Elephunking

Well, last week i was at Mwulangaje elephant sactuary, and it was really good. we spent four days there doing various projects. I was grouped with alot of the new one monthers we have here, so i felt like a lazy old hand who was jaded and cynical all the time. Just like me over two months ago, i was bright eyed and bushy tailed about the whole thing, but now i can bearly be bothered to get up in the morning.

On the camp, we went on several game drives to see elephants, made a book out of elephant dung paper and helped out at a local school.

The game drives were my favourite bit: seeing the elephants was absolutly amazing. They look absolutly huge in real life. photos never do them justice. for all of the game drives we went to the travellers camp, as us camp kenya ppl have our own camp to our selves, so we can sit at the watering hole and wait for elephants to come and have a drink. I bought a beer there and its was 200 schillings. a compleate rip, but theres not much u can do.

the elephant dung paper makiing was interesting. gross but interesting. we made about 100 sheets, then we just sort of sat around chatting. we went back a few days later and bound sheets into books and decorated them. its been years since i had to be creative on paper, so i found it refreshing.

the thing i didnt like was the helping at the local skool, in their plant nursury. When we were there, all we did was dig 3 compst pits, and even then the local kids helped alot. While we were there, i didnt feel as welcome as at muhaka. As far as im concerned, we did no good there. it would have been better if we just got a small tour of what the were doing and the like. After that we went on a tour of their 'nature trail'. it was pretty crap. the kid that took us around was quickly and quielty giving us a pre rehearesd speech about the things there. Whenever we asked him a question he had absolutly no idea. Then - get this- they asked for a donation. They said something along the lines of "we are not asking for money, but if you would like to donate to us...". we had been warned about this before we left, so we were prepared. apparently it was for their planting project, but they didnt not need the money. they have international sponsers, that have given them lots of money to build 7 classrooms, a small kitchen and even a staffroom. they do not, in any way, need more money. this put me in a bad mood for the rest of the day.

the school also made soap. it was shit soap, and they wanted us to buy some to support that project too. i cant stand greedy people. shits me up the wall no end.

Over the course of the four days, 4 poeple got sick. it was the new people and it doesnt surprise me. i got sick in my first week too. 2 of them went to hospital and stayed there for a few days. alot longer than what was needed i think. Because of that, 2 of them now want to go to australia where there friends are. I told them that basically they should stick with it, and rushing to see their friends is not the point of travel. Bloody newbies: they have no idea what they got them selves into with camp kenya. Ive seen a few other people like that and its allways the one monthers and they do not belong here at all. Im allways happy to see them go - theyre too much maintanance.

that was basically it.

Now some people have told me my writings here lack emotion. good observation: i never like to write about emotions. I dont even write about how i feel in my diary (which i will edit and publish when i get home) simply because i want something that i can read back on with no sappy stuff. if i did write emotionally, i would just curse it for being so...unreadable.

fact of the day: in camp there r 11 boys and 39 girls. all those wishing to pick up, go to camp kenya. its great...if ur single.

on that note i could write about how im handling a long distance relationship. but i wont because its too personal and emotion. Suffice to say thats its tough, i dont reccomend it and that im glad the long distance part will be over soon.

i think that will be it for now.

cheers.