We are woken up at around 6 am by what sounds like a herd of elephants tramping over our heads. An early riser from one of the other boats is off to the toilets on the quay. Just drifting off to sleep again, the trampling returns, and this sets the pattern for the next two hours.
I get up to experiment. I bang on the hatch to let Mike know I am just about to walk over and walk across barefoot in what I would say is a fairly normal fashion. When I go back below, Mike said I sounded like an elephant too so obviously there’s nothing we can do about it. The bow of the boat is filthy dirty but as the quayside is really dusty, there’s nothing we can do but grin, bear it and hose it down at regular intervals.
Today is Victoria’s birthday, and I wait patiently until 10 am when it is safe to ring her before she heads off for work (3 hours difference at the moment). Although we have managed to get some internet connection on the boat, it is very bad and when I try to use Skype nearly every word is cut off. I bite the bullet and use my mobile. At £1.80 a minute, it’s not something I do lightly but it is wonderful to talk to her. I can’t wait to see her next month.
Mike is still feeling pretty lousy so after talking to Victoria he goes back to bed and I wander off in search of company. Maggie is just off to the laundry, so after making dinner arrangements with her and Bob I call in to see Rosemary and stay to watch two episodes of Fawlty Towers with them before going back to the boat and making Mike something to eat.
As I was unable to get the laundry done again before leaving Mauritius, I spend the afternoon engaged in the laborious task of sheet washing, thanking God all the time that as labour intensive as it still is with my little washing machine, it’s nothing compared with the horror of the thought of doing it by hand.
I join Jutta for a quick drink on Chessie before going back to the boat, taking a quick shower and change then going for sundowners on A Lady. Mike stays in bed, waiting for me to return and do my Florence Nightingale act. We have hired a car with Dick and Irene from tomorrow for three days. I do hope he perks up.
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