Wow...
It's been hectic, and so much has gone on that I'll probably miss loads out. I think you'll understand why...
Since the last blog we got back to camp OK, only one quick shower so camp Osotua dried up quickly in the sun.
We have been doing painting at the school in Eluai, and it is looking great. White on the top half of the walls, and bright yellow below. We are also going to concrete the rocky/dirt floor and put in a load of new desks.
The science is all going well, although we haven't been onth the plains yet to see the big game.
My grip on Maa is growing, and I can have general banter with the Maasai people.
All good, and then insane.
So it all started on the 7th Feb...
We got up, had breakfast etc, had a bird lecture for the science/conservation part of the expedition and generally chilled out in the sun for the morning. Had a lunch of, our new favourite (and pretty much only) meal, rice and chopped tomatoes and peppers. And then got ready for school.
It's a 3km walk from camp to the school, so we set off with Ngufu as our escari, and had a good time. Got to the school, cracked out the paint and got working. We were really impressed with how it was going, everyone really enthusiastic and pleased with the obvious improvement. But the best bit was when the children turned up after their sport lessons. They were so happy and excited. You could tell that they loved it and were truly grateful that people actually cared (and to be honest, the school is in a really shitty state). It made us feel so good about what we were doing. I remember one woman was crying she was so happy that Mzungus actually wanted to help.
Word spread and soon about 200 people were about all excited about the new paint. And that was it so far. New paint. And I've never felt so good about something so simple in all my life.
So we finished painting, and packed the stuff away. The sun was getting low, so the guys and Ngufu decided we would walk/run back to camp. We left the girls at the school to wait for the car and watch the Maasai football game.
It was me and Mikey on camp duty, and we were ready (already reputed as the spice loving food freaks). Chilli. And to our admitted surprise, it was a smash success, possibly our best meal in Tanzania yet.
We ate pretty late, and endd up just sitting around talking and laughing. Generally just having an awesome time. Everyone happy and really pleased with such a successful day.
Approx 21:40...
"Everbody down!" *BANG*
Armed bandits. They stormed from nowhere into the boma with all of us inside.
I think we all thought it was the Maasai playing a joke. But we soon realised it wasn't and scrambled under the table onto the floor. I think there were about 7 in total, all with big knives and a few with guns.
I remember the girls screaming, us guys trying to cover them from the kicks as much as possible. And being pulled out. Separated from the group by a few feet. Thrown to the floor, they kicked/stamped on me a few times and yelled at me for money. I honestly didn't have any. They kicked me again and searched me. No money. They asked me why I didn't have any so I tried to tell them that we were just eating so didn't need money. Thump. I felt one guy pulling at my shoes. I presumed to look for money so kicked them off (it turned out they stole these). They ended up searching the food shelves and tipping those onto me. Butter to the shoulder. At least they didn't get any other ideas with it!
One girl kicked in the face (black eye) others kicked on the body, but no one badly injured.
Whilst all this was happening there were gunshots outside, the Maasai calling like Hyena (it's to scare people/animals and call other warriors)
After a while we heard the men calling for "Commander 1" and they leaft to the jeeps. They took one jeep and broke the other.
We all stayed down for a minute, until Isaya came running into the boma to check we were all OK. We got up, went to the other bomas, to find that the girls was trashed, the staff members were totalled and the guyts was, well, fine. They hadn't touched it. I got away with only losing my cap and walking boots.
So we packed up, and got all our stuff together by the broken jeep, one driver trying to fix it. Meanwhile, our 13year old Maasai friend, Ekinye Saitoti, had fetched help from other warriors, and Isaya and one driver had run left to run for more help and follow the stolen jeep.
Smashed into the Hilux Jeep, and started the battery OK, but couldn't start it without the key. So we pushed this mega car up a bit of hill, and down to a more open area so it could roll forward and start the engine going.
It worked. After a lot of cheering (this all took ages) we packed up the jeep and set off into the night. Information slowly trickled through to one of the working mobiles we had left that the police were searching, so were a lot of Maasai, and that we should get back to Monduli Chini, then to Arusha.
Me and Mikey on the roof, Conor and Julian on the open back with our Maasai, and all the girls inside.
Eventually we got back to our original base in Arusha, to hear the they had found the stolen jeep, trashed, shot to hell (it looked like they were copying Hollywood trying to shoot the fuel tank and blow it up)
So, since then we've been interviewed by the police, tried to get our bearings again, and have the whole expedition replanned.
The problem with this raid hasn't been the fact we lost a few things, but the harm its done to Eluai.
Greenforce is pulling out of Eluai, so the School project has been massively reduced from building to just a bit more painting, no teaching. Our Maasai Escari have no longer got jobs. The families have lost income from the different things we have been buying. And the village doesn't feel as safe anymore.
It's good to know that if the Maasai find these bandits (there are a hell of a lot hunting for them, and trust me, the Maasai are mean hunters) they will kill them without questions. And the police in this situation have a shoot-to-kill policy. Ha. Bastards.
The science aspect to project is a blow, but can be done in other areas. The bit that hurts, is the fact we had just witnessed the happiness of so many people and seen what good we were actually doing. And we have lost our Maasai friends. I think that Maasai people are fantastic, and some of the best friends I have had. That is what was stolen from me. The boots and hat are replaceable and meaningless.
You might be shocked, scared for us, or just relieved that we are OK, but we all had the experience of a lifetime, and it in turn brought us closer together.
On the plus side, i wasn't shot, stabbed or gang raped.
Mikey was a little disappointed on the last 
Just kidding.
Anyhoo, we are still a bit shaken up but life is getting back to normal, and a new project is being lined up for us. Safari has been brought forward too. Ngorogoro crater, the Serengeti, Arusha National Reserve. It'll be good to get away for a few days.
I guess things can only get better. Although I have just had to spend 50quid on new boots.
35 °C
25 °C
