Such a child...

This is going to sound very childish, very smug, but I'm very quietly pleased with myself and I simply must tell someone. I just beat Dave at draughts (or 'checkers', if you like). We played by the fire in the bar, with everyone watching. He's clearly an intelligent bloke, and everyone expected him to win. At one point, it looked like he was. Nobody, however, counted on my many years of training with my two granddads. Four or five solid weeks every year (when Papa Jack and Nana Betty used to visit from Cornwall), papa and I would face each other across the draughts board on our stomachs in the lounge for best-of-three. I can play the game well without really even thinking about it now. I'll never forget, after papa winning the first two games of three, 'Now I've won today, see, so this one's just for fun.' Little did I know it would serve me so well so many years later, as the game suddenly turned before everyone's eyes and I wiped Dave out with brutal nonchalance. He was very gracious in defeat, and I merely enjoyed my victory behind a gentle smile. I then beat the next two people before stepping aside, not wanting to become a bore.

Sad, I know, but small things, small minds.

We were reduced to board games because there's a power cut. Happens all the time, apparently. The guy temporarily managing the place told me that ex-President Moi (Daniel arap Moi, I think) lives in 'that' direction, and his lights always come on first. When they come on it means the camp will generally have power twenty minutes later. It's amazing how well these African presidents do out of selflessly serving their country, isn't it? Apparently, when Moi lost the election, he agreed to step down only with immunity to prosecution. He's doing alright these days...

Our first proper game drive tomorrow, so an early start. Some of those on the nineteen-day trip (not me anymore. Hah!) have been complaining that for a trip entitled 'Gorillas and Gameparks', there are precious few game parks. Personally, I reckon a read of the itinary should have cleared things up before we left, but I thought best not to point that out.