told him that the little mud home on the walls were made by GIANT spiders (heehee, ahem!), even though they are made by rather cute little birds. There was a lot of poo in the hide, which I found quite worrying and a small herd of elephants outside posing for some nice pictures.

After our given time we all met back up at reception and dived back into the buses to go on the evening safari. The highlight of this was seeing the lions. Everyone got to see them and the two Victory students were extremely happy. For a full list of animal see Top News today.

Dinner was very nice back at the hotel, but most of the boys took the chance to go for a dip in the pool, which is ice cold by the way, and in their boxer shorts, yuk! At the end of dinner Cheesmur, Riggs and I were sat having a safari related natter when something huge hit my hand. It was a very large beetle! Riggs and Cheesmur handled this with alots of grace and beauty, in other words they fought to get out of the way. I haev not seen either move so fast this whole journey! It had landed in the butter on my plate so i carefully used my napkin to try to wipe it clean, whilst the two of them made small whiney squeaks in the background whilst Riggs used Cheesmur as some sotr of shield. The beetle then spread its wings and flew around the room with me chasing it demanding a picture after all my care and attention, it landed on teh floor and was swiftly kicked away by a waiter! All this time Riggs and Cheesmur were ducking and diving a cowering and Riggs ahd pulled up a hoood and was holding it tightly about her head.

After that incident we all enjoyed a coffee in the bar. Cheesmur sat on the edge of the wall and spent most of his time looking around guarding against Leopard and Lion sneak attacks. Lions go there regularly, but Leapards are rare we are told. Anyway, neither showed themselves last night, the Kenya 15's singing probably had a lot to do with that as they were practicing for tomorrow's leaving assembly! Anyway, the staff then went and sat out on the clifftop for an hour listening to the animal noises.....and Riggs.....until sleepy time came to all.

Up at 5:30 am 5this morning to meet at 6:15 for coffee and the morning safari. Saw a lot of animals before heading back for breakfast which was lovely! In the buses again and f\off for final safari before leaving TSavo east at 11:45. Long old journey back to the hotelome hairy driving, but all made it back safe and sound.

3 minutes after getting back to the Hotel I was back in a taxi with Rhys, Josh Collet and William to visit the hospital. Two ear infections and a bacterial infection later we are all abck at the hotel and I have now enough drugs to supply a small nation for approximately 3 weeks! The boys are off practicing for tomorrow so I thought I would take the opportunity to do a blog early for once

Not looking forward to the goodbyes tomorrow as it is always very difficult for all even though the Victory students will give us a good send off! It is going to be hard for a lot of our kids due the friendships they haev made here in Mombasa. Anyway, thats a problem for future Straw, present Straw is off for dinner.

But first, we saw 5 lions! That's right 5! That means James will be recieving 2 Kenya related prizes and one of which will be safari related...Well done X2!

Today's competition

How many times during the goodbye assembly will Momma Noura do her shriek whilst the children are singing? this is an amazing moment during the singing and always gets the children to sing louder!

Kwaheri rafikis x

ps Did I mention how lucky I am to have such amazing staff and students with me and how much we appreciate your support......thanks for everything x