M is for....Mid-point, Masai Mara, Mosquitoes, Music, Midnight flights and Marathon

Long time since my last blog post....so this is going to be an epic post. Please make yourself a cuppa...or grab a glass of vino and settle in for the long haul.

As the letter denoting the mid-point of the alphabet, it seemed appropriate to blog on the letter M.....so....

Mid Point - It is unbelievably to think that I have now been in Kenya for over three months, almost fully at home in Nairobi and habituated to the sights, sounds and smells of the city – all of which are pretty intense. Fortunately I have taken advantage of every opportunity to travel beyond Nairobi both socially, and for work which has taken me to Mwanza in Tanzania, and Addis Ababa in Ethiopia. It really has been a very busy few weeks and I’m relieved to have a full week in the office so my feet touch the ground again!

On the work front, as Garret Dunn and I have reached the mid-point of the project things have naturally ratcheted up a notch. We always knew this was going to happen, but it’s still another twist on the pressure gauge to ensure we deliver against our objectives before December. On that note Garret and I have been working hard to develop potential pilot projects in order to enable us to move towards fulfilment of our short and long term objectives. A full update on the project, and our progress will be posted in the very near future. http://gskpulsevolunteers.com/author/kimberleyburbidge/


On the social and exploratory front many of you have seen and commented on my facebook photos...YES I am having a good time, and NO I’m not posting them purely to gloat about the fact I have seen a leopard / cheetah / herd of elephants at the weekend!


Masai Mara – What a glorious, stunning part of the world! Everything you have seen and heard about the wide open plains, the game and the fabulous sunsets is true. On the two social trips I’ve made both with my husband, Josh, and my GSK colleagues, we had ‘leopard luck’ with two magnificent sightings of this elusive creature. However we weren’t lucky enough to witness the great Wildebeest migration. There were lots of Wildebeest around, but mostly munching grass and in no hurry to risk death by drowning / crocodiles in a mass stampede across the river. I was secretly hoping for some hyenas to appear (a la Lion King) and chase them into a gorge!! But nothing happens quite like it does in Disney.
That said we had amazing viewing including two spectacular leopards, several cheetah, lions, cubs, elephants, etc and we saw 12 wildebeest cross the river safely, (largely due to the scene of devastation from crossings the previous week – upended carcasses, vultures galore and hefty crocodiles too full to move – rank sight and smell to be honest). All in all an amazing place.

Mosquitoes – Seriously devious little creatures they have recently increased in number along with the heat, and they appear to have upped their stealth attack strategies in their bid to get at my blood. It appears that my plug-in, nightly DEET bath, bed nets and my room spray are all ineffectual as I woke up on Sunday morning with 16 bites. Really!!! I think they need to change the name of the leading bug spray out here from DOOM...to BUG APHRODISIAC. Not quite as catchy, but my marketing brain is not functioning on full cylinder! How many G&Ts does one need to drink to make oneself unpalatable??

Music – Given my devastation at not having been able to attend the UK festival season, and particularly at having missed Jessie J performing in my home town of Shrewsbury (which is surely a lifetime one-off), I’ve been embracing the Kenyan options. Rift Valley Music Festival...dubbed ‘Glastonbury with hippos’ was excellent...although a long way off Glasto in terms of calibre and scale. Then a more cultural evening in Karura forest watching a 20 piece Indo-African fusion ensemble...which was actually super cool and chilled out at SAMOSA festival. If you’ve been to see any epic bands in the UK, I don’t want to know. Bring on Glastonbury next year!!

Midnight-flights – so you’d have thought that country-hopping within Africa would be easy..and reasonable. Oh no no no my dear friends...there you would be very wrong indeed. High demand and limited capacity means prices are high and late booking leaves you with few options. So few in fact that I had to take the only flights available between Nairobi and Addis Ababa on Ethiopian airlines at obscene o’clock....wait for this. It leaves at 3.30AM in the morning and arrives in Addis at 5.30AM...which is of course the perfect time to negotiate with customs officials, to enter a strange country...and to prepare for a full day’s workshop. Fortunately the AMREF Ethiopian team were superb...and their fabulous, strong coffee enabled me to get through a productive day and to catch up with two lovely fellow GSK PULSE volunteers (Ivy Peterson & Niamh Fitzsimmons) that night before flying home. I saw very little of Ethiopia, but it seemed like a lovely country!

Masai Mara Marathon – So... the most gruelling half marathon I’ve ever done, and the only race where I’ve been the first white woman across the finish line in a very respectable 1hr 44...which is awesome given that it was over 30 degrees when I started at 10am.

It’ll also be the only race that starts with the announcement... ‘Do not be afraid people...we are going to fire the guns...there are elephants on the course and we cannot start until they leave!’ AWESOME!! I was also super lucky and super jammy in my sleeping arrangements managing by sheer good luck and God’s help to go from ‘no bed’ to a VIP tent thanks to Kenya Airways.  This of course meant that I finished in time to get a hot shower, a couple of beers and just enough time to get a flight back to Nairobi to head off to a 1920s themed polo ball. To those who said I couldn’t do both in one night...Ha! Where there is a will, there’s a way!

On that note I appear to have run out of Ms for now...but I PROMISE to up the regularity of my posts as I head towards the finish line. As ever, mini-plea for information and news from the UK, particularly if you’re not on FB (my lifeline back to normality).


 Love to all, and please keep in touch.  Kim x

Disclaimer: I work for GSK, currently serving as a PULSE Volunteer with AMREF in Nairobi, however the opinions you read from me here are totally my own.

Sweat, tears and the lion king

Greetings from a grey and chilly Nairobi... and apologies that I’ve take a couple of weeks off the blogging scene (like you’ve even noticed!)

That is not to say nothing has been happening...quite the opposite in fact as not only have things been gathering pace at work (http://gskpulsevolunteers.com/author/kimberleyburbidge/) but I’ve had two jam-packed weekends of physically and socially strenuous activity both back in the UK and on Kenyan soil.

Two weeks ago it was the 80th birthday party of my wonderful Nan, Pauline Hoolighan back at my parent’s house in London. Pretty in pink she wowed us all with her speech, anecdotes and dancing – she bears a striking resemblance to the Queen apart from the remarkable jet black hair that she has sported for a long as I can remember – I sincerely hope I’ve inherited those genes. (wink wink! nudge nudge!)


Quite an occasion and a fantastic opportunity to catch up with all my family and relatives...although it made the wrench leaving for the airport on Sunday night a little tougher than my first departure. I also managed to pack in a magical trip to Glyndeboune for La Boheme – magnificent, although sleep deprivation after a night in cattle class enhanced my emotive response to the opera (cue rivulets of black mascara down my face).

Back in Nairobi I threw myself into work and the organisation of a weekend excursion for Garret, Dorothy and our two new PULSE companions – Helen and Sibel. We opted for a local trip to Mount Longenot, a dormant volcano located in the Great Rift Valley, 60k out of Nairobi. Having made the trip out of town it seemed churlish not to throw in a stay at Lake Naivasha for a spot of hippo observation (and listening), plus Hells Gate National Park for good measure.

Longenot was, as expected, pretty challenging and the steep trek to the crater rim, then the peak and then the full loop back around the rim is not for the faint hearted, or those with vertigo. Over a period of hours we sweated, scrambled, slipped and stumbled our way to the peak and back with some cracking photos to prove our presence...and some amusing moments to reflect on. (Some of my colleagues managed wonderful impressions of the soaring snake eagles to lift the mood key moments)

We were just off the mountain when it began to rain... talk about timing, as the rain here doesn’t take any prisoners when it gets going. Tusker baridi sana (very cold local beer) for all as we headed to Camp Carnelly and our eco-banda. Rustic but functional...and there was no arguing with a cold/off cold shower to remove the truckload of dirt embedded in our clothes, hair and fingernails. Epic pizza for dinner at the bar, some TERRIBLE pool playing and early bed ready to catch the hippos at dawn. (Although they made their presence felt my waking my several times during the night with their noisy grunting).

The morning brought a magnificent breakfast, hippos-galore on the lake and a rare sunny day for our bike ride across Hell’s Gate. As the inspiration for the backdrop of the Lion King I had high hopes for Hell’s Gate – known for scenery and rock formations, rather than animals, you can walk and cycle at will, making for an entertain ride across the park to Hell’s Gorge. (Cue repetition of the line ‘stampede...in the gorge...Simba’s down there’ cue more tears as we know that Mufasa dies thanks to the machinations of his evil brother, Scar – ignore me if you don’t know Lion King off by heart).

The gorge was indeed spectacular; hewn out of rock by recurring flash floods it required more clambering and scrambling to clear narrow clefts and huge fallen boulders. Having visited the Devil’s bedroom, kitchen and bathroom (read: hot sulphurous springs that you can boil an egg in) I jumped back on my unusual bike (minus gears or effective brakes - but couldn’t waste the opportunity for more training out the Nairobi smog) to head back across the park, before the return drive to Nairobi....during which we all conked out...absolutely shattered.

Superb superb weekend – amazing to find such stunning scenery so close to Nairobi, and an amazing opportunity for a workout! We definitely ‘felt the burn’! Back home all that remained after a welcome hot shower, was to watch the Lion King (obviously), cry some more and rest before the week began.



For more insight into a great week at work please read my work blog http://gskpulsevolunteers.com/author/kimberleyburbidge/ and watch this space to find out how we’re celebrating the start of the Olympics Nairobi style (there will be fancy dress...because I’m involved) so watch this space, but know that I’m very sad not to be with you in the UK feeling the real atmosphere of London 2012.

Kim x


Disclaimer: I work for GSK, currently serving as a PULSE Volunteer with AMREF in Nairobi, however the opinions you read from me here are totally my own.

Ridiculous running and heffalumps...

 As we head towards the one month marker I feel compelled to share my latest escapades in Kenya.

On the work front things are still taking their own time – not quite the corporate pace I’m used to but I am trying to be patient! Garret and I are chomping at the bit to really get started, but getting all our stakeholders aligned is critical so watch this space...

Socially last weekend was not quite as flair as the previous one. No jet-setting around Kenya to watch polo. That said it was an action-packed weekend in Nairobi complete with more animal encounters and excessive exertion under the Kenya sun (which magically shone for the one day where I was scheduled to run a half marathon – typical).

So Saturday kicked off with a trip to the David Sheldrick Elephant and Rhino orphanage. Cue super cute photos of young elephants, and elbow-battles with the other tourists desperate to get their perfect shot.

Joking aside the orphanage is amazing – every elephant and rhino has a tragic story behind their orphan status (poaching, injury, human intervention) yet they all get rescued and brought to Nairobi with the aim to rehabilitate them as they heal and grown up. The elephants are awesome...all running into the ‘arena’ to be bottle-fed by the keepers before playtime. They love a good game of footie and, like humans, there are definitely some naughty ones!! Trying to lift your skirt with their trunks, or slamming into the back of each other so one falls down...only these are huge elephants so the repercussions if they fall your way are a somewhat higher! Anyway, pretty awesome..if slightly touristy.

Then it was off to a local entertainment park...off the tourist trail (thank goodness), but host to parties of Kenya school kids, church groups and local families touring the crocodile farm complete with an Africa-shaped boating lake, some rickety fairground rides, a giraffe and a few ostriches. Random random Mamba village!

Still, it gave me the opportunity to kiss another animal (spot the recurring theme) and I also cycled around Africa (the lake) on a floating bike – 10 mins total, no passport required. Not bad for a day in Nairobi...although we’re rapidly running out of local weekend activities.

Sunday was a completely different adventure. Coerced by a friendly American and fellow althlete, Angela, who I met in our apartment gym I entered the Sotokoto Nairobi half-marathon 3 days before the event. Not exactly ideal preparation! It is true that I have half-marathon experience, but since arriving in Nairobi I have run once...for 25mins... owing to security issues and general lack of opportunity (running next to a congested, polluted road for miles dodging litter, ditches and pedestrians is hardly an attractive prospect).

Our small running team post-event!

That said I am not one to refuse a challenge so I entered for a mere $10, collected my luminous yellow shirt (which only seemed to come in tent-size) and I accompanied members of the USA Impala Running team to the event (The Impalas are usually based in San Francisco, but several had flown in from Tanzania, Mombasa and Kisumu especially for the event!! ...which tells you something about the calibre of the team I was running with...or rather behind).

Built like whippets rather than a St Bernard (that’s me) they put in some exceptional performances given the high altitude running and crazy heat. One of them completed it in 1.28, and has a PB of 1.18...crazily impressive running!

 In all honesty I was just glad to take part and to finish in a respectable 1.48. In true African style it started 1.5hrs late..and was therefore at least 10 degrees hotter, so I drank about 2 litres of water en route, threw a further 2 litres over my head and was grateful to cross the finishing line with only minor sunburn (ridiculous calf tanline which is too horrific to post a picture of). I can honestly say that I beat some local Kenyans, (some whom weren’t wearing shoes) and many of whom dropped out - yes really! My prize is that I am walking around like a geriatric today and am the proud owner of a giant neon yellow t-shirt! Good experience overall, but one which I would warn against undertaking lightly!

Hope that all is well in the UK...and if you have any feedback about my blog, or any news then please get in touch. xxx

Getting out of Nairobi...

As I enter Week 3 in Kenya I am very pleased to have finally made it out of Nairobi at the weekend – at cities go Nairobi is not the best.
At present it is grey, polluted, cold and full of traffic so I was thrilled to be able to escape to Timau (Central Highlands) at the weekend for a polo tournament. For this I am immensely grateful to my new cousin Ed (really Josh’s cousin) and his girlfriend Nonnie for taking me under their wing and inviting me along... am not sure how else I’d have broken into the Nairobi ex-pat scene.

So, it was a pretty jet set weekend flying off on Saturday and back on Sunday...although the polo here is rather more low key than the Cartier style events that many of you will be used to in the UK.

Ed flew us up to Timau (we waved at those struggling along the gritty dirt roads below) and I spent the next two days watching various levels of polo (some amazing...some rather less so) against a backdrop of mountains and fields. Pretty glorious, although Mt Kenya failed to emerge from behind the clouds to complete the scene.

The evening brought a Wimbledon themed party which I was gutted not to have the right attire for. Unfortunately I didn’t pack my tennis whites so I had to improve and dress up as the net (basically me wrapped up in a giant mosquito net – which had the double advantage of keeping me bite-free all night!). Overall a very fun evening, complete with drinks and dancing for the whole family...although I’m glad I didn’t have to saddle up for an energetic match on the Sunday morning!

After a long week at work it was great to see another site to Kenya, the polo scene is a pretty tight, but welcoming community which whole families get involved in. Unfortunately I won’t be getting more involved due to a lack of budget and horsemanship!! Congratulations to Ed though, whose team won their category..although they do have the most minging colour of T-shirts to deal with (see left)

So it’s back to work this week, trying to move forwards with our project at AMREF. To hear more about how I’m doing at work (although progress is still relatively slow), please see my ‘professional blog’ at http://gskpulsevolunteer.wordpress.com/author/kimberleyburbidge/

It's not all work in Nairobi

Hi all,

This is my favourite picture from the weekend.

This is me kissing a giraffe, much to the amusement of those around me.  (Actually they just lick your face..lovely!)

As part of our first weekend in Kenya we felt we should really take in a couple of the tourist sites so Lonely Planet took us to the Giraffe centre on the outskirts of town where you can feed....and kiss the giraffes. It feels a little like a glorified zoo that only stocks giraffes, but it's definitely an opportunity to get up close and personal which was kind of cool. That said I think we need to go back at a different time - arriving at the same time as the buses of japanese tourists, armed with an entire warehouse of photographic kit somewhat marrs the experience!


Also touristy and somewhat overrated was the infamous Carnivore resaturant, where the meat is unlimited and they keep serving you off giant swords until you concede defeat. (Although I hasten to add they no longer serve game)

One for the lads I think as unlimited meat is not really my idea of culinary excellence. It was a definitely an experience, but not one I'll be repeating at any time in the near future.

This weekend was also an opportunity to meet some new friends and we have been very lucky in being pulled to the epicentre of the Nairobi social scene through mutual friends. This lead to a very sociable Saturday brunch, complete with bacon and eggs, followed by few beers watching his dogs chase monkeys in the back yard. I guess they're just the local squirrel equivalent?!

So it's back to work today and we're finally hoping to get stuck into our project. Last week was a fascinating introduction to AMREF, providing an overview of how this extraordinary organisation fits together, but we didn't come here purely to listen so this week is all about starting work and seeing where it takes us.

Kim x

Today we have a glimmer of sunshine 'leo kuna jewa' (yes I am working on my swahili!)..although for all of you back in the UK I hasten to add that it is still cold and mostly grey, so I won't be sporting any kind of tan when you next see me.

We're finally settling into a routine here, getting into the office early at 7.45 and leaving at 4.30 (awesome). The early run takes 10mins...the ride hope can take 45mins due to crazy driving and crazy traffic. Like many countries in the developing world the number of cars has grown exponentially, but the infrastructure hasn't kept up.

Being in a lovely clean spacious taxi also makes me feel a little guilty, as the route to work and our location clearly juxtaposes the haves..and the have nots. Our apartment block backs onto a golf course, and just beyond that is the huge, sprawling Nairobi slum, Kibera. Our drive to work takes us past a couple of the main entrances and the hoardes of people leaving Kibera to walk to work...like a giant line of ants we see leaving the slum in the day, and heading home there at night.

AMREF work in Kibera, so Garret and I are hoping to visit next week to give us a better perspective on life there and how despite such an impoverished existence almost everyone still leaves looking smart and well turned out for work.

From a work perspective we're still in limbo. Today is our final day of inductions and meeting people before the real work begins next week. It is already clear there are some very high calibre and capable people here and that an organisation they do some fantastic work. That said there is also duplication, silo-ed working and lack of visibility between directorates (much like GSK), so Garret and I are hoping to be able to cut across this to move our project forwards.

Have a great weekend, we're off to be tourist tomorrow and take in the animal orphanage and the giraffe manor, hopefully that means I'll have some good pictures to share with you all.

Kim x

Hi everyone and welcome to my personal blog, which will aim to detail my latest experiences, frustrations, successes, trials and tribulations here in Kenya.

(This is intended to be the more informal partner to the central PULSE blog on which I will be adding occasional more formal posts!) www.gskpulsevolunteer.wordpress.com

For someone who has never 'blogged' before I'm having to learn fast!

So here we are...day one at AMREF HQ in Nairobi: Garret and Dorothy (my fellow PULSE volunteers) all looking a little formal and awkward after a day being introduced around the office to literally EVERYONE. Trying to memorise around 100 names in a day is pretty tough work. Thank goodness I took notes!

It's a challenge trying to understand the organisation, and how all the directorates fit together, but we're gradually completing the jigsaw and working our where our project is going to sit and add value. Our project is shaping up to sound pretty exciting and very challenging so I hope we can deliver on their expectations!

Kim x