Walkabout Gikondo + End of Mourning

The road outside my gate
leading to the main road.

Heh, I forgot to mention when I said I saw Ben for another drink at Torero last weekend that I also had a slightly spiritual encounter with a gecko. We were sitting outside at a table against the back wall of the establishment and suddenly I felt a 'thud' on my shoulder. A beautiful gecko about as long as my middle finger had fallen right out of the sky and landed on me. Instead of panicking, it crawled up under my collar, then went for a wander on my arm and, eventually, after maybe forty minutes, ended up climbing up my hair and sitting on top of my head. I felt so privileged! Eventually we released it onto a potted plant. Was a lovely little thing.

I'm having a most wonderful time of it the past few days. Completely, unadulterated slobby. Easter Monday isn't really a holiday here, but Good Friday was and Memorial Day on the 7th. I texted my colleague this morning to find out what time the office opens and he told me to take the day off. It's officially the last day of mourning today. It's been an incredibly quiet and uneventful week, thankfully.

I've done nothing constructive at all, just watched movies, eaten Chinese leftovers, and played with the cats - bliss. Also gave myself a manicure and pedicure - managed to scrub off months of ingrained dust from my feet - they're positively luminous now! This morning I realised I had run out of food, cat food, and almost electricity, so drastic measures needed to be taken.

All of this lounging about has certainly done good things to my foot :) To combat cabin fever I decided to walk - yes, that's walk, as in two feet - all the way from Rujigiro (where I live) down past Nyinyeri to Gikondo roundabout in search of Electrogaz to top-up my electricity, followed by a spot of shopping at the petrol station supermarket next-door.

This is only about a 15-20 minute trundle but, c'mon guys, I walked it! On two flat feet, mostly. I think that's bloody impressive. First day of actual walking since February 28th!!!

My flight from the house coincided with an impromptu mass exodus of people from what I'm guessing was a memorial service up the road. Literally, you couldn't see the road going down the hill for the sheer number of people walking down it. Luckily they were all going in my direction, so I crossed over and joined the collective. Carried on until I hit Electrogaz, nice lady behind the counter. Almost passed out at the price of Nido in the supermarket. Supermarkets always cost a bomb anyway, but FRW 4,500 for a standard tub!!!! That's about GBP 5.50 for powdered milk. The most I've ever paid before was about 3,900 in Ndoli's. Used to be 2,500 when I first got here. I thought about going elsewhere but couldn't be arsed - lot of places closed today.

So, I stocked up on food and cat food and hopped a moto back up the hill for FRW 300. The guy didn't argue, fair price. Now luxuriating back in my electrified house with the most delicious carton of ikivuguto (sour drinking yoghurt/'fermented milk') which was in a very cold fridge in the shop so had turned partly to ice - never had frozen ikivuguto before and it's delicious.

Foot's feeling good. It was a little bruised when I got back and I had to pick some grit out that got caught under the tape but, on the whole, doing really well. I'm very proud of it and have decided not to amputate. Love the foot. The foot requires love.

Also managed to finally finish unpacking yesterday. I got caught in a whirlwind of cleaning and the place looks stunning. Ruairí brought me three long strips of batik back from Kampala and they really set the bedroom off perfectly. I put up my photos too and it really feels homey now. I do quite like this house actually. Bit big, but great acoustics for the tin whistle. Plus two bathrooms - sometimes when I need to pee I can't make up my mind which one to use!

So, all is good. Back to work tomorrow. Cats caught a giant mouse the other day - well, Sula did. Proceeded to eat it and then regurgitate it in the spare bedroom. Didn't find it for two days and then only by the smell. Yuck.

D should be back from Kampala tomorrow or the day after. Loads of movies to watch. Rose is also just back from Uganada. Her grandmother, who raised her, just died. Very sad indeed.

Not much else to report, just sort of floating along on the tide.