Sunday 27th March
Well things took a turn for the worse by Wednesday…. got woken up again by ‘worse for wear volunteers’ returning in the early hours…..light switched on in bedroom (“Oh, forgot you were asleep”) … I wake up…. everyone staggering around, falling into fans, dropping stuff everywhere, doors banging, bathroom light on and off….they crash out, and of course I am now wide awake! So get up…. thankfully was in the company of a good book all night, no further sleep had… and decide that before I completely blow at everyone (this late night drinking has been going on for over a week now…. and yes, I’m nicknamed the ‘grumpy old woman’ as I don’t go out drinking with them), coupled with chaos in the bedroom…dirty knickers on floor [yugh!] , wet, smelly towels on floor, stuff left everywhere, people not doing their chores so flat filthy again…(and they used my iron which was tucked under my bed [without asking] left it in middle of bedroom floor…out of water, still plugged in – am I being petty here?) and also everyone is bitching about everyone else…….. that ….. it is time for me to go!
Cherry to the rescue (again!) two nights at her place and then manage to get keys a week early for my flat, and moved in Friday. The kitchen stays clean, I can have more than one shower a day (hot water if I wish), no-one is using my shower gel, shampoo or razor, yugh…that hairy mound that collects in the shower drain that no-one would ever clear, that I religiously cleared otherwise drain blocked…it’s only my mess now! I can sit on the loo with the door open (sorry too much information) ……I can sit in chair knowing that if I get up to make a cup of tea, no-one will have claimed it, I don’t have to flush the toilet for anyone else (yes, due to lack of water supply we had a motto ‘if it’s yellow let it mellow, if it’s brown flush it down’ [although some seemed not to know their colours!]) reminiscing back to Seychelles, mouldy pillows and mattresses, enduring amorous Italian couple, posh girl, crazy New Yorkers, bugs, flies, (can someone remind me why on earth I embarked on this year? Answer… no question about it, it has been the best year ever and it has opened up a whole new chapter for me here in Mombasa with some great kids who I am determined to continue to make a difference to) …. and I now have a 7ft by 7ft bed which is just idyllic to sleep in… I can roll over, and over and over and over and still not fall out unlike my tiny bunk bed!
What words describe the euphoria of having your own place after over 8 months of difficult communal living – how have I survived for so long? Bliss, heaven, wonderful, satisfying, perfect, (where is my Roget’s thesaurus when I need it?) And have been wearing the biggest smile ever since!
Cherry has been amazing these last few days, chauffeuring me around to buy all the bits I need to get….. kettle, toaster, cutlery, crockery, pans, bed, pillows, sheets all bought on the cheap, and bargain… two chairs and table for patio for grand total of 1200 kenyan shillings… that’s about £9! Cherry, Ella and Denys, Chris and Bekks helped me move in on Friday…ha, ha…not that it took too long. Mind you, I came out here with a rucksack and dive holdall, and there were about 6 bags of ‘stuff’ to move from apartment. So great to be rattling around in my new place…have a tee-shirt on each shelf of the two wardrobes!! Jar of marmite on own shelf in kitchen! And no-one will nick my knickers now so hopefully won’t have to ship too many more out here! Hope you get the picture!!
So, after proudly and happily leaving the UK without a key to my name, am extremely happy that I possess a key to my new home in Mombasa!
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