Tanzania 2011 Journal: Day Six

I forgot that I left some of the lights in the room on when the power was cut off at 2200hrs last night, so I was a little surprised when they came back on with the power at 0600. I was going to try and get an extra hour in bed as the others were taking a group up the side of the Great Rift Valley. Ah well, no rest for the wicked.  

People are starting to trickle down from their walk up the Great Rift Valley, and are sitting down to a late breakfast. We play football against the Massai this morning. Last year was the only year we drew with them, but some of the students are concerned that, because of the two-hour hike before breakfast, some of our players won’t be at their best. I’m convinced that the 10-minute performance of the locals jumping and dancing for us was a psych-out, and that it might be working.

Russ tells me I’ve definitely caught the sun, and it looks like I won’t be able to have the sunglasses on my face today, for fear of eventually looking like a raccoon. Riding shotgun in the jeep obviously has it’s disadvantages. My left elbow is scorched, having rested in the window for most of our driving.

Kids on the pitch

The pitch is still being set up, although it might be difficult to tell. White lines are being put down in the sand, but the wind is pretty fierce on the plain. The intensity of the light makes it difficult to tell where the pitch begins and ends on the sidelines.

I find a group of Maasai children and take the time to walk over and say hello. There are about ten of them and one of me, towering over them. I stoop down and offer forth a handshake, which is accepted. This is going well, self, I say to myself. Previously in the jeep journeys when the locals have been waving at us, we’ve gotten the occasional ‘thumbs-up’ as well, a distinctive Western gesture which has encouraged a smile from us. I wonder if another gesture might be as universal, and raise my hand to coax a ‘high-five’ from the group…

…and half of them are tailing it away from me at light speed before my hand is already raised. Shit, self, nice one. You’ve just made it look like you were all smiles and handshakes as a way to lure the kids into getting smacked.

I desperately look around for someone from the group and demonstrate the way a ‘high-five’ is supposed to work, and eventually, a couple of the kids get it. The real shame is how obvious it is that these kids are not unfamiliar to a raised hand in the home. Playing games Charging iPods Cat around the lodge Monkeys in the night The match - two batteries A trip to the village Massai tech support Five minutes in the sun shooting russ Back in the cars 70km to Arusha and we’re listening to Joe Le Taxi, R&B and Joe Cocker Camels and a snake park. Long drive back, catching up with Facebook.