The Red Dress

A journey... Stacey smooths the red dress nervously over her knees. “You can go through now love,” says the kindly receptionist with long nails and teased out hair. Stacey wobbles to her feet in shoes that pinch, making her way through to the office. “Errr, Stacey?” Says the man squinting at his computer screen. White…

Heading to Dar

  Seated on a suitcase at the port, at the end of our honeymoon in Zanzibar, filling in departure forms, I puzzled over what to write under 'occupation'. “Housewife?” I asked. “Tourist, or Resident?” “Just write tourist for now.” Ben said, scrabbling to find another pen. “We’re not residents yet.” While I sipped water, keeping…

The Kenya Artist

Hosting a local art exhibition can be an up-hill struggle. “Is that a hoof or a horn?” Says a bespectacled chap dressed in safari hat and leather waistcoat, as he squints at an unusual rendition of a buffalo. His typed price list, together with a glass of red wine, clutched at a perilous angle. “Peter,…

The Kenya Cowgirl

Camera ready in the bush.... “You can position the camera over there.” Siana waves nonchalantly, directing the camera crew from a seated position with one leg slung over her safari chair, styled as she is in a classic wrap dress, bone bangles, Indian silver toe rings and feathers hanging from her ears. There is a…

Jack the Kenya Cowboy

Living at home with mum “You can make mine a Tusker, mum.” Jack calls, sauntering onto a veranda overlooking a lush, palm filled garden in Nairobi’s suburbs. He smiles, stretches his back then tucks his thumbs into a beaded belt. The sun is low and cicadas are calling to one another. Jack removes his baseball…