"Water! I can see the water!" Jo shouted with excitement. They had been riding in the Land Rover for EVER and even Gina was asleep. "Gina, we're almost there!" Jo shouted as she shook her sister awake. Gina yawned and pushed Jo away.
"You're so annoying. Can't you leave me be for one tiny minute?" Gina was two years older and wasn't talking to Mum and Dad. Ther were moving to Africa with Lions and tigers and giraffes, but Gina just wanted to stay with her friends in England.
Jo's eyes glittered as she saw the beautiful lake. It stretched so far that you couldn't even see the other side. And Mum said there were hippos, too.
"Mum, where are we now?" Jo asked
"Darling, we're in Malawi.
"Mum, will we see the hippos soon?"
"We'll see, dear. Now sit back and relax. We should arrive at the compound soon."
Just minutes later, the car shivered to a halt and Jo jumped out to stretch her aching legs. It was the middle of the day and the sun was so hot that even the ground warmed her bare feet. Jo hated wearing shoes. She loved the sandy feeling between her toes and kicking clay lumps across the ground. She looked about and saw a semi circle of white, dormitory buildings. In the centre of the compound was a wooden well with a tin bucket perched on the low wall, and all around were mango trees, laden with fresh juicy fruit. The air was warm and sweet and there wasn't a bird in sight.
"Jo, dear, would you help your father take the bags to our rooms?" her mum asked as she lugged a big white suitcase into a room on the edge of the semi circle. Gina was grumbling about the heat and pushed Jo aside as she stomped after Mum.
"Hey -" Jo protested just as Dad handed her two back packs.
"Take those inside, will you?"
"Yes, Dad." She said. What was wrong with everyone? They were in a new place, it was so different and bright but no one really wanted to be here. Stupid family. I'd have more adventures without them. I'd go down to the lake, sail a little boat, and watching the animals coming for a drink in the evenings. Jo sighed as she entered the dormitory. It was divided into four rooms with wooden partitions. Mum took her bags and put them in one of the rooms.
"You and Gina can share a bed here. The one will be your school room, and the other we can use as a bathroom. Sort of." She smiled, "We need to get a few buckets in town. This is quite exciting, isn't it?" Jo nodded, but knew Mum was trying to make the best of it. No toilet? How was that exciting?
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