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on Sabo -Oke (Nigeria), 12/Jan/2011 07:54, 34 days ago
After our Christmas 'vacation' in Sue's house, we have moved back to out flat in Sabo-Oke - or should that be Sabo- Pokey or, with the harmattan in full flow, Sabo-Chokey! A cool, dry, north wind has been blowing for the past couple of weeks, straight down from the Sahara.Good points:It reduces the morning temperatures to somewhere in the lower 20s which makes it feel quite fresh - a good time of day for travelling, getting the shopping done or even visiting the pool (too cold for the locals so it is less crowded).Cockroaches don't seem to like it - they are often found in the morning, belly up and gasping their last.Bad points: it brings with it a fine dust which has no problem penetrating the anti-mosquito defences at our windows. Everywhere and everything is coated in it. It gives you a dry throat and eyes and makes you feel generally grubby.unless you have a firm grasp of the covers, you wake in the early hours with chilled feet - and a light dusting of sand!So, its back to 'normality'. We have been spoiled over the past few weeks - electricity 24/7, satellite TV, someone to clean for us, space to work and cook without getting on top of each other - metaphorically speaking! The ability to prepare scrumptious repasts on a two ring gas cooker, with minimal work surfaces, by candle-light, has taken some time to perfect and I now fear my skills in this area have been allowed to atrophy. Tonight's meal was an indicator test - spag bol - without the bol - fried onions, tomatoes and chick peas replacing the quorn I had come to know and love so much! What could go wrong? Running out of candle, and not being able to distinguish whether or not those black splodges on the kitchen floor are part of the 'mosaic' patterning on the tiles or a military operation by a platoon of cockroaches, ready to take advantage of any spillages as I try to spoon out the grub. I don't really like treading on cockroaches - it makes a crunching sound not unlike - though much quieter - the colliding of two okadas, or one okada with a wall. Anyway, if the harmattan returns tonight they may all blitzed by the morning!