A Hero's Journey

One apron a time in the land of Uni's(a uni is a horse with wings) there lived a young adventurous uni named BOB. Bob was walking around when he stumbled upon a fencing studio. He thought that fencing sounded like a fun thing but it said sword required underneath the sign so that meant Bob had to find a sword. He was searching everywhere he could think of where a sword might be, no luck. after many hours of searching he had finally given up. On his way home he was gazing off in the distance as if some sword was just going to pop up but all he saw was a scary, dark, and ominous looking cave in a tall mountain rising out of some weird random mist way way off in the distance. He was very adventurous as I said before and so he set off. he was only a mile from his home mountain when he was starting to get hungry, very hungry. he looked franticly around for a cliff bar or a banana but he had no such luck. He was about to turn around and go pack a backpack but all of a sudden an eagle popped out of no where and was flying right next to him. he introduced himself and the eagle said his name was Paul. they were getting to know each other when Bob just couldn't take it he yelled "DO YOU HAVE AND FOOD!!!!!!?" To which Paul responded "Yes, i have a little red pill that will fill you up in an instant."Bob to took the pill and it was true he was no longer hungry but he was getting tired. They were almost to the mountain when the eagle was POOF, gone. Well Bob didn't really care he was at the mountain now. He started walking in when he suddenly collapsed from "exhaustion" Little did he know the pill the eagle had given him was a sleeping pill. When Bob woke up he had a horn on his head. He realized he must have been asleep for decades and a stalactite had dripped on his head creating a horn. he flew back to his mountain as fast as he could to show all of his friends. When he got back everyone was astonished and all when to sleep under a stalactite.

THE END

My Visit With Maruge-Goodbye

Dear Maruge,


                 I am sad to say that i have left your small and lively village. You and your friends were very welcoming and warm the moment i stepped foot in Eldoret. I will always remember when you showed me how to draw a five with the long neck, tummy fat, number five wears a hat. I was completely awestruck for the second time on my trip when we sat in the big tree outside your house and watched the sunset, i will always remember that. We had an amazing time together and i am very grateful to you for allowing me to visit you. I hope sometime soon you will come visit me in Santa Barbara so i may introduce you to my family and friends and share some of my mothers great home cooking, i would also love to take you to my school and introduce you to all of my teachers.

Sincerely,
Daniel



I wrote that letter when i woke up at 2AM to go catch my flight from a nearby airstrip to an airport in Sudan and then to New York, and from there to LAX and then to Good ole SB airport where my parents would pick me up.

My Visit With Maruge-Day Three

                                      Mud stuck to my face

Maruge grinning at me 

                                      We keep on walking

This haiku describes only a few seconds of a hike that Maruge took me on over the plateau around his village. The exact moments that are described in the haiku were when we were walking on a little path that was raised above the ground and I  accidentally stepped off of the path and fell into a large puddle.  I t was rather embarrassing but we moved on, literally and figuratively.

My Visit With Maruge-Day Two

Maruge is.......................

CalM

HAPPY

stubboRn

FUnny

Grinning

Energetic

My Visit With Maruge-The Travels

Last week I visited a man named Panther Bior(Picture to left). He was very warm and welcoming.  I had just gotten home last week, now it is 4AM and I am on my way to another plane to Africa.  I have to take a Bus to LAX and then from LAX to JFK, I then take a really small plane to Maruge's Village Eldoret, where I get to sky dive from the plane to Maruges village.  I should arrive tomorrow at two their time, three California time.  I roll my bags down the stairs and the loud thud sounds that the bag hitting the steps makes woke up my grandpa in the next room over. My parents were already awake with the taxi Bus to LAX outside we say our good byes I hug my parents and my grandpa and my dogs; Maxwell and Boomer, goodbye as well and I was off.  I was walking down the hallway in the bus and saw a man that looked like Zachary and he looked very lonely so I sat next to him his name was Dahab he was on his way to visit his his cousin Ahmad in Omdurman, Khartoum. We had long conversations about how he liked it in Sudan and what I was going to do with Maruge. The ride to LAX was a dark one but the roads were empty so we were there in a flash.  I wished I had more time to talk to Dahab. We went our separate ways after a handshake and I was on my way to JFK airport. The plain ride to JFK was quite boring the man next to me had a big gut and was very quiet, he was also a very loud snorer so I didn't get much sleep, oh well. After the long sleepless awkward flight we were finally in New York, I had five minutes to run from gate 59A to the international part of the airport, uh oh. RUN! So run I did, quite fast I might add. Well I made it on time only because one of the airport security men with a golf cart stopped and asked were I had to get so he gave me a ride.  It was SO fun! Anyways I got on the tiny little jet to Madagascar, that I would be jumping out of a little bit more than halfway through the flight (I 'm REALLY nervous about that)! The flight was delayed by HEAVY, HEAVY rain. The pilot was nuts and didn't listen to the magic voice on the radio that said to stay off of the runway, the moment after the radio tower guy announced that he started to pull out, we got on the runway and we started to pick up speed and I could feel the tires slipping off of the tarmac.  I was scared poopless; he was acting like it was no big deal but I knew deep down that he was scared too. But we eventually by some miracle we made it off the ground and into the air. We were in the storm clouds for a few seconds while gaining altitude and I saw a bolt of lightening explode next to the plane, now I was holding on the cruddy little seat I was in for dear life! After about an hour I finally let go of my seat and walked, staggering up to the cockpit to meet the pilot. He was about 5'8'' and well built,  I introduced myself and he did as well, his name was Conrad. He looked like he desperately needed a shave; he had quite a scruffy beard. He had a very disciplined and calm voice.  I figured that because we had a good 11 hours (because  I 'm going to jump off of the plane halfway) ahead of us I thought I would get to know him. So we started talking and he brought up the fact that I was going to jump out of the plane so I responded with a quiet, nervous and hesitant "Heh Heh yup."  He asked if I had ever been skydiving before to which I answered "nope." So he gave me a few tips such as keep my body flat and at what altitude to pull my parachute cord. After the conversation I was feeling much better. We kept talking about family, why I was going to Africa, and so on and so forth. At one point he asked me if I wanted to fly the plane just for a minute while he went to pee, I hesitantly said yes but only if he would give me some instruction, he did and he left me in the cockpit.  I was again scared poopless!  I thought to myself: this is the second time I have been incredibly scared, GREATEST PLANE RIDE EVER, so far.  While I was looking out the window the clouds cleared and I saw the most amazing view, my jaw dropped down to my knees. (Picture) At the same time Conrad walked back in and started gawking as well. After I think five or maybe ten minutes of gawking he took the wheel and started flying it himself. We started talking again but the first thing I said was: WOW, you take a looooonnnngggg time to go pee. He just laughed and we started talking.  Ithink we were flying above Chad when my lack of sleep caught up to me and I klonked out.  I woke up to Conrad shaking me saying Daniel, (a little bit louder) DANIEL, and I woke up. He said he was going to get some sleep and headed towards the back of the plane. He was heading for a seat in the back of the plane when I realized, WAIT, who's going o fly the plane!!!!!!!?  I shot up out of my seat and ran to the back of the plane yelling CONRAD, CONRAD I found him lying in bed awake, thank goodness.  I sputter out: Who's flying the plane? To which he answered "Theo", very calmly. OOOOHHHHH for a minute there I thought I was going to die, for reals. He laughed half-heartedly and said don't worry Theo's a great pilot.  I calmed right back down and went up to the cockpit again to go through the motions with "Theo". He was a very, very tall and skinny man with stubble and short black hair. He was very nice and soft spoken as well we talked about my limited knowledge of football I taught him about hockey. Sooner than we knew it we were 50 miles and counting from Eldoret.  I went in the back and got all of the gear on and found Conrad still awake so I said goodbye  and thank you to him and the same to "Theo" .Conrad opened the door and the noise was extremely loud! Sooner than you could say Saskatchewan I had jumped and I was falling straight towards the earth through cold piercing air watching my altitude gauge like a hawk but the view was great (Picture)!!! And sooner than I knew it I was at 2000 AGL( Above Ground Level) so I pulled my chute. My whole body jerked up and I started to slowly float to the ground.  I t took me 10 minutes to hit the ground which hurt quite a bit.  It felt very good to be on land, and thank goodness I had my GPS to get to Eldoret. That was a very hard and hilly walk.  I got there after a mere 5 minutes which means I had very good timing when I jumped out of the plane.  I was greeted very warmly by Maruge and was offered some lentils in broth and water.  It was very yummy, especially because I hadn't eaten anything all day. After the meal I asked him if I might take a nap because honestly I was wiped, still! He brought me to his adobe looking house and he gave me a very nice blanket and a pillow He was ever so gracious he gave me privacy and I  slept.