Helen: So we left the UK to 'get away from it all' and leave the hustle and bustle of city life behind. Well, there's nothing like a year in the middle of nowhere to make you appreciate all that hustling and bustling. Boy are we glad to be back. We have achieved more of what C calls 'life administration' in the last 2 days than we have in months and months of living and travelling in Polynesia. There the islands are dependent on irregular supply ships and if it's not on the supply ship you can't have it. Simple as that. I think that even a tiny wee remote community like the Isles of Scilly in Cornwall is more connected to the outside world and better supplied than even the biggest city in Tonga or Fiji. But here, it's business as usual. You want a new pair of shoes, no worries. You need to get your Leatherman fixed, easy. You want a haircut, a new laptop, a second hand car, to go to the theatre, the cinema - all totally and utterly possible. Only downside is that we have also spent more in the last 2 days than we probably have in the whole of the last year put together! Oh well, it's worth it...
So now I have fancy new hair - it's all straight and I keep catching myself in the mirror and wondering who that glamourous lady is - don't worry though, won't last for long - it'll be back to its wayward former habits soon enough (quick aside, using that word, 'wayward' has reminded me that our guidebook describes our (very good) hostel as a 'former home for wayward women' - the mind boggles...) Can't tell you if it's a good haircut or not as C will only say that he likes it - but then, in the same breath confesses that he wouldn't tell me if he didn't like it. He's not daft.
We met up with Marco yesterday evening - haven't seen him since Grenada. Was lovely to see him and hear all his stories. He's going to cook for us this evening which will be great - pasta cooked by a bona fide Italian - the last few boats we've been on with English people they've all complained when I've served pasta 'al dente' and asked me if I could cook it for longer til it resembles a sticky sludge. Yuk.
C went to see a tattooist yesterday about finishing his arm. They were recommended to us...but when we got there all they had on the walls was very colourful hearts, daggers, monsters, dragons and generally evil motifs. All very well done...but not really C's bag! But, very kindly they directed us to another guy who is a 5th generation Maori tattooist who's nationally aclaimed...and also booked til March! Oh well, the search goes on.
Still haven't got our bike gear yet - the wrangling with DHL continues - but think we might want to buy a car instead now. So contrary. Hopefully will be finished with all our chores today and can go and explore some more cultural stuff tomorrow - might even go and see Kafka's 'The Trial' at the theatre - if you're not going to see any theatre for a year, when you do see it it might as well be something serious! Actually, shopping here has not been too much of a chore - the staff in the shops are all friendly and know what they're talking about. So very different from the usual spotty oikes who don't know nuffink at home.
Right, more later
Lots of love
Hxx
PS Feel awful that I never mentioned Armastice Day - we were at sea and it totally passed me by - I only realised on the 12th what day it was. I've never forgotten before, and never not bought a poppy (usually I have to buy at least 3 because I lose them). It really upset me that I forgot as I think it's more important than I can possibly put into words that we don't forget. It upset me more though, that when I expressed my concern at having missed the minute's silence the lady we were sailing with asked why and what Armastice Day was all about. How could she have lived in the UK for so long and not known. Everyone should know. (ok, ok, I'm ranting. I'll stop now...)
PPS And the other thing that passed us by when we were at sea was the US election. OHMYGOD. Wow. Wow. Still can't believe it. (Actually, it didn't quite pass us by, we did manage to catch about 5 mins of an Australian news show on our long distance SSB radio - there was much celebrating when we heard the wonderful words 'Senator McCain's speech to conceed the election'. Why didn't they just vote that way 4 years ago? Who knows (ok, on verge of another rant now - time for a nice cup of tea and a cake...) Hxx
No comments:
Post a Comment