Days 32-35: The Pink Caravan

          Imagine a large bus the size of an English Double-Decker.  Now paint it pink.  With pictures of elephants, of course.  There are, believe it or not, not one, but at least two of these buses in existence.  And people ride on them.
          It's called: The Pink Caravan, and it's a two week tour company from Sweden.
          We had given my Shangazi Eliremisa a computer, and I was on my way to help them hook it up, when we passed the strange vehicles.  I was too surprised to even take a picture.  When I returned that night, I found Karibu Home invaded by some forty vacationers from Sweden.  I took some pictures (my camera, unfortunately, doesn't do that well in the dark), ate, and taught a few of them some card games.
          I was able to get some better pictures of them the next morning at breakfast.  Now, Karibu home only has rooms enough for about ten people (expansions are on the drawing board).  "So how," you ask, "Did Zara manage to lodge forty of them?!"  Easy, they slept on top of their pink buses!  This is, evidently, how they sleep for most of the trip.  The top of the caravans are flat, and they have mattresses and a plastic tent top (screaming yellow, of course).
          After breakfast I hung out by the pool and even got a water ball game started with some of them.  After lunch all the Swedes packed an overnight bag for a trip to Ngorongoro National Park.  I haven't been there yet, and wanted to go with them.  Unfortunately, my great Aunt Desandio Matemba just died, the funeral was tomorrow, and we were expected to go and help out today.  So I couldn't go.  Even more frustrating was the fact that we didn't end up going anywhere that day after all, so I probably could have gone.  Oh well, I'm going to be here a while longer, I'll make sure I get to go...
          That was the last I saw of the vacationers from Sweden.  I came back late Saturday from the funeral, and they left early Sunday morning.  After wasting my Friday away, I woke up early Saturday and we left for the funeral in King'ori after breakfast.  We joined a caravan in Arusha that was going to the funeral.  It was rather interesting, in that it included two trucks, one with a band, and one with singers, playing music all the way there.  The same sort of thing is done for some weddings as well...
          When we got to the turn off for King'ori from the Great Northern Roadway, we passed the caravan, which was going rather slow.  We were late for the funeral, but not by much, really.  It was a hot, sunny day, but there was lots of tarps and shade.  The funeral was held on her property, and she was buried next to her husband, Ezekiel.
          After the funeral we ate lunner (lunch-dinner).  Right about then the weather changed from sunny to cloudy, and soon after began to rain.  Before long it was thundering down, a real tropical thunderstorm.  After eating, all of the Urio's were gathered together for a family meeting.  One of these is held after every funeral to make sure all is taken care of as regrades the dead and their debts and assets.  However, me and Baba were there, so the meeting quickly morphed into a meet and greet, everyone getting to know everyone else (and meet us).  It was all in Swahili, so I didn't do much, other than stand up to say my full name.   Everyone laughed.
          For those of you who don't know, my name isn't Tate.  That's just the nickname I adopted out of pity for all those who can't say my real name.  If you're wondering why everyone laughed when I said my name (and even if your not because I know you have it wrong), it's because they were in such a great shock that I could pronounce so it perfectly.  I personally don't see what all the fuss was about.  It's my name after all, it'd be a pretty sad thing if I couldn't say it right!
          I was finally able to find an excuse to escape the family gathering.  I had to take my bibi home.  She was very happy to see me, and we talked some (via my cousin Salome, of course).  I hung out there till my father came, then we just had to wait for Mjomba Ndelekwa to come and pick us up.  I'll see about uploading some pictures of the funeral with the major update I'm planing for my safari album (be sure to check it out once I do).  Until then...


E’ya! - Tate


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