Tea with Miss Daisy

Lake Turkana -- not to be

As is revealed now, I did not leave on my little private expedition into the wilderness. Lake Turkana - the Jade Sea -- the place I have dreamed about visiting since I can remember, the one place in the entire Africa, on this entire year-long journey I have undertaken, that I wanted to see, to experience, to live -- I am now not going to get to. But, as big as the disappointment is -- I had made a promise to my children and I keep my promises, so, I simply have to accept that such are the ways of this continent, and such are the ways of motherhood.

I am trying to process this disappointment right now. Obviously I have had disappointments before -- big, life-changing events that hurt, confused, bewildered, surprised, shocked, left me in an altered state -- and yes, obviously one gets over those disappointments -- albeit as an altered person. And then -- obviously! -- you look around you and see the wonderful world around you -- and live the moment.


And -- over the last few months, it has often occurred to me how this vast continent of Africa can be described in the same way -- and, on occasion, I have written about Africa and the influences on it, the changes it is undergoing, the cruelties inflicted on it, the hardships, its strength, its energy, its beauty -- as if it is itself a person like you and I.. The similes are there -- so much so that it is hard not to think of this mass of land as a living organism - to anthropomorphize it and see it as having a heart, a soul, a personality such as that of a human being.

So -- with the change in plan and the shattering of a dream, and with these last comment in mind, it was quite a remarkable coincidence that I opened the latest entry on a website I subscribe to this morning, watched the excellent short clip and then read the artist's comments:

Perhaps you would like to do the same:
The Film clip

Doug Aitken reveals the dining table origins of Altered Earth:

“The project came out of a casual dinner amongst friends who had connections with the Camargue. They were speaking about this place that has an incredible resonance. It’s very surreal, very stark. There is a rawness and sense of survival that captured my imagination. I had a glass of wine that was on a paper napkin and I noticed drips from the red wine starting to bleed into the pulp of the napkin, just as they were talking about the Rhone River and how it cuts through the wetlands.

I felt like I was holding the geography in my hand almost, this perfect square with a river running through it. I began to fold the napkin as they were speaking into an origami-like shape and realized that what I was actually doing was taking the landscape and dividing it. When you divide something and multiply it, it creates shapes, forms and structure, which eventually creates architecture.

The idea came to me really quickly that it would be interesting to take the geography of Camargue itself and divide it—in so doing creating this set of restrictions, that this region, this space, will be the only space we film in. We will look at the different symptoms of this place and move from there; let the landscape, and what you find when you are exploring and discovering it, create the texture of the narrative.”

Until further notice...

My vehicle and driver for the next week or so as I head into the wilderness

A morning in Kampala, Uganda

If ever you think you are sitting in a traffic jam, then remember these pictures! The definition of Total Gridlock: Kampala at 9am!

Even here the Chinese presence is eminently visible. Every truck delivering goods to shops in downtown Kampala is Chinese...

A fistful of money!

We wondered where Jesco had gone off to when he left the truck in Accra. Now we know! Jesco???

Just managed to catch this one on a wall -- what good advice Uganda!

Kampala was Rebecca's first 'hands-on' experience of Africa. Having waded through deep mud and city debris and people for a couple of hours, her expression said exactly what she thought of this place. But then.........

After a good breakfast in the market, followed by a refreshing cup of Ugandan tea and ginger, the expression changed -- for all time! (Or was this smile because we were in the little matato ready to leave Kampala??)

Morning tea in Kampala -- tea served with ginger-seeped boiling water -

quite a lovely refreshing drink after a busy morning in Kampala

The mosque turret had Maribou storks circling it all morning -- but -- I got a pic of the tower and a pic of one stork. Darn if I could get the two together!

Friving through northern Tanzania, we drove through kilometre after kilometre of sisal fields -- the main source of the world's sisal. Here in Kampala we saw some of the products made of all this sisal -- rope, string, -- and rope pads -- not to polish the floors, but to wash yourself!

Every market has at least one corner of trinkets and frills and follies and shiny stuff

What we come to get to know as the 'typical African downtown' - busy, noisy, muddy, colourful, out-door displays, something for everyone

Ben and David and Rebecca -- my three travelling companions to Rwanda, now back in Kampala, after having enjoyed a delicious breakfast

A busy street in Kampala

When I was in South Africa, I read in the Lonely Planet that South Africa is a "mall culture" -- the majority of South Africans spend most of their time in shopping malls -- as a place to meet friends, for their entertainment, to eat, and of course to shop. I was quite indignant about this description -- until I had spent two weeks there and realised there is much truth in the statement. But is it different anywhere else? In the rest of Africa there might not be 'malls' as such, but the endless row upon row of little shops alongside every road in Africa, and the busy crowded market at the centre of every city and town and village, is pretty much the same thing - and that is also where Africans meet, where they eat, where they meet friends, where they come for their entertainment.

In the most unexpected places, there sits a woman with a Singer sewing machine. The question is: what did Africa do before Singer sewing machines? And where do they still get these old machines -- like the one my mother used when I was little? (and that is a very long time ago!) I suggest someone does a study on the history of these Singer machines!

My breakfast companion -- who kindly shared his table and newspaper with me over our meal.

Delicious smoked and dried fish

How is this for free market principles -- capitalism and competition -- three butchers right next to each other in the market to make sure you get the freshest meat at the best prices

Onions, tomatoes, "Irish potatoes" and cabbage, a few forest greens -- not too much to choose from today. Perhaps we'll come back later...

The next series of pics shows how the cassava/manioc is prepared in every African village we have come through. I have posted photographs before of the large banana-leaf-wrapped bundles steaming over open fires, but here is the whole process that leads up to that point:

1. The banana leaf is washed and placed on two lengths of banana 'rope', criss-crossed underneath

The casava ewhich has been dried in the sun for several days, until snow white and rock hard, is popund into a fine flour. It is then boiled - like porridge

3. The still steaming hot 'porridge' is placed on the banana leaf

4. and wrapped tight

6. just like a birthday present!

7 and tied up with the rope

8. Yes! exactly like a gift!

It is then placed in a tin bowl, with another bowl over the top, turned upside down, and steamed over an open fire for several hours. The result looks -- and tastes -- a bit like thick, congealed, wallpaper glue - and probably has as much nutritional value as the glue as well.

So instead -- I chose wild home-grown rice and meat sauce with a couplke of bite size pieces of meat thrown on for good measure (beef or goat) for my breakfast -- YUM!

And as an extra treat, a freshly made, deepfried chapati to go with the meal! Delicious!

My restaurant of choice's kitchen