Birds, bites and breezes

The weather has been grey and very breezy these past couple of days, but that at least means not too hot for old pale-face! Had a lovely morning today with a bird ringing session. Held some absolutely beautiful small birds - olive sun bird, pygmy kingfisher, emerald amethyst sunbird, collared sunbird. It was lovely to see Colin Jackson who heads Arocha here giving patient tuition to Albert, who has been an assistant warden here for a number of years.

There are some real quality relationships amongst the staff, and I guess that keeps them going. I witnessed them collectively fill in their tax returns yesterday, and they couldn't have done it without help - I don't think I could!" And today the organisation discover that there is a big tax bill heading their way because it was late being handed in.

One of the two functioning cars broke down on the road, and was last seen by me limping back with a leaky radiator.

They are really keen to increase interest in the organisation, and attract more environmentally aware and enthusiastic guests, but communications need to be upgraded from their present dial-up internet access system. The centre is by the beach in a dip and to get coverage would require a 30 m high mast costing thousands.

We take so much for granted, and yet they in the main remain cheerful and very very accommodating - my bed had some unwlecome guests that took a taste to me the other night and defumigation took place almost immediately I mentioned it, and a much fresher and better night was my pleasure last night.

Lucy and Thomas in the "kitchen" provide two meals a day - mainly a combination of rice / cabbage / tomatoes, with a bit of meat, and having helped unload the car with the weeks' shopping today, I think it will be more of the same. But its wonderful - all staff and any guests share meals together, and there is a lot of chat and laughter, only fully appreciated by those who speak Kiswahili and English.

All roads lead to Nairobi....

All roads may lead to Nairobi – but not very many of them are good for driving on!

Had wonderful 11 hour sleep to make up for the odd 20 minute burst during the overnight flight to Dubai ( 33 deg C at 7 in the morning), and then onward flight to Nairobi.

Megan from St. Cuthbert’s, Preston had arranged to meet me at the Methodist Guest House, and with one of her team colleagues drove me to AIM Nairobi Guest House. I think I should have tried to arrange to stay there: it would have cut out two hairy journeys on Nairobi’s highways, and with the MGH proudly proclaiming it was a Christian institution, where no alcohol would be allowed on site, there was no opportunity to get hold of a nerve-calming single malt! All of these guest houses were protected by gates and security staff who all had a very intimidating military-like appearance.

Megan took me along to meet those members of her AIM TIMO team who were not poorly – Joseph, Safia, Christy, Angelica, Jose – at one of their regular team meetings where they share studies and readings. This meeting was mainly given over to discussing their study programme for the final 6 months of their time together. They all sent waved greetings back to Preston.

And then it was off with some of them for a 2for1 Wednesday lunch burger, (all deference to my recently diagnosed diabetes is on hold until this adventure is over), and some wonderful chat especially with Joseph, before back to MGH dodging potholes, pedestrians and lane-hopping matatus.

So what about the iron road?

An early start with James, the MGH driver, saw us in rush hour Nairobi – without the traffic it would be a lovely place. He drove me through very leafy suburbs, past the university and state house, and never lost his cool – or his wing mirror! He dropped me off at the Kenya Railway Museum – the access road to which past the main railway station has to be experienced to be believed. Is there a collective noun for matatus – the little minibuses – a nightmare? I had allowed more than enough time, before James was going to come back, so had a gentle couple of hours looking at a very small museum – some of the more interesting exhibits are shown here. Also enjoyed the company of an university undergraduate studying tourism and doing a vacation an internship in this quite derelict place, where on a good day they might see 15 visitors.

Then, no more than a quick journey to Wilson airport for the internal Air Kenya flight to Malindi via Lamu. What a treat, no hassle at security or check-in – in fact the really friendly security guard then walked with me back out of the departure lounge room with cushioned benches) and out of the airport main gates to a place where I could change USD to Kenya Shillings. Dollars are not really much use here – esp. big notes, the KES is a much stronger currency, it just takes a bit of getting used to with one too many zeros as 100KES = £1. Mobile phone texts 10p to UK and 3p local calls.

Sat and watched luggage stowed onboard 30-seater turbo prop plane, whilst a number of school trips had a good look around – from on the tarmac! There was no mad scramble for seats – only 14 passengers! 2 hours and one stop off en route) Lamu departure lounge!) saw me greeted by taxi driver Chula who drove the 30 mins to Arocha where I was given a lovely warm welcome by quite a number of the staff.

Getting acclimatized

Belinda told me this was the coolest room on the Arocha site, but nevertheless still very warm by Preston UK standards, so fitful sleep after supper of pilau rice and tomatoes. Met some very interesting fellow guests – Andrew studying as an undergraduate in environmental sciences in USA, a native Kenyan intending to return to Kenya after completing his studies; Nick and Kylie ( Check out their amazing blog on http://www.afrojaunt.co.za/) travelling overland in their 4-wheeldrive from South Africa stayed a couple of days, and they kindly invited me to go snorkelling with them, but I managed about 1 metre from the shore before having to give up – you can’t wear glasses in snorkel goggles, and without glasses nothing can be seen!

However, the early morning beach was packed with these crabs, and I did not need glasses to hear the monkeys on the roof disturbing my mid-morning snooze - I am still getting acclimatized!

Spent an hour or so with Stanley, Tsofa, John, Rony and Colin as they tried to work out a funding application strategic document for the Arocha ASSETS scheme, which provides bursaries to enable local primary school children to attend high school. The deal for them is that their families agree to not cut down trees for domestic use or unnecessary land clearance, that they won’t use traps to catch bush meat, and that they won’t use illegally small fishing nets. Apparently, an international charity donated a large number of mosquito nets in the Malindi area, many of which were being used instead to catch fish in the Mida Creek.

It was a fisherman in Mida Creek that had accidentally caught this

four year old Green Turtle that was brought back to the beach at Mwamba for re-release. This was the beach where it had hatched, and had survived the 1 in 1000 chance of reaching reproductive maturity. Mida Creek is the nearby water-way which provides an abundance of food for juvenile turtles.

Into Africa - via Arabia!

No frequent traveller or airmiles upgrade for this intrepid explorer.

Reading matter for the flights (via Dubai) include Karen Blixen's Out of Africa - sadly the Danish original, whilst very cheap to get online from Denmark, would have cost the equivalent of an hard back first edition with postage and packing added!

All the bags have been packed and re-packed; weight allowances almost met, tickets checked, mis-laid, re-discovered, - as I said no "frequent flyer" am I - that was just the rail tickets to Manchester Airport!

Anti-malarials started, (and so has Wimbledon fortnight - the rest of the family is hoping for life coverage of the men's final to be beamed into terminal 4 at Heathrow as they start their own epic odyssey into Africa)

An evening departure from misty Manchester will hopefully be replaced by a pleasant mid-afternoon arrival in Nairobi Tuesday 23rd. Will the climbing roses and honeysuckle from Preston be matched by the bougainvilla of Kenya? The excitement and anticipation is increasing!

Day trip to the smoke number 2

Another early start for a day return to London, this time in connection with the Guardian Newspaper Climate Summit for Business leaders, for which I received generous sponsorship from the Diocese of Blackburn Board of Social Responsibility. The Guardian newspaper does have a very good website concerning the environment. Click on the title of this particular blog for a quick link to it.

I was humbled to receive a personal welcome by name from the chairman at the start of the day, and later, when I asked him why, he said it was because they were so pleased to have delegates from different spheres of society at a conference mainly populated by business representatives.

The conference itself featured some top quality speakers representing:
the Committee on Climate Change set up under Climate Change Act to advise government on carbon budgets; Mars , and Food and Drink Federation; the Trades Union Congress; EON; Unilever; BT; Kelloggs; Friends of the Earth; Department of Energy and Climate Change etc.

In keeping with the two previous blogs, there seemed increasing acceptance within the world of business that Climate Change is happening - in fact as I write this the Meteorological Office has just published information about the impact of 2 deg centigrade tempearature rise in the UK by 2050, which includes warnings of heat waves of up to 40 deg C in London.



The problem is, many of the local residents of north west England probably don't necessarily think that this would be a bad thing - it would save them having to travel to the Costas, not that the Costas would be comfortable if they were between 2 - 5 degrees celsius warmer, and what about those living in the harsher sub-Saharan climates,
or those whose islands and coastal homes will be obliterated by rising sea levels? A recent BBC documentary series on the South Pacific highlighted this and many other ecological challenges associated with climate change - it's not all about carbon.
The conference was told that unless agreement at Copenhagen 2009 is reached with global significance - in other words with the developed world agreeing to cut emissions by hugely significant amounts and offer substantial financial support to the developing world to help them plan and prepare for growth using clean technologies, the temperature rise is more likely to be in the region of 5 degrees centigrade across the world. Global population is forecast to rise to 9 billion, of which 80% would be in the developing world, whilst the planet can only sustain 1billion at the level of wellbeing currently taken for granted in the devloped world.

It was very interesting to see that commercial businesses, often motivated by economics, but in some cases also by ethical reasons such as trust and integrity in the eyes of customers, and the recognition of valuable initiatives by employees, generally at shop floor and board level (interestingly, middle management are perceived as least ready to be proactive) are bringing about changes in practice in the work place that will reduce carbon emissons, and result in more effecient use of increasingly scarce and costly energy resources.

Much of the input was focussed on reducing carbon emissions as a matter of urgency - 80% by 2050 in UK - but one excellent break-out group received significant information about the challenge of water stress - reduced sources of clean water, brought about as a consequence of global Climate Change - for an increasing population, and ever-more demanding global production systems. Careful use of water was being researched and sponsored in the developing and industrial world by, amongst others, Unilever.

The final speaker from the London School of Economics was asked if the UK was ready to act decisevely to do its part in mitigating against the effect of Climate Change, gave the reply, that the cost of acting now is not insurmountable (interesting that the government is prepared to put a telephone tax on every landline to cover the cost of greater digital coverage), but the barriers are institutional, social and political. The will to do anything is still not there. Climate change events and consequences will catch up on us, and steps to bring about change will be forced up the global community, by which time it will cost significantly more. The more business act now, the better their own economic prospects will be.

Practising travelling east

Friday saw the mobile study relocated east over the border into Yorkshire, and into a favourite quiet field near Gargrave. With it, came another chance to practice wild life photography including this little deer seemingly caught in a field of sheep. But frustratingly got to within 20 feet of curlew on fence post - what a big bird - before it flew off. One of a few "so nearly" and "if only" encounters with some beautiful creatures this weekend.

Still, found another fencepost, with this gorgeous chaffinch on it.










Then crack of dawn start to continue further east...

I am following a course of studies under the auspices of the John Rae Initiative, and today they had organised an open day in the wilds of Yorkshire. It was interesting to hear about how the church was engaging with rural communities in Yorkshire, but of much more value was meeting some really clued-up folk, not least from the world of academia, where, again, there is now almost overwhelming consensus about the reality of climate change.



JRI has been key in drawing together the findings of eminent scientists in the field of environment and climate, people who are also Christians and for whom the challenge of climate change demands the incorporation of a spiritual response alongside all others.

Yet again met someone who had stayed at Arocha in Kenya, and who waxed enthusiastically about it. Only 10 days or so to go.

The rest of the weekend is being spent in the mobile study overlooking some glorious countryside, and this opportunity for safari-like photographs suddenly arose in the Hambledon Hills, early on Sunday morning











After the hectic nature of the past couple of days, with more to come, I enjoyed a day of sabbath which included some long-distance steam therapy, yet further east again - infact almost as far east as is possible in UK without getting on the plane to Kenya!

A day in the smoke

London was hit by a 48 hour tube strike, so it was entirely appropriate ( but not entirely straight forward) that I should take my bike on the 0600 hrs train to Euston to cycle on to the Church of England briefing on The Church and Climate Change at Lambeth Palace.

London has changed since I was there 25 years ago - many more bike lanes and places to park bikes I even got mine through the House of Commons security system, but Virgin Rail jobsworths almost thwarted me on the 2030 train back to the north west!


My 9 am meeting with a friend, former parishioner and sitting Member of Parliament on the Terrace of the H-o-C overlooking a sunny, glistening River Thames went far too quickly, and so much time was spent catching up, my questions didnt get fully answered.....


Then off on the bike again across the river to Lambeth Place, bumped into former college friend and leading light in Arocha- also on his bike! And then met author of a booklet that will really help me with my studies - and she wrote it on the very same balcony overlooking the Indian Ocean where I will be in 2 weeks time. She certainly whetted my appetite for what I will see.

As for the briefing conference - the big guns were wheeled out including the Bishop of London, Minister of State for the Department of the Environment and Climate Change, key figures from the Environment Agency, Natural England, and representatives from almost every diocese, including the Bishop of Lancaster from Blackburn.

There is no longer any doubt that the situation is serious: the science is good, the prognosis for the future is not, and steps need to be taken by the church - as institution and as individuals - now to meet very tough targets to curb carbon emissions by 2020. So much to take on board, including some very good presentations as to what other dioceses and support organisations are already doing. We have loads to do here. And ironically all this took place in a large room called the Guard Room with three huge chandeliers each with 21 inefficient-looking lightbulbs in!

So, it was then out onto the wild streets of South London after the cloistered serenity of LP - the Archbishop of Canterbury dropped in and said a passing hello to me as he gate-crashed our lunch - and in need of some virtual retail therapy, I called in the French Horn player's mecca(!) , Paxmans just 10 minutes away where I indulged myself by having a wonderful blow on an Alexander 102 - a £6000 equivalent of something like a Rolls Royce in the horn playing world!

Then with four hours to kill before the only train my cheap ticket was valid on, a gentle stroll, and sandwich in a park, not a care in the world, until with 15 minutes to go, the train was called for boarding, and virgin staff told me I needed a booking for the bike - I already had one, but I apparently needed a ticket as well - that was a frantic 10 minutes spent. I nearly hit the whisky bar in the train, but proportionally that would have cost me as much as a £6k French Horn and not lasted as long, or brought as much pleasure ( !!!) to others, nor possibly sent so much hot air into the atmosphere!

The adventure continues.

Amateur Springwatch at 20bbl

The first 10 days of my study leave have been spent in the mobile study in the back garden, with wonders of creation all around, and I've been doing my own amateur version of the exellent BBC TV Springwatch series, with the added incentive to get to grips with a very smart camera I have kindly been lent in advance of the big safari ( I still need to practice before the leopards get away!)

blue-tits in the box just by the door;

magpie family harrassing everything and even mortally pecking a juvenile blackbird

lots of bees in the bushes
loads of tadpoles growing legs in the pond
a wonderful variety of lillies and rhododendra
and the hordes of swifts above.

I even made my blog comment debut on the Springwatch site where it was interesting to see a discussion on the issue of evolution. Some of the comments made are pretty narrow and closed, but the arguments, rational or not, all help to reveal the gulf there can be between people of faith and others when thinking about Creation.

All of which has added material to the research I have been doing in advance of the first module of the Certificate in Christian Rural and Environment studies. The first essay will deal with the subject: How good is creation? In it I will be attempting to think about its often brutal characteristics, and see what scripture might say about the new creation. When the lion lies down with the lamb, will it still be a lion, or just one with immense self-control?!