Exactly twenty years ago, I was here in Kenya with my boys (aged 5 & 4) staying with some friends who’d moved out here from the UK. We all came down to Mombasa, and on one of the days, I was treated to a day’s snorkelling/visit to Wasini Island, just on the border of Kenya and Tanzania. For me, that day was life changing as it was on that day in Wasini that I decided that I was going to change the way my life was heading (had resorted to cleaning and bar work to get money for me and boys to survive) the first step being to resume my education. Five months later, I started at college, then on to university, then teacher training, teacher etc etc..... the rest as they say is history! It was also the day that I promised myself that I would come back to Africa as a volunteer teacher, as I met, had lunch and was inspired by a British lady called Sally, who had gone out to Kenya on holiday and never gone home, staying to set up her own school and tourist restaurant on Wasini.
So last week I completed my pilgrimage down in Shimoni (southern most town on Kenyan coast) overlooking Wasini Island. For me to return to Wasini was exceptionally special, especially given that a whole chapter of my life, which started on the island has been and gone, as well being the start of an amazing new and exciting chapter. Incredibly, just at the time I stepped onto the dry coral bed that is on the island where I had walked and contemplated my life all those years ago, it started to fill up as the tide rose (this only happens about twice a month, and this particular day the tide was even higher because of a seasonal high tide), and I watched the coral garden fill with water until it flooded over the boardwalk...... a beautiful sight, and one I will never forget. I have to say the timing of this was eerie, as I'd arrived on the island after diving in the morning, had a leisurely lunch and then literally just started strolling through the village to the coral bed. Had I arrived 5 minutes later I would have missed the filling up of the bed..... one of those 'moments' in life that just can't be explained. A hilarious (if slightly dangerous) journey back to across to Shimoni on the local boat (yes, stingy as ever as would not pay 2000ksh tourist prices to get across, knowing I could go on local boat for 50 ksh!) ended up with about 20 people on a tiny boat built for 12..... mmmm, one man with bucket emptying water out the whole journey, rim of boat about 2 inches out of the water, got a bit choppy in middle of channel... but reassuring myself that I was a strong swimmer and would make it back to shore if need be! Anyway, spent the whole time chatting to the guy next to me who happened to be the headteacher of a school on Wasini (not Sally's). This was then followed that evening by a full lunar eclipse, which when seen from an area with no light pollution as is the case in Shimoni, was absolutely magical..... as the sun eclipsed the moon, it was as if thousands more stars ‘switched on’.... I have never seen so many stars in the sky ever.
https://picasaweb.google.com/103349555765727784741/ShimoniWasini?feat=directlink
Sally, my inspiration from 20 years previous, still lives on the island and her school is still operational, but sadly she was away on holiday the few days I was there, but I will catch up her with her next time I go down there, and relate to her how our meeting so many years ago has shaped my life.
Needless to say, the other reason for going down to that part of the world was to sample the exceptional dive sites and they did not disappoint! Definitely an area to revisit when conditions improve for the ‘summer’ here. Oh, nearly forgot to tell you, had ‘rented’ Cherry’s car to get down to Shimoni, and thought I knew the way..... well, I knew it was a straight road south from the Likoni ferry, so carried on, and on, through stunning scenery.... but forgot that the road to Shimoni was actually a turn off, and it was only when the Tanzanian border and armed border police loomed in front that realised I had gone wrong! And no, didn’t have a map in the car....yes, I know, pretty dumb!!
Keeping on the theme of navigation, am chipping away at completing my divemaster qualification, and one of the tasks is to complete a map of an underwater dive site. Oh dear, how I have let down all females worldwide by adding undeniable proof that us girlies find things like this almost impossible..... got terribly lost, virtually nothing that made sense drawn on slate, got totally confused using a compass and ended up having to be led back to the starting point. I think this will take me quite a few attempts to do, but realistically, not sure I could even draw a map on land let alone underwater! On the positive side though, I am learning lots of new ‘stuff’, have just qualified as being able to use nitrox instead of air underwater (which just means I can spend more time underwater without getting too tired!), and love the role of assisting when teaching new divers. .... you see.... born to teach!
Had a fab time being 'games organisor' for Denys' 13th birthday party (Cherry's son). For all those family and friends that enjoyed parties organised by Mum, we played the chocolate game and railway riot (hasitily rewritten by me as funnily enough, did not bring the actual game with me out to Kenya!). Great, great fun had, with Denys being a superb DJ all evening with some very bizarre dancing occurring!!
My final part to my gap year is now all planned, and am off to South Africa on Wednesday, visiting both Cape Town and Johannesberg to catch up with lots of special friends who I have not seen for quite a while.
Oh, and finally, I now have a key possession to my name....... yes, I know I’ve sold my flat in UK, sold my car, given all my furniture to Chris and Fiona, stocked the local charity shop in Abbots Langley with clothes and other possessions....... but what could I do when faced with Cherry telling me she was going to sell her piano? In fact this moment reminds me of my Mum telling me years ago, that when her and Dad moved into their first home, they had just three possessions: a fridge, a bed and a piano. And as a strange coincidence, the only things I now actually own are...... a fridge/freezer (well there has to be some progress!), an enormous four poster bed (I am allowed to indulge myself given I had 9 months of hellish sleeping arrangements) and yes, a white baby grand piano (no excuses here, but there was no way I was going to miss out on this opportunity!)
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