Writing for Fun
It's The Real Thing - Gwenda Syratt
June 2014
Claire had saved very hard for this holiday in Africa. She had also searched for a long time for the right holiday. She wanted to learn something, experience something, not spend just an hour in a village taking photographs to show her friends at home. She didn't want to be with tourists who delighted in getting the asking price down to a few pence for many hours of work making basket ware or threading beads, or carving wood. Strange how those tourists returned to their own country with the 'I have helped' feeling.
She chose a company called 'It's Real' and was now on a trip that took twenty two days in all. Seven Days would be spent travelling by air, and driving on dusty unmade roads through Botswana and Zambia.
She didn't meet her travelling companions until she reached Johannesburg, where they had an overnight stop. After a long flight, a shower and a rest, they all met in the lounge for a 'Getting to know you' meeting followed by dinner and an early night. They were making an early start the next day.
There were just seventeen in the group which included four male university students studying all aspects of African life, three female university students on a similar quest, two middle aged couples who were probably in their fifties and used to comfort, but were extremely fit and as it later proved were practical and full of fun. Two women in their 20's plus Claire and three guides: Tony, Abena and Chi.
The next morning they left the Johannesburg hotel using three Ford Galaxy vehicles through breathtaking scenery to Pont Drift boarder post in Botswana. This would take at least six hours and as the border closed at 1600hrs they must allow for delays.
They were travelling on the R521 which was full of potholes and care had to be taken of pedestrians and roaming goats and cattle. When the Limpopo River was in full flood a cable car carried passengers onto Botswana soil. Then just a one hour drive to Mashatu Game reserve where they were to spend four days in tented accommodation. Claire would be sharing a tent with Sue and Jane. It was on this long drive that the group got to know each other and although they came from very different backgrounds and life-styles they all had a great desire to know what it was really like to live in Africa.
The game reserve experience is one Claire would never forget. First of all the bright red earth found everywhere. The magnificent animals allowed to roam in natural surroundings. The most beautiful sight was just as dawn broke; they stood silently in a hide watching a wide variety of animals wander slowly to the water hole and drink peacefully together. They went on a night safari seeing wild animals by torch light. On returning to the camp Tony shone his torch just a few yards away to the right and they all saw a group of about twenty Impala settling down for the night. Silent, serene it was an amazing sight and so unexpected.
It was here the group split up and were transported to three different Botswana villages. Claire was with Sue and Jane and one of the couples Pauline and Les. Here they were to experience rural village life. The host families made room for them in their round houses made of mud and they worked alongside the family. It hadn't occurred to Claire that before enjoying a cup of tea she needed to collect fire wood, and water. Before eating any food the seeds needed to be sown, nurtured and harvested. Botswana being a land locked country meant all goods they could not make or grow themselves were expensive to transport and import. There was no electricity, no running water, no flush toilet and of course no mobile 'phone socket!
With two thirds of the country being desert and having a low rainfall and with the average temperature between 18-34c, life was extremely hard living in poverty. There were few men in the village; those Claire could see were old and frail. 'Most of our men work away,' explained Mena. 'They are shepherds, or travel to the towns to work on building sites and many go away for a year to work in the diamond mines.'
'So the women bring up the children,' said Claire.
'Yes,' said Mena, 'but only until they out grow primary school, then they have to leave us to live with our cousins near a town with a good school to be educated.' Mena added sadly, 'But our educated children will be very lucky if they can get a job.'
Claire shadowed Mena on the long walk to the river to do the washing. She discovered how their shirts and blouses always looked snow white. They were pummelled with stones on the banks of the river, spread on the grass to dry in the sunshine. Folded to be placed on the head, then carried that way to the village. Claire did all these things and had great fun trying to balance the spotless laundry and decided she would bring buckets of water home the more conventional way.
The homes were kept clean despite having mud floors, they were simple with just a few items having a useful role. Claire thought of all the baggage we need in the western world including photographs and ornaments. There were no pictures placed on mud hut walls but a message was scrolled that said RAIN. PROSPERITY. PEACE. On thinking about the message Claire realized that just about covers all we need in life.
On to Zambia where the group met up at Luangwa game reserve and had many interesting tales to swop. They never tired of seeing the animals and were thrilled to eventually see the big five. Living in tents and fending for themselves added to the naturalness of it all. After four days they once again split up to travel to different rural villages. Claire went to Kawatza this time with two other girls Mary and Jo and the other middle aged couple Brian and Pat.
They compared the way village life differed between Botswana and Zambia, their customs, their culture, their attitudes towards education, women, politics, HIV, aides and much more. Rising as dawn breaks at 4am and sleeping shortly after dark falls seemed perfectly natural for Claire and friends and their body clock quickly adjusted.
The men worked away leaving the women to look after the home and children, but still the women worked making many different types of handicraft selling their wares and produce along the roadside or going to market. This was always a very exciting event and Claire experienced it all.
When the man of the house returned from many months away a celebratory sheep was killed and the villagers sang and danced. To advertise they had lamb to sell or barter a red flag would be hoisted high on the hill so villagers for miles could come and take some to enjoy and in turn sell on. A yellow flag would be hoisted if there were excess basket ware or carvings. A green flag for farm produce. It was amazing the simple methods used to work together to survive.
This working group from the western world had never experience such warm hospitality, their hosts had very little but gave willingly the best of everything they could.
One afternoon Claire was working with Elida grinding mealie to make bread when she sighted a lone shepherd with a bony scraggy cow walking behind him on a long piece of rope. He arrived at the village and stood in front of Claire.
'Come, my wife,' he said. Claire stared at him. Again he repeated, 'Come, my wife.'
Claire turned to Elida hoping for support. Elida explained he wanted her in exchange for the cow. 'This can't happen Elida, please tell him.' Elida and the shepherd spoke in their own language for a while.
'I have told him we will not accept such a bony cow for you, he must go and bring back a decent size one. He says there isn't much fat on you so it is all he will offer.' After a pause Elida said, 'Well, it is better than nothing!' Looking at Claire's horrified face Elida and her friends could not contain their laughter any longer. 'Penjani is my husband, you need not worry,' Elida explained, 'the cow will be killed and we will have a celebration before you go home.'
Claire then realized that despite their hard lives they still had a great sense of fun.
It was a sad day when they all met up at Lusaka airport to make their way home, all promising to keep in touch.
Although twenty three years of age Claire still lived with her parents; she was contented with her work specializing in child care, unlike her elder sister who, on qualifying as a nurse joined a top London hospital, and within eighteen months, had met and married the handsome Dr. Robin Armstrong and became the happy Hampstead housewife. She loved the role and was now looking forward to the birth of their first child.
Joyce wished her youngest daughter would have a comfortable life with children of her own to love instead of giving so much love to other people's children.
One grey October evening sitting at the dining room table Claire dropped the bombshell. 'I am going to work in Uganda.' She said then hurriedly gave the details. 'I will live with a family and receive a salary, not a lot, but enough, and will travel around the country. After two decades of war there is so much I can do to help re-build their lives.'
Joyce's expression registered shock and anxiety whilst Phil just smiled and said, 'Our daughter feels the lure of the wild Joyce, Claire has to go.'
Having said their goodbyes at London Heathrow Airport on returning home Phil said, thinking this would cheer Joyce up, 'I think we should get away again during the winter, let's look through these travel brochures Joyce.'
Joyce didn't want to even think about going away especially to Tenerife again. It seemed to be Phil's favourite destination. She was heartbroken by Claire going away and very worried for her safety. She wanted to be here in case it didn't work out and Claire needed her.
'It says here the best time to visit is December to February,' said Phil.
'Where?' replied Joyce dully, showing no interest at all.
'Uganda of course!'