Skip to content

Juliet's Kenya Days blog

Based on diaries and letters written during my family's time living there from 1975 to 1977.

Author: tomline43

A pleasant climate.

February 3, 2017May 24, 2020 Posted in UncategorizedLeave a comment

Letter from Judy to Nanny & Grandad 29 Jan 1975 – You wouldn’t recognise the children – they are already beautifully tanned and healthy looking – the result of being out in the sun and wind all day. The climate is perfect at this time of year – there is always a lovely cool breeze… Continue reading A pleasant climate.

Our garden.

February 2, 2017May 26, 2020 Posted in UncategorizedLeave a comment

Letter from Judy to Lisbeth & Peter 29 Jan 1975 – Our three bedroom bungalow has a big garden back and front. As it hadn’t been touched for 4 months one of our first jobs was to find a ‘garden boy’ to work for us. In three days he’s already done a great deal. He… Continue reading Our garden.

Employing servants.

February 1, 2017May 26, 2020 Posted in UncategorizedLeave a comment

Letter from Judy to Nanny & Grandad 3 Feb 1975 – We have got a very nice girl helping me in the house – Hannah has never worked before but is a very good worker and the children like her. Fiona stays with her quite happily when I go shopping. She speaks good English as… Continue reading Employing servants.

Little kitten.

January 30, 2017May 24, 2020 Posted in UncategorizedLeave a comment

Diary entry by Juliet 30 Jan 1975 – Caroline Trent took me to her friend’s house and they gave us a lovely black kitten. We named her Cheza because she is usually very playful. Kucheza is the verb for playful in Kiswahili, but we thought that was a bit long so Cheza is shorter. Stills… Continue reading Little kitten.

Graham’s teaching job.

January 29, 2017May 26, 2020 Posted in UncategorizedLeave a comment

Letter from Judy to Nanny & Grandad 4 Feb 1975 – Graham is much enjoying teaching and already has become involved in quite a few things – all talents are welcome here and indeed one is expected to use them. Graham will be doing ‘industrial arts’ – car mechanics, power mechanics and electronics in his… Continue reading Graham’s teaching job.

Starting school.

January 28, 2017May 24, 2020 Posted in UncategorizedLeave a comment

From Juliet’s diary 28 Jan 1975 – This morning mummy took me to Loreto school (Loreto Convent Msongari) to see if she could get me a place there. The headmistress is called Sister Pauline. I like her very much. I had to do a maths test – some of it was quite easy. Then we… Continue reading Starting school.

Getting to know people.

January 26, 2017May 26, 2020 Posted in UncategorizedLeave a comment

Letter from Graham to Tom & Mary 28 Jan 1975 – Our first impressions are very favourable – for three days all our meals were provided by other teachers. Partly to help us out and partly to speed up introductions. There were no spirits in evidence at all ! Only twice did we see alcohol… Continue reading Getting to know people.

Our new home at Alliance.

January 25, 2017May 24, 2020 Posted in UncategorizedLeave a comment

Juliet’s diary entry 24th January 1975 – We were taken from the airport to Alliance Boys High School at Kikuyu. We were taken to our house which is a lovely big bungalow. It’s white with a tiled roof and a small verandah. Our garden is huge but needs quite a lot of clearing. We have… Continue reading Our new home at Alliance.

Arrival in Kenya.

January 24, 2017May 14, 2020 Posted in UncategorizedLeave a comment

Diary entry by Juliet 24 January 1975 – Nairobi airport was not quite as hot as Entebbe but it still seemed very hot. The buildings seemed much the same as Entebbe Airport’s buidings. We waited for about 4 hours with our luggage because of something. We sat on a verandah sweating and ate stale sandwiches… Continue reading Arrival in Kenya.

Flying to Kenya.

January 23, 2017May 24, 2020 Posted in UncategorizedLeave a comment

Diary entry by Juliet 23 Jan 1975 – At 1:30pm Simon put all our luggage in his car and drove it down to Temple Meads. He took us down afterwards (luckily we only lived about a mile and a half from the station). At 2:15pm we got on the train to Reading. We then got… Continue reading Flying to Kenya.

Posts navigation

Previous Posts
Next Posts

About

In January 1975, just one day after my 12th birthday, my family flew to Kenya. Dad, Graham, had taken a two and a half year contract with the UK Government’s Overseas Development Agency to teach. My sisters Helen & Fiona were nearly 8 and 5. Mum, Judy, did a lot of the letter writing and our grandparents Nanny & Grandad (Mum’s parents) and Grandma & Grandad kept all/most of the letters they received so we ended up with this amazing archive. I have not edited wording, only cut and used the paragraphs I think relevant to the topic.

Recent posts

  • Finally, a big thank you!
  • Back to the UK via Greece.
  • Last trip to the coast & Tsavo.
  • Trip to Naro Moru.
  • Saying goodbye to friends.
  • Final school term 1977.
  • Rainy season.
  • Holiday time at home.
  • Easter at the Coast with Faith, Jackie & Heather.
  • Walking in the Ngong Hills.
  • Changeable weather.
  • Preparing to leave Kenya.
  • Getting to the summit of Mount Kenya.
  • Changes on the Compound.
  • Gems from Helen’s diaries.
  • New School Year 1977.
  • Christmas 1976 at Tsavo.
  • Two weeks at the coast.
  • Christmas holidays.
  • Horse riding and a fall !
  • Spotting Game.
  • Trips to Hell’s Gate.
  • A Nasty Incident.
  • Finding a human skeleton.
  • Third school term 1976.
  • Juliet, Helen & Fiona return to Kenya.
  • Mombasa without the children.
  • Olorgesailie Prehistoric site.
  • A dog, a bushbaby and a horse.
  • 2nd School Term 1976.
  • Visits to Mt Suswa.
  • Climbing on Kilimanjaro & Mt Meru.
  • Power Supply Problems.
  • Climbing at Lukenya.
  • Joining the Mountain Club of Kenya.
  • Plans for a trip to UK.
  • Walking in the Aberdares.
  • Chyulu Hills Caving Trips.
  • New School Year Jan 1976.
  • The dry season.
  • Trips to Mount Kenya.
  • Christmas 1975 at Meru.
  • Camping at Lake Naivasha.
  • Friends on the compound.
  • Christmas plans.
  • Enjoying the garden.
  • Third school term 1975.
  • Trip to Meru National Park.
  • Holiday in Mombasa and Amboseli.
  • New clothes & shoes.
  • Water shortage.
  • Children growing up.
  • Grandma’s knitting.
  • Entertainment.
  • Climbing Mt Longonot.
  • Politics in Kenya.
  • Glider flying.
  • Pet mice.
  • Making Ciné films.
  • Minibus repairs.
  • Making big cushions.
  • Trip to the Aberdares.
  • Carvings and other lovely things.
  • The rainy season.
  • Trip to Tsavo West.
  • Driving challenges.
  • Shopping in Nairobi.
  • Visiting Lake Magadi.
  • School holidays.
  • Health.
  • Shipping our belongings.
  • Meeting Maasai.
  • Our minibus.
  • Food supplies.
  • Meeting lions!
  • Managing money.
  • Getting to know Kikuyu area.
  • The importance of mail.
  • First Game Park trip.
  • Enjoying swimming.
  • A pleasant climate.
  • Our garden.
  • Employing servants.
  • Little kitten.
  • Graham’s teaching job.
  • Starting school.
  • Getting to know people.
  • Our new home at Alliance.
  • Arrival in Kenya.
  • Flying to Kenya.
  • Getting ready to leave England.
Blog at WordPress.com. Juliet's Kenya Days blog
Juliet's Kenya Days blog
Blog at WordPress.com.
  • Subscribe Subscribed
    • Juliet's Kenya Days blog
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • Juliet's Kenya Days blog
    • Subscribe Subscribed
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
 

Loading Comments...