It is with my inner thighs red raw and burning that I waddle into the office like a cowboy ready for a dual to put together another blog for you folks back home. Settling myself onto this chair much like settling into a bath when the water is a too hot and satisfied you have an adequate understanding of the important things in life, like the condition of my loins, I'm now ready to begin.

It was another day and time for another hike, this time to one of the security guys farming projects. A relatively short stroll by comparison to some lately, about four and an half hours on a round trip, including both a maize farming site and a maharagi trial site with numerous local farms in between. My guide for the trek was Mr Mlafu, who as time goes by, I'm realising has a bloody good sense of humour, as I was laughing for most of the day hearing stories of beautiful ladies, loves lost and big plans. The quiet walk was often broken up by animated examples of how I could be taken in by the more dishonest among the population who might want to relieve me of extra shillings. In a loud and thick African accent, Mlafu would exclaim from time to time "Hello my friend! My friend for you a special price, ten thousand shillings" in reference to a taxi ride worth two thousand. Maybe you had to be there.

Farming here seems to be pretty unregulated pick a spot, build a hut and start your farm and from what I saw Mlafu has chosen well, the crops are some of the healthiest on the journey and with a creek running along the site, water is not a problem. During the trek we pass through many small homes, some just single huts for eight or nine child families but generally there would be two or three huts opening to an outdoor camp fire with a goat or few chickens meandering around and some cassava drying on a bamboo rack. It's probably worth mentioning that in this particular area it's also not uncommon for men to have two or three wives, so you get an idea of why there are so many kids in my photos. Hmm, begs the question, Danielle would our house be too crowded with a few extra faces?

Somewhere toward the end of the trek we meet one of the local guys partial to the local "Gongo" made from fermenting cassava, bananas or whatever is around. With his big smile and big red beanie he was just as friendly as the other locals but a bit more animated and very keen to pose for photos. After a happy exchange of some Swahili and a demonstration of the fella's ability to do the splits (impressive on rocky soil with bare feet, I thought) we moved on. Another observation I made on this trip was, that it's funny, that most of the people we pass here have blades of one sort or another. Machetes, knives and the occasional spear are common, yet I feel completely safe and at ease, something I couldn't claim in a similar situation back home. Machetes are probably the most important tool you can have here. A rock is as good as a hammer and there's no nuts or bolts so no need for screwdrivers or spanners except for maintenance on the occasional bicycle I've seen.

Also toward the end of the Journey we came across Tunza's pup whose origin is infamous. Tunza is still only a young lad himself, about a year and a half old but a big dog, and though he's since had the big chop, he made that first year count. Apparently, he went through a period of disappearing for several days at a time to visit some local tail before it caught up with him when a farmer arrived at the gates with a bundle of three pups with all the defining features of the big fella. As it turns out people thought he was pretty good stock though and other dog owners began popping up requesting his services but Tunzas life as a gigolo was not to be, cut short when the vet arrived to nip his issue in the buds, so to speak.

Anyway as the sun sets yet again, the hike itself was another great experience but combined with some pre-existing wear and tear from hiking back from the river in wet boxers after Ikubulu, it's enough to warrant a waddle to the first aid clinic for some Sorbalene me thinks.

And With that image to ponder, I will leave you till next time….