'Merica

I wanted to post this BEFORE I left for Samburu because "obvi" I have many things to write about from my recent adventures in the great Samburu and Meibae Conservancy bush. BUT to stay in chronological order and to keep EVERYONE CALM, I will first do a little blip about my Merica Day in Kenya.

There are 4 women in camp. All of us are Mericans. The three boys are Kenyan. Thus, on Merica Day we had s'mores for breakfast! To prepare Mary and I made a trip into the Nakumatt (super grocery store) of Nairobi. First... to find chocolate! No Hersheys, made do with Cadbury milk chocolate bars (much thicker). Next, marshmallows! No normal marshmallows so I settle for some weirdly pink strawberry and white ones with a weird dinosaur picture on the bag... what? Finally, graham crackers! NO GRAHAM CRACKERS! We had to settle for some weird English breakfast hybrid sugar biscuit (blasphemous to use BRITISH crackers for such a glorious celebration of independence from the queen's regime, I know... for shame). Regardless, it's all we had and by golly if we were going to let this british influenced theme ruin our FREAKING INDEPENDENCE DAY.

Come the morning of the 4th, us ladies got a sparkle in our eyes that we just couldn't explain. For today was the day... of S'mores. The boys had NO IDEA what we were talking about. We eagerly got out our supplies and whittled some sticks into perfect roasting sticks. Then the feast began. So good. The only Kenyan brave enough to go for the food of the free was Mandela. Nelson and Cosi just looked on in confusion while sipping their Kenyan chai. There was a brief rendition of the Star Spangled Banner over the ashes of the fire and then off to work. It was a brief celebration but WORTH IT. Anyways, hope your 4th was full of 'Merican win.

Mandela roasts his first marshmallow in preparation for his first taste of S'moredom.

Erica, seasoned s'more making pro.

S'mores!

'Merica!