Sunday evening. As a result of last minute changes of plans, I've been given another shot at spending a solo night at camp. It is 7pm as I write this and the light of my laptop screen is all there is between me and the blackness that's just arrived as quickly as it always does. Thank goodness for typing classes in high school...I can't see my keyboard! I have kerosene lanterns but it's windy and the wobbly light would probably be far more eerie than the darkness. Even Johana is gone for awhile. He didn't look too tempted by the thought of sharing my lazy dinner of ramen noodles (with a fresh tomato on the side) and has gone to his home for some REAL food. He'll be back by 8:30 as usual, and I know he'll pass by my tent to ensure I'm okay before he goes off to his puptent to read my Swahili/English phrasebook by the light of his hand-powered flashlight.

Miles away there are occasional lights that seem to descend from the sky. In reality they are the lights of cars entering this valley on the Arusha-Nairobi highway. On Friday there was a high speed collision involving a local car and a large truck, not too far from Longido. Tomorrow, sadly, I will attend my first burial ceremony here, as the young nephew of my dear friend Vickie (aka Mama Farrajah to readers from last trip) was killed. Three others were apparently seriously injured. Pole sana.

Many thanks to Matthew for loading up my computer with music pre-departure. Tonight, for the first time, it will serve as good company and be well worth the use of available battery powered time. Of course, if the boma singing starts, I'll revert to that in a heartbeat. Meantime, this is a delightful break from the ever-present cricket songs...who'd've thought I'd ever find myself sitting in a tent on an African hillside listening to the Wyrd Sisters? For that matter...who'd've thought any of this???