April: The start of Winter?!

Wow almost a full month since my last post.  The project is going extremely well. We have finished the foundation and first floor slab before the heavy rains began and now they are here.  Even from inside my room I can feel the thunder, see the lightning flash and hear the roar of the rain well before it reached us. This week we have succeeded in placing all the stones for the first floor walls.  The challenge we are facing now is to design a structurally sound, and economically viable support system for the second floor slab.  Steel is uber expensive here and must be sourced from Nairobi because no one seems to use it here in "the bush".

Prep For Slab

Slab Pours

Block Work
The building is finally taking shape.

In other news.  I enjoyed a relaxing trip to the coast and made some great friends along the way.  On my return I attended a fundraiser to sponsor the #54 Danish Team competing in the Rhino Charge, an Off-Road  Challenge to raise funds to construct fences around the national parks here in Kenya. Not to surprising, the vehicle they run is an old Red FJ40 Toyota Landcruiser like the one I restored and is collecting dust in the garage back home.  If I didn't have my hands full already I would have loved to volunteer my services as a grease rat.  In any case I have been invited to attend the race in the beginning of June and I cant wait to see an event like this in person. I made many much needed friends at the event and finally got to play keeper in a football match this weekend as a result. With an earned shutout in goal in the first half and only an own goal in the second, we earned the 3-1 win. 

Low tide view from The Beach Africa: A backpackers hostel with a vibe that reminded me of the Thai Islands
The Mangrove trees made a great place to hang my hammock and read in the shade at the edge of the Ocean.

Tiwi Beach

Peter Rabbit
He sits under my chair whenever I am working.  Like most pets he either likes me or just wants food.

Rabbits, Stew, and Iron

After a busy and long six day work week, we have almost finished the foundation walls. The project is going well and we are on track to finish the foundation before the rains come. Sadly, I hope this drought lasts a bit longer because  I am heading straight for the coast as soon as we finish the first floor slab for some brief R&R and some killer diving.

This morning I was invited over for breakfast to my fundi's (foreman's) home.  His wife had prepared a traditional meal of maize and mashed potatoes with greens, and beef and cauliflower stew that was all very good.  I've been eating a lot of beef here but nothing compares to the meat back home.  I can't wait for a big juicy New York Steak! His son James offered me a month old rabbit from their recent litter.  I want it so bad but I don't think I should have a baby rabbit running free around my room so I'm going to look into getting a cage when I go into town. You would be surprised how lonely it is here even with 50 children.  they can wear me out too!

Last night I found out the most relieving news. There is a gym in the closest town to me.  I'm off to the barbers to and then to check out this "gym". I don't have my hopes up considering the largest Gold's Gym west of the Mississippi was the last place I worked out at.