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A Few of My Favourite (Angama) Things

What happens when you ask a child what they love most about a place? They make up a song of course.
Above: Willow flies through the Garden of Remembrance
Above: Willow flies through the Garden of Remembrance

By Willow John Boyd (aged 5)
 
As some of you may know from Mummy’s many blog posts, I have been coming to Angama Mara since I was 9 weeks old. I'm not quite a back-of-house baby like her or my friend Perrin, I'm more like a back-of-house cousin and a proud member of the Siria Clan.

Recently I turned 5, so Mummy, Daddy and Uncle Azei allowed me to do my own 'great migration; from the back-of-house to the front, and I got to spend 4 days as a real guest. My little sister Tutty came too, which was a bit unfair because she is only 3, but it was nice so we could do things together.

Willow and Tutty enjoying the view from their tent
Willow and Tutty enjoying the view from their tent
Chef Evans with two new shadows
Chef Evans with two new shadows

Every night since I was a baby, Mummy sings me a song before I sleep, and one of our favourites is 'Rain Drops on Roses' from The Sound of Music. So when she asked me what my favourite things about Angama were, the song popped into my head, and I started singing it like a funny monkey, with my own new words (as transcribed by Mummy):

French toast with honey, and foamy baby chinos,
Spaghetti Bolognese on my cheeks and my nose,
Joining the tall Maasai warriors to jump and spring,
These are a few of my favourite things

Sleeping in a big room, with mummy and daddy close by,
Waking up with the sunrise, and watching the hot-air balloons fly,
Yummy picnics tied up with red and blue string,
These are a few of my favourite things

Leshan teaching the totos about wildlife (and magnets)
Leshan teaching the totos about wildlife (and magnets)
Off to work in the Shamba
Off to work in the Shamba

So many chocolate brownies in the warm Kenyan sun,
Playing in the Map Room all day with Leshan,
Beading in the studio while the Mamas (and Tutty) sing,
These are a few of my favourite things

A rigorous warrior training session
A rigorous warrior training session

Shooting arrows,
Watching ellies,
On safari with my mum and dad,
I will never forget my favourite Angama things,
Being a toto there is so rad!  

Watering the memorial tree for his Grandpa Steve Fitzgerald
Watering the memorial tree for his Grandpa Steve Fitzgerald

Note from the Editor:

Kate begs forgiveness from Rodgers and Hammerstein for the liberties taken with their beautiful song — as Willow mentioned, a firm favourite in the Boyd household. In the same breath though, she would like to thank the Angama team for giving Willow and Tutty a truly special 4 days, while giving her and Mike some much-needed downtime to catch up with the world, each other, and some work!

Filed under: Stories from Angama

Tagged with:

A Day In The Life , Angama Team , Children on Safari , Family Safari

About: Kate Fitzgerald Boyd

Kate was born in a chafing dish – well almost. The date she was due to arrive was perilously close to Christmas and her mother wasn’t taking any chances so out she came just in time for a decent Christmas dinner to be served to the guests at the hotel of her childhood. Back-of-house babies, they call them. And she has never looked back and now logs more air miles than she knows what to do with sharing the Angama Mara story far and wide.

Browse all articles by Kate Fitzgerald Boyd Meet the angama team

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Comments (1):

Azei

16 October 2022

Beautifully written Willow... Looking forward to your next visit as you discover new favourite things!

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