Africa life for us had many twists and turns, ups and downs with the certainty that there was always a surprise around the corner.
Joshia had asked me to take him and his wife Mama Ng'ida to Likamba church for an inter-church service. Josiah was choir master at Kimondolu Church and the choir (as they do) was invited to Likamba to sing. This of course meant that I was donating my time and vehicle for the day and that the wee Maruti would be full.
The safari was to be 23 March 1997, and then, there were no cellphones and I did not have a digital camera, but as it turned out, I was too busy to take photos!
Overnight it rained! Tropical rain. Knowing the topography we were to traverse, I thought it wise to cancel the trip so at about 8:00am I drove to Joshia's house. The trip was not without its' challenges as the Sanawari road was slippery and difficult to negotiate.
The road to Joshia's house was a mess with large ponds of water - deep, half way up the door! The last 300 metres to Joshia's gate was grass field with a difficult creek crossing to negotiate. The Maruti is an excellent light 4x4 and managed to negotiate it well.
Joshia was most surprised to see me so early! In no way was he going to put off the tour, he thought it was 'just normal rain'. I told him that there had been a lot of flooding and that it might not be safe. He had no concerns.
Luckily the rain had stopped at around 7:30am and in the Arusha climate, drying began quickly.
I returned to collect them at 9:00 as the service was to start at 11:00 but knowing the Maasai /African psyche, exact time did not wholly come into the equation.
The 'seats' (actually wheel arches) could accommodate 3 bums each side and Joshia sat in the front seat beside me. Two mini vans daladalas followed me from the Kimondolu church, out to the main road towards Ngaremtoni. Six people in the back was too much really, but the road was not too bad, just surface flooding and debris to drive around - also there were the loony drivers.
The road into Likamba is flat at first, and then it climbs into the low hills. There had been a massive amount of rain and after passing through a deep 'lake', we found that the road was completely washed out leaving a river of porridge like mud.
I stopped to survey the scene and Joshia admitted that I might have been right after all. The buses pulled up behind me and their drivers said they would go no further.
I walked the length of the crossing a couple of times, testing the texture to find it too deep to attempt a crossing. Further to my right the mud river looked narrower and I went to look closer. I thought maybe I could try to cross - with the knowledge that there were plenty of people to manhandle me out if I became stuck.
I told Joshia that I would try, but with nobody else with me. If I succeeded, then I could take some people across. It was muddy, but it was solid under the wheels and the diffs bulldozed their own path through the soft mud.
I returned and took Joshia and four others to the church, I thought to tell them that the others were stranded! But oh no, they implored me to ferry the whole lot of them from the buses to the church. Slowly the land was drying, especially my tyre marks and I was able to carry seven at a time.
We all finally arrived one and a half hours late!
The church service had gone on while I was doing the ferrying, and at last the choirs were able to sing. The choirs are very, very good and of course each was keen to demonstrate their prowess. I was enthralled and enjoyed the singing, band and acts.
Finally, Joshia and Mama Ng'ida performed a role play, with Joshia taking two roles (with quick costume changes).
The play was about the way some rich men can swindle widows out of what is rightfully theirs. At the end, I don't think there was a dry eye in the house (church)! Including mine!
It was not real surprise to me, but I was amazed at Joshia's and Mama Ng'ida's acting ability.
Afterward there was the mountain of rice to consume with beef pieces and vegetables, but we all agreed that with dark clouds looming, it was wise to hurry back to the buses and I repeated my ferry service. Once one bus was full, it drove off and the other followed when it was full.
After dropping off Joshia and Mama Ng'ida, I arrived home at 5:30pm just as large raindrops splattered on the windscreen.
After all, it was a tiring day, but one out of the box for me. It rained all night, but I did not hear it, my room was full of zzzzz.
Joshia had asked me to take him and his wife Mama Ng'ida to Likamba church for an inter-church service. Josiah was choir master at Kimondolu Church and the choir (as they do) was invited to Likamba to sing. This of course meant that I was donating my time and vehicle for the day and that the wee Maruti would be full.
The safari was to be 23 March 1997, and then, there were no cellphones and I did not have a digital camera, but as it turned out, I was too busy to take photos!
Overnight it rained! Tropical rain. Knowing the topography we were to traverse, I thought it wise to cancel the trip so at about 8:00am I drove to Joshia's house. The trip was not without its' challenges as the Sanawari road was slippery and difficult to negotiate.
The road to Joshia's house was a mess with large ponds of water - deep, half way up the door! The last 300 metres to Joshia's gate was grass field with a difficult creek crossing to negotiate. The Maruti is an excellent light 4x4 and managed to negotiate it well.
Joshia was most surprised to see me so early! In no way was he going to put off the tour, he thought it was 'just normal rain'. I told him that there had been a lot of flooding and that it might not be safe. He had no concerns.
Luckily the rain had stopped at around 7:30am and in the Arusha climate, drying began quickly.
I returned to collect them at 9:00 as the service was to start at 11:00 but knowing the Maasai /African psyche, exact time did not wholly come into the equation.
The 'seats' (actually wheel arches) could accommodate 3 bums each side and Joshia sat in the front seat beside me. Two mini vans daladalas followed me from the Kimondolu church, out to the main road towards Ngaremtoni. Six people in the back was too much really, but the road was not too bad, just surface flooding and debris to drive around - also there were the loony drivers.
The road into Likamba is flat at first, and then it climbs into the low hills. There had been a massive amount of rain and after passing through a deep 'lake', we found that the road was completely washed out leaving a river of porridge like mud.
I stopped to survey the scene and Joshia admitted that I might have been right after all. The buses pulled up behind me and their drivers said they would go no further.
I walked the length of the crossing a couple of times, testing the texture to find it too deep to attempt a crossing. Further to my right the mud river looked narrower and I went to look closer. I thought maybe I could try to cross - with the knowledge that there were plenty of people to manhandle me out if I became stuck.
I told Joshia that I would try, but with nobody else with me. If I succeeded, then I could take some people across. It was muddy, but it was solid under the wheels and the diffs bulldozed their own path through the soft mud.
I returned and took Joshia and four others to the church, I thought to tell them that the others were stranded! But oh no, they implored me to ferry the whole lot of them from the buses to the church. Slowly the land was drying, especially my tyre marks and I was able to carry seven at a time.
We all finally arrived one and a half hours late!
The church service had gone on while I was doing the ferrying, and at last the choirs were able to sing. The choirs are very, very good and of course each was keen to demonstrate their prowess. I was enthralled and enjoyed the singing, band and acts.
Finally, Joshia and Mama Ng'ida performed a role play, with Joshia taking two roles (with quick costume changes).
The play was about the way some rich men can swindle widows out of what is rightfully theirs. At the end, I don't think there was a dry eye in the house (church)! Including mine!
It was not real surprise to me, but I was amazed at Joshia's and Mama Ng'ida's acting ability.
Afterward there was the mountain of rice to consume with beef pieces and vegetables, but we all agreed that with dark clouds looming, it was wise to hurry back to the buses and I repeated my ferry service. Once one bus was full, it drove off and the other followed when it was full.
After dropping off Joshia and Mama Ng'ida, I arrived home at 5:30pm just as large raindrops splattered on the windscreen.
After all, it was a tiring day, but one out of the box for me. It rained all night, but I did not hear it, my room was full of zzzzz.
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