Update on the English patient

and other happenings this week.

Earlier this week, I posted about Grant having malaria and an emergency trip to the clinic. The medication worked within 48 hours and he's fit and well again. By his own admission, he also had excellent private nursing care! He also thanks everyone of my blogger friends who sent get-well wishes.

Our house seen from the bottom of the garden

The bottom of our garden. I love this spot

On Wednesday morning, after checking that Grant was comfortable (the first tablet had already started working and he was less feverish than the night before) I went shopping in Eldoret. The company driver, Zephania and Johan collected me shortly after 7 and we began the strenuous journey up the [almost] perpindicular mountain along a tortuous, rutted gravel road with two dozen hairpin bends and hundreds of corners.

Once again we saw Colobus monkeys although when I was close enough to this one to photograph it, the bright morning sunlight behind the animal didn't make for a clear photo

Once we hit the tar road, we met other traffic. And as always in Africa, when you have a vehicle you use every inch of space. This Toyota Landcruiser was so overloaded that one tyre was almost flat (see rear right wheel). As for safety, what safety?

It always fascinates me how everyone in Africa makes use of the humble shopping bag. The men above are off to work and carrying their lunch and personal belongings in the green plastic bags. In South Africa these shopping bags are called "Checkers". A large supermarket chainstore called Checkers, which opened in the mid-60s, was one of the first retail business to use these shopping bags. In a short while, South Africans were referring to these bags as Checkers bags. In colloquil South African they're known as Ama-shekkus. Unfortunately, now forty years later,  these bags are also known  Africa's national flower as the continent is littered with them!

When we arrived at the supermarket, a vehicle pulled into the parking bay next to ours. It was Borrie and his wife, had also came to shop for their monthly supplies. When you're in the city, it's very exciting, to meet up with people from the valley even though you'd all seen each other in the lane earlier that morning! Bunch of strange people, expats. LOL!

After we'd all finished shopping, we had lunch at an Indian restaurant in downtown Eldoret. I love Indian cuisine and this particular eatery has about four pages of vegetarian options in their extensive menu!

Borrie, our neighbour and his wife, Theresa who returns to South Africa tomorrow. I was just getting used to having another woman on camp! Borrie is a keen birder and last night the four often stood in the lane and dicussing what birds we're hearing and seeing. As I said, crazy bunch, the lot of us!

We had a lovely lunch, and then it was the long journey back down the mountain to the valley below. 

Grant had improved markedly when I got home, especially when he realised I had brought a doggy bag from the Indian restaurant! 

I hope you're all having a wonderful weekend. I know I am!