sarah by the sea

location: indian ocean, mombasa, nyali
environment: cleaning in salt water, discovering new strange sting-ing acatic animals on my last trip across the creek, planning to spit of the bridge but then changing my mind, opting instead for neem powder from heino and marsala chips at books first.

this photo was taken at kipepeo in dar es salaam, the day my new khanga dyed my wet body blue. my pal mat sent it to me, i just finished reading a book that was written by a mzungu girl who toured west africa but is originally from lawerence, kansas just like matty.

in my last days by the sea side i was stagnant. i made little movement, from bed to the couch, to the forest, and back again. i visited my family in mtwapa, the twins being home from boarding school in kilifi, and uncles with kids visiting. they had a new house helper, christine and karen making the total female count 8, in my bed was njoki and caro. they conditioned each others hair, cooked ugali and sukumawiki and watched the horrible westlife DVD on repeat. while i was there i became an invalid. my hands became infected to the point where i could not even unbutton my pants to got to the toilet. what had been diagnosed in nairobi as a fungus on my right foot, spread to my hands, itchy, swollen water blisters. uggggg! so i shelled out more shillings to see a doctor, who sent me to a dermetologist, where i was told, that it wasn't a fungus but instead, a sever case of acute hand and foot vesicular eczema. he asked questions like "any foods i eat with two hands?". after wrting me a persription for steroids and iodine solution & antibotics & giving me a needle to pop the blisters with he charged me a 2000ksh consulation fee. ($40, BEFORE ANY MEDICINE) so after spending all the money i had intended to tour the coast with, i paid doctors and pharmcists instead. on my last swim, sitting in the creek withn my clothes on, pants filling with sand, squeeking the pus from my infected hands a young masai came to me and told me abotu the medicine they used for this type of illness. small seeds to crush up then boil like dark tea, and use to wash hands. that remedy cost about 10$ and althouggh i don't know which solution actually reduced the pain and swelling i know i am on my way back to health mobility and the land of somewhat universal health care...I love my country, Canada... 5 days and counting.