Sunday 1 May & Monday 2 May

Another first

Today, I head out into town on my own for the first time since I’ve been here. I travel  by bus to meet a friend.  The only landmark I’m familiar and comfortable with is the Hilton so I suggest meeting him there.  We head for a restaurant close to Accra Road – I hold my bag close and rightly so, as I am told later that this part of town is rather dodgy.  The restaurant is OK.  I order a plate of gizzards (a delicacy in Ghana!), but instead I get a plate of liver.  I’m not one to accept a mistake like this, so of course I get my plate of gizzards in the end.  

Football crazy

Geez bar and restaurant turns out to be a venue for football lovers, or rather shall I say, Arsenal lovers.  In case I haven’t said so already most Kenyans have love for two teams – Arsenal and Manchester United.  I think their love for Arsenal is greater because everyone of the 200 people or so in this bar seems to be an Arsenal fan.  EUFA championships is on today – Arsenal vrs ManU.  When Arsenal scores in the 56^th minute, the bar responds with a resounding cheer.  It’s incredible.  I am even told that there have been reports in the news of young people committing suicide as a result of Arsenal losing to another team.  I’m not sure what to make of this news. 

Still, I’m glad to see Arsenal hold their own this time round.  I think of my sister and another friend, both in London, who are diehard Arsenal fans, and I think they will be celebrating what is one of Arsenal’s few wins in recent times.  

Monday 2 May

Workers’ day

It’s another holiday – woo hoo!!  I spend the morning and early afternoon in Java.  Eli walks in – I wave to her and she joins me.  We catch up and work individually on our laptops.  Julie calls.  She’s invites me out for nyama choma (khebabs) and tusker, which is fast becoming my favourite Kenyan beer.  She collects me from Java. It’s raining again.  As usual I have to wriggle my way in and out of a Matatu, laptop and all.  We are meeting a friend of hers at Prestige.  She’s driving so she collects us and we head to a ‘joint’ called Agenda.  It’s a nice place, not very busy.  I haven’t had goat meat since my last trip to Ghana last year, so we order goat nyama choma and this time I have a Tusker malt beer.  As with all beer, if I had my eyes closed, I really would not be able to tell the difference, (so long as it’s not a pilsner), so as far as I’m concerned, it’s good.  

All social outings with bosses seem to find their way to work talk – Julie talks about Friday’s meeting with the funders.  It seems to have left a bad taste in her mouth over the weekend.  She’s not happy with it.  I don’t know what to say except that we wait to see if they respond to our Terms of Reference like they said they would.  

A few hours and tusker malt beers later, I’m home.  I have important phone calls to make and receive – it’s a much needed end to a good weekend!