Wednesday 7 November 2007

Under Attack

Well, I know that I've been a touch elusive but 42 comments looked too good to be true. And I was right. Them spammers have attacked. So I'll be adding one of those nasty little steps to the comment process where you enter a code word that makes no sense. A real test of commitment.
So where have we been? Well, the freight arrived. Finally. So I have been trying to get the house really set up. Our telephone line went dead the day we arrived. It took a week for me to persuade Telkom that the line really was dead and then, in desperation I found a technician up a ladder near my house and persuaded him to take a look. What do you know, the line was corroded and the whole thing took about fifteen minutes (and a few sparks) to sort out.

Now I am entering the quagmire that is ADSL. Why oh why does this have to take upwards of a week?? Not sure - something to do with paperwork which is still sitting with the clearing agents even though everything has been cleared and delivered. But even then they will need to do an assessment of the signal at our property, invoice us and receive payment before they will install. Oh joy!

So just to remind us why we came here, we took off for a weekend to Lake Nakuru. Bliss. Millions of flamingoes, hundreds of buffalo, gazelles, impala and seven lions outisde the park and worryingly close to our (tented) camp. Bambi was impressed.

In fact, Bambi is having a blast. She is turning nut brown and blonder by the day. She has her own vegetable garden - things grow so fast here that the process can even hold the attention of a three year old and her Swahili is getting quite impressive - I have been overtaken. And she gets to do cool stuff like feed giraffes. Observe:


She also seems to like our new house but then her garden has gone from a Scottish postage stamp to this:


I'll write again soon - in about a week.... when the ADSL gets installed.... hopefully...

41 comments:

Misssy M said...

it all just looks lovely. I'd swap quick installation of broadband for that, I think.

Kim said...

Stunning. I am sure it's worth the trouble.
good to hear from you.

Daniele said...

Beautiful!! What a garden.
So pleased Bambi is doing great and you all settle in. Looking forward to more of your wonderful stories.

Annie said...

Gorgeous. Love the banana plants.

My Uncle has just returned to a new post in South Africa - he has terrible problems with phone and electricity lines because the same people who are employed to install them by day, are coming and cutting them and stealing them at night to perpetuate their own employment!

lady macleod said...

It all looks wonderful. I can't wait to see Bambi's show and tell, she will blow them out of the water.

Anonymous said...

hello hello hello, welcome back! ditto to the frustrations that are this part of the world. Your ingenuity regards hijacking a phone technician from off his ladder is absolutely the way to approach it all: bravo! That's how you short circuit the circuitous system and get the necessary done. Your garden is fabulous; I am green with envy. drop me a line. In nbo soon ...

Mzungu Chick said...

Your garden looks awesome. Great find on the house - well done, and Reluctant Memsahib absolutely right, most definitely hijacking phone technician is the right way to go. You'll need to look for the blue vans when your power goes out to hijack the electricity guy!

debio said...

Garden looks divine. So please Bambi settled so quickly and watching the plants grow.

More please, as and when....

Anonymous said...

Good to know you're settling in. Look forward to the next instalment.

Crystal xx

Anonymous said...

Drop dead gorgeous yard and gardens. Even a non gardener would enjoy it let alone a master gardener like yourself who'll be out there every waking moment pulling weeds. HaHa kidding

The Woman who Can said...

That all looks so beautiful. Am envious like you wouldn't believe

Iota said...

Hello again. Great to hear from you. Hope it's as idyllic as it looks...

Lesley said...

I enjoy your blog so much - thanks for sharing your life with us!
No pressure but I've tagged you - I'll look forward to reading it!

Akelamalu said...

I followed a link from somewhere and found myself in Kenya! A place I've always wanted to visit. Hope you won't mind if I drop by occasionally? :)

Life As I Know It said...

Wow! Amazing pictures.
What a time you must be having!

Mom de Plume said...

Ah Telkom!!! What we wouldn't do for a little telecommunication competition in this part of the world! Nonetheless the downside to Africa is outweighed by our beautiful lifestyle, weather and interesting incidents that just don't seem to happen in the developed world! Glad to see you back online! Will be back for more!

The Good Woman said...

Hello everyone - still here...still trying to figure out whether ADSL is worth it...

The garden is idyllic, but with the amount of tropical rain we've been having(which is actually fantastic) I am thinking that I'll start selling tickets for use of our garden as a mud slide soon.

Thanks for all the comments and good wishes - much appreciated!

Anonymous said...

Hi there, your installation adventures sound so refreshingly similar to what we're been going through here in Tunisia. We now finally have internet after many a Kafkaesque twist and many visits to the local telecom authorities, which are blissfully unaware of the pressures of competition!! Our container has now also arrived so we're in the midst of organizing all this stuff that we keep dragging around the world, it amazes me every time how much we accumulate! Anyway, just to send a quick hello to the three of you from the two of us! Hugs to Bambi!! A&C

Stay at home dad said...

So much for the hopeful ADSL then...

Finally Woken said...

I would LOVE to trade depressing freezing Scottish weather with anything hot i.e.: radiator, stove, the picture of your garden :).

Hello from Indonesian-turned-Scottish!

dulwichmum said...

OHMYGOD! It looks like paradise. And to think, I begged you not to go! Hey, never listen to me, ever...

Elsie Button said...

where have you gone? wanted to say ages ago that your garden looks amazing but thought i'd missed the boat...

Sparx said...

It does look amazing - guess you've given up on ADSL though - such a shame! have a lovely Christmas where you are, it all looks amazing! Lucky Bambi!

Anonymous said...

hi

It is nice to see and read your blog contents. Very informative and usefuly.

Myself & my wife planning to move to Kenya Nairobi for a job. We are Indians and I am currently working in India Chennai.

Please advise how is the lifestyle, living conditions for Indians, safety etc in Nairobi.

Thanks & Regards

Bharathiyaar1997

Anonymous said...

This looks so beautiful!
Probably quite a change.
And I've always wanted to learn Swahili.

Anonymous said...

Gostei muito desse post e seu blog é muito interessante, vou passar por aqui sempre =) Depois dá uma passada lá no meu site, que é sobre o CresceNet, espero que goste. O endereço dele é http://www.provedorcrescenet.com . Um abraço.

dulwichmum said...

I do hope that all is well with you dear friend. Please post again soon so that we know you are fine... thinking of you.

Happy New Year.

Annie said...

Hope you and your family are safe. Thinking of everyone in Kenya right now.

Stay at home dad said...

Yes, hope everything is ok with you. What a disaster it all is.

dulwichmum said...

I keep checking to see if you have posted, and am thinking about you all the time. I hope you are all ok.

Poorna Banerjee said...

Love this place. How I wish I could be here!!

Pig in the Kitchen said...

Hurrah! You're back! well, you were a couple of months ago...any more news? It looks beautiful btw...
Pigx

yoo hoo said...

If it's ok with you I'm adding you to my favorites so I can read everyday. nope not a spammer, a traveller and blogger like you. As time permits I will read past blogs, and anyone who puts down Princess Bride as a favorite movie, is all right in my book.
Carla

dulwichmum said...

Come on now lovely friend, tell me that you are ok, please?

nuttycow said...

I *love* Giraffe Manor... too much fun.

The new house looks lovely - a nice old colonial affair (looks very much like my parents'). Hope all is ok.

PS Found you through Reluctant Memsahib.

Kate said...

Hi, just found your site and looking forward to more of your posts, I did the moving around bit too, in another lifetime. I only went around Scotland, Eire and Norway though, never to sunny climes like you - My hub No.1 went away to all the warm locations hehe. I am sooo envious, Hub 1 - I managed to last 25 yrs.( We'll see about this one) - hehe. I am back in Glasgow with hub 2 (and much happier - though I miss the mad hurry of years ago at times) - Oh I shouldn't say that really, Scotland is my home, I have to accept that old age/lunacy is trying to catch up with me now -'AYE'! - that 'WILL' be right ! (can ye hear that bit o' Scots right there), Eh? can ye missus??
I hope life is treating you well and you are enjoying every second of it... Cheers from Scotland, Kate xxx.

Kim said...

Wondering about you and little Bambi. Hope all is well.

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Kate said...

Hellllloooo coooooooeeee ! - where 'are' you ? - have you been spirited away by ghosts, aliens or pirates etc? Dying to hear of more of your adventures and keep checking in. Hope all is well with you - you know you have a vast folowing and we all look forward to hearing your stories..

Anonymous said...

Please update, I'm dying to see the inside of your lovely house and hear all about your new adventure!! Hope all is well with you, Bambi and all.

Meg said...

Oh to live where you do. That garden looks absolutely wonderful. I'd happily live without internet if I had a place like that.