soon we won’t be going anywhere because I can’t even get to the suitcases! I think you should make that your project for today.’
‘Watch out, you two – your mum’s about to go on the rampage! I think you’d better do as she says,’ Peter urged, cowering melodramatically behind a cupboard door.
‘You too, Dad!’ exclaimed Aesha. ‘There’s loads of your stuff in there.’
‘My “stuf f ”, as you call it, is the essential equipment of a highly regarded, not to mention highly sought-after, expert in the field of photography,’ her father replied haughtily.
‘It’s still essentially in the way,’ Aesha retorted. ‘You can’t expect us to be tidy when you’re not. You’ve probably given us an untidiness gene.’
‘The state of the garage has nothing to do with genetics,’ Binti declared. ‘Now, off with you – all of you – before my rhino gene really kicks in.’
‘Quick!’ squealed Joe. ‘She’s coming after us. Help!’
Chapter 2
Joe enjoyed tidying the garage, much to his surprise. He came across toys and games he’d forgotten about, two of which he decided to reinstate in his bedroom.
When his father found a box of photographs from their trip to the Philippines, they sat together on an upturned crate, going through them and recalling where they had been taken.
‘We’re supposed to be clearing up, not reminiscing,’ Aesha grumbled, though she kept stopping to look over their shoulders and her own efforts were somewhat half-hearted.
‘There’s a lovely picture of you here,’ Peter said, grinning and showing it to her.
‘That snorkel mask really suits you.’ Joe laughed.
Aesha snatched the photograph and tore it up.
‘You’re mean,’ she said. ‘Anyway, Dad, you look like a pot-bellied pig in that one.’
She pointed to a photograph Joe had taken of their father in his swimming shorts holding up a bunch of seaweed.
‘I do not!’ Peter protested hotly. ‘That finely honed body could model for any number of top magazines, if only someone would discover it.’
‘Yeah, wildlife magazines!’ Joe hooted. ‘We could take photos of you posing with an elephant and ask people to spot the difference!’
‘I have such cruel children.’ Peter sighed. ‘Nobody understands what I have to put up with.’
There was a sudden barking at the door. Joe jumped up and opened it to Foggy, the family schnauzer, who made his way straight to Peter and put his head on his master’s knee.
‘Nobody except Foggy,’ Peter added, stroking his ears.
‘I don’t know why he likes you when you’re the one who sticks him in the doggery every time we go away,’ said Aesha.
‘Waggy Tails Boarding Kennels is the equivalent of a five-star hotel but for dogs,’ Peter countered. ‘He’ll be treated like a superstar while he’s there.’
‘Do they treat animals well in zoos?’ Joe asked.
‘Good zoos do,’ said Peter. ‘When I went to London Zoo to take photos for a magazine project, I was shown to a meal preparation room where the walls were covered with menu boards for each species, with special diets for the elderly and sick – including one for a gibbon with no teeth! Not only that, but the meat and vegetables were top quality. There was even a shelf lined with large jars full of spices so that the keepers could add variety to the animals’ meals. In fact, I thought about moving in!’
‘Cool!’ said Joe. ‘Can we go in there one day?’
‘You’ll have to ask your mother to arrange it,’ Peter replied. ‘But the answer will be a big no if we don’t get a move on with this garage.’
He stood up and gently pushed Foggy back out through the door.
‘Do you think we’ll see leopards when we’re on safari?’ Joe asked, as he repositioned his bike so that it wasn’t blocking his mother’s filing cabinet.
‘It’s not very likely,’ Aesha piped up. ‘Leopards are extremely rare and they’re very well camouflaged.’
‘You’d think their spots would
‘Watch out, you two – your mum’s about to go on the rampage! I think you’d better do as she says,’ Peter urged, cowering melodramatically behind a cupboard door.
‘You too, Dad!’ exclaimed Aesha. ‘There’s loads of your stuff in there.’
‘My “stuf f ”, as you call it, is the essential equipment of a highly regarded, not to mention highly sought-after, expert in the field of photography,’ her father replied haughtily.
‘It’s still essentially in the way,’ Aesha retorted. ‘You can’t expect us to be tidy when you’re not. You’ve probably given us an untidiness gene.’
‘The state of the garage has nothing to do with genetics,’ Binti declared. ‘Now, off with you – all of you – before my rhino gene really kicks in.’
‘Quick!’ squealed Joe. ‘She’s coming after us. Help!’
Chapter 2
Joe enjoyed tidying the garage, much to his surprise. He came across toys and games he’d forgotten about, two of which he decided to reinstate in his bedroom.
When his father found a box of photographs from their trip to the Philippines, they sat together on an upturned crate, going through them and recalling where they had been taken.
‘We’re supposed to be clearing up, not reminiscing,’ Aesha grumbled, though she kept stopping to look over their shoulders and her own efforts were somewhat half-hearted.
‘There’s a lovely picture of you here,’ Peter said, grinning and showing it to her.
‘That snorkel mask really suits you.’ Joe laughed.
Aesha snatched the photograph and tore it up.
‘You’re mean,’ she said. ‘Anyway, Dad, you look like a pot-bellied pig in that one.’
She pointed to a photograph Joe had taken of their father in his swimming shorts holding up a bunch of seaweed.
‘I do not!’ Peter protested hotly. ‘That finely honed body could model for any number of top magazines, if only someone would discover it.’
‘Yeah, wildlife magazines!’ Joe hooted. ‘We could take photos of you posing with an elephant and ask people to spot the difference!’
‘I have such cruel children.’ Peter sighed. ‘Nobody understands what I have to put up with.’
There was a sudden barking at the door. Joe jumped up and opened it to Foggy, the family schnauzer, who made his way straight to Peter and put his head on his master’s knee.
‘Nobody except Foggy,’ Peter added, stroking his ears.
‘I don’t know why he likes you when you’re the one who sticks him in the doggery every time we go away,’ said Aesha.
‘Waggy Tails Boarding Kennels is the equivalent of a five-star hotel but for dogs,’ Peter countered. ‘He’ll be treated like a superstar while he’s there.’
‘Do they treat animals well in zoos?’ Joe asked.
‘Good zoos do,’ said Peter. ‘When I went to London Zoo to take photos for a magazine project, I was shown to a meal preparation room where the walls were covered with menu boards for each species, with special diets for the elderly and sick – including one for a gibbon with no teeth! Not only that, but the meat and vegetables were top quality. There was even a shelf lined with large jars full of spices so that the keepers could add variety to the animals’ meals. In fact, I thought about moving in!’
‘Cool!’ said Joe. ‘Can we go in there one day?’
‘You’ll have to ask your mother to arrange it,’ Peter replied. ‘But the answer will be a big no if we don’t get a move on with this garage.’
He stood up and gently pushed Foggy back out through the door.
‘Do you think we’ll see leopards when we’re on safari?’ Joe asked, as he repositioned his bike so that it wasn’t blocking his mother’s filing cabinet.
‘It’s not very likely,’ Aesha piped up. ‘Leopards are extremely rare and they’re very well camouflaged.’
‘You’d think their spots would
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