I'm back again. Back, after a long 16 hour round trip on horrendous, potholed narrow strips of road which once passed as 'tarred roads' (now being completely 're done' into a super new highway between Tanzania & Kenya). When the tar gave way, we rode on dirt road diversions (marked as "deviations"). Dusty, dry roads peppered with sharp stones & nasty little speed humps that you often couldn't see. Dodging donkeys, goats, cattle, people ...... & holding thumbs that we wouldn't get a puncture. Or two.
Mist in the photo above ? Rain ? No. Dust. Dust, dust, dust - lots of it. Swirling through the air, thick in our lungs, covering the car, the trees, the thorn bushes with a thick layer everywhere we looked, & blacking out the sky.
And then finally, the dust subsided and we reached one of the better sections of the main tar road above ..... passing through a dry Tanzanian village, swerving to avoid the potholes and livestock and people. A few hours from the farm. Where it was pouring with rain. Where the roads had turned to red slush. Where we got stuck 3 times on the farm road, taking us an hour to drive the usual 10 minute stretch up to the house. Where Justin was waiting for us with a "Karibu tena !" (welcome back !), lights on, fire lit for hot baths, fresh flowers in all the rooms, crisp clean linen smelling of African sunshine, and dogs going crazy to see us, cats purring and weaving between our ankles in sheer delight.Ahhh ... always good to be back home again.
And best of all - all is well with the pregnancy. I am fine and the baby is fine. Which is fantastic news, because for a time the Dr's thought she might not be. Yes, 'she' - I am expecting another little girl ! She is due around 26th May. We are so happy, so relieved, and so grateful. (And ... did I mention, happy to be back home again ?!)
