Village Trip, part 2

At about 7am, Flo and I woke up, and Flo’s sister gently reminded her that we were sleeping in the sitting room, so we needed to get up in case anyone came to visit! Imagine, having the sitting room ready for visitors at 7am on a Sunday morning!

Anyways, we got up and started the day. There wasn’t much to do – we both slept in the same clothes that we had put on the night before after our moonlight baths, so we just kept those clothes on. Before anything happened, we went off for a little walk through the fields. I wanted to get a good close look at the crops – sorghum, maize and beans. They also have a field full of tomatoes and some cassava. Everywhere were banana and avocado and mango and papaya trees! We wandered down to the river, where we found Wilberforce’s father collecting the firewood for the day.

We also went over to the bore hole, where we found quite a few people in line with their jerry cans, waiting to fill them up. They were all having a great time together and had an even greater time once the white girl showed up! I had my camera with me, so I took a few photos of everyone standing around. What fun it was to show everyone their photos! We all had a good laugh together.

We also wandered over to Wilberforce’s parent’s homestead, to go and meet his mother. But she wasn’t in. So we just kind of wandered around the homestead and then came back to our farm. It was so wonderful just wandering along the foot paths through the fields, enjoying the fresh air, the sun, the friendly neighbors. We visited with the neighbor, as well, who was making a basket.

Back at home, we chopped up some avacados that we had picked from the tree, buttered some bread with Blue Band that Flo and I had bought at the store, and washed it all down with hot milk, which was boiled like all the food is cooked – over an open wood fire.

Once we were finished with our breakfast, it was time to gather round the pile of cassava that the kids in the family had been gathering that morning while we wandered through the fields. Everyone grabbed a knife and dug into the pile to peel the cassava. The older boy (who’s name I never quite figured out) used his big machete to chop the cassava roots in half, while everyone from the dad to the smallest child (about 5 years old) used knives to peel. Even I got into the act J Of course, they had to teach me, but it was fun to get into it and actually help a bit! I was finally feeling like a real “missionary”, sitting around with a family in the village peeling cassava roots!

Once we peeled a piece of cassava, we threw it into the basket. Two of the little girls picked up the basket between them and dumped the cassava out in the sun to dry. Seems the cassava will grow some mold, then they scrape the mold off, dry it again, and then pound it into flour! Anyways, it was great to see how everyone in the family had their job to do, and everyone helped to do it, from the smallest to the biggest – no complaining, they just did it without question.

While we were peeling cassava, someone grabbed a chicken and killed it. Poor little chicken was crying for mercy, but no mercy was shown… so we had a nice chicken stew for lunch, along with ugali made from cassava flour – much stickier than regular maize ugali, but tasty.

The rest of the day was spent in visiting with various neighbors and different people who happened to wandered by. I learned a lot, and laughed a lot (mostly because of the photos that everyone wanted taken!), and just generally had a fun, relaxing time.

All too soon, it was already time to leave! Of course, just as we were going to go, it started to rain… so we had to delay our departure a little. At least it gave me more time to eat some more avocado before we went!

Of course, we had to go again to town by boda boda (bike). This time, I got to ride on a “proper” boda seat, driven by Florence’s brother. A nice cushion was set on the back of this boda, and there were even little handlebars mounted just behind the seat of the driver. One of our boda boys from our previous trip also came to meet us, and carried Florence. The brother in the family even came along on his bike and carried our stuff for us – my backback, Flo’s bag and a huge bag full of fruit for Flo and her son back in Nairobi!

So the ride back to town on the back of the boda was even more fun than the first ride! I was so comfortable on the cushiony seat, holding on to the handlebars, not even carrying my own backpack. We cruised along at quite a good pace, and it was just super fun! Because of the short rain shower, too, there was no dust, but it hadn’t rained enough to make much mud. Really, it was quite perfect! And Flor’s brother was very good driver. He even told the young man who drove up beside us and wanted to be my “friend” to get lost J

Of course, the ride didn’t last forever, and we ended up getting a taxi just as it was pulling away the rest of the way to the bus station. We also managed to get a bus just as it was about to leave, and Florence bargained so we could have the more comfortable front seats! She drives a hard bargain, that girl! But I sure did appreciate having a more cushy seat, 11 hours into the ride back home at 4 am.

The bus ride home went quite smoothly, without too much incident. We stopped for almost 2 hours at the bus station in Kisumu. By that time it was dark, and yet the station was so busy! Yet again, I was reminded why I don’t like bus stations, especially at night. Flo and I grabbed each other and rushed off to find a loo. Not such a nice place, but I’ll spare you the details of that one! We even paid 5 shillings to use it… but no matter, we had to use it, since it would probably be the only opportunity before hitting Nairobi in the early hours of the morning!

We managed to make it back to Nairobi safe and sound without any incident. Once we got to Nairobi, we had to get a matatu home, but that was easy and straightforward, as well. Man, it felt good to come home, have a hot shower (it was freezing cold on the bus and as we waited for the matatu!), and then tumble into bed.

And unfortunately, now, I'm suffering from a bit of a cold, probably due to a lack of sleep on the way back from the village :( Hopefully it will wear off soon, since I have to get back on a bus on Saturday morning to go 12 hours the opposite direction, this time to the coast for a conference :)