Sorry for the delay in updating my blog, but for the last month or so I have had very little access to usable wi-fi....(I thought I had found it in Kenya, but perhaps its moved again!!!)
Anyway, I thought it would be interesting to give an overview of the foods I have enjoyed in Kenya. As mentioned previously this is not really a place for vegetarians and indeed I have had the opportunity to try a few things that I never encountered in the US. These include quail, rabbit, lamb and some other meats of "unknown origin".
Whilst quail may sound very "exotic" as food to be served at an orphanage, I should explain that Rafiki were donated 500 quail and so we were eating this for breakfast, lunch and dinner or so it seemed. (PS I never want to see another quail again though we were very grateful for the donor !!).
Another interesting meal was "Bear".Before my Dad tells me there are no bears in Africa (I know) I should explain that Bear is the name of my sister's pet rabbit back in Florida.
Needless to say, I could not bring myself to eat "Bear" and therefore stuck with the non-meat option that day.
The staple diet consists of a type of collared greens called "Sukama wiki" and a maize based dumpling known as "Ugali". Sukama wiki is a Swahili word that means "stretch the week" and is what the local population eat when they had run out of money for meat.
We also have sweet potatoes which are the size of footballs!!
Rafiki has a small pond where we raise our own fish, so we have a type of catfish that they call "mud fish" (perhaps a little help from the marketing department on product branding is needed :))
On special occasions we have "Blue Band" which is a type of Kenyan margarine. I mentioned this to my Dad, who said that this was brand that he had as a boy in the UK, so perhaps it's the fact that it is imported that makes it special here.
We also have a bakery at Rafiki that makes fresh bread and was funded in part by "Anonymous of Boca Raton". So thanks to Mr.Anonymous, I have been able to enjoy beautiful healthy bread as well as having a warm place to hang-out when it is cold here.
(PS I know who you are Mr.Anonymous, so thanks for the "dough for the dough" so to speak).
Talking of the weather, it has been very cold and wet here in Kenya. I wish I had brought some warm clothes with my, but luckily I have been able to "borrow" some from my Aunt and from my friend Grace. Sometimes, I forget that originally I was only due to visit The Gambia and had not envisaged needing more than a few t-shirts and skirts. I have had to become very adaptable and resourceful which is the African way, making do and improvising without complaint.
Finally, after discussing with my parents, I have decided that I will not be returning to The Gambia on this trip as originally "planned". Unfortunately, the Ebola situation makes travel to West Africa difficult and whilst, there are no cases of Ebola reported in The Gambia thank heavens, it has reached Senegal one of the countries I would have to pass through as explained in a previous blog. So no "Planes, Trains and Automobiles part deux" for now.
Whilst I am very disappointed that I will not be returning to The Gambia on this trip, I know I will return here soon, it has a special place in my heart, so it is "bye for now, rather than farewell".
Love to all, Niamh xxx
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