In my ongoing quest to convert my old LPs and tapes to usable formats, I came across the tape “Roger Whittaker in Kenya”, and now I’m very homesick, listening to “Good old E.A.R.&H.”, “My Land is Kenya”, and “Shimoni.”

Oh the good old E.A.R.&H. will get you there on time
Those mighty engines rolling down the line
And no boy ever had a railway quite as fine as mine!
Oh the good old E.A.R.&H.

It’s obvious from the songs that Whittaker was from the very privileged class. As, I suppose, was I, while I was in Kenya. One of my favorite songs on the album (except for E.A.R.&H.) is “High” which, although I guess he never says it, seems to be about a hot air baloon ride over the game parks. And so of course, my Kenya isn’t the real Kenya, and I suppose I’ve always known that. But I miss it anyway.

You only have one childhood, and the memories that spring
When you see your house, the tree you climbed
And all those precious things.
The faces of the friends I loved, the images of home
When I close my eyes in the land I love
The land that I call home
My land is Kenya, right from your highlands to the see,
You’ll always stay with me, here in my heart.
My land is Kenya, so warm and wild and free
You’ll always stay with me, here in my heart.

I sure hope I get a chance to go back home some time, and take Sarah with me. It’s been so long.

Just hope that maybe tomorrow, you can come back home again.