Solo Market Trip & the Game Lodge

It's a quarter to one in the morning and I can't sleep, so I'm blogging! :)

I went to the Tengeru market for fresh produce. I had to ride the dala-dala, which is a mini bus. I would describe it as a mini-van sized automobile with about 16 seats but at least 20 passengers! People just cram into these things. It costs $200 TSH, which is about 15 or 20 cents. The dala-dalas are the easiest place to get pickpocketed, because you're crammed into a tight space with a bunch of people. I was very careful in placing my money inside my clothing and did not have anything stolen.

The locals are very helpful. People constantly pointed me in the right direction, especially if I asked, and sometimes even if I didn't! Everyone I came in contact with was eager to help me learn Swahili, and I enjoyed practicing. I think my progress isn't very fast, but two separate people complimented me on learning it so quickly, so maybe I'm not doing half bad!

I like the market very much. The locals sit on blankets with their produce in little piles (they sell by the pile). As I walked by each person would call out, "Mzungu! Karibu! Njoo!" which means, "White person! Welcome! Come see what I have! Come!" After buying my produce for the week, I purchased a few meters of a pretty fabric. I'm going to have it made into a dress. I can't wait!

On Sabbath Davona and I took 4 of the toddlers to the nearby game reserve. The kids hadn't been in a car since at least before they came to Cradle of Love, and they were terrified! It was so sad, and so hard to explain to them that they would be just fine! I sat in the back and had all 4 clinging to me, tears rolling down their cheeks. Once we got to the game reserve (it's only a 5 or 7 minute drive), the kids happily watched monkeys, porcupines (they are HUGE!), tortoises, a hawk, crested cranes, a crocodile, zebras (we got within 10 ft. of them!), a beautiful stork, an ibis, peacocks, and two different species of wildebeast-looking things (they weren't wildebeasts, but I don't know what they were). I really enjoyed the game reserve, and I know the kids did, too! Salima and Neema kept saying, "Zebra!"