5
A Trip to the Liwali
POPPY, SUZE AND CHARLIE loved going on trips up the Swahili Coast. First of all, they crossed over to the mainland, driving over Tudor Creek on the pontoon bridge. The wooden planks made a delightful rumble and grumble as they moved up and down under the car wheels. Once on the mainland, they followed the coast road, which ran about a hundred yards behind the beach, as it made its way through several villages.
Each time Bob had to slow down to avoid the dicing chickens in front of the car and the risk-loving goats foraging in the middle of the road. They passed groves of coconut palms and clusterings of ramshackle roadside kiosks selling cigarettes, roasted corncob and madafu — the delicious milk from immature coconuts. The three children waved at the men in their
