The online space of Caroline Bach
Once again, my brain is starting to plan something. Very tentative, yet very exciting. Friends on the way, inbox me immediately!
Looks like life is repeating itself, remember this one?
“The Kalahari and beyond“, Botswana, April 2012
I sometimes live in cities where public parks and beaches aren’t as accessible as they should be, considering the fantastic weather one is offered. I can’t afford to have my own pool and beautiful garden, so I always make sure to find a hotel close by instead, where I can go for lunch and a break from work and other responsibilities. The perfect solution to treating oneself with little luxuries in life while on a budget.
The rainy season is on, so we are having a classic rain/sun day today in Managua – this means you take a swim in the pool while it’s raining, to then get up and relax in the sun. Beautiful.
Very related: “Fruit & quality of life“, Mozambique 2012
Suddenly, the sound of water. And my brain, always a little bit awake, starts shouting: “That sound is not a part of your dream and it doesn’t sound well at all.. wake up Caroline, wake up!”
I shoot up from my bed and into my bathroom, and get completely showered by water. “What is this? Is it even safe to touch the switch to turn the lights on?” The walls are wet, but not enough. I turn the lights on and find the pipe that supplies my toilet with water completely broken, the water is shooting straight out from it.
I guess these are things that happen when the pressure from the water is stronger than the pipes aimed to keep it under control.. the tap has been impossible to close completely for more than a week because of the pressure, and it’s always worse in the night and morning. Question: Does water pressure in underground water pipes have anything to do with the tide in the ocean? It’s a long shot but not completely impossible, and there’s that super moon coming up in just a couple of days.. I will google this! Haha.
So, after having the security guard run two blocks down to get the right tool to turn off the water completely in the house while I built a home-made tap consisting of 1 sponge, 1 hairband and 2 towels, (that didn’t really work but at least transformed the water-volcano into a smaller geizer) and spending more than one hour moving the water out of the house, I am having a seat.
The guard closed the pipe temporarily with a more ambitious MacGyver method involving isolation paste, a plastic bag and a stick.. (it works for now)
Today’s lesson learned: A broom is far more efficient than a mop if the aim is to move large amounts of water.
At least the entire house got a proper floor wash. At 4am in the morning. Ain’t nobody got time for that.
The international surf competition is ending tomorrow so there’s a big party tonight at Magnific Rock – the house is full of surfers.
There was an earthquake just off the coast earlier today, it took about 15 seconds and felt as if the whole ground was moving.. a very strange feeling followed by tsunami alerts and keeping a very close eye on the tide.
Tsunami alert passed, we took a walk on the beach, got into the back of a friends truck, and now we are in a huge house with young boys with sunbleached hair, people jumping into a pool and surf teams battling in dancing.
A good party. I’m celebrating that there was no tsunami.
To all of those sending me emails and Whatsapp messages wondering where I have been..
Work here around Tola on the Southern Pacific Coast of Nicaragua has been very interesting and we have been working intensely these days. Mostly, also, we have been off the grid.
Sunset swim, then emails. I’m okay!
