The James Hall Transport Museum

Well, you can’t say we weren’t surprised that we would be going on the minibus as a class instead of on one of the bigger buses with another class, but it was fun anyway. Jennifer told us the museum was to the south of Joburg so it was a looooong drive. She said it was only forty-five minutes but it seemed like sixty-five!!

                                                                         

 When we got there, we saw a big park, but Jennifer said we weren’t allowed there. (And for good reason!) The museum itself – at least from outside, looked a bit new and modern, but once we got in, it was like stepping into a time-warp!! We saw cool olden day vehicles -a few Model T-Fords and Mail coaches and a tiny Model T-Ford and a way weird Shell petrol station!! WOAH!!! The boring  guide told us lots of stuff we already knew, like people used to call automobiles ‘horseless carriages’ since it was the first vehicle that drew itself without using horses and that children never used to go to school, but they educated at  home by a governess. Then, we were free to roam the whole museum, take pictures of the ten items on our list AND photograph the six QR codes hidden around the museum.

The first item we found was the Model T-Ford car. It was easy, since the car was just where we were. The next one we found was the governess cart. Our next item was the horse-drawn hearse .We found a QR code by the hearse. Next, we made our way to the bus area. It was an open-air space, quite dirty and a bit of a maze. It had a canvas over it, but, sadly, the birds had got in, and done what they do... (Heehee) So, it was a bit of a mess.

We saw the Christmas Bus, which, in the olden days, used to rove around the poor part of the south of Joburg, distributing sweets and other things to the children. It was pretty and in good condition. One thing amazes me, that how the vehicles in the museum are in SUCH good condition! I mean, you’d think that vehicles from the 19^th century would be deteriorating in the earth by now, not in a museum in near-perfect condition!!!

The next few items we had to look for were easy, we found the fire engine, the Penny-farthing, the electric Tram, the Trolley Bus and the Stage coach in quick succession. We also found the last 5 QR codes easily.

We also had an unpleasant encounter with TINY SAVEGES on an ANTIQUE double-decker bus! (I’d rather not talk about it!!)

Oh yeah, my friend Kika also disappeared for a while, but we found her eventually....

http://www.jhmt.org.za/

The Woodland Flood

I guess it all started when I was going to be sold as an exotic pet in England, but escaped and ran away to the nearest patch of woods I could find .I made friends with all the friendly animals there .There was a family of 3 squirrels,2 bunnies, 5 hedgehogs and a raccoon, just like me! Her name was Rella, and she seemed to like my name, Rolla. We soon became fast friends.

What we didn’t know that that since our patch of peaceful woodland was near a huge dam and there had been a lot of rain lately, that dam was on the brink of releasing an enormous amount of water and causing a flood mainly in our space of woodland.

 I was clever, since I was taught to read and write by my wonderful mother and father, who also taught me to scavenge and read discarded newspapers from bins. I again put those skills to use by stealing the newspapers and reading them. I found out that the dam near our woodland was about to flood our home! The safest place for us as I worked out, was the RSPCA.

  

We went there, played dead outside the building to make the people notice and take us inside, one by one. They put us in comfortable cages next to each other so we could talk.  In a few days time, when the flood had subsided, the RSPCA returned us to the forest.

Once we got over the shock of seeing our homes partially destroyed by the flood, and repaired them ,we had a feast of berries ,nuts, carrots ,lettuce, fizzy berry water, and my favourite, sweet chocolate cake soaked in the fizzy water! When me and my best friend, Rella, were tired,(and stuffed!), we went to our tree top house, which, luckily hadn’t suffered major damage from the flood, settled down and talked about the last few days. 

When there was no more to talk about, we wished each other goodnight and hoped that there were no more natural calamities in store for them. I swore to continue reading newspapers everyday !

Roberta Jones

Ro was a weird girl. At least, everyone in the township where she lived thought so. Ro’s real name was Roberta Jones, but she was better known as Ro. She and her parents lived in a small, two-roomed shack in the outskirts of a big city. The township’s men travelled to the city on foot to try and sell homemade wares made by their wives’, daughters’ and young sons’ for a bit of money or food. The girls and the boys under the age of 14 helped their mothers make simple toys, little dream catchers and carved figures of wild animals.

 Ro had other ideas. You see, Ro had a talent for selling. She would go from door to door instead of standing at the traffic lights. She had a simple theory, that people in cars were rushed and in most cases, agitated, so they were not in the mood for people selling them little decorations and toys. Their houses were already filled with much more priceless items of finery than you could ever imagine, and their children had an endless supply of toys, including T.V’s, PSP’S and Xboxes. Now, at home, people would be more relaxed and maybe even tempted to buy some of the trinkets.

Once she had thought a great deal about this concept, she took some trinkets from her family’s stash, and set off to the city with her friends, Nadia and Joise .When they got there, they decided to try and sell some of the things. Fortunately, the first few houses they visited, owners were sympathetic, so they made R20,50 by selling 5 dream catchers. At the next house, they were invited in by a principal who asked them to tell her about themselves. So they did, and the principal, Mrs Grace thought for a few seconds. “Well, I can’t say your story isn’t sad, but how would your village’s children, and you, like to have lifetime scholarships to my school? You won’t have to pay for anything!!” Mrs. Grace smiled at their surprised faces. All the townships’ parents agreed, and all the children went to school that fall and had fun at their new school.

Thaba Morula

Well, it was  my  first  trip  without  my mom  and dad, so  you  cant  say it  wasn’t exciting !  I felt a mixture of excitement,  nervousness and  apprehension , just like everyone else. Our luggage was loaded onto the bus and everyone was in a rush of excitement. Yes ! We were off to a 3 day tour to get to know our Grade 4 classmates.

After saying goodbye to our parents and promising to be good, we went to our class. Once in the class, we shared our feelings  with our friends and literally jumped for joy. When Jennifer, our class teacher, arrived, we went over our bags and did general last minute checks. Josh was only coming for a day,poor boy ! He missed so much.

On the bus,everyone was chattering ,and for once, the teachers didn’t seem to mind ! We started singing silly , babyish songs like ‘The wheels on the bus ‘ and others ,that I didn’t normally take part in before.

When we got to the Elephant Sanctuary, we were divided into two groups. The first group was taken to pet the elephants while my group, the second group, was taken to learn about the elephants .We felt inside their skull . It was weird ! I don’t know what we were feeling for, I think it was the brain ! Yikes! When it was the first group’s turn to learn about the elephants, it was our turn to pet them.

We went in pairs to feel the elephants. I went with Rabeah , who unfortunately left the school few days after  camp.Jennifer and Mrs.Welsh came along to pet the elephants. We felt the elephant’s foot , its skin and its underbelly.It was rough.We went into the elephant’s nightrooms and learnt that the coloured marks on the walls were made by an elephant rubbing against them.It sure was stinky in there ! They like to eat a fruit called Marula, which if eaten in large quantities , makes the elephant drunk!

It was time to go to our final destination,Thaba Morula. Once there, we dragged our bags to the hall and got introduced to the camp counselors ,Nico and Marcus.We chose our cabins.The boy’s cabins were on the other side of camp.Me, Kiasha,Rabeah,Kika,Emily,Alande,Mia,Lara ,Leora and a few others shared a cabin. Rabeah and I were bunk mates.

At night we were to go for a night march in groups but Jennifer decided at the last minute to go in groups of our own classes. Jennifer came with us , so it was fun.We didn’t use flash lights.When we came back, the cook had made a delicious cake but we got a tiny piece each.

That night we couldnt sleep as some kids thought that there was a ghost in the camp.Everyone got scared but of course , it was just a trick of the light . We were all homesick and scared as it was the first time ever to sleep on our own , away from home, at a camp.

The next day we swam in the pool and the water was sparkling blue even though there was a frog by it.The tuck shop was open and it was pretty cool.I bought a braclet for myself.They even had beer and baked beans there !

We went on a game drive to see the animals in the bushveld. We arrived at a big rocky hill where we found marulas! We brought some home too. They were sweet.The view from the hill was wonderful.  When we got back to camp, we were supposed to play stalk the lantern.It wasn’t that fun and we were never got to finish it because Hina couldn’t breathe .We also boiled some eggs from a fire made out of dry grass. It was to teach us to how to survive in case we ever got lost in bushveld.This night we got some sleep !

The next day was our last day ,so Nico and Marcus let us swim in a dam that had murky but dirty water! We got messy but it was fun. We also did an obstacle course that was fun.It was now time to go home.I took a few pictures at camp , though not many , with my camera.

When we arrived at school in the afternoon, some of the children were crying and looking as if they were lost.We were very exhausted but I was happy to go on a tour with my new classmates.

I wonder where will we be going for Grade 5 tour.Cant wait!

( The tour was from 7 - 9 March 2011 but didnt get time to write about it . Too busy with school ! )

http://www.thabamorula.co.za/

http://www.elephantsanctuary.co.za/

Broken Glass

by Sally Grindley

Sandeep and Suresh haven’t always lived on an island in India, collecting pieces of glass just to half-survive, but going to school every day dressed in smart clothes and shoes . But after their father loses his job and so Sandeep and Suresh are forced to leave home, under fear of possible violence from their father. Not knowing where to go, Sandeep and Suresh escape into a big city and with Suresh thinking he could get a job, life doesn’t seem so bad. But after asking around, it seems clear to Suresh that he wouldn’t get a job unless he had a proper address and was at least sixteen.

  

They soon meet a group of street boys who were ready to welcome them into their ranks. Vikas, who seemed to be the leader of the gang of street boys said that they could become ragpickers and collect glass to sell to a dealer called Mr. Roy. I felt  very moved and appalled that children actually learn to live in such terrible conditions.Suresh and Sandeep had lots of fun being ragpickers and collecting glass all day.Soon, problems started to occur.Sandeep was involved in a robbery and Suresh wonders if Sandeep is coping as well as he thought he was.I can’t relate to anything or anybody I know who has gone through anything like Suresh and Sandeep. It is a pity that, even in reality, people go through this daily. Will Suresh ever get a job and will they ever be able to live in peace without worrying at night about what they would eat the next day?

Sally Grindley is a captivating and enthralling author. The style of writing was easy to read and comprehend, unlike some books in which you can get easily mixed up in the text.  

 I have read another book by her, Torn Pages. Her books focus on the living conditions of the specific countries the book is based on. Torn Pages is set in Africa and follows the lives of two orphan sisters and their orphan brother.

The Glittering Eye

by L.J Adlington

 

Shabati wakes up in a barley field, no memories, no past. Amy spends her Christmas in Egypt to visit her father, a T.V personality for the T.V show Action Archaeology. This book follows Shabati and Amy, two children with a huge time difference, but both in Egypt , Shabati in ancient Egypt while Amy in the modern Egypt.

Amy is pushed out of a normal Christmas at home into a wild adventure in Egypt. Finding himself in a barley field ,Shabati  remembers nothing of his past life .Shabati gets chased by animals and is found by the vicious Master Hob. Since Master Hob keeps on calling him shabati, he assumes his name really is Shabati,which means magical servant in Arabic. Amy finds herself in the company of her dad, Jason, who also is on the Action Archaeology!  T.V show, Kev and Dez, the cameramen, Ellie Powell, a  field archaeologist , Farouk, the Egyptian overseer  and Mazen, Farouk’s son, Anubis ,Mazen’s dog, Dr Rosa Hassan, the X-ray and CAT scan speicilist and Dan the technician .Amy is having a normal holiday (well as normal as you can get while going into tombs nearly every day )until  she  finds an entrance to a new tomb.Everyone gets to know about it and the work is abandoned from the Chariot Tomb, which was what the Action Arcaeology! team liked to call it and moved to the Cat Tomb, the nickname for the tomb that Amy had found. What is so special about the Cat Tomb and will Shabati ever be free from Master Hob’s rule? This entire adventure makes this book very interesting. This book gave me a glimpse of modern and ancient Egypt.

Molly Moon's Incredible Book Of Hypnotism

by Georgia Byng

Molly is an orphan, dumped in a ‘Moon’s Marshmallows’ box upon the hard doorstep of Hardwick House, an orphanage in the sleepy town of Briersville.For ten crucial years ,Molly has braved Miss Adderstone, the malicious, forbidding mistress of the orphanage. Molly’s boring, dull life changes overnight when she has a fight with her best friend, Rocky Scarlet and slips into the local library, escaping from the school cross-country race and humiliation from her classmates and the children from the orphanage. In the ‘Y’ section of the library, she finds a book called Yponotism. Ypnotism? I mean Hypnotism. She steals the book from the library and takes it home to the orphanage. She reads the book and perfects the art of Hypnotism on Petula, Miss Adderstone’s spoilt pet pug, Miss Adderstone herself, and Edna, the orphanage’s brutal, long suffering cook and cleaner.  Then, she wins the Briersville Talent Compition and goes to New York, with Petula, to find Rocky, who had been adopted by some Americans who live in New York. She finds work as the star of ‘Stars on Mars’ pushing Davina Nuttel out of the role by her hypnotic powers. It’s very exciting and amazing when she uses a giant magnifiing glass in the show so she can easily hypnotize the audience.  

A sinister Mr. Nockman steals Petula as a hostage so that he can blackmail Molly into robbing a bank for him. Molly finds Rocky and together…..What will Molly and Rocky be able to do? Will Petula ever be on Molly’s lap again? Well, to find out, read Molly Moon’s Incredible Book Of Hypnotism by Georgia Byng.

Before reading this book, I thought that Molly Moon was like Harry Potter, but it’s good that it isn’t ,as it’s a nice change from wizardry and  magic. Reading a Molly Moon book is like stepping into an extraordinary world in which everything is possible. This book and  all the other four books in the series are astonishing and highly believable .I can’t match any other character to Molly, Rocky, and Petula the Pug.