FOOD, FUN & FARM LIFE IN EAST AFRICA !: Come For A Drive Out To The Farm With Me .... ?

Would you like to come for a drive out to the farm with me today ? I know you've said you've always wanted to ! Well, what are we waiting for then ?! Put your sunglasses on (the African sun can be FIERCE and I'm never without mine !) & buckle up - there's plenty of bottled water in the back. Okay - off we go ................................ !

Ahhhhh .... what have we here ? Oh look - it's someone carrying grass & stuff home to feed their livestock. I know, I know - he's a bit overloaded AND there's a guy sitting on top of the load aswell. Do you think he's enjoying the view ? Shall we wave to him as we overtake them ? Yes, let's !

Okay, we've turned off the main tar road now and are heading straight through one of the larger villages you pass through just before the farm .... oh, those places along the roadside ? Shops. You can buy anything there from fabric, to coal irons, to plastic buckets, to sugar, to .... oh, perhaps even maybe a live goat ! Or a chicken - depending on what you feel like for supper tonight ?

Here are some kids playing outside their home. Oh, their poor Mum - look at all that washing hanging outside. Must be washday today ! The kids are playing some game where they're taking it in turns giving piggy backs. You know something ? The children here are so happy all the time. They have so little - well, NOTHING - yet they are happier than a lot of the kids I've come across in some first world countries ... who have so much. They're cheerful, respectful and eager to learn. And so grateful for anything you can give them. Even if it's just a smile - or a wave - so come on, let's wave to the next 'gaggle' of kids we pass around the next corner .....

Okay, this is now officially "The End Of The Tar Road" .... I know what you're thinking ! Hold on tight ! It's a bumpy ride .... don't worry though, I made it on this road at 8 months pregnant ... and they say that the bumpy vibrations of good for cellulite ... yes, you know - like one of those fancy vibrating-belt-weight-loss-melt-the-inches-away thingys ?

The road goes on .... and on ..... see those bluish coloured hills to the right there ? Just below the puffy white clouds ? Those are the western foothills of Kilimanjaro ... that's where our farm is .... Hey ? What was that ? No ! Of course not - I've never climbed the mountain - and I have no intention of doing so, either, thank you very much ! An old school friend of mine has challenged me to climb it with her next year though. (NO ! DON'T YOU EVEN THINK ABOUT IT !!!! You are NOT going to be seeing any "Food, Fun & Farm Life" blog posts 'live' from the top of Kilimanjaro - 'cause it's not happening !)

How good is your eyesight ? Okay, well - if you squint hard enough (or click on the pic below to enlarge !) you'll make out some Zebra and a couple of Thomson's Gazelle (bottom right hand corner) - buck with distinctive white/black stripes down their sides. Do you see them ?

Okay, okay .... see those gently sloping hills to the left over there ? The farm is just opposite those - not far to go now. Well - by African standards that is.

Hey ! We'd better stop the car ! I think that's a giraffe on the left side of the road. Hold on .... it is - yes ! Ooohhh .... how exciting, I love seeing game nearby the farm .... look at him, isn't he graceful ? You know the giraffe is Tanzania's national symbol ?

Hey - look ! Another 3 giraffe up there on top of that ridge ! I tell you something .... that's just where the sun sets. Imagine if we could get a photo of THAT ?

Phew - we've finally made it ! Have a seat on the veranda .... just flip the seat cushions down as I keep them up because of the dogs. I'll go & get us something to drink and we can wait for .....