U. S. Soldiers Home, Washington: during a century
of travel (well 78 years!) both in and out of service I
have travelled to over 150 countries (I count both North
and South Dakota as countries) and for some reason have
jotted signs and happenings that I thought funny at the
time (and now wonder why). So here is the perfect
opportunity to share some of my anecdotes.

Nairobi, Kenya. Because of the many pick pockets in
Nairobi they are thinking of renaming Nairobi,
Nairobbery.

Home member Donald French (now dead) in his eighties
went with a group of young people from England on a truck
trip thorough Africa. Each had an assignment: get wood for
fire, cook, be a guard of their possessions at night etc.
One night they decided they did not need a guard and all
their shoes were stolen that night! As some had big feet it
was difficult to get replacements. They became native in a
hurry!

The Masai in Kenya have a drink made of cow’s blood and
urine. Not available at the bar in our lodge. This cow’s
milk urine combination drink is suppose to cure stuttering
and athletes feet. One of the Masai wearing a blanket and
carrying a spear surprisingly came into the bar of our
lodge leaving his spear outside and said something to the
bar tender. The Masai undid his handkerchief and took out
tip money made from posing for pictures and ordered a
Tusker Beer. The bar tender who was in Western Dress talked
with him in Masai. After the Warrior left I commented to
the bartender: “You speak Masai.” He answered: “I am
Masai.”

The Masai warriors put red stuff in their hair. I
thought maybe it was to keep flies away. Two were looking
in the rear view mirror of our Landrover and I talked with
them as best as I could and asked them why they put that
stuff in their hair. They relied: “To look beautiful.”

At Salt Lick Lodge in Kenya, we were told to put down at
the desk before retiring what animals we wanted to be
awaken for if they came to the water hole. I put down:
“Everything but mosquitoes.”

In the middle of the night someone was knocking at my
door and shouting: “Elephants! Elephants!” I woke up not
knowing where I was and wondered why someone was at my door
hollering “Elephants! Elephants!” The hotel had an
underground tunnel that led to a darkened bunker. No lights
allowed. No flashlights. No Flashbulbs etc. Here you could
watch the animals drink. At the bar they had a sign:
“don’t bother the animals while drinking and vice
versa”.

When we returned to the hotel from watching the animals,
one of the couples suddenly realised that their small son
was missing. Father and Mother had each thought the son was
with the other. The hotel staff seemed concerned and said
baboons sometimes attack small children. Don’t know if this
is true or if we were being told this to make our Safari
more exciting. By the way, safari just means trip. They
organised us to form a line and to walk out into the bush
as a search party. But before we got started someone went
back to the dark bunker and found the child asleep in the
corner.

Salt Lick Lodge is built up on poles so animals can walk
under your lodge. There is a skull of an animal where you
deposit your key. Skull of an elephant. The one that had
been at my door.

We would leave each morning from some of the lodges to
look for animals. The guides would use directions of the
clock like “Lion at three O’ clock” to alert us where the
animals were, but this one morning, we saw nothing. The
terrain was rough and we had been driving and driving and
driving. I thought I spotted something and thought I was
being real professional when I said: “there is something at
five O clock”. Someone dryly replied: “yeah, tea.”.

The Parks in South Africa were better organised than in
Kenya, I thought. Kruger Park in South Africa is as large
as Connecticut. You could drive anywhere in your Landrover
in Kenya but had to stay on the road in Kruger.

In Swahili, a giraffe is called a Twiga, a leopard a
Churi, a rhinoceros a Kikaru, an elephant an Oliphant, lion
is called a Simba and Jambo means Hello.

Next month, Mac discusses Malaysia.

If you would like to contact Mac, he can be e-mailed on:
macsan400@yahoo.com