AMARVELOUSJOURNEYBYABDIALILI BAN I twasamemor abl eSat ur dayaf t er noon.Imadeupmymi ndt ost ayi nacount r y si desi t uat edi nt he subur bofAwbar et ownwhi chi st hehonor abl epl aceIwasbor nandbr ed.I twasmyf i r stt i met o got her eandIst ay edi nf or t ni ght .Thepl acewaspr osper ous,andal lt hepool s,wel l s,andponds wer ef r aughtwi t hcl eanwat er .WhenIwentt ot hev al l ey ,Isaw af asci nat i ngser enepl acewi t h gl amor ousgr eent r ees.Icoul donl yheart hesweetsoundsofbi r dsandot herani mal sbecausei t wast r anqui lpl acewi t hbeaut i f ulsi ghtwher enooneel sest ay ed.Gor geousbi r dswi t hassor t ed col or swer echi r pi ng.Rampi ngl ambswer ebl eat i ngbehi ndme.Numer ouscamel swer egr unt i ng att hebankoft hev al l ey .Pi gswer eoi nki ngi nt hechar mi nggar densneart hev al e.Thesegar dens wer ebl essedwi t hgr acef ul gr eenf r ui t sandv eget abl ei ncl udi ngoni on, gar l i c, car damom, cor i ander , t ur mer i c,gi nger ,l emon,wat er mel on,pot at o,t omat o,mango,or ange,anddat e.Foxeswer eal so si mper i ngi nt hescar ybushesbehi ndme.Hei f er s,cal v es,andcol t swer egambol i ng.Hor ses nei ghedi nt hei rst abl e, donkey sbr ay ed, anddogsbar kedi nt hei rkennel .gor geoushenscackl edi n t hef asci nat i ngdal e.Chi ckswer echeepi ngont hegr eengl amor oust r ees. I nnumer abl ef l i eswer e buzzi ngduet ot hepr osper i t y . Deerbel l edi nt hegr ass. Dov escooed, pi geonscood, andpeacocks scr eamed. Eagl es scr eamed whi l et heywer e eat i ng cadav er . The sun setsome hour sl at er . Unexpect edr ai ndr i zzl ed f r om t hebeaut i f ulcl oudysky .Isuddenl yhear dhy enasl aughi ng, andmy gr annyt ol dmet hatt heywer eambushi ngourcat t l e.I nt heev eni ng,mygr andmot hergav emea bowlofsor ghum asasupper .Shepour edwhey ,cur d,andbut t eront hatdel i ci ousbowl .Whi l ewe wer edi nni ng, amar ewasf oal ed.Iwasgoi ngt oseet hemar ef oal i ng.Unf or t unat el y , Icoul dn’ tsee i tbecauset hepl acegl oomy .Iwasawakeal l t heni ghtbecauseMygr andmot herhadbeensnor i ng al lt heni ght . Cr i ckethadbeencr eaki ng,andmosqui t oeshadbeenwhi nni ng. Bat shadal sobeen scr eechi ngf r om duskt i l ldawn.Cr owi ngr oost err ai sedusatdawn,ast ampededcal fbawl edand wer eal i zedt hatf our t eencal v esofour swer eeat enbyt hehy enas.Nextmor ni ng,Iwentt ot he f ar ms.Thef ar mswer epr osper ous. Sor ghum,mai ze,andbar el ywer ehar v est edf r om t hef ar ms.I saw al otofment hr ashi ngt hegr ai nswi t hpest l est osepar at ecr opsf r om t hechaf f .Those t al ent edmenwer echant i ngt ouchyf ol kort r adi t i onalsongswhi l et heywer edoi ngt hei rj obsand noneoft hem exhaust ed.Ev ent ual l y , Iwasexhi l ar at edbyt hatbl i t hesomebeaut i f ul andpr osper ous count r y si de.Icoul dnott akemyey esof ff r om t hatpl acebecauseIwasl uxur i at i ngwi t ht hef r esh ar omat i cbr eezehov er i ngi nev er y wher eofmysubur bs.Fi nal l y , t hatt woweek’ st r i pal t er edal otof myl i f eexper i ence, andl ef tamar v el ousmemor yi nmyhear t . A MARVELOUS JOURNEY BYABDIALILI BAN( 2005) ht t p: / / m. f acebook. com/ abdi . al i l i ban@f acebook. com
