Kenyan Drive-Thru

The kids and I were driving home from somewhere and noticed something fun about Kenya. You see there are no such thing as Drive-Thru's that are in the states, where you drive you car around the side of McDonalds or Starbucks or Speedy Dry-Cleaners, talk into a microphone to make your order, drive a few more feet and talk to someone in a window with a headset on and purchase your food, coffee, dry cleaning, whatever. Nope, here it is different. I have yet to see one of those drive-thru's I just described here in Kenya. Some days, I really miss those drive-thrus. But, then I realized Kenya does have them. They just look a little different. It is very common here in places where the traffic is slow to have people walking up and down the street, in between the cars selling items to all of the cars waiting in the traffic jam. It is crazy all of the things you can buy on the street. On the way home from Bible study each week there are 5-6 guys selling bananas to the 500 women coming out of the Parklands Baptist Church on Wednesdays. I buy bananas from these guys often. The price is 10 bob per banana. ("bob" is the local word for schilling, about 10 cents). Then, on the way home from somewhere else, I remembered that Abigail is outgrowing some of her clothes and she particularly needed some shorts. So, I waved to the lady carrying kids clothes, rolled down my window and asked if she had any shorts for girls. She picked out a few things and then as the traffic started to move, she just ran along side the car. I found the pair I thought would fit and paid her the 200 schillings (about $2.50). Everything happened through the window of my car while I was driving, so I consider that a drive thru. :-)

Here is a list of things you can by at a Kenyan Drive-Thru:

• puppies - Abigail often asks for me to buy a puppy!
• kittens
• love birds - Caleb asks for birds!
• kids clothes
• bandanas
• desk flags
• world & Kenya maps
• hats
• sunglasses
• windshield visors
• car first aid kits and safety triangles
• magazines
• newspapers
• trinket kid toys
• knife sets
• women's skirts
• new release movies
• and more...

I will have to do another posting on "Side of the Road" shopping. I'll give you a hint. I bought Luke's crib from a guy who sells and makes furniture everyday on the side of the road. I'll work on getting a picture to describe this!