On being a herd animal...and on...shoes

Let's face it, we human beings are basically herd animals. We feel safe in numbers, and while I guess there are some true lone wolves out there, I feel more like a sheep. I like being part of many (well, at least some of the time) and I immensely dislike sticking out of a crowd like the proverbial black sheep. To stay with that metaphor I am more like a white sheep among many black ones here and wherever I go I stick out. And since I mostly travel alone I am likely to be the only Mzungu around. Of course people notice me and given the African mentality they react by starting a conversation or just wanting to know how I am doing. While this is basically a good thing, it can be quite taxing for someone who is basically a shy person like me. So when a friend came this weekend and we went on my customary weekend trip together I was ecstatic. Finally I was part of a herd again (well a teeny tiny flock anyways), I cannot tell you how good that felt. Sharing the decisions, being able to confirm or discuss something that was being said to you in Kiswahili or just being able to talk in a common language. Yes, I definitely like being part of a herd and it's not a bad thing, sheep are very nice animals after all.

Oh, yes, the part about shoes. I seem to have a hard time with them here. I am on to my fifth pair now. The first pair I lost at the wedding, and they had been a nice pair of sandals, too, very comfortable (here I say thank you, Nina, for giving them to me). Well, apparently that nice pair of sandals have caught the fancy of one of the wedding guests and I hope they make someone happy now who wouldn't be able to afford a pair like that otherwise. But that had left me basically sans shoes at the wedding and I had to borrow a pair from my hosts. The next day I was the proud owner of some swanky leather flip flops with beads which I had bought for the price of about $7. Those were very nice indeed and they served me for about two weeks. Then I went on that fateful trip to an interesting but isolated island on the north-western coast. There are no boat-landings anywhere, rather you get out of the boat and wade towards the shore. As there are sometimes sharp rocks and/or trash in the water you keep shoes on for that endeavor. In this case the ground was very muddy as there was a mangrove forest nearby. We were presenting a veritable spectacle for the villagers who were watching us with barely contained mirth, two white ladies splashing in the water almost falling in (actually the children were laughing) and of course what had to happen did happen: My foot got stuck in the mud and by trying to get it out the strap broke. So there I was, shoeless again... And of course on that island there was no place to get a new pair. My friendly guide loaned me his flip-flops but after constantly losing them because they were too big, I went barefoot like the villagers, which again amused the children to no end. Boy, I can really use a pedicure now. Well, as soon as I was back on the mainland I made a real bargain and got a pair of bright blue plastic flip-flops for about 50 cents. Unfortunately they were neither very attractive nor very comfortable. So. back in town I bought my third pair here. A pair of black flats for about $5. Yet, bad luck again, after wearing them for a day I had two huge blisters on my heel so just now I bought another pair of sandals for $7. Let's hope they are my last!

Oh, and sorry no pictures today. I'm having computer difficulties!


As for the Antiquarian Knowledge:
There is a kind of sheep dog that when raised together with sheep will think of himself as one and will defend his herd against predators to the death! Cool, huh? Confirms my belief that we all want to be part of the herd!