Am starting to notice some familiar faces on my drive to work everyday. There is the woman in the bright orange clothing, with her hand-made straw broom sweeping the sides of the 6 lane highway (she's very nimble when avoiding the traffic); the old man with great posture who is riding a bicycle that is probably as old as he is, he either has skin cancer of his scalp or some strange pimentation problem; the man who dyes his hair and beard a bright, garish orange; school children (a boy and 2 girls) who walk sedately to school in their traditional attire with the girls heads and legs covered; the soldiers who stand at attention staring ahead with their guns at their sides.
Speaking of guns ...... there are lots of guns on view. There is the police and security outside every school, bank, and public building, plus some armed home security guards. Yet strangely the few guns I saw in South Africa worried me as where over here the many guns feel non-threatening, almost as if it is all a film set. It may be because over here I do not feel an underlying anger or tension. I don't know - suggestions anyone?
Ah give it time Karen. The paranoia will get to you eventually.I remember thinking how overplayed the whole SA violence thing was until I watched the armoured car pull up at the bank in quiet little old East London, and out leapt full flack jacketed guards with automatic weapons and a slightly overkeen air.
ReplyDeleteSo you can't even go for a walk without a chaperone? Dang. You need to hook up with a nice local boy...you know, do you enjoy walking in the rain and pina coladas? (spp??).
Glad to hear you've met the resident population of other kiwis (6), and located the bar. Things are looking up. Do they bring in their own chocolate? And do the Pakistani authorities monitor blog sites?
Love from us Jennings-Knight-Lenihans...
Wow, your next adventure! Was thinking of you earlier in the week when we visited Wellington Hospital - http://livinglifenowinkiwiland.blogspot.com/2011/10/amazing-and-rewarding-day.html
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