Just Another Day In Paradise Its Christmas Day. Even In Africa. And here in The Gambia it’s off to a chilly start, with a bitterly cold 22C (about 70F) showing on the thermometer. In a few hours it will climb to about 35C (88F). Normally at this time of year the tiny tourist strip would be crowded. Rich westerners leaving their hotels and swimming pools and heading for the glorious beaches. But this year the beaches, like the hotels, are pretty deserted. The nearest case of Ebola is just a few hundred miles south of here, and tourism reliant economies like the Gambias are being hard-hit by the frenzied media coverage back home. Ebola is not a pleasant way to die. But to keep things in perspective, more people on this continent will die every day from malaria than ebola has killed ever. Which is why, apart from my roll-up sponge mattress, a mosquito net is my only bedroom furniture. Wardrobes, chest-of-drawers, beds, TVs... Nice to have, of course, but essentials? Essentials are things like water, food and medication. Having to fetch water from a well (or a communal tap if youre middle class like me) is a chore at the best of times. The photo was taken before the summer. You wont see that happening now because we are in a drought situation. The communal taps are only open from late evening till dawn, to limit excess use after a rainy season when it forgot to rain. Water for Christmas Day for showers, cooking, washing, etc? Get yourself up at four in the morning, walk maybe a quarter mile to the nearest pump, and queue with everyone else, then carry that water back home. And repeat. Luckily Im rich enough to afford lots of containers so I have a plentiful supply of water at home. So today I was able to shower and wash my clothes (best done at same time) pre-dawn, while others were still lining up for water. In the tourist area washing machines are no longer a novelty here. But pretty pointless where there is no plumbing and no electric. Nowhere to plug the iron in, either, so when the clothes are dry its time to heat up some charcoal. The middle class use charcoal to cook, too. For the rest of us, its finding or buying brushwood. Of course a charcoal or wood burner means only one hob, and no oven. The only place youll find roast turkey this Christmas is in the hotels. My Christmas dinner will be whatever the neighbours are cooking for lunch today. Fish and rice probably. The same as yesterday, and the day before, and the day before... Its usual for several families to join together to buy and cook meals, and then to eat together from big communal bowls. Those with western aspirations use a spoon. Most eat with their fingers. Any westerners wanting to share the experience be warned. Africans have asbestos fingers. Many a time Ive dipped my hand into a bowl of food tiny children are happily delving into and instantly regretted it, much to their amusement. Fish and rice are staples here. This close to the coast there is fresh fish at the market every day, and by comparison with UK prices incredibly cheap. But when you bring up a family on less than a dollar a day every penny counts. The market is about three miles away. You can go by bus (an eight-seater third-hand import from Europe converted to carry fourteen) or bush taxi (three in the back, so the front seat is sought after) for eight dalasi. About US$ 0.18. Travel prices are regulated on fixed routes. You can travel as far as five or more miles for eight dalasi. If youre middle class you might take a town trip. A whole taxi to yourself, and within reason to your door, for fifty dalasi. Less than US$1.20 for a trip of up to five miles. Great for westerners. More than a days family budget for most local people. I love the markets. But would never buy meat there. It’s typical to see an entire cow on a wooden counter covered with linoleum. No refrigeration, and flies everywhere. It will stay there until every last piece has been sold, which may be several weeks, as very few can afford beef. The fish counters are more interesting. I sometimes indulge in a barracuda or a John Dory - big enough to feed several families - if I get there as the fresh deliveries are coming in, straight from the boat. But fresh fish is a luxury for most here, even on the coast. Dried fish is more usual. Essentially anything not sold while fresh that then goes to the smoke rooms. Not your idea of paradise, perhaps, the beaches aside, but for me theres no place Id rather be. No, theres no car on my drive. Come to that, no drive. Just a sand road, this being the southern edge of the Sahara Desert. But why would I need a car? As you can see, I ought to do some maintenance on my house. But no rush. It wont rain again before July. The roof can wait. The bedrooms fine. I have an office with mains electric and a solar back-up so I can work. What more could I possibly need? In a land where one in five newborns wont see their fifth birthday... Where education is an unaffordable luxury for most children... Where a life-saving baby mosquito net is something most mothers can only dream of... Where children go hungry every day... What more, indeed, could I possible need? Absolutely nothing. I have far more than most people here will ever have. My idea of paradise is not those wonderful beaches or the luxury hotels and swimming pools down on the tourist strip. My paradise is being able to live among the local people and share the excess wealth Ive been blessed with as a reasonable successful author. Isnt that what Christmas is all about? Wherever you are today, and whatever you are doing, spare a thought for the millions in the Third World for whom Christmas is just another day of toil, struggle and hunger. Heres a final thought. Ive spent most of my Christmases in the UK. Ive spent one in America. Ive now spent many here, in one of the poorest countries on the planet. And I can say unequivocally the happiest children you’ll ever meet are right here. Merry Christmas.
Posted on: Thu, 25 Dec 2014 09:19:57 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015