The walk this afternoon was good. I still wondered who had turned on the tap, as I walked, I leaked. The shoe shop was fine, the English was not. I tried the shoes, I looked at the catalogue and slowly realised that they had none to fit me. "Next week" he said. A pity, a pair of these fine hand made sandals would have only cost me £7.50
I moved along the road to the tailors. Stopping only to visit the Chemist. The English language here was fine, like the shoes, of good quality and distinctive. He suspected food poisoning but warned me it could be Malaria. I bought some tablets and some more rehydration salts. These were the worst kind - no special taste to overcome European sensibilities, this was salt. Add water and drink like water he said. I drank one and thought that this would be a good present for Jeff. For his cupboard as there is no way that I could drink another. No, for me it shall be Tamara's blackcurrent flavoured rehydration salts. A fine drink, almost as good as Fanta.
The tailors was like the cobblers. "Next week", I explained that I was flying out tonight. "No prolem, you buy the cloth and a semstress in England can make it for you". I thank him and expalined that I am Welsh.
The child didn't scream. She waived, her parents and brother smiled. I asked permission to take a photograph of the family and everyone smiled again. I showed the photograph to the family and everyone laughed. I suspect that they had not seen many photographs in their life. Everyone waived, I waived back and as I turned I paused. I removed a 1 Cedis note from my pocket. It is so hot in Arica, I carry money money in two sandwich bags and not my wallet. The plastic keeps the sweat away. My leather wallet would smell by now. Two bags because I use one with hardly any money where people can see me and the other for emergencies or if I am in a shop. The child smiled at the gift, the family said thank you.
I moved along the road to the tailors. Stopping only to visit the Chemist. The English language here was fine, like the shoes, of good quality and distinctive. He suspected food poisoning but warned me it could be Malaria. I bought some tablets and some more rehydration salts. These were the worst kind - no special taste to overcome European sensibilities, this was salt. Add water and drink like water he said. I drank one and thought that this would be a good present for Jeff. For his cupboard as there is no way that I could drink another. No, for me it shall be Tamara's blackcurrent flavoured rehydration salts. A fine drink, almost as good as Fanta.
The tailors was like the cobblers. "Next week", I explained that I was flying out tonight. "No prolem, you buy the cloth and a semstress in England can make it for you". I thank him and expalined that I am Welsh.
The child didn't scream. She waived, her parents and brother smiled. I asked permission to take a photograph of the family and everyone smiled again. I showed the photograph to the family and everyone laughed. I suspect that they had not seen many photographs in their life. Everyone waived, I waived back and as I turned I paused. I removed a 1 Cedis note from my pocket. It is so hot in Arica, I carry money money in two sandwich bags and not my wallet. The plastic keeps the sweat away. My leather wallet would smell by now. Two bags because I use one with hardly any money where people can see me and the other for emergencies or if I am in a shop. The child smiled at the gift, the family said thank you.
