Sunday 25th May 2003
Since my last diary entry I have moved house. My original house was cute but was really small and was situated in a district that was rather quiet. As you can tell by my previous description I did become quite attached to my little home but was keen to have a little more space. I can’t believe how sad I felt when the day came to move out. My landlord and his family had been so kind to me and I felt close to them. I had a few tears when I left them. We had lots of hugs and kisses and took lots of photographs too. I’m now in a huge place with a garden and a sit-down loo. Utter luxury. I am also near to shops and there is a nice little off license just round the corner. So I can sit on my veranda with a glass of wine and relax in the sun. Well, I could if I had some glasses. I moved in to find one plastic plate and one fork. I really do begrudge buying "luxuries" such as cups, plates, knives and forks etc. At the moment I am the proud owner of one saucepan, two plastic plates, two mugs and one fork. I must find a teaspoon and then I can have a soft boiled egg for my breakfast. I have been helping a friend to create a web site. She wants it to display photographs. Sending them as attachments is just too gruelling a job. Addis Ababa is one of those places where you really need to carry a camera with you all of the time. Across the road from where I am now living is a café type thing. It has a guard who welcomes you in and keeps unwelcome custom away. His uniform consists of a battered golden coloured suit, an old German army helmet and what look like pit boots. When he stands guard he carries an ancient looking rifle too. What a photograph that would make. I will become a regular and then he may let me take a snap or two. One of the things that I need to photograph is the scaffolding that the builders use to construct multi storey buildings. It is made of bamboo type poles and it is strung together in the most precarious fashion. I find it unbelievable that anyone would venture forth along these poles – but they do – and all for 7 birr per day. Anyway, I’d better sign off now. Lin
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