Trundling along

It’s difficult to give an update on what is going on during the talks to resolve Kenya’s post election crisis, as we are still in the dark on progress. The Serena hotel in Nairobi where Kofi Annan is staying and where the talks have been taking place, must be very pleased to have been dubbed ‘The House of Peace’. The press have a tent set up for them in the hotel gardens and they snooze the day away, leaping into action when each shiny large four wheel drive car pulls up at the entrance.

Meanwhile, we have been existing in a kind of hiatus for some time now. At least the man who operates the barrier outside my daughter’s kindergarten is no longer carrying around a bow and arrow (not really sure how affective in a crisis he thought this choice of weapon it might be anyway?). We’re no longer afraid to drive to the other side of town for fear of rioting. New expats are arriving and hopefully some tourists are dribbling back. Some ventured off to lodges offering cheap deals during half term and others made the most of deserted Mombasa beaches.

I’ve been elected onto the kindergarten parents association. We are organising a craft fair to raise money for the Kenya Red Cross. Guess who has been put in charge of the cake stand?!

p.s. My mum in England tells me that Delia Smith is sticking her neck out in the UK ‘buy local’ food debate and promoting Kenyan shelled peas. Good for her!