Volume One wasn’t strictly a swimming lesson, but there was a pool involved … well … sort of. This lesson wasn’t a lesson at all, but again, there was a pool and bathing suits involved.

My princess and I love swimming. When we lived in Dar, we hit the pool every week, and sometimes, we’d even go to the beach. The downside of swimming in the ocean is it has tiny little creatures … like urchins … and crabs … and some microscopic things that bite like needles.  So while the current makes for great exercise, the living things sometimes cause injuries. Then, you have to get home and try shaking out the sand. There’s also the chance of having your clothes … or your baby … stolen, so I could never quite relax while swimming at the beach.

Pools, on the other hand, rule. Except, of course, for the chlorine.

We’ve been back in Nairobi for a year now, but somehow we haven’t gotten to the pool. Sadili Oval is just a short walk from my house, but I imagined it was quite expensive. Turns out it’s only a sock per head, making it a very viable option.

So, some Saturdays ago, we decided to have a swimming treat. I like to hit the water in the morning, to make full use of what I paid to enter. The system in Dar was to reach the pool at 9 when it was opening. I’d swim for maybe an hour, before the crowds arrived. We’d have the whole place to ourselves, and it was pretty fun. Great bonding.

By 10 or 11, the world would arrive. It was pretty small pool, so I’d get out, wrap up in some shukas … um … khangas … [lesos?], find a seat in the sun, plug in my headphones, and get lost in a book while princess played up to the crowds. She’s totally a people-person and I totally am … not. It’s not that I’m bad with crowds. I get along with humans really, really well. I just prefer not to, that’s all. So I’d sit and read for hours and she’d attend to her subjects. At 5 or 6 o’clock, we’d leave and take a tuktuk home. The pool had the best fries and samosas, so there’d be a food break in between.

Anyway, the game plan for Sadili was to leave the house at 9, but the aerial went rogue on us. The TV had been showing rice for weeks and the resident aerial guy was in shags for Christmas. He came back that Friday and spent hours on the roof with no luck. So we had to wait for him to do his thing, and princess was in a hurry. After several hours of tweaking, the TV was still showing rice, but at least now it was coloured rice – with sound.

We left for the pool at 1.00. Princess wanted to take a matatu, but I suggested we stroll instead. It was a nice walk, though we had to ask for directions. Civil Servants Estate has grown, apparently.

We arrived at Sadili to be told we couldn’t swim. Something about a broken pump and chemicals. Crap. We walked back to the stage looking miserable and decided to hit Lang’ata Hyper for the bouncy castle. I toyed with the idea of Nyayo Stadium, but I was a bit worried. The reason I was hesitant is because the pool is public and the water is green. Plus, we often swam there as kids, and the water always went over our heads. So, princess and I got into a 15 planning to get off at Uchumi, but then decided to just check out Nyayo. If it was too deep, we could always leave.

The Stadium is larger than I remember, and we spent 15 minutes just walking round in circles. For some strange reason, I couldn’t trace my way into the pool. Eventually, we found it and paid 150/= for the pair of us. The changing rooms were just as I remembered, but the seating stones were empty. Yay! There was a guard at the gate, so there were no idlers ogling the swimmers. There were even a few lifeguards giving lessons.

We changed and put our bag down, then I grabbed a wooden floater for my baby. The lifeguard roughly made me take it back, which I did with a lot of *russumfussums*. I slid into the water first, just to see how deep it was. Princess followed me, and the water came as far up as her chest. She’s taller than I thought!

And then the trouble began.

Nyayo Stadium has an Olympic pool. That’s 25 by 50 metres. By comparison, her school pool is a bathtub. The volume of the pool meant the water was c-c-c-c-coooooold. I didn’t mind this, since it felt awesome to be in a real pool again, but my poor baby was suffering. She jumped out of the pool every few seconds and eventually decided to just sit and bask.

I didn’t want to leave her all alone, especially since the basking spot was far. The edges of the pool were raised, so if I was swimming and she was basking, I couldn’t see her. I kept getting these flashes of that nightmare scene from Minority Report. Plus, I couldn’t see that many people sunning, so I half expected the lifeguard to make us stop.

I did a few more laps, 6 widths and 4 lengths. It felt awesome to be swimming again – actually swimming not just splashing around in a  bathtub. Then I stepped out to join her. We didn’t lie down, because I was still afraid of the lifeguard. He had been rather brusque with me earlier. Princess had wanted a kickboard, so she made me ask for one.

At first, I wanted her to ask. After all, she wanted it, and she needs to learn to do stuff for herself. But I guess she reads people better than me. She took one look at the lifeguard guy and chickened out. I sulked for a bit then asked on her behalf … and nearly had my head chewed off. Apparently, kickboards aren’t for kids. They’re strictly for training … which you have to pay for … at 5,000/= per session. *russumfussum*

Anyway, we sat with our legs crossed on the concrete, enjoying the sun and watching people. After a while, princess started to giggle, because apparently, a puddle was forming around me.

‘Mum, is that really water or … something else?’

For the record, she didn’t censor *something else*.

I looked at the puddle and was puzzled myself. Where could all that water be coming from?! I decided to blame the hair.

We’d been sitting for a while when the girls showed up. Well, three girls and a guy, all ice cream and make up. The guy sat on the stone seats while the girls went into the water. Mr Lifeguard stopped them because one of them had a boobtop and black tights which, apparently, is not swimwear. He made her get one from the office – for a fee I guess. The process took half an hour, since someone had lost the keys, but the rented suit was really pretty hot, halter neck and beads. Very sexy.

Then the guys showed up. They must have come in turns, but all I know is suudenly there were hot bodies all over the pool. I was probably ovulating, because there can’t be that many hot men in one spot at the same time. This is Nairobi, not Baywatch.

There was this one pair of guys, one had dreads. They swam maybe two lengths, then stretched themselves out next to us. The first thing I noticed was the dreads, and the fact that he was lying on a bright pink kikoi. I mean … really?

Then I noticed the other girls were staring at him, and that they all suddenly came to lie around him. He had this loose circumference of girls pretending not to see him, but obviously drooling. A few of them did orchestrated stretches, probably flaunting their assets, but all I could see was the guy. I don’t even remember what his friend looked like.

For some reason, I looked over at Princess, and noticed that she was staring too, and she’s only eight!! She looked back at me and we both smiled, then turned to look at something else. Seems we have common taste in men. Hehehe.

There was another guy in the pool. Nice abs, but he had a swimming cap. There’s something very wrong with dudes in swimming caps. Next, I noticed this white girl walking round the pool. She kept going back and forth for like an hour. I don’t know what she wanted, but in the end, she changed and got  into the pool. None of the lifeguards approached her.

Some kids arrived, but it was getting late and princess clearly didn’t want to swim, so we got up and left. We’d only spent an hour – maybe two, but we were both pretty happy until the makanga saga. I still wonder about the dreaded boy with pink. I wonder if he knew the girls were ogling him, or if he cared. If he did, he sure knows how to hide it. But then again, he was lying on pink with a man …

125 thoughts on “Swimming lessons: Volume Two”

  1. Hi there are using WordPress for your blog platform? I’m new to the blog world but I’m trying to get started and create my own. Do you require any html coding expertise to make your own blog? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

  2. Today, while I was at work, my sister stole my apple ipad and tested to see if it can survive a forty foot drop, just so she can be a youtube sensation. My iPad is now destroyed and she has 83 views. I know this is completely off topic but I had to share it with someone!

  3. Very great post. I simply stumbled upon your blog and wanted to say that I have truly enjoyed browsing your blog posts. After all I will be subscribing to your feed and I am hoping you write once more very soon!

  4. hello there and thank you for your information – I’ve certainly picked up anything new from right here. I did however expertise a few technical issues using this site, since I experienced to reload the website lots of times previous to I could get it to load correctly. I had been wondering if your web hosting is OK? Not that I’m complaining, but slow loading instances times will often affect your placement in google and can damage your high quality score if ads and marketing with Adwords. Well I’m adding this RSS to my e-mail and could look out for a lot more of your respective intriguing content. Ensure that you update this again very soon..

  5. What i don’t understood is actually how you are no longer actually a lot more smartly-favored than you may be right now. You are very intelligent. You already know thus considerably when it comes to this topic, produced me personally believe it from so many numerous angles. Its like women and men aren’t fascinated until it is one thing to accomplish with Lady gaga! Your personal stuffs great. All the time deal with it up!

  6. Hiya very cool website!! Man .. Excellent .. Amazing .. I’ll bookmark your website and take the feeds additionally¡KI am satisfied to seek out so many helpful information right here within the put up, we need develop extra techniques on this regard, thanks for sharing. . . . . .

  9. Hi there, I found your web site via Google while searching for a related topic, your web site came up, it looks good. I have bookmarked it in my google bookmarks.

  10. What i do not realize is actually how you are not really much more well-liked than you may be right now. You’re so intelligent. You realize therefore considerably relating to this subject, made me personally consider it from numerous varied angles. Its like men and women aren’t fascinated unless it’s one thing to do with Lady gaga! Your own stuffs great. Always maintain it up!

  11. I’m really enjoying the design and layout of your blog. It’s a very easy on the eyes which makes it much more enjoyable for me to come here and visit more often. Did you hire out a developer to create your theme? Outstanding work!

  12. Hiya, I am really glad I have found this info. Today bloggers publish just about gossips and net and this is really irritating. A good website with exciting content, this is what I need. Thanks for keeping this site, I will be visiting it. Do you do newsletters? Cant find it.

  13. I do believe all of the ideas you’ve introduced on your post. They are really convincing and will definitely work. Still, the posts are too quick for starters. May just you please prolong them a bit from next time? Thanks for the post.

  15. Thanks for expressing your ideas here. The other issue is that when a problem arises with a laptop motherboard, individuals should not go ahead and take risk of repairing that themselves because if it is not done correctly it can lead to irreparable damage to the full laptop. It’s usually safe just to approach the dealer of your laptop with the repair of the motherboard. They have got technicians who may have an competence in dealing with notebook computer motherboard difficulties and can get the right analysis and carry out repairs.

  16. Whats Taking place i am new to this, I stumbled upon this I have discovered It absolutely useful and it has aided me out loads. I hope to give a contribution & aid other customers like its helped me. Good job.

  17. Terrific paintings! That is the kind of information that are meant to be shared around the internet. Shame on the seek engines for now not positioning this put up higher! Come on over and consult with my web site . Thank you =)

  20. Heya i’m for the first time here. I came across this board and I in finding It truly useful & it helped me out a lot. I hope to provide something back and aid others like you aided me.

  21. Thank you for the auspicious writeup. It if truth be told was once a leisure account it. Glance advanced to more brought agreeable from you! However, how can we keep in touch?

  22. I enjoy what you guys are usually up too. This kind of clever work and reporting! Keep up the great works guys I’ve added you guys to my blogroll.

  23. I like what you guys are up too. Such clever work and reporting! Carry on the excellent works guys I’ve incorporated you guys to my blogroll. I think it’ll improve the value of my website :).

  24. Some really excellent info , Gladiolus I noticed this. “What we say is important for in most cases the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.” by Jim Beggs.

  25. Hi, i think that i saw you visited my web site thus i came to “return the favor”.I am trying to find things to enhance my website!I suppose its ok to use some of your ideas!!

  26. Thanks a lot for giving everyone an extremely special opportunity to discover important secrets from this blog. It is always very amazing and full of amusement for me and my office co-workers to search your blog no less than thrice a week to read through the new issues you will have. And of course, I am also actually fulfilled with your staggering creative ideas you give. Selected 4 points in this post are in truth the finest I have ever had.

  29. My brother suggested I might like this web site. He was totally right. This post truly made my day. You can not imagine simply how much time I had spent for this info! Thanks!

  30. I am not sure where you’re getting your info, but good topic. I needs to spend some time learning much more or understanding more. Thanks for wonderful info I was looking for this info for my mission.

  31. I have been exploring for a bit for any high quality articles or blog posts on this sort of space . Exploring in Yahoo I at last stumbled upon this site. Reading this information So i am satisfied to show that I have an incredibly just right uncanny feeling I discovered just what I needed. I so much indubitably will make certain to don’t overlook this web site and give it a look regularly.

  32. Great work! This is the type of info that should be shared around the web. Shame on Google for not positioning this post higher! Come on over and visit my website . Thanks =)

  33. With everything that seems to be developing throughout this particular area, your perspectives tend to be rather stimulating. Even so, I am sorry, because I do not subscribe to your whole strategy, all be it exhilarating none the less. It would seem to everyone that your commentary are actually not totally justified and in simple fact you are generally your self not really wholly convinced of the argument. In any case I did appreciate looking at it.

  35. Hiya! Quick question that’s totally off topic. Do you know how to make your site mobile friendly? My blog looks weird when browsing from my iphone. I’m trying to find a template or plugin that might be able to correct this problem. If you have any recommendations, please share. Appreciate it!

  36. One thing I would like to discuss is that weightloss routine fast may be accomplished by the suitable diet and exercise. Ones size not only affects the look, but also the quality of life. Self-esteem, major depression, health risks, in addition to physical capabilities are affected in weight gain. It is possible to make everything right whilst still having a gain. In such a circumstance, a condition may be the culprit. While a lot food and never enough work out are usually at fault, common health conditions and popular prescriptions can certainly greatly add to size. Many thanks for your post right here.

  37. It is really a nice and useful piece of information. I’m glad that you just shared this useful information with us. Please keep us up to date like this. Thanks for sharing.

  39. Hey there just wanted to give you a quick heads up. The words in your content seem to be running off the screen in Firefox. I’m not sure if this is a formatting issue or something to do with internet browser compatibility but I figured I’d post to let you know. The layout look great though! Hope you get the issue resolved soon. Many thanks

  40. With havin so much content and articles do you ever run into any problems of plagorism or copyright infringement? My website has a lot of completely unique content I’ve either created myself or outsourced but it appears a lot of it is popping it up all over the internet without my agreement. Do you know any solutions to help reduce content from being ripped off? I’d certainly appreciate it.

  41. I like the valuable information you provide in your articles. I’ll bookmark your blog and check again here regularly. I’m quite sure I will learn plenty of new stuff right here! Best of luck for the next!

  44. Do you mind if I quote a few of your articles as long
    as I provide credit and sources back to your blog? My blog site
    is in the exact same area of interest as yours and
    my users would really benefit from some of the information you provide here.
    Please let me know if this ok with you. Many thanks!

  45. Thank you a lot for sharing this with all people you actually realize what
    you are speaking about! Bookmarked. Kindly also talk over
    with my web site =). We can have a hyperlink alternate
    contract between us

  46. I’m not sure where you’re getting your info, but good topic. I needs to spend some time learning much more or understanding more. Thanks for excellent information I was looking for this info for my mission.

  47. With havin so much content and articles do you ever run into any problems of plagorism or copyright infringement? My website has a lot of exclusive content I’ve either written myself or outsourced but it appears a lot of it is popping it up all over the internet without my authorization. Do you know any methods to help stop content from being stolen? I’d truly appreciate it.

  48. I have been absent for a while, but now I remember why I used to love this website. Thank you, I will try and check back more frequently. How frequently you update your web site?

  49. Wonderful goods from you, man. I have understand your stuff previous to and you are just extremely excellent. I really like what you’ve acquired here, really like what you are saying and the way in which you say it. You make it enjoyable and you still care for to keep it smart. I cant wait to read much more from you. This is really a great website.

  50. I think this is among the most vital info for me. And i am glad reading your article. But should remark on some general things, The site style is ideal, the articles is really nice : D. Good job, cheers

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.