The locals and a "Spot" of beer

This is all so different, but I will quickly develop some routines to make it all feel like home. I am getting a lot of help from Patricia and Laura will be back up from Accra soon, hopefully with a pillow for me! I'm not sure that parts of me have realised the long term aspect of this life yet. That may hit as rather a shock!

We walked down to the "spot" bar for a beer yesterday evening via the office. I am not expected into work until March 1st so I have plenty of time to get into a routine with my new life and duties. Everything takes a long time due to the heat and the need to do everything by hand.
I have had a very busy day! I walked the few minutes on a sandy track to the main road and our nearest shop. I seemed quite a curiosity as I walked in but tried a bit of local Ansummar (Good Morning) which helped. With a loaf of bread and 6 eggs I managed to negotiate my way home......not as easy as you may think, the tracks all look the same! All the people who greeted me would have been able to point me in the right direction though, even the tiny children apparently wandering loose!
I did a bit of washing in the sink and realised that the waste water was pouring onto the back of a large pig lying under the spout. She was loving it, bubbles and all. There are no drains except for the loos. Soak away is the name of that game. Later 4 guinea fowl complained that I was disturbing their drinking pool.

Water filtering is a vital duty and I've set up a second filter as 3 of us will need much more drinking water when we get further into the hottest season. The Harmattan (colder, very dry) is coming to an end. Filters have fork handles  .....sorry 4 candles of chalk in the top can and the water filters through them down to the tap.

Just been out to lunch on bicycles after removing a tiny kid (goat variety) from the entrance enabling us to lock the door! Spicy bean stew, rice, peanut soup (also spicy) and smoked dry fish...like sardines. You dip this sort of grey dough, Tunpani, pressed, boiled bean paste into the soup........I'm getting used to it very slowly.

I shall try to keep this blog up daily but when I have to work.....shame.....it may be less frequent.