Day 223 - Maasai Market and Buying Tanzanite
February 14th, 2019.
I decided to make plans late in the afternoon, mostly because the kids should do some homework and the big kid, Gregory, is definitely not a morning person. [Gregory's note: what?] I have learned to enjoy a leisurely morning and then plan for the afternoon. Very much the contrary of what I like to do.
Today we spent all morning planning and researching our upcoming trip to India. It can be very exhausting and frustrating. Luckily, I think Gregory enjoys research. He wants me to help but I think he mostly wants my support [Gregory's note: you do know I'm reading this, right?] because when I did some research and asked if I should buy the train tickets, he told me to wait to see what he can find. He normally does this so I also have learned to let him do it, which honestly, I don't mind. I'm the planner with the dates. This time I helped choose the destinations by distance and the amount of time we should stay in each place -- we were warned to book and buy train tickets way in advance before they're gone.
Around 12:30 we used the InRider app. Gregory was happy to get a good rate for a ride and I was thrilled, because I thought we were going to start taking the motorcycle or the packed sardine van!
The driver came to pick us up in a clean white car and took us back to the Maasai market. It was emotionally draining. I could have skipped it but Sunshine wanted to see it and she ended up not buying anything! The same thing happened as last time we came, where all the people beg/invite you into their shops. Also, it was lunchtime and we were hungry, so we went to the Maasai restaurant where only locals go and ordered food by pointing to someone else's dish. [Gregory's note: I really didn't want her to do that!] I didn't know what I had ordered. I tried what I got and it was very chewy beef so I gave it to Gregory. Sunshine didn't touch her meat but we happily ate the rice and spinach.
After lunch, we went back into the market and Daniel, our friend from Ilboru, joined us. (My Daniel stayed home because he was not interested in shopping. He never is!) We looked at a few more souvenirs and walked out drained from all the invitations into the shops. It was interesting that they invite you in and then, they would block the entrance until you chose something. At one point, I had to say, sorry, I need to go!
Daniel walked us [short walk!] to the clock tower and to the area where they sell tanzanite. I was on a mission to buy my mom some tanzanite because she wanted me to get some while we were here. Little does she know how expensive it is, but hey, it's my mamma, so we went to find some. Have I mentioned that I do NOT like shopping, it drains all my energy, and it was worse after spending an hour at the Maasai market. We visited two stores, compared prices, and found a cute pair of earrings that hopefully Sunshine will inherit someday, heh, heh!
As we left, I bought a big watermelon, mangos, bananas, avocados and more for $5. Food is expensive if you go to the supermarket and if you (as a foreigner) buy in small stands, they raise their prices. We said goodbye to Daniel, who was celebrating his birthday today, and we called the same driver to pick us up and take us home. We paid him 8000 shillings whereas Freddy, our first driver, charged 25000! Too bad we didn't know about InRider before!
At home, we continue planning our trip to India. It's even more frustrating because Gregory and Daniel do not want to visit the Taj Majal and Sunshine and I do. [Gregory's note: it just sounds like another checklist item. I thought we learned our lesson with the Vatican debacle and we have heard such terrible things about visiting the Taj Mahal.] I might have to find a tour so we can go!
I made pasta for dinner again. I can't believe we still crave pasta! I also cannot believe that we haven't watched TV even if it's a 65 inch TV! And that's what I plan to do now: forget Airbnb and India, time to rest!
For pictures please click here
https://photos.app.goo.gl/PKoec9TzFQd7nPcs8
I decided to make plans late in the afternoon, mostly because the kids should do some homework and the big kid, Gregory, is definitely not a morning person. [Gregory's note: what?] I have learned to enjoy a leisurely morning and then plan for the afternoon. Very much the contrary of what I like to do.
Today we spent all morning planning and researching our upcoming trip to India. It can be very exhausting and frustrating. Luckily, I think Gregory enjoys research. He wants me to help but I think he mostly wants my support [Gregory's note: you do know I'm reading this, right?] because when I did some research and asked if I should buy the train tickets, he told me to wait to see what he can find. He normally does this so I also have learned to let him do it, which honestly, I don't mind. I'm the planner with the dates. This time I helped choose the destinations by distance and the amount of time we should stay in each place -- we were warned to book and buy train tickets way in advance before they're gone.
Around 12:30 we used the InRider app. Gregory was happy to get a good rate for a ride and I was thrilled, because I thought we were going to start taking the motorcycle or the packed sardine van!
The driver came to pick us up in a clean white car and took us back to the Maasai market. It was emotionally draining. I could have skipped it but Sunshine wanted to see it and she ended up not buying anything! The same thing happened as last time we came, where all the people beg/invite you into their shops. Also, it was lunchtime and we were hungry, so we went to the Maasai restaurant where only locals go and ordered food by pointing to someone else's dish. [Gregory's note: I really didn't want her to do that!] I didn't know what I had ordered. I tried what I got and it was very chewy beef so I gave it to Gregory. Sunshine didn't touch her meat but we happily ate the rice and spinach.
After lunch, we went back into the market and Daniel, our friend from Ilboru, joined us. (My Daniel stayed home because he was not interested in shopping. He never is!) We looked at a few more souvenirs and walked out drained from all the invitations into the shops. It was interesting that they invite you in and then, they would block the entrance until you chose something. At one point, I had to say, sorry, I need to go!
Daniel walked us [short walk!] to the clock tower and to the area where they sell tanzanite. I was on a mission to buy my mom some tanzanite because she wanted me to get some while we were here. Little does she know how expensive it is, but hey, it's my mamma, so we went to find some. Have I mentioned that I do NOT like shopping, it drains all my energy, and it was worse after spending an hour at the Maasai market. We visited two stores, compared prices, and found a cute pair of earrings that hopefully Sunshine will inherit someday, heh, heh!
As we left, I bought a big watermelon, mangos, bananas, avocados and more for $5. Food is expensive if you go to the supermarket and if you (as a foreigner) buy in small stands, they raise their prices. We said goodbye to Daniel, who was celebrating his birthday today, and we called the same driver to pick us up and take us home. We paid him 8000 shillings whereas Freddy, our first driver, charged 25000! Too bad we didn't know about InRider before!
At home, we continue planning our trip to India. It's even more frustrating because Gregory and Daniel do not want to visit the Taj Majal and Sunshine and I do. [Gregory's note: it just sounds like another checklist item. I thought we learned our lesson with the Vatican debacle and we have heard such terrible things about visiting the Taj Mahal.] I might have to find a tour so we can go!
I made pasta for dinner again. I can't believe we still crave pasta! I also cannot believe that we haven't watched TV even if it's a 65 inch TV! And that's what I plan to do now: forget Airbnb and India, time to rest!
For pictures please click here
https://photos.app.goo.gl/PKoec9TzFQd7nPcs8
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