Monday, September 8, 2008

I wake up feeling pretty crappy this morning. I have heartburn and starting to get a headache. I start popping Tums and as long as I’m standing up or laying down I’m good. Lyn, Chris, and Jerry decide to stay at the hotel rather than go for breakfast at Jeanne’s house, so the rest of us decide we’ll go have breakfast and then come back and load everything and everyone up.

Breakfast is scrambled eggs and ham. Si and I don’t eat, as neither one of us want to get on the bus for who knows how long (Aaron’s famous, “Its not far” line), as once we get in the van we don’t stop till we get where we are going.
After breakfast we head back to the hotel to check out and find out the power is out. Apparently, they have been without power all morning. Feeling pretty uncomfortable when I sit, so I lie down on the bed. Oh yeah, forgot to mention.........Si, Aaron, Jeanne, and Lyn are going to the grocery to buy food, etc for the beach house so we can cook and eat there. So, while we wait for them to do this we all hang out in our hot rooms! But at least I can lie down and that seems to help with whatever is making me hurt. Finally, the grocery group gets back and we begin loading up all the luggage. There are a few less of us, so we fold down the very back seat of the van and pile all the luggage and groceries inside instead of on the roof. Its still tight but better than the luggage on the top. So, its back row: Patti, Don, and Fatime; next row: Julien, Chris, and Jerry; Lyn, Si, and me in the 2nd row from the front, and Jeanne and Aaron up front with Cheikh. This is the line up till we get back to, and even when we go out in the van in Dakar.

Now, the bench we are on is really only about a 2 1/2 person bench. Lyn is against the window, Si in the middle and I am sitting half on and half off the rest of the seat. Its normally not too bad, but I am uncomfortable just sitting and now I’m sitting all squished in the van. I believe its about 1 1/2 to 2 hours to Salye and the beach house. (Aaron --- “Its not far!”) The trip would not have been quite as long, but we missed our turn and went about 20 minutes out of our way.

But we did manage to stop in a little village for some mangos. These villages are street-lined with little fruit stands, art work, meat -- whatever they are selling. As we pull up to the side of the we are immediately besieged by a number (probably 8-10) women “hawking” their fruit, each one yelling a price and that their fruit is better than the other persons. Jeanne finally selects the fruit, pays for it and we are back on our way. All this without anyone having to get out of the van. Pretty remarkable.

We arrive at the beach house and Aaron, Jeanne, Si and Patti get out to go look at the house. A friend of Aaron’s had recommended the place to him but he had never seen it, so had said if we didn’t like it we could go somewhere else. They come back to tell us it is very nice but it is not quite ready for occupancy. So, we begin unloading all of the groceries and luggage and start carrying it down to the house next door to wait until our house is ready to move into

By this time, my body is starting to ache, my skin is sensitive to touch, I have a headache, and I am getting hot flashes and chills. If I didn’t know any better I would think I have the flue. All I want to do is lie down! After about 30 minutes, we are able to start moving into our rooms. The beach house is more than just very nice. It is beautiful. The decorations are beautiful. The view is beautiful. Everything about it is just beautiful. Two bedrooms downstairs, two upstairs. Aaron and Jeanne take one of the bedrooms downstairs and Si has laid claims to the other bedroom downstairs. Aaron and Jeanne negotiate another room (house next door) for Lyn and Fatime and get a free room thrown in for Julien and Cheikh. This all works out really well for everyone.










I immediately go to bed as by now I’m pretty sure I’m running a fever. Si brings me a wet rag and some ice for my head. I think I doze off and on for a few hours. Si kept coming in to check on me. Aaron came in at one point and after discussing my symptoms he mentions malaria. I’m a little concerned by this and we agree that if I’m still sick tomorrow I will go see a doctor. A little while later, Si comes in to see if I want to come out and join everyone for a little bit before dinner. I’m feeling a little better so decide to do so. I find out that Si has volunteered to cook dinner for everyone. He has chicken cooking, has made rice, and a side dish of green beans and chick peas. The oven didn’t work so he was having to cook the chicken in a pan on the top of the gas stove. It was taking a little longer than planned but when we finally sat down to eat it was very good. And since I was starting to feel better I was able to eat and really enjoy it.

After dinner we just hung around and talked till everyone decided to go to bed. It was quite relaxing. And, thank goodness, I am feeling a whole lot better.

To be continued..............