Geckos on the ceiling

 Bugs or Geckos?

In my last post I may have inadvertently and unintentionally misguided the casual reader by suggesting that I was roughing it. Well - not exactly correct. The lovely old mansion above is my Nairobi home where I spend half my time. With the Canadian High Commissioner's residence as a my neighbor, I'd have to say that it's not exactly a shabby neighborhood. And while it's not like I can pop over for tea given the fortifications barricades and mean looking guards posted all round, it is nice to have a fellow canuck next door. Party on Wayne -- party on Garth!!

Not only is this old  sprawling home a thing of beauty with it's 12 foot ceilings and patio doors that open on both sides of the house blurring the distinction of inside vs. out, but is surrounded by 5 acres of gardens both magnificently manicured and wild at the same time.

At night the air smells so sweetly you'd think Yves St. Laurent had journeyed back from beyond to spray you straight in the face with the latest high falutin fragrance.  Oh - and there is a separate gym on the property. So all in all - not so bad. The organization purchased the property many years ago and this was the base for operations that I'll describe more fully in future blogs. At present, the property is being re-purposed for long term rentals to help us lower the cost of staff housing in the area and also maintain a safe and secure environment. Meaning - I'll be moving to less opulent digs in the very near future. 😒

Now with any old sprawling African home that blurs the relationship between inside and outside, comes a plethora of little friends. All shapes and sizes of winged and unwinged critters join me in the house for both shelter from the rains and to keep me company. Bless them for their thoughtfulness. 

Those who know me well will be aware on my lack of amorosity for the insect world so find myself often cringing as I scout and find the little fellows who have joined me in my home. So now enter the noble Gecko who has become my welcomed guest. Well in truth, there are many geckos in my home and while I love them for their diet - loath them for the way they move. A recent nightly trip to the bathroom surprised 3 of the little buggers  who skedadled in a way that resulted in a high pitched and not particularly masculine scream from yours truly. It's an uncomfortable alliance that I have come to accept though have since stopped drinking fluids to ensure there will never again be a nightly trips to the bathroom in the middle of the night.

On the other side of the coin, the non-insect one, I'm proud to continue to be associated with Mr. Chris Morris who recently invited me to join the Board of Directors of his charity organization SeeJ Africa. Chris is uber (not the company) passionate about protecting wildlife with a focus on holding those responsible for wildlife crime (poaching) accountable through support for the various judicial and quasi judicial mechanisms both here in Africa and abroad.

His work is noble, inspiring and a big help to those who struggle with the burden of saving our animals. I'll write a bit more n this in the future and hope you follow along.



So with my love of animals admitted, I share with you the curious scene from Maasai Mara earlier in the week where a deer (bushbuck) played with a group of monkeys. I only caught a portion on the event but found it so amusing I had to share. At the very beginning of the video, the bushbuck jumps and does a flip that even  Simone Biles the American Gold Medal gymnast would envy. Enjoy !!

Thanks for reading ....Layno!