I've never cursed so much. A good night's sleep is dependent on exterminating those buggers. So I chase them wherever they go. Their dead bodies line my floors. The ants help carry them away. The lizard who hangs out in the bathroom, along with the spiders, help out in catching some. This first week has been a bit of a 'housing' disaster as they just creep in from everywhere. Sunday and Monday night I was at Durban hotel, then was at the flat, and last 2 nights the local pastor helped me find 'cheapest and best' hotel, until this is sorted. Sunday morning (July 11th) I awoke around 4am with a swollen lip (mosquito bite!) and decided to head to our mosque as it was a special day and we had breakfast and dandiaraas. Visited Kariakoo (a notorious neighborhood) after.
Though we have a driver at the office for when I need to get around, the parkade is annoying to get in and out of. There are tons of huge speedbumps, just like in other parts of Dar. 'Rotating through this thing is like going to heaven' says my colleague Dr Deogratias Morice Kasenene Kakiziba. If you knew him, it would be alot funnier! But I think he was 'upset' when I laughed at what I thought was a joke - he was quite serious about hating it. He's also quite frustrated with the phrase 'microinsurance' as this concept doesn't really exist in the swahili language. Interestingly enough his 'third' name refers to the grasshopper delicacies that are served in his region. He emphasized it's not your common locust, and the prices are shooting up, while describing their crunchiness to me.
All people eat here is CHIPS. Had chips mayai for lunch today (basically an omlette with fries cooked in!). This trip so far redefines 'greasy' for me. It has been a challenge (as always when trying to live local) figuring out what foods to eat. So far it's been alot of mishkaki (beef skewers), chicken piri piri, samaki (fish), pilau, ndizi (banana) and some fresh juices.
Watched the game at Slipway, Oyster Bay Sunday night. Friends didn't show, so then I went to Movenpick, where they ended up. After, went to a place called Mambos with some local Ismailis for some post-midnight greasy delights.
NG
Ahhh chips mayai! Mishkaki! My tummy's grumbling, and I wish I was in the country just to the north-east of you instead of in one all the way across the Atlantic. Here's to reunions over greasy East African food, soon! Tutuonana :)
ReplyDeletegreat posts there Naheed
ReplyDeleteI guess you understand me about heaven, it is a laboring exercise (we are told), with narrow curvatures and thorny paths. Hope to see you there too!