This is the story - edited a little by John

I finally left Hillcrest Secondary School in December 1993 after being there from the very start (Year 1). I'll never forget one of my last days when I saw Paul Kerr at the airport. He told me that he was going to the UK to try and get into Sandhurst....that was when the realities of leaving Kenya really sank in.

My memories of Kenya and Hillcrest are fabulous. It was the best place in the world to grow up as a teenager. I remember cutting down the huge school sign at the front entrance one evening with a few friends (they'll own up if they want to!) and then loading it up into the pick-up truck and dumping it in Dave Evans' driveway, completely blocking his exit!! I gather he was quite angry, but if you ever read this Dave, it was nothing personal just harmless teenage fun under the influence of one too many Tuskers!!

I remember Geography "A" Level classes sitting next to Stuart Herd. We had a teacher called Miss Mushet with a huge pair of "mamas". Stuart's idea of livening up the class was to call Miss Mushet over to our table and get her to bend over in front of us, which led to a major cleavage alert! Stuart would then give me a nudge and grin furiously. Miss Mushet caught on and would end up blushing like mad! Great class.

Biology was fun too, with Miss Gunter. Michael Roy and I had a huge crush on her and used to love teasing her like mad in the class. She was great fun and used to tell us off all the time, which made matters worse as we'd end up laughing uncontrollably. Miss Gunter...we miss you.

I also remember the sad times....hearing about Emmanuels death from a puff adder. I had just returned from an Easter holiday in the UK and was joining my "A" level Biology class at the Railway Station in Nairobi for a marine biology fieldtrip down to Mombasa. I asked someone where
Emmanuel (Emma) was and they told me he had died whilst I had been away. I felt as though I'd been punched in the stomach. Whilst we had a good fieldtrip to the Coast, Emma was always on our mind.

Soon after leaving the country I heard how Mukesh Pandit, a very dear friend of mine had died at Wilkinson Airport in a light aeroplane crash. Pandit, whilst coming from an incredibly rich family, was very modest and a real gentleman. He wasn't at all spoilt and was a very dear friend. I miss him terribly.

Ending on a lighter note, I vaguely remember the Sixth Form party at the Nairobi Yacht Club. Needless to say I got completely wrecked. I drank the local Nairobi brewed Papaya wine and mixed it with EVERYTHING! I ended throwing up between my legs at the dinner table and then strongly denying that I had anything to do with the mess on the floor. I then went up to the Bar and told Miss Gunter that one of our friends "Vincent" (CENSORED - WEBMASTER). I also chatted up Barbara Brigetti and was on a promise to meet her at the Tamango Club in the City center. I left the Club to get into Divya Shah's pickup when I suddenly lost all use of my legs (what a surprise!). I was eventually swung by my legs and arms by 4 people into the back of Divya's pickup truck, which was full of a sawdust for delivery the next morning. Needless to say, between the Yacht Club and town, I managed to completely empty the sawdust on the roads....Divya was not a happy 'bunny'. 

After Kenya, I went back to the UK where I worked as a builder for 2 years. I then went to University and got a BSc (Hons) in Geology and an MSc in Mineral Exploration. I am currently studying for an MBA whilst working full-time for a Swiss Pharmaceutical company.

My work as a Geologist has taken me to some amazing places, e.g., the Amazonian rainforest in Brazil and Guyana, Namibia, South Africa and more recently a 'tour of duty' of war-torn Angola
I am married to Stella, a half-Italian girl and have one son, Ryan James "Hercules" Kemp.

The only girl I ever really fancied at Hillcrest apart from Nicola Jenkins (who didn't fancy her!?) was Gairn Mowat, but she ended up with Peter Rutter for a short while and then Stuart Herd for a long while, so I never had a chance!