The Story So Far ...

We said farewell to our work friends at the RSPCA and BBC on 14 September, farewell to our families on 3 October, and set off for Africa to save cheetahs, decorate school buildings, and look around a bit. After a trip home for Christmas, we headed for South East Asia on 6 January -- where we were stunned by Qatar and Cambodia, taught novice monks in Laos, and acted as security guards at an Elephant Festival. It was back home for four weeks to look after John's dad, before we tangoed our way through five South American countries in fifteen days. We then snooped our way through New Zealand, dipped our toes into Fiji, drove-thru California and were home from home with family in Vancouver.

Now, we are home itself. Fulfilled, happy, and ready to earn the respect of our friends and family by knuckling down and earning some money once again ...

Wednesday, 8 December 2010

Profit & Loss

I left my walking shoes on the Mombasa train, beneath the lower sleeping berth in our First Class compartment.  Can't think how I did it -- we'd checked around our carriage, as routine -- and I never even noticed as I carted my rucksack from the station to the hotel, clad in my Ugandan sandals.  Those trainers had cost £30, a half price bargain in Brighton.  My loss.

I returned to the station that hot afternoon, scoured the carriage in a siding.  Our empty tonic bottles were there, my shoes were not.  I found the cleaner: no, he knew nothing about my shoes.  I called the Station Master: no, he knew nothing about my shoes.

I returned to the hotel in my sandals, past the stalls of  spiced cakes, phone cards, meat, silk, faux designer jeans.  And second hand shoes.  My loss, someone else's profit, and it didn't feel quite so bad after all.

John  

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