The Day She Saw A Plane Up Close

A few weeks ago,MmaDiapo asked me if it was possible for us to visit an airport and see a plane up close before I left to fly home. I told her I would try my level best to see what we could do. Yesterday we had quite the adventure... and it was a day I'm pretty sure none of us will forget.
MmaDiapo, Rejoice, Nyasha (a new volunteer for Kodumela who is from Zimbabwe), and Mmapula all set out on the open road.
First stop was dropping off Simon (pronounced Sea-Mon), Maite's brother, at the banana plantation in Lestitele Valley. He just got a job there. I ate a banana or two and talked to some of the workers...

Then it was off to Tzaneen, with the car SMOKING again (near the emergency brake), to buy some cigarettes at the Cash and Carry to sell in Metz, visit with Solly, MmaDiapo's brother-in-law, AND get the car checked out to make sure we wouldn't blow up.
After running all our errands in town, we, once again, hit the open road. Not 10 minutes down the road, we were pulled over for speeding. As soon as the officer noticed that I was from Texas... we were free to go after a brief conversation about America and about how the speed limit signs were just a little too hard to see.
THEN we made it to Polokwane International Airport. Yep. Up until this point in her life, MmaDiapo had only seen airplanes on TV...
MmaDiapo, Nyasha, and Mmapula.
We made it just in time to see a commuter plane from Jo'burg land, have all its passengers unload, refuel, and then prepare itself for another trip back to Jo'burg. We had the perfect view from the second floor of the airport, in a little room with windows all around. It was pretty loud and VERY cool. We saw a plane land and then, a plane take off... and we were RIGHT THERE.
Then we went and stared at a big plane they had on display outside and took photos of the whole experience.
Lunch time was spent at Maxi's... a restaurant that is a step up from Wimpy. We all stuffed ourselves silly with avocado, chips, and chicken plates and sandwiches.
And MmaDiapo very much enjoyed a Passion Fruit Milkshake.
The whole ride home, between long periods of silence because we were so tired and full, someone would pipe up and say, "Woo, eish! That was a nice day! A very nice day." And everyone else would agree. Man, it was a nice day.