Ask a Quarantine hotel occupant anything
Discussion
Thankyou4calling said:
Happy to update.
Job is going great guns, I’m back in the UK for May and June then I go onto a 4 months in Kenya 2 months in the UK Rota which is excellent. When here I’ll do zoom calls and daily updates as I have access to all the stats but I’m quite hands on (metaphorically) so I’ll keep the thumbscrews on. There have been comings and goings as is normal in a sales driven environment.
Being a “Muzungu” (white man) is a massive benefit. I encounter racial discrimination every day but turn it to my advantage.
I started building a house in February (architect drawings, builder appointed and began. Alas Mrs TY4C wasn’t happy and had the walling demolished and plans redrawn! It’s all drama. Appointed a new builder who built her apartments and off we went again with a bigger master, additional balcony and wo(man) sized walk in closets.
We are buying another off plan house in Diani which is only a 5 minute walk from the beach. The estate has a pool and a few amenities though it won’t be ready or a year. We will rent that as a holiday home and air bnb. It’s 3 bedrooms all en-suite, flat roof got a BBQ and gym, around 1250sq.ft. It’ll be very nice - 4.5 million KSH ( £29,000)
Mrs was with me in Kenya from late March and because her “Covid Tests” kept coming back positive couldn’t leave for a month. Got back to Qatar yesterday.
So that’s me! Lots going on as ever. Still dominating the country, not taking any s
t and not catching Corona.
Excellent! Good work. Job is going great guns, I’m back in the UK for May and June then I go onto a 4 months in Kenya 2 months in the UK Rota which is excellent. When here I’ll do zoom calls and daily updates as I have access to all the stats but I’m quite hands on (metaphorically) so I’ll keep the thumbscrews on. There have been comings and goings as is normal in a sales driven environment.
Being a “Muzungu” (white man) is a massive benefit. I encounter racial discrimination every day but turn it to my advantage.
I started building a house in February (architect drawings, builder appointed and began. Alas Mrs TY4C wasn’t happy and had the walling demolished and plans redrawn! It’s all drama. Appointed a new builder who built her apartments and off we went again with a bigger master, additional balcony and wo(man) sized walk in closets.
We are buying another off plan house in Diani which is only a 5 minute walk from the beach. The estate has a pool and a few amenities though it won’t be ready or a year. We will rent that as a holiday home and air bnb. It’s 3 bedrooms all en-suite, flat roof got a BBQ and gym, around 1250sq.ft. It’ll be very nice - 4.5 million KSH ( £29,000)
Mrs was with me in Kenya from late March and because her “Covid Tests” kept coming back positive couldn’t leave for a month. Got back to Qatar yesterday.
So that’s me! Lots going on as ever. Still dominating the country, not taking any s
t and not catching Corona.£29k for 3 bedooms/1250sqft!!
Edited by MrBig on Friday 29th April 16:07
I’m back in Kenya after spending Summer in the UK and ready to re commence work on the 4th October, I’ll do a 3 month stint. Lots to do - issuing title deeds to customers, need to get some houses sold as they are very slow and we have a lot of land projects to shift so I’ll be busy.
I’ve been here 10 days and done plenty. We have a block of ten apartments immediately adjacent to wife’s sisters house. They’re managed by a very efficient agent and fully let ( 9 x 1 beds and 1 studio) so we are putting another floor on them to take it up to 15 units.
Additionally, on the same road I’ve gone into partnership (back of an envelope really) to build a shipping centre. It’s 26 units with short stay parking. Each unit is 100sq.ft - think nail bar, phone accessories, barbers, clothes, hardware, cafe etc.
I only stumbled on this as I saw some guys taking corrugated iron down from around the plot and from that I’m in for 30%.
It’ll let easily as it’s an almost prime spot 100m off the main road and provide an excellent ROI. It’ll be finished in 3 months inshallah (more likely 5 as it’s Africa)
So that’s the extra curricular. Need to get on with the day job soon, we have a new President and lots to do.
I’ve been here 10 days and done plenty. We have a block of ten apartments immediately adjacent to wife’s sisters house. They’re managed by a very efficient agent and fully let ( 9 x 1 beds and 1 studio) so we are putting another floor on them to take it up to 15 units.
Additionally, on the same road I’ve gone into partnership (back of an envelope really) to build a shipping centre. It’s 26 units with short stay parking. Each unit is 100sq.ft - think nail bar, phone accessories, barbers, clothes, hardware, cafe etc.
I only stumbled on this as I saw some guys taking corrugated iron down from around the plot and from that I’m in for 30%.
It’ll let easily as it’s an almost prime spot 100m off the main road and provide an excellent ROI. It’ll be finished in 3 months inshallah (more likely 5 as it’s Africa)
So that’s the extra curricular. Need to get on with the day job soon, we have a new President and lots to do.
Thankyou4calling said:
Additionally, on the same road I’ve gone into partnership (back of an envelope really) to build a shipping centre. It’s 26 units with short stay parking. Each unit is 100sq.ft - think nail bar, phone accessories, barbers, clothes, hardware, cafe etc.
What's the infrastructure like? Is it easy to get water/power/sewer/internet connected?I'm very envious of your 5 month timeline. Here in SoCal, I'd be lucky to get the initial set of permits in that time!
Good question. The infrastructure is good here. Water is piped direct to the site and electricity too. There’s no mains gas even in houses, you use calor. Water supply is a massive issue and anywhere that has it without interruption is sought after.
Planning permission is shall we say “Interesting” the PM I’m using is also a Police Inspector so he makes sure things happen smoothly. First day on the job three people from the county office appeared, he had a chat and they’ve not been seen since.
The main road is a tarmac road but the centre is on a Murram road that we will tarmac to the entrance.
As an example I have 12 men on site this morning on the apartments, 6 labourers @ 600 per day, 2 brick layers @ 1000 per day, 3 scaffolders (wood scaffolding) @ 800 per day and a foreman @ 1500 per day. so the total cost for todays labour is 9500 ksh - £75 for 12 people !!
Planning permission is shall we say “Interesting” the PM I’m using is also a Police Inspector so he makes sure things happen smoothly. First day on the job three people from the county office appeared, he had a chat and they’ve not been seen since.
The main road is a tarmac road but the centre is on a Murram road that we will tarmac to the entrance.
As an example I have 12 men on site this morning on the apartments, 6 labourers @ 600 per day, 2 brick layers @ 1000 per day, 3 scaffolders (wood scaffolding) @ 800 per day and a foreman @ 1500 per day. so the total cost for todays labour is 9500 ksh - £75 for 12 people !!
Thankyou4calling said:
Good question. The infrastructure is good here. Water is piped direct to the site and electricity too. There’s no mains gas even in houses, you use calor. Water supply is a massive issue and anywhere that has it without interruption is sought after.
Planning permission is shall we say “Interesting” the PM I’m using is also a Police Inspector so he makes sure things happen smoothly. First day on the job three people from the county office appeared, he had a chat and they’ve not been seen since.
The main road is a tarmac road but the centre is on a Murram road that we will tarmac to the entrance.
As an example I have 12 men on site this morning on the apartments, 6 labourers @ 600 per day, 2 brick layers @ 1000 per day, 3 scaffolders (wood scaffolding) @ 800 per day and a foreman @ 1500 per day. so the total cost for todays labour is 9500 ksh - £75 for 12 people !!
Glad to hear it's all working out for you, and it's an awesome thread to read. Regarding the Water supply, don't they use boreholes like many places in SEA?. Our place in the Philippines has a borehole and an electric pump which shunts the water up into a stainless tank in the roof cavity. Cold in the morning but pleasantly warm in the afternoon (not a fan of electric water heaters).Planning permission is shall we say “Interesting” the PM I’m using is also a Police Inspector so he makes sure things happen smoothly. First day on the job three people from the county office appeared, he had a chat and they’ve not been seen since.
The main road is a tarmac road but the centre is on a Murram road that we will tarmac to the entrance.
As an example I have 12 men on site this morning on the apartments, 6 labourers @ 600 per day, 2 brick layers @ 1000 per day, 3 scaffolders (wood scaffolding) @ 800 per day and a foreman @ 1500 per day. so the total cost for todays labour is 9500 ksh - £75 for 12 people !!
Thankyou.
Yes boreholes are widely used in fact sister in laws house is fed by one and all the apartments feed off this but the shopping centre is a little nearer the main road and you can use the city water which is reliable.
A lot of places don’t have a reliable source of water and it causes major issues.
The water here is incredibly soft, when you shower you keep rinsing because your skin still feels like it’s covered in soap!
Yes boreholes are widely used in fact sister in laws house is fed by one and all the apartments feed off this but the shopping centre is a little nearer the main road and you can use the city water which is reliable.
A lot of places don’t have a reliable source of water and it causes major issues.
The water here is incredibly soft, when you shower you keep rinsing because your skin still feels like it’s covered in soap!
Countdown said:
Thankyou4calling said:
The water here is incredibly soft, when you shower you keep rinsing because your skin still feels like it’s covered in soap!
That sounds like hard water rather than soft. e.g the type of water you find in London.Rushjob said:
Countdown said:
Thankyou4calling said:
The water here is incredibly soft, when you shower you keep rinsing because your skin still feels like it’s covered in soap!
That sounds like hard water rather than soft. e.g the type of water you find in London.
I agree with everything you've said. However TY4C mentioned that the water in Kenya takes ages to wash soap off. I get that feeling when i have showers in London (or a lot of places in the South East) where I believe the water is "hard". Here in Lancashire there's no problem with soap scum, no scaling in kettles, and the water tastes delicious. It's definitely soft water.
Anyway it doesnt matter...apologies for the digression
Thankyou4calling said:
Cheers!!
Had a google of The Safari Club.
That’s a hell of a place. Fabulous.
Now at Lake Naivasha, awesome place with zebras, giraffes and water bucks.Had a google of The Safari Club.
That’s a hell of a place. Fabulous.
Off to Mara tomo to see some really wild animals.
(and drink more Tusker)
Edited by Cupid-stunt on Sunday 23 July 20:20
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