It had been 35 years since I saw my old Kenyan friend. In 1983 we spent 4 weeks together in the area around Lake Turkana, Matthews Range, South Horr, Mount Kulau, Ilaut, Maralal and Loyangalani to name a few places. We walked with camels and ran out of water. We got attacked by lions, we… Read More »
Sadly my landlord, who lives Australia, has decided to sell the flat. He sent an agent around to have a look. He spent less than a minute here and then said he would be bringing people around at the weekend. 1pm Sunday I was to expect some people. Well 1pm came and what I hadn’t… Read More »
It has been 35 years since I was in Kenya and now I’m heading back there and will meet up with a friend from that time. He lives in a remote part of Northern Kenya. The area is very deprived with most people pasturalists. Most people have had no formal education and firewood is the… Read More »
It constantly surprises me that men can get so pleasure from watching other people playing. In the same way, young people watch others playing computer games. On Jiashan Lu every day there is this large group of men gathered under a tree. It has been really cold recently but they brave the weather to sit… Read More »
I’m not sure I want to tell you where to find the money changer becasuse he’s been there for many years and provides a valuable service to locals and foreigners alike. I have introduced many people to him. He gives a better rate than a bank, there are no forms to fill in and no… Read More »
I am the only qualified teacher at the school where I am currently doing some part time work. The other teachers are good people and do their best with what they are given. The Chinese teachers are routinely overworked and probably underpaid. I am valued. I know this. The staff and management say nice things… Read More »
Being self-employed can be scary at times because you always have to think about where and how you’re going to get some work. And you don’t want any type of work – you want well-paid interesting work. For this reason, I do not generally do private lessons. I hate doig them although they are lucrative.… Read More »
I was offered a ticket to see a real actual gig from an actual band. This was new for me, who, brought up in the coutnryside has seen almost no live music. I don’t think Max Boyce counts and I’m not convinced that my accidental attendance at a Status Quo gig in Sheffield in the… Read More »
After the Pig Planet, we headed north of Jiaxing to visit a farm, a real farm this time, where there was some land for rent. My friends were interested in renting 30mu for growing potatoes and other vegetables to sell to local businesses. One of the men was an agriculture expert and the other is… Read More »
Sean said – Why not come to JiaXing with me on Sunday. And why not – what else is there to do. And so we jumped in a car with two of his business associates and burned down the Jiaxing. First stop was a pig theme park called Pig Planet – well, at least I… Read More »