Always after Labor Day here

So I’m finally getting out of the city this weekend. The bummer is that my funds are super limited because Kenyan banking laws are hmm, stupid. Same day banking does not exist, drive thru…well, actually, not a service I’d really want here. Anyway, when I got my first paycheck, I stupidly thought I could cash it with the host bank and then take the money and open up an account with a bank across the street that I really liked. But oh no, there’s no such animal as cashing a check or same day service. The one good thing though is that ATM fees are actually quite reasonable and there are loads of machines all over the city but sorry if you have to go out of town.

Oh another rant: Don’t ever, EVER wear white in the city. I wore this fabulous off white suit today and by 9 this morning, it looked like I’d been to a game reserve and back…. on top of a bus. I was dusty, dirty and pissed because it’s been raining every day and you’d think that there’d be little or no dust but oh no. I’m looking at my very dirty white cuffs and just glad that when it gets dark and if I do go out, then whatever black light in whichever club I’m in will highlight that the shirt I’m wearing is actually white. Grrr.

So tomorrow afternoon, I’m off camping and it will actually be a good thing that I won’t need a credit card with me. I’m heading out with some friends and there is a special someone in the group so it will be really awesome. (insert silly giggle). I honestly can’t wait and are sooo looking forward to saying adios, even if it’s just for less than 24 hours but I’ll be in the wilderness….ok, not really since the campsite we are going to was specifically chosen because it one of their features is free all weekend XBOX and PlayStation games. I’m actually going for the wilderness and to check out what was once a quiet town but is now a sprawling base for the increasing flower industry; particularly because of the vicinity to Lake Naivasha and the climate. Yes my darling friends, next time you plonk down a month’s salary on flowers to send to your sweetheart, just think they may/most likely will have come from Kenya, grown, plucked and packaged by folks who’s own salaries would cover a super-sized Happy meal.

Ok, salary can’t be that bad but you get what I’m implying.

Oh, National Geographic is doing an interesting feature on Africa in the coming issue. The whole point to having a cover without a photo for the first time in a while was because the continent is more than just that – it’s different countries with different issues and is more than civil warfare, disease and corruption (I falter on the last bit though). So check it out – and if you’ve never read this magazine before, shame!