beach bbq 2

sunday morning.. sam and i couldn't be bothered to go to forty thieves first thing in the morning so we hung around camp and watched a movie, then hitched a ride with the camp chefs to the beach bbq spot at around 11. it was a really nice afternoon, gorgeous and sunny. we wandered up to the palm-frond shade constructions, eager to settle down and read, when all of a sudden a man came up to us and said we had to pay for our use of shade and for the beds underneath. it seems a bit ridiculous how literally at every single opportunity possible people will try to rip you off.. and despite understanding, of course, the poverty situation in this country and the fact that we're seen as otherworldly westerners with endless cash, it is getting a little annoying. but anyway.

we managed to haggle down our patch of shade to a seemingly more reasonable price and spent the next few hours reading as we waited for the others to arrive from the beach and for the bbq to start.. a group of kids were playing in the estuary ahead of us and the midday sun was so harsh i could only see their shadows through squinted eyes, the water glittering and reflecting rays of sunlight like a sea of diamonds.

then all of a sudden the camp kenya busses appeared and the quiet beach was annihilated by a tidal wave of campers.. as well as our group, there were a good 30-odd 1-monthers at least, mostly girls, who'd been in tsavo whilst we were in kaya. i know most of our kids were a bit put off by the added crowd (especially upon return to muhaka) but nevertheless the bbq was really tasty and we spent a lovely evening by the sea.