Widen Your Tent Pegs: Camel Rides and Other Oddities

The Kenya Diaries (vol. 15)

July 1, 2006

Philip's Turn

Today Daddy took our whole family to "The Show" that he went to yesterday with the boys. Two boys, Joel and Johnson came with us. Daddy told us to stay close because yesterday Joel's glasses got stolen right off his face, and he had to pay money to get them back.

I thought we were going to some kind of circus, but it wasn't like that at all. We saw lots of cows, cebus, sheep and sleeping pigs. We also saw lots of gardens, and I found a lady bug in a wheat field. It was black with red spots! That was strange!

Then we got to ride a camel. It was like riding a horse except it was very high and very warm. I could feel the warmth of the camel right through the blanket! I wanted to stay on and stay warm.

Mama said this: Riding the camel was so exciting for me. I don't know why except that maybe it's because it seems so exotic. I rode with Lucia who was a little scared because it was so high off the ground. All the kids said it was like riding a high horse, except when the camel had to fold its legs up underneath it so we could get off. That was more like a bumpy see-saw. To Ania and Lucia it was a little scary, but the boys said they'd do it again! Me, too!

Daddy bought us each a toy on a long wire. Lucia and I got birds that flap their wings when you push it on the ground in front of you as you walk. Kevin and Ania got bicycle riders that pedal their bikes. The whole toy is made of only two things, wire and colored tape. Daddy paid 50 shillings each for them. The man wanted 150 shillings each, but Daddy wouldn't pay it. These are the first toys I've seen in Kenya that aren't homemade.

Ania said this: There was a cool teapot that kept pouring tea into a cup, and it never ran out. Then Daddy bought me a Spiderman mask to replace my witch mask that the boys bought for me. I like Spiderman much better. Daddy bought us all strawberry swirl ice cream cones. They were good!

Then we left and stopped at Subway for lunch. We thought we were going to get yummy subs, but this was not an American Subway.

Kevin said this: This Subway was VERY different from the Subways in America! We each had chips and chipati and either a sumosa (meat pie) or a kebob (hot dog on a stick with a crispy crust) that they kept in a glass container on the counter, and a citrus Fanta. It was odd, but very good!

When we had our fill of lunch, we went to a store and Mama bought paint, paint brushes and masking tape because she is going to make a pinata for Ania's birthday party. We also bought balloons, oatmeal, oranges and an apple for me. Yummy!

When we returned to the school, the boys brought us a huge toad they found while we were gone. We couldn't touch it because it was poisonous. Too bad for me since I LOVE frogs and toads!