Dirty Fun

Two weekends ago Janna, Bronwyn, Athens and I decided to go have some dirty fun and go mudding on the motorcycles.  We have had lots of rain recently and the main road is covered with huge puddles.  We decided to take advantage while we could.

So with Athens on the back of my moto, and Janna on the back of Bronwyns we tore down the road, spraying water everywhere. Some of the puddles here at least knee high and as I drove up to a puddle I would uncousiously slow down but was quickly reminded to “step on it” by the peanut gallery in the back (Athens). We drove down the road hitting all the puddles, getting soaking wet and all laughing hysterically.  I had to remind myself each time I drove through a puddle to keep my mouth shut and not laugh so I wouldn’t swallow any puddle water.  But it was hard to stop laughing, and I am sure I got some of that nasty dark brown water in my mouth.

 We finally had to stop because the road turned into a river.  From that point on they were taking people down the road in canoes.  Or some people would walk through water that looked like it was waist deep in some parts.  Even though I would have loved to keep going, I knew it would have been death of our bikes so decided to see if there was a way to go around the river that was the road.

So we followed a smaller pathway looking for a way around, but our search only led us to a field that had become a swamp.  When life gives you water, go swimming. And that’s what we did We parked the bikes in some bushes and went tromping out in the swamp to investigate. And in the middle of that swampy field was a lone canoe just asking to be sat in.  How could we resist? After sitting in the canoe we quickly realized the reason it was abandoned…it had a hole in the bottom.  But being as wet as we were it didn’t make much difference to us that canoe was slowly filling with water. We reenacted Pocahontas’ “Just around the river bend” and Christopher Columbus’s discovery or America.

Carlie thought she was the Captain but everyone knows that Athens is the only true pirate at heart. Arrrr!

We decided to do some exploring/swimming in the flooded rice field.  So we started off walking towards deeper water further out in the field.  As we were walking in a line one after the other in water that was up to our knees I had a vague feeling of déjà vu.  As we kept walking, I kept scanning the water for snakes, and that’s when it hit me; Anaconda the movie!  (Horribly done movie, and not worth seeing for those who have not seen it.)  But in that movie there is a scene where there are people walking in line through the swamp just like we were doing.  Then all a sudden a huge anaconda come and grabs both the person in the front and the person in the back of the line dragging them underwater.  As the scene from the movie runs through my head I decide that being the leader of this swamp expedition is not the smartest idea, and let Janna pass me so I am now in the middle. Its survival of the fittest here in Africa! Feel less exposed in the middle of the line, I decided to share the movie scene with the others (which they don’t find amusing at all), and before I know it I am back in the lead.  No one wants to be the leader now that I brought up snakes.  I should have kept my mouth shut. To make myself feel better about being the leader, I tell myself that most likely the person brining up the rear would get taken. As I look at who is bringing up the rear I think; Bronwyn is a good friend, and that I will miss her.

Vogue 

We finally reach a point in the field that we decide is far enough to go swimming.  The water is not that deep only about waist high but that doesn’t stop us from taking full advantage of the muddy field water.  Not many people can say they have gone swimming in a rice field in Africa. It’s not on my bucket list of things to do before I die, but I mentally check it off anyways. 

After awhile I decided that I want some picture of me in the water by the rice stalks.  And that turns into swamp vogue shoot. Athens is sticking leaves and rice stalks in my hair and Bronwyn is smearing mud on my face.  I look like this crazy Amazon swamp woman with vegetation sticking out crazily in my hair and mud smeared on my face like war paint.  Soon both Janna and Bronwyn are looking like fierce Amazon warriors and we are vogueing in the swamp, while Athens is playing photographer.  (And if anyone asks to see these pictures I will plead ignorance, so forget about seeing them!)  What happens in Africa stays in Africa! Until Athens puts them on facebook.

When our photo shoot is done we head back to our bikes that our thankfully still there.  The drive back through the puddles is just as much fun as it was before!  I am hitting the puddles at full speed, splashing anyone who gets to close, shouting sorry in French (Désolé) as I speed by.  Bronwyn and Janna do wipe out on the way back, but thankfully no one was hurt including the bike.  We stop by the side of the road to take pictures of the big sign that welcomes you to Béré. And Athens teaches some kids that are swimming in a nearby puddle how to “Tebow”. Then we head for home, soaking wet, cover in dirty and who knows what else, but with smiles on our faces.  It was a dirty fun day!!