U. S. Soldiers Home, Washington:<\/b> during a century
\nof travel (well 78 years!) both in and out of service I
\nhave travelled to over 150 countries (I count both North
\nand South Dakota as countries) and for some reason have
\njotted signs and happenings that I thought funny at the
\ntime (and now wonder why). So here is the perfect
\nopportunity to share some of my anecdotes.<\/p>\n
Nairobi, Kenya. Because of the many pick pockets in
\nNairobi they are thinking of renaming Nairobi,
\nNairobbery.<\/p>\n
Home member Donald French (now dead) in his eighties
\nwent with a group of young people from England on a truck
\ntrip thorough Africa. Each had an assignment: get wood for
\nfire, cook, be a guard of their possessions at night etc.
\nOne night they decided they did not need a guard and all
\ntheir shoes were stolen that night! As some had big feet it
\nwas difficult to get replacements. They became native in a
\nhurry!<\/p>\n
The Masai in Kenya have a drink made of cow’s blood and
\nurine. Not available at the bar in our lodge. This cow’s
\nmilk urine combination drink is suppose to cure stuttering
\nand athletes feet. One of the Masai wearing a blanket and
\ncarrying a spear surprisingly came into the bar of our
\nlodge leaving his spear outside and said something to the
\nbar tender. The Masai undid his handkerchief and took out
\ntip money made from posing for pictures and ordered a
\nTusker Beer. The bar tender who was in Western Dress talked
\nwith him in Masai. After the Warrior left I commented to
\nthe bartender: “You speak Masai.” He answered: “I am
\nMasai.”<\/p>\n
The Masai warriors put red stuff in their hair. I
\nthought maybe it was to keep flies away. Two were looking
\nin the rear view mirror of our Landrover and I talked with
\nthem as best as I could and asked them why they put that
\nstuff in their hair. They relied: “To look beautiful.”<\/p>\n
At Salt Lick Lodge in Kenya, we were told to put down at
\nthe desk before retiring what animals we wanted to be
\nawaken for if they came to the water hole. I put down:
\n“Everything but mosquitoes.”<\/p>\n
In the middle of the night someone was knocking at my
\ndoor and shouting: “Elephants! Elephants!” I woke up not
\nknowing where I was and wondered why someone was at my door
\nhollering “Elephants! Elephants!” The hotel had an
\nunderground tunnel that led to a darkened bunker. No lights
\nallowed. No flashlights. No Flashbulbs etc. Here you could
\nwatch the animals drink. At the bar they had a sign:
\n“don’t bother the animals while drinking and vice
\nversa”.<\/p>\n
When we returned to the hotel from watching the animals,
\none of the couples suddenly realised that their small son
\nwas missing. Father and Mother had each thought the son was
\nwith the other. The hotel staff seemed concerned and said
\nbaboons sometimes attack small children. Don’t know if this
\nis true or if we were being told this to make our Safari
\nmore exciting. By the way, safari just means trip. They
\norganised us to form a line and to walk out into the bush
\nas a search party. But before we got started someone went
\nback to the dark bunker and found the child asleep in the
\ncorner.<\/p>\n
Salt Lick Lodge is built up on poles so animals can walk
\nunder your lodge. There is a skull of an animal where you
\ndeposit your key. Skull of an elephant. The one that had
\nbeen at my door.<\/p>\n
We would leave each morning from some of the lodges to
\nlook for animals. The guides would use directions of the
\nclock like “Lion at three O’ clock” to alert us where the
\nanimals were, but this one morning, we saw nothing. The
\nterrain was rough and we had been driving and driving and
\ndriving. I thought I spotted something and thought I was
\nbeing real professional when I said: “there is something at
\nfive O clock”. Someone dryly replied: “yeah, tea.”.<\/p>\n
The Parks in South Africa were better organised than in
\nKenya, I thought. Kruger Park in South Africa is as large
\nas Connecticut. You could drive anywhere in your Landrover
\nin Kenya but had to stay on the road in Kruger.<\/p>\n
In Swahili, a giraffe is called a Twiga, a leopard a
\nChuri, a rhinoceros a Kikaru, an elephant an Oliphant, lion
\nis called a Simba and Jambo means Hello.<\/p>\n
Next month, Mac discusses Malaysia.<\/p>\n