Juliet's Kenya Days blog

Diary entry by Helen 25 Apr 1977 –

This morning we all dressed in safari boots or wellies because we were going to the marsh. It is just out of the Alliance school boundary, past the farm. The marsh water has bilharzia so I am careful not to fall in. It is nice there but not going there because the path is overgrown and prickly. This afternoon we went to see the pigs up at the farm. There are four pens; one is empty, two have got sows in and the other has got a male in. I think pigs are very nice although they smell a bit.

Stills from our ciné film of our trip to the marsh. Top left: Helen with Jane & Catherine Stevenson and Juliet in our front garden getting ready to leave. Top right: at the front of the photo Alastair and Jane Stevenson with Fiona in the middle, behind Juliet, Helen and Catherine Stevenson, and behind her, Judy, on our way to the marsh. Middle right: Graham on the path to the marsh. Bottom right: the fun group activity of ‘rocking’ the floating marsh turf by stamping and swaying in unison on it, taking great care not to get a leg in! Bottom left: Victoria Lewis with Juliet and Alastair. We remember Alastair did get a bit wet !

Diary entry by Helen 26 Apr 1977 –

This morning we all played with the Liliput town and enjoyed ourselves a lot. After lunch we all went down to the swimming pool. First I tried to dive and touch the bottom in the deep end and I found I could. I could also do a surface dive and touch the bottom. You need a big breath to do it and I was pleased with myself. Afterwards we went up to the farm to see the men doing the milking (by hand). The Stevenson’s dog Barney came with us and the cows were chasing him.

Diary entry by Helen 27 Apr 1977 –

This afternoon we went to the Ngong Hills although it was a bit cloudy. We walked up one of the ‘knuckles’. It was good practice for walking on English hills. It was cold but nice up there and we all got ‘platform’ boots from the mud.

Diary entry by Helen 28 Apr 1977 –

This afternoon we went to the farm to watch the cows being milked. We all had our wellington boots on so we walked in the mud. It was good fun but you got awfully dirty. This evening we went to watch ‘The Slipper and The Rose’ at the cinema. I thought it was very good but I was quite disappointed when we didn’t have anything at the interval.

Diary entry by Helen 29 Apr 1977 –

This morning we all went into town which was nice as I never go on school days. We had lunch at The Coffee House which was delicious and then Dad drove us to the Text Book Centre. I got a surprise gift pack and I was very pleased with it. Next we were going to walk up to the Museum but on the way it started to pour with rain so we went under some trees. By that time we were wet through so we went on. We were all very cold and wet which wasn’t very nice. We all had a wonderful time looking at all the things in the museum and I thought they were lovely.

Diary entry by Helen 30 Apr 1977 –

Today we just played with our lego houses. It was good fun rearranging everything and so on. Juliet and Fiona played with lego people while I played with my little doll. This afternoon I sewed a button on my school jersey and I felt proud of doing it.

Diary entry by Helen 1 May 1977 –

Just before tea Guri and Brian came with Kari and Roy. Fiona went to Kari’s for supper and for the night. The table for tea was very silent because she had gone which was quite nice.

Diary entry by Helen 2 May 1977 –

This morning I finished reading ‘Secret Water’ by Arthur Ransome which is a pity as it is very good. After breaky I went out and cleared the weeds and grass out of my garden. It was quite hard and back-breaking but I was very pleased with the result.