the big surprise

My parents completely spoiled me. We did everything I could have possibly dreamed up to do on my big adventure, and then some. On the last saturday of my trip the Egan's were in Jo'burg for meetings and the plan, as I knew it, was to go to the big casino to see the birds. Cool plan if you ask me.




When we got there, Sister Egan had been on the phone dealing with missionary issues and slipped up when she asked her husband if he remembered to pack their tickets for The Lion King. This question caused some concern for those in on the secret because they thought I'd be quick enough to realize she was talking about tickets for that very same day. I wasn't. I was envious of them for having tickets in the first place, and that was as far as I got because I busied myself putting it out of my mind before I got carried away thinking I was missing out on an experience of a life time.

YES! I KNOW! I'm seriously beyond spoiled. There should be a limit on how much fun I should be allowed to have. I was grateful for what we'd done. I didn't need or want more. But try telling this to the part of me that was still bummed out we weren't seeing Lion King IN South Africa.... what a little punk huh?

We had just finished up lunch at the only place in SA that serves hamburgers the American way, and I was feeling very content. We'd had a really great day. That is when my mom handed me a ticket to the show and said 'And this is desert!'

OH MY HECK!!! I felt like crying I was SOOOO excited. A new one for me, I've never cried from excitement before!


You know the beginning to it right? The Circle of Life music, the animals... When it started and the larger than life elephant manned by four people, one in each leg, came down the isle, and the giraffes came on, and the flying birds and and and... I felt like crying again. This feeling pretty much stayed with me the rest of the production. I was excited to see each scene and how they would make it come to life. I was so surprised by the fun ways they brought in the South African culture, the different languages, the jokes we didn't get because we aren't natives...

If I had to pick a highlight to my trip, it was this, and the way my parents made it even more special by surprising me. So fun! Thanks a hundred times over u2.