Tulips in Amsterdam

Linda's birthday celebration this year was to take place  in Amsterdam, a city we had last visited over 25 years ago, probably changed since then, if I could remember any of it. Last time I went by bus, this time we were flying on the 0725 Easyjet flight from Southend airport. This meant getting up at 0500 and being there for 0600 to check our luggage in. Linda doesn't like early mornings, but I was fine as I usually get up at that time. The only downside was we had to sleep on the sofa and chairs, as our friends who were coming with us slept in our bed.  The flight was only 40 minutes and then we landed. We had pre-booked our tickets for the 197 bus and so by 1030 we had arrived at the bus stop near our hotel.

We knew the Hotel Weber was 200 metres from the bus stop, but was not sure in which direction, so we managed to check out several directions, none of which were right, so Linda asked a taxi driver, who pointed just down the street we were standing on. The upside was we saw Starbucks and an Apple store nearby. We checked in at the hotel and our rooms were ready, ours was on the second floor, so I had to carry our case up the narrow, steep stairway.  We dropped the cases off and went out, it was not too cold. First stop was Starbucks for a coffee and snack (our friends went to Mcdonalds, but I couldn’t lower my standards).  Once refreshed, it was off for a walk, along the Leidsestraat looking in shops, then we went to the Flower Market and cheese shops. Linda discovered that you got free cheese to taste in the cheese shops, so she visited a few. Our next stop was the Christmas Market at Rembrandtplein and we had a look round, then Linda found a paper shop, disaster, it had lots of things she needed.

After, Linda has spent ages in the paper shop we wandered around the  main shopping streets, past several coffeeshops. In Amsterdam a coffeeshop is where they serve cannabis, a cafe is where they serve coffee, so you need to get the right one. At Dam Square we saw the Royal Palace and various statues before carrying on our walking tour. We had discovered that most of the cyclists were either high on cannabis or drunk as they tended to ride on the cycle tracks, pavements or roads, but not in any particular order, they didn’t stop at traffic lights or pedestrian crossing, it was dangerous and there were hundreds of them. 

We found Anne Franks House and took some photos, the queues were very long to go in and you had to pay. We saw the Westerkerk and Linda took some more photos before wandering back to the hotel for a rest. I didn’t need a rest, so went for a nice run just over 3.5 miles. I had a look around the station and some of the main streets, it was difficult with cyclists coming at you from all directions, but at leat it was flat. After a quick shower we went out for dinner and to an Argentinian restaurant for steak, very nice. Then it was little wander around before we returned to our rooms for an early night. I had walked at total of 17.29 miles (including my running), not bad for day one.

Our room had a fridge in it and breakfast is eaten in the room. The hotel delivers bread and croissants around 0800 and then you make your own food. Today was Linda’s birthday and I had a surprise lined up for her, a visit to the Van Gogh museum. Evidently he was an artist, but I didn’t think much of his work. There was also an exhibition by Munch, but again didn’t really float my boat. Van Gogh didn’t become famous until he was dead, but then that is life. I did see the Sunflowers pictures, it was ok. It took Linda and our friends a couple of hours to go round, but fortunately there was a cafe (not coffeehouse) and internet so I just sat, read my book and waited.

It was now raining, so we got wet as we walked around, we went to the Albert Cuypmarkt (a street market) and there were a lot of stalls, all with crap on them. I lost count of the number of material shops Linda went into, but she did not buy anything as it was of low quality. We did stop for a coffee and she had a cheese baguette to keep her going. It was raining quite hard now, so our friends wanted to wander back, but we were made of tougher things and so we walked up to the Railway Station, built in 1889 and  Linda took a few photos. She wanted pancakes other birthday, so we stopped on the way back and had some. Linda then went back to the hotel and as it was not raining so hard I went for a quick run (3.18 miles) in a different direction. I nearly got run over several times by cyclists . It was Linda’s turn to choose where we went for dinner, she chose Italian so we had a nice pasta and pizza. On day two I walked 13.87 miles.

On Wednesday meeting I went for a run before breakfast. Linda had bought her running gear with her, but it went home in the same pristine condition she brought it in. I wanted to have a look at the Olympic stadium and a different area, I covered 6.38 miles and would have done more but had to get back to pack and check out.  We had another wander around Amsterdam re-visting a few sites, buying some cheese and see the house where Rembrandt lived. It was sunny today, but cold. We stopped for lunch, before going back to the hotel to collect our luggage and get the 1514 bus to the airport. We checked in and then waited for the plane. It was another 40 minute flight and then we were soon home. I had covered 15.45 miles today, which gave me a total of 46.61 miles in three days, not bad....

You can see some photos here.

A holiday with a difference

Madeira is a volcanic island 270 miles north of the Canary Islands and a definite winter sun location. It is also the birth place of Ronaldo and there is a statue here everyone visits. As it is a volcanic island there are no sandy beaches, only rocks. While everyone in the UK is worrying about Barney and Abigail, we are worrying about whether we have put enough sun cream on or where to go for the next coffee. It has been a holiday with a difference, plenty of time sitting in the sun resting, as opposed to sight seeing. It has been Linda who can't sit still, this time, in and out of the pool, wanting to go out, whilst I have been quite happy to sit there and read my book, once I have had my morning run of course. As I am kind to my wife, I did take Linda running (once) but she kept complaining about too many hills, so I went on my own after that. 

We flew from Gatwick with BA, a 0720 flight which landed early, just after 1100. Madeira is on the same time zone as UK and therefore no need to change our watches. As we flew business class, we enjoyed the lounge beforehand and comfort on the flight. We caught the airport bus to our hotel - the Fourviews, Funchal Lido. Initially we had a room on the mountain side, which was very noisy ( and you couldn't see the mountain) but Linda kept  complaining to the reception about the views, the noise and everything else, so for some peace and quiet on day two they gave her an alternative room, which was quieter and in fact bigger. 

There are several outdoor pools at the hotel and so most days we would just have breakfast, then sit and read by the pool in the morning. In the afternoon we would go into town and have a walk round, it is about a 30 minute walk downhill walk into town, more difficult coming back. All the cruise ships come into the port here for the day.  

It's very hilly so it made my morning run challenging to say the least, I did do one afternoon run, but it was too hot. The hotel is not very full so there are plenty of loungers to go round, I can imagine that in the summer it is more competitive. There appear to be a lot of older retired people here probably on Saga holidays!

On Sunday I had booked afternoon tea at Reid's Palace hotel which is famous for tea on the terrace. Sir Winston Churchill stayed here and used to take tea on the terrace. Plenty of royalty and thespians have also been here, so Linda thought it was suitable for her. They do all types of tea, I had a Chinese green tea and Linda had Reids home brew. They bring you the sandwiches, followed by scones and then cakes. You can eat as much as you want. It was very entertaining and Linda enjoyed it. We had to dress up for tea no t-shirts or shorts were allowed.

On Monday we took the bus downtown and then a sightseeing bus to Monte, which is up in the hills. It is from here people come down the lanes in a basket. It was quite high up and took a while to get there, round windy lanes. We stayed at the top for about an hour. It is around 3000 feet above sea level. We had a look round the gardens and church, then caught the bus back down.  Linda has found a favourite cafe called the Ritz and likes to stop there for coffee or ice cream, she particularly likes their dark chocolate ice cream. 

On Tuesday, as we were having a pool day so I decided to go for a longer run. I left at
It 0730, while Linda was still asleep and arrived back just after 0900. I did about 7 miles, but stopped several times for photo opportunities or to admire the scenery.  She wanted to know where I had been, not because she was worried I might have got lost, but worried about missing breakfast, as it finished at 1000!

We would recommend Madeira for a nice warm sunny relaxing holiday with no wind or rain! 

You can see some photos here.

Run a Marathon - Box ticked

Berlin in Autumn is a great place to be, warm and t-shirt weather. The plan was to have a weekend in Berlin with a little bit of running thrown in.  Easyjet fly from Southend (although they are axing the route after February) and so it was on Friday at 11am that we checked in, we had hold luggage consisting mainly of my running gear. However, in case they lost the luggage ( difficult to do from Southend with just one plane flying at a time) I took my trainers in my hand luggage and wore my kit, no danger of losing it , unless I get lost myself. The flight was smooth and we landed on time at Berlin-Schönefeld airport. The luggage was through quite quickly and then we went to the  station, to catch the train into the city. We had decided to go to the Expo and collect my race number and assorted goodies. It was being held in the old Berlin Tempelhof airfield. This meant changing trains several times but we got there around 5pm. It was very busy, a lot of people pushing and shoving, not really time to look at any of the stalls, plus no one was giving away any freebies....

We stayed about an hour, before we caught the train back into the Berlin to the Zoologischer Garten station. I then remembered I had not looked up the directions to the hotel, the Hampton Inn, on the Internet, so we asked people in a couple of places. They sent us in the right direction, but didn't really know where it was. We even asked the Police officers guarding the Jewish Synagogue, but they just gave us general directions. Eventually we  found the hotel and actually we were not that far away. I had already checked in online, so I knew it was room 131 on first floor. We dropped our luggage off and went out for something to eat. Linda had noticed some restaurants nearby and they looked interesting. Linda decided on spaghetti carbonara her favourite and I had meat and potatoes. It was very nice and we sat outside, as it was not too cold. We then went back to the hotel and some rest.

Saturday was a dry run day, to work out how long it would take to get from the hotel to the start area. First we had breakfast, eggs, rolls, and fruit, all needed to build up those carbs. We left around 10am and worked out, provided the train came within 3-4 minutes it was about 35 minutes in total. About 10 minutes to walk to the station (although later we found a nearer one to our hotel), about 10-15 minutes on the train (depending how long it took to come). It was then a further 10-15 minute walk from Hauptbahnhof station to the start area. Another top tip was to buy your ticket the night before, as then you just have to get it stamped at the automatic machines, before you get on the train.

We found the start area, but couldn't go in. We then had a wander around the event village before leaving and going for a walk along 'Unter den Linden', it was warm so we had to stop at Einsteins' cafe for a cappuccino and to watch the world go by, a lot of tourists in town this weekend! We then continued walking, which in hindsight was probably not a good idea as we walked about 8 miles in total. Linda looked around an Art market and a few shops. We finished at Alexanderplatz and decided to have dinner. I had salmon pasta and Linda a big four cheese pizza. After this we got the train back to the hotel and had a rest.

In the evening. We went to the Ecumenical Service at the Kaiser Wilhelm Gedachtnis Kirche. It lasted about 45 mins, there was a reading Psalm 121, some hymns, a sermon and of course a collection. Psalm 121 was described a runners Psalm 'I lift up my eyes to the mountains, where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip, he who watches over you will not slumber;' Most of it was in German so we did not understand a lot of the sermon, but it did mention running. We then back to the hotel via Starbucks.

Marathon day. We woke up at 0545 and were at the breakfast table for 0600. I had to be careful what I ate to prevent any unnecessary stops on route. I had banana in a roll and yoghurt, plus my normal cup of coffee; all athletes know coffee improves performance. I had laid out my kit the night before, so I could put it straight on and we left the hotel for the train station by 0645, 15 minutes ahead of schedule. We walked to Savignyplatz station and didn't have to wait long for a train and of course no queuing for tickets, just needed to validate ours in the machine. I  had an old coat and pair of trousers on, which I could throw away at the start line. It was slightly cold and having learnt from Florida and various magazines this is what athletes do, apart from the elite like Mo, they have dressing rooms and somebody to hold their coat for them. Linda was not able to get into the start area herself, although we later discovered she could have got nearer the start line, but we hadn't done a recce that side!  We were early so I had time for a quick Starbucks, there is always time for Starbucks and caffeine improves performance it says so in my running magazine.

Linda then wanted to take a few pre-race photos so I had to stand there shivering whilst she checked the background, distance etc... Then it was off to the start area, there are over 41000 runners so it needed to be well organised and it was. I left my bag at the bag tent and had a wander around. The problem is you have to be here so early that you get bored waiting for the start. It did not start till 9am and I was in the last section H as I hadn't run a marathon before. We did not start till 0935. As we were there at 0730 there was a lot of standing around, although it was not too cold, unlike Florida.

I found the right coral; people were pushing in, walking in front of you, trying to get nearer the front right up to the last minute. It’s a bit pointless really as you all run the same distance -  26.2 miles. At 0900 the elite athletes set off, they were going fast and would finish in just over 2 hours. I had worked out positions for Linda based on timings and train stations. Everything is marked in km and you run 42.165km. Linda positioned herself at km 11 initially so she got photos of the elite athletes and me.

The start was in Strasse des 17 Juni in the middle of the Tiergarten. The route initially went west, towards the Victory column, past the technical university and then turn back on itself towards Alexanderplatz (where Linda was).  My 5k time was 27:37 and 10K 55:08 which was in line with my training times.  The route then wandered along the streets through East Berlin. There were bands everywhere and people watching and shouting encouragement.  I reached the halfway stage in 1:59:54, which was still on schedule. The race ran through the shopping district, then Potsdamer Platz (around km38) where Linda appeared again. It was hard work know, although I only had 4km to run I had slowed down considerably. It was a struggle, but once I reached the Unter der Linden and could see the Brandenburger Tor I knew I was nearly home. I ran through the Tor and towards the finish line, completing it in 4:11:12 and finished in 17874 place (out of around 41000 runners).

After you run through the finish area you are given your medal. I collected my food parcel and clothing bag from the relevant areas, it was slightly crowded. I had arranged to meet Linda at 2pm at the family reunion area. Despite running a marathon, I managed to be on time, but Linda as usual was 30 minutes late. She then wanted to take more photos of me with the medal. We then went to the village, had a look round and watched some more runners finishing. After this we went back to the train station to catch the train back to our hotel. We stopped for dinner on route, to save going out again, Linda had her usual. I had the mixed grill and a cappuccino. Linda was exhausted after taking all those photos so she had a rest in the afternoon. She did say she had walked about 12 miles.

On Monday we got up around 8am, no rush today and my legs are slightly stiff. Linda banned me from going for an early morning run! As Hilton honours members we get a later checkout time, which is handy. We had breakfast and then asked for a newspaper, they gave me one in English, but I wanted the Morganpost as it had all the marathon results in it including mine. We then went for a walk around the streets, visiting famous places like Karlstadt sports, Adidas and Nike. 

Linda wanted to see the Zoo so I took her to the gates and she could see up the driveway,  time for a picture. After this we went back to the hotel and packed the cases, checked out and caught the train to the airport. We checked in, but security was dreadful, totally disorganised and it took over 30 minutes to get through, there was no leadership and grumpy staff who were totally disinterested, very disappointing. The flight left on time and we were back in Southend by 1730, medal and all.

You can see some photos here.

Liberation of Jersey

I didn't realise Jersey had so many hills. It is all right if you want to run to St Aubin's Bay, about three miles from St Helier, but to go anywhere else involves steep hills. I don't remember them from watching Bergerac.  The island is smaller than you think, I have managed to run to the east, north and west coast. The south to north run is the shortest (10 miles) although the most hills, but fortunately only going north, coming back was easy. The east run (11 miles) was hilly in both directions, but some nice scenery. The longest run (15 miles) to the west to Corbiere lighthouse was hilly but the most scenic. The good thing about all the runs, I was able to come back a different way so it wasn't boring. I have run about 45 miles between Thursday and Sunday as well as walking 27 miles (according to the app). The weather has been sunny the last couple of days but with a cold wind. 

Apart from running I have been having a look round. I found some cemeteries to visit and read the gravestones, fascinating some of them, several generations buried in the one plot. I visited one at St Johns Road and there is an old peoples home next to it, must be really encouraging for them, get up every morning, look out the window and there is a reminder of what the future holds! 

Saturday 9th May was the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Jersey from the Nazis. I didn't know that when I booked the weekend, I just choose it because I was off. However, as it was a special day most of the shops were shut, not that I go in them much as Linda is not here. The shops here are more expensive than in UK, even Marks and Spencers. The Liberation service started at 10:58 with the fifthteen gun salute from HMS Iron Duke berthed in the harbour. Liberation Square was crowded but they had not put any loud speakers in, so unless you were right up near the stage then you couldn't hear much or see anything. It was also cold and there was a slight drizzle. I stayed till the end, but then as I was cold went for a coffee. In the afternoon there was a parade of the old motor cars, military vehicles, armed forces and so I was back for that, it was a really good interesting parade and the weather had brightened up. They were going from Liberation Square to The People's Park where there was a show going on, the Countess of Wessex was there. I think I saw her car leaving when out running, but didn't really take much notice!

On Sunday I went to the local Baptist Church for the morning service. They had about fifty people there and it was a good message, even better the service only lasted an hour! They had some good songs, but the congregation didn't appear to be into singing too heartily. The message was on Acts 1:1-11 (Ascension story) and the focus on the disciples who were standing there looking into the sky, rather than getting on with the job of spreading the gospel. 

I have found a nice coffee shop, Cooper and Co., who do the best cappuccino in Jersey. It is really nice, so I went back several times. There is unfortunately no Starbucks here, although I saw three Costa's and a Coffee Republic. I would sit in the coffee shop and plan my next sermon series which focuses on the community activity at wells in scripture. It's actually amazing what went on at those wells, they were probably an Old Testament equivalent  of Starbucks! Anyway if you want to know more then it starts at Eastwood on 24th May.

I have also managed to read three books, an autobiography of Rosa Parks, the history of the Romans by Boris Johnson and a book on running a marathon. The bus service is good here and the number 15 goes from St Helier to the airport. I stayed at the Hotel Revere  which is good. The Internet is very slow but the room is nice and plenty of drawers to split normal clothing and running kit. The breakfast is excellent, allows me to fuel up for the day and there is a kettle in the room. The flight from Gatwick is around an hour with BA, but once landed the baggage arrived quickly, I suppose there is not much else for them to do.

There are some photos here (if link works).

Kwaheri Kenya

On Saturday I was up early and went for a run around Nyeri. There was a nice 3.5 mile loop I could use, unfortunately it was very hilly. We are now at 5000 feet so it's slightly easier. It does not help that the hotel is at the top of a hill, as it makes the finish challenging. Linda opted out of any exercise and stayed asleep. We then had breakfast, before walking to the Golf Club, under a mile, to meet James and Grace for tea. We had a chat and then they went off to a meeting and we visited The Outspan hotel again. Linda wanted to see the lodge where Lord Baden-Powell lived and have a wander around the gardens. It was a nice sunny day, so we sat outside and enjoyed the weather whilst reading The Times.

After this we did some shopping in Nyeri before going back to the hotel. Linda went swimming in the pool, while I did some preparations Easter sermons. We had a snack to eat before going back to our room to rest, well Linda did, I went down the gym for an hours workout. In the evening we went for dinner at the Golf Club with James and Grace, although there had been a competition during the day and so no food were served till after the speeches and presentation. This lasted an hour so I was really hungry by the time the food came.

On Sunday we had to be up early as the driver was collecting us at 0745 so we could follow James to the church we were going to. It was an Anglian church St Marks and was a couple of miles outside of Nyeri. There were two services, the English one at 0830 lasting 90 minutes and the 1030 one in Kikuyu which was nearly three  hours, I was preaching at both so we were there a long time. They did provide dinner which was rice and meat.

After this it was time to go back to Nairobi. We left Nyeri just after two and arrived back at The Stanley just after 4.30pm. It was a nice scenic drive, but the road was very busy and a single lane, so the driver had to keep overtaking slower vehicles.  We checked in and had room 212. Linda decided to go swimming whilst I had a work out at the gym. We then dinner before sitting in the room and doing some reading. It was a tiring day.

On Monday  we got up about 8am and had breakfast, then  it was re-packing the cases for the last time. I then had to go into town and sort out a few things, while Linda went off to the Elephant sanctuary.  She likes to go and see the baby elephants being fed. My view, seen one elephant you have seen them all! After that she went to the Kauzri Bead factory and managed to spend some money, what a surprise!  I did  the sensible thing and did a 2 hour session in the hotel gym and it cost nothing!  I was listening to an interesting sermon on vision and leadership by Bill Hybels. 

I then sat  in the sun by the pool and watched a video on my Ipad. Linda turned up around 2pm and went for a swim.  We then sat in the sun and enjoyed a coffee. Around 4pm we went to the Java House for a bite to eat, I had a steak sandwich with salad and Linda. A burger and chips. Our driver arrived at 6pm to take us to the airport, the traffic was horrendous, it made the M25 look fast, it took two and a half hours to get to the airport. It took an hour just to do two streets, fortunately we had left plenty of time. We then had to queue for the luggage scan,  they scan all the luggage on the way into the airport. Once through there then it was quick to book in. It was disappointing there was no business lounge here, they just give you some snacks and drinks at the departure gate. We eventually boarded the plane and settled back to enjoy the journey. I sent a few texts to our friends before we left.

So another trip others, we gave away 2 computers,pens, pencils,flip flops, bibles, a set of golf clubs, schools dresses, knitted clothes, Lego, knitted blankets, balls and a couple of suitcases. We have given away the contents of three suitcases  as well as providing some financial support to our friends.  The only question they keep asking, is when will we be be back?

Operation Cross Country

Based on previous experience the students thought I was joking when I suggested a run after class, but they were wrong. I had invited them for a run to the local village and back, just four miles. Once they realised that I was serious, they thought I would be slow, their second mistake! 

 I took them through some warm up exercises and then we were off.  A couple were faster that me, just but most were struggling after the first miles, a few needed a lift back with Linda in the car. We did around an 8 minute mile, which is good as it is very very hilly here and at a high altitude breathing is difficult. Although as I said to Linda don’t worry about it too much think of your PB (personal best for non runners).

The Principal saw that it was a good idea and is going to introduce a weekly run into the timetable.  Linda, unfortunately, had to be the photographer so couldn’t take part, I am sure she was very disappointed. However, just to make sure she had not missed out, I took her for a run in the evening around the streets and the local park. The good news was that there is electricity so that means a hot shower when we got back. I have continued to teach at the college and spent all Wednesday night marking assignments, there were some good answers and the top student was a female - Winnie. We gave her a prize.

Linda went to visit a friend of ours in Bware, about 90 minutes away. She had dinner with him and his wife and caught up on the work there. She also visited the pre-school the church runs which has 84 children. After that she visited a primary and school and spoke to a class. She has been very busy without me. Another bag of items donated to their work, just down to three now plus our golf clubs.

On Thursday Linda returned to the ladies prison.   She had several gifts for them and their babies. A lot of the knitted clothing provided by our church goes to the prisoners and their children. The prison holds females on remand and those convicted of all types of offence including murder.  Linda was able to talk to them and tell then the story of Zaccheus. She then had a walk round and chatted to a few of them.   She went to the knitting room and helped them on the machine and gave them a few ideas. They have asked her to come back next time for a day and do some teaching.

While Linda was the prison I was at the college teaching the final sessions and conducting the exam.  I split them into groups and they had to compare a  biblical character to a leadership model and identify good and bad points. Everyone had to do part of the presentation, male and female. I also appointed some females as group leaders which surprised some, but leadership is all about developing people's talents.  The presentations went well and they came up with some good ideas, I even got a few thoughts for my Good Friday sermon which was helpful. A few of the students are a bit stiff today after the running, but the principal has come up with a new initiative for next term Operation Cross Country so once a week they will be out for a run, I wonder how long it will last. I did do some exercises with a few keen ones and teaching them planks and mountain climbers. 

In the afternoon we had a final service with speeches and they were quite kind to us. We gave out the certificates to the students.

Our friend Samuel who Linda had visited on Wednesday had come to visit me, as he did not believe that I was the person in the photo’s, so he had come 50 miles on the Matatu to see if it was for real! It was good to catch up with him, and we discussed some plants for next year. He was one of the first students I had in 2007.  I also visited another of my old students, who lives just around the corner, Andrew and had tea with him. He shared the vision he has for his church with us. Then it was time to finally leave and go towards Litein as we were having dinner with Joseph. It was a bit further than I had anticipated so we were a bit late or if applying African time, right on time. We had a meal with them and caught up on their lives and the family, we have known them since 2006 when we first visited Kenya.

On the way back to the hotel we stopped for five minutes at a girl’s school to see Linda’s friend Betty, we have been so busy there has been no time for a visit, but Linda had a five minute catch up. It was then finally back to the hotel, it was around 8pm by now so it was a long day. We had to sort out our clothes and re-pack the cases, down to three now.

On Friday we travelled to Nyeri leaving just after 8am. It is a long journey across the hills and the Equator. We stopped at the Equator and Linda took more photos. The road from Nakuru to Thomson Falls was very bad, lots of big pot holes. At Thomson Falls we stopped for a drink and to stretch our legs. Then it was off to Nyeri and to meet our friends James and Grace.  They had prepared a small lunch which we ate, it was about 1.30pm so we were hungry by now. 

They have been building a new Anglian  cathedral at Nyeri and we had a look around it, they use wood for scaffolding, it is coming on nicely and they hope to have it finished within a year. Linda took our driver to show him where Lord Baden-Powell was buried and the history of scouting.  James then dropped us off at our hotel The Green Hills Hotel and we settled in.

 It is warm today but we are now at 5000 feet so I needed to test the running conditions, as I am kind to Linda I took her with me. Unfortunately the hotel is on the top of a hill, which is good when you start off, but not so good when you want to come back, as Linda found out. The other problem is the town is at the top of the next hill, but you get to run downhill once you have reached the top. We covered about 1.5 miles and it is easier at this level.

In the evening we went to the Outspan Hotel and had a meal with James and Grace. I had meat with ugali which was very nice. Mo Farah eats ugali so perhaps by eating it I will run as fast as him! Although I am not sure I could eat it every day as it is rather bland, but evidently Kenyan athletes swear by it, so it must be good.

There are some photos of our trip here.

Electricity has arrived

It is about 30 degrees here in Kericho.

However, guest house are concerned we may get cold, so have provided a blanket, thick duvet and a hot water bottle. We have settled in and sorted our room out. Linda did notice that half her case was full of my running gear, well she did say I could put a few bits in. I have two sets of drawers one for my running gear, the other for normal clothes.  

On Sunday I was up early at 0630 and went for a run, I am allowed to run here providing I do not run far. Kericho is at 7000 feet and on a hill, so when you start it's all downhill, but when you need to come back it is all up hill, which was challenging. I can see why the runners come to Kenya to do altitude training, it is difficult. I fitted in a 3.5 mile run, within a reasonable time, the steep hill was over a mile going up.  I was back in time for breakfast, after a shower. It was quite chilly when I first went out, so as not to disturb Linda I had to get dressed in the dark, so had been wearing my shorts inside out! 

I was preaching at church today, both service so had to be there for around 0830 to start preaching at 9. The first service is the English one, the second is in Swahili and has a better attendance, the church was in fact full. I preached for 30 mins at the first one and 45 mins at the second, both on the first book of John, although different chapters. 

After church we went out for lunch with Pastor Chumo and had fish with chapati, it was very nice. We then spent the rest of the day preparing for college tomorrow. In the evening Linda actually went for a run with me, we ran a mile in total, she was knackered. Dinner was fish and rice, we are back into eating rice at every meal.

On Monday I was awake early, but there was not time for a run. I am not allowed to run in the dark and as the sun does not rise till after 0630 there is not time to run before breakfast as we leave for the college at 8am. It was good to be back at the college and to meet some old friends and make some new ones. They did recognise me, but they don't probably see many white faces. I was teaching leadership and soon settled into the rhythm. We  have power today which is always good news when you need to play videos and show PowerPoint. 

At break it was tea and bread, although I didn't eat any bread and then back to class. I am trying to get them to work in groups and for the females to take some of the lead, which is challenging. I have 30 students in the class, about 1/3 are female and they seem to be listening. 

Dinner was rice, peas and beans, no meat today. I had an afternoon session, before we finished at 3pm. We had to go back to town today to collect some photocopying and buy some items. There is no electricity in Kericho today and it is raining.  

We came back to the hotel and decided to go for a run, Linda came as well. The Manager of the hotel suggested a route, which turned out to be  very hilly, Linda was not impressed. We ended up at Moi Gardens which is a nice green area to run round, one lap is a ¼ of a mile. I did several laps, Linda did some as well. As it is an enclosed space we could both run at our own pace and check each other was safe. It is quite difficult to run at this altitude, I am not sure how Mo Farah does it, but then perhaps when I get back I too can run a half marathon in 59 minutes! 

We got back to the hotel and still no electricity, which meant cold showers. After dinner, which was fish again, then  we did some preparation for tomorrow. 

Tuesday was a busy day. I was teaching all morning at the college, but today we had small pieces of meat with the dinner, it was rice again for a change. Linda had wandered off during the morning to see a friend of ours and visit the local orphanage. 

After dinner we were going to visit our friend Stanley who lives in a nearby village, down a bumpy unmade road. It took about 45 minutes to get there. He was pleased to see us, introduced us to his family, showed us his house and the new storage shed he had built. Last time we were here he had put the sockets in and was waiting for the electricity, good news, it has arrived and he has power. We had a cup of tea with him.

We then went to visit his shop and the local secondary school. There we did a talk to the students followed by a question and answer session. They asked some challenging questions, but any difficult ones I let Linda answer! We did not finish there till after 5pm and it was another 45 minute drive back to Kericho on unmade, bumpy roads. We arrived back and visited the shops and finally got back to the hotel just before 7pm. It is now getting dark so I was not allowed to go for a run!

We had our dinner of fish and then sorted some of our bags out, they are getting smaller all the time.

We're Back

On Thursday we left around 1.30pm and went to the

 Holiday Inn Express near Heathrow and arrived around 3pm as the motorway was reasonably smooth. We have five bags and a golf set to take with us, two cases are very heavy around 28kg but the limit as we are going business is 32kg. The good news our shed is now looking like I can get in it. We dropped the items off at the room and then went into Windsor and got a shock at the parking charges. We had a wander around and a last Starbucks. It was not too cold, then it was back to hotel and we had a dinner in the restaurant, before having an early night.

On Friday I was up at 0530 and Linda shortly afterwards. While she was having a shower I repacked the car and then we had a quick croissant and drink before we left for the airport, terminal 5. We arrived at the car park at 0700 and were checking in around 0720, on schedule. It was through security,  on the train to  concourse B and then the  business lounge. We got stuck into the food and free wi-fi and just relaxed. 

We were flying business class so we boarded the plane first, settling down into our seats with a glass of water.  The flight was fine, we watched several  films, there were actually  films both of us wanted to watch, so in between  food we sat back, relaxed and watched the screen. The flight was bumpy in places, but we coped. It is a 8 hour flight and Kenya is 3 hours ahead. we landed about 9.30pm (Kenyan time). 

Due to an airport fire last year the plane lands at the departure terminal and it is a bus ride to the arrivals terminal. The good news is that they have improved the immigration hall and it was actually quite fast, of course you still have to wait for your luggage.  Fortunately all our luggage did arrive, the only thing that security and customs asked about was the Golf Clubs in the bag. 

We did not have any other  problems at customs and soon found our driver, Chris. He took us to the hotel, we are staying at The Stanley and were soon checked in. It was just after midnight do a quick bath and bed. It is warm here.

On Saturday I was up at 0615 and off to check out the gym.  Linda has banned me from running in Nairobi as she says it is too dangerous, so it was cross training and weights instead. I came back and she was still asleep, but soon woke up and had a shower. It was then off to breakfast, which was fine, although the coffee was slightly stewed. After this we went to the supermarket to get a few bits for the journey, water and some bread.

 Linda  had a meeting with Alice and her husband Hosea while I went out to sort the SIM cards out. It has all changed now, forms to fill out, copies of passports, takes ages, you just used to buy them over the counter. I completed this and  went back to the hotel, Linda’s meeting had just finished, but they wanted to see me. When they had first met me at reception earlier that morning,  they had not recognised me and thought that I was Simon's brother. Even though  Linda explained I was actually Simon they wanted to see me again to check, as they still were not sure.

We had a suitcase for them full of dresses, knitted clothes, blankets, bibles and other bits which they were very pleased with. I was even more pleased as its one less I have to heave around. The driver was also pleased as it meant he could get his own suitcase in the boot. 

Our driver arrived at 11 and we loaded the car and were soon on our way. It's a day's journey to Kericho. We stopped on route so Linda could take some pictures of the Rift Valley, then at Naivasha for a coffee and samosa before getting back on the dusty road. It's hot here, with the sun shining. A few things have changed since we were here 2 years ago, but the driving standard is not one of them!  The route is scenic we saw Zebra's, Baboons and Warthogs by the roadside so Linda was very happy,  I was also happy, she's had a free safari!

We arrived at the guest house around 4pm, its now changed name and called Ivys Inn, the staff are the same, but there is now wi-fi in the rooms and a kettle. We have room 5, the same one as last time. It has a balcony so we can see the house opposite. 

We unpacked and then walked into town, they are laying a new road, which when it is finished will look good. They have even started putting up street lights, so they are turning them on, as we turn ours off.  Our dinner tonight was fish with rice and salad, followed by some fruit I had bought. Our friends have been in contact and are texting us saying Karibu sane (welcome again)- We are back after a two and half year absence..

La Manga Club (again)

Warm weather training  is meant to be good for you, Mo Farah recommended it!  Although some of the experts say you improve your fitness better in the cold. I think I prefer the former as I always feel better after a nice run in the sun, plus I can sit out afterwards and enjoy a coffee.  So it was off to Alicante for a few days to do some training. Unfortunately Linda did not have any leave left so she cannot come with me plus she doesn't like coming here to La Manga Club anyway. Well that's what she told me when I booked it.  I took a flight from Southend on Sunday morning leaving at 7am which meant I had to check in l about 5:30. I was generous and let Linda drive me there. I had a seat at the front of the plane not quite in the cockpit but very near. It was a smooth flight so we arrived just after 1015 Spanish time. It was quite quick through passport control and then a short wait for my luggage. These days  I need to bring a suitcase to take all my clothes as I need three sets one for running,  one for  the gym and one to wear normally. I collected my hire care and was soon out on the road toward La Manga, I  know the way now so it was quite straight forward. I stopped en route to have something to eat around lunchtime and to get the bare necessities like milk and some bread.

 I arrived at the centre around 3pm it was warm and sunny although there was a strong wind which made it cold out of the sun. I have been upgraded to a 2 bedroomed  apartment with a large living room kitchen and the balcony. It was too cold to sit on the balcony I did try. I unpacked my clothes putting them in the relevant three piles and then put the running gear on and went for a run. It is quite hilly here and my apartment is at the top of a hill which means it is okay running down to the shops or the café, but it is hard work coming up. I had a little 6 mile run though I did stop  after 4 miles and sat outside drinking my coffee and enjoying the view. I have a running backpack so I can carry my Ipad so I have something to read at the coffee stops.

In the evening I watched the film Left Behind, starring Nicholas Cage which is about the aftermath of the rapture. It is based upon an airline pilot flying a plane when the rapture occurs and half his passengers disappear. It was quite interesting and after that I went to bed and did some reading.  Linda may have changed her mind about not coming, when I was telling her about the nice view and warm weather.

On Monday I got up reasonably early and  had my porridge for breakfast. The plan was to do some studying and then go for a run later. I am researching and reading the book of Exodus and writing some draft sermons. I  made good progress. About 11 o'clock I packed my rucksack and went out for a run. Today was all about hill work, evidently it’s a good exercise to  run up and down them, it uses different muscles to normal running, but it is hard work. It is recommended in all the book and training plans. I had planned my route and ran around the complex and then right down to the Mediterranean  sea. The Calle de la Zorrera hill is a mile long and the  uphill gradient was 10% this was challenging.  On the  way back I stopped for a jacket potato before returning to apartment to do is more studying. 

In the evening I had  a sandwich and then went  for a session in the gym. I managed to  finish my audiobook by Chris Hadfield called “An Astronaut’s Guide to life on Earth.” It was really interesting and lasted for 9 hours, I only listen to it when running, so that is a lot of running I average around 7 miles an hour, so about 63 miles to complete the book, but it was worth it. There is a good illustration with a snake I can use when I get to preach on Exodus 4.

On Tuesday I got up and had my porridge and looked out at the sun rising over the hills and  then got on with my studying. The plan today was to go to La Manga town and run along the strip. It is about a 20 minute drive from my apartment. I found a parking space and then started running fortunately the  strip is  flat and very few hills. I ran 5.75 miles one-way stopped for coffee, read my paper and then ran 5.75 miles back. It was a good time to listen to some podcasts on Hebrews 5, to give me some pointers for my sermon.  During the summer this area  is very busy, but at this time of year it is all shut up  including the supermarkets which was not very  helpful when I needed some more water.  I finished the run in the afternoon and returned to the complex. I was hungry so stopped at la Barra café on the way back. I had a nice chicken dinner although I probably  smelt a bit as I needed a shower (I had changed my clothing). i then went back to my apartment and finished my draft sermon on Hebrews 5, this is for a different church. After this I watched the  latest news and then  went to the gym for  a small workout.  I  rang Linda to tell her about the good weather, as she was walking around in the cold. She was worried about the dogs being cold, so she had put our heating on for them! 

It was a bit disconcerting to read an article on BBC stating ‘Too much jogging may be as bad for you as not putting on your running shoes at all' a report in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology says. If you do more than 4 hours a week a week you  have the same death rate as someone who does no exercise at all. The happy median is 2.5 hours a week allegedly, so I am doomed. They studied 1000 people over 12 years to come to that conclusion, although actually all of the 1000 will die anyway, just some quicker than others! It was an interesting read anyway. It is windy tonight and the temperature will drop, so although sad to be going home but probably had the  best weather.

On Wednesday I was up early and went for a gentle 3 mile run before breakfast. It was slightly cold and there is a very strong wind today, so can’t sit outside at my coffee shop. The flight is not till 2000 so i have all day to get back to the airport. I drove to Murcia which is  an hour away, had a look at the Cathedral, took some pictures and stopped for coffee. I had an interesting sandwich for dinner which was ham, cheese, tomato and dates. The dates actually gave it a sweet taste. I then saw a sports shop, so I had a look round, my Spanish is improving I now know that rebajas means sale, when I shared the good news with Linda, she texted back saying I didn’t need anything. After about an hour and a half I drove back towards Alicante and the airport, its about an hour from Murcia so I stopped on route at another sports shop, just in case they had a sale. Then it was a final coffee and off to the airport, cold Southend here I come.

There are a few photo’s here, not many as David Bailey wasn’t with me.

That’s one small step….

Thursday was our last day in Florida, but we had plenty of time as we had an afternoon flight.   We got up reasonably early, finished packing the bags and then had breakfast. 

Today we were off to see the Kennedy Space Complex and read all about the work of NASA. It was about an hour from Melbourne further up the coast. On arrival we found you had to pay $10 just to park the car, that  was before the entrance fees, which were not cheap, especially as the pound is weak against the dollar. However, we decided to have a look around.

Linda was excited about seeing all the space rockets and went slightly crazy with her camera, you can see some photos here. There were all types located around the complex. We then took a tour bus  and had  a drive-by view of a launch pad. The bus dropped us off at the Apollo Centre and we experienced the historic Apollo 8 launch  and saw the  massive 363 foot long Saturn V rocket. You could even touch a piece of the moon surface they had bought back. There were other exhibits to look at including machines they used to drive on the moon.  On the way back to the main centre Linda was very excited, the driver showed her some baby Alligators. You could not get out of the bus to take pictures as there some big hungry ones watching!

We were there over three hours. Linda described the place as awesome. The queues for the cafe were long and so we ended up leaving, thinking we would stop somewhere on our way back to Orlando, but it was another straight road, with no coffee stops. I knew a Starbucks in Orlando so we went there and sat outside drinking out coffee, its warm today, but not hot like it had been in Miami. We had about an hour till it was time to book in so Linda wanted to go to Walmart again. She managed to find some other things she had not bought on her previous visits. About 3.30pm we dropped the car off, changed into our clean clothes, checked in, queued for security and then waited for our plane. It left about 1825 and landed at 0730 this morning, it was cold and raining in Gatwick, welcome home!