general musing on life

Having been largely grounded in Dakar since my job ended last year, I've had time to reflect generally on life.  Perhaps not always a good thing to do, but in my case I feel I have lived a full and rewarding life, for which I am extremely grateful.

I worry sometimes that I am wasting some of it by sitting around in Dakar (like most people I know of my age, I have become more aware of time passing quickly, and of the fact that it will run out!), but on the other hand it is a pleasant place to be and is not costing me much money (less than I earn in rent on my flat back in London).  Plus I know that I am a support for two friends there going through difficult times - and sometimes little things happen that make me smile.

Like last week, I decided to walk down to an ocean-side bar/cafe, and then home via the supermarket.  On the way there, a horse and cart - a reasonably common sight in Dakar - went past me, and the man operating it turned towards me and beckoned to the cart, offering me a lift.  I initially declined, but he offered again and so I climbed on, and travelled the rest of the way to the cafe on the back of his cart, being smiled/laughed at by the occupants of the passing cars.  He dropped me at my destination, having not asked for either money or my phone number; in return, I did not ask to take a photo.  Then on the way home from the supermarket, a large, black 4x4 purred to a halt beside me, and the driver asked if I'd like a lift to somewhere further along the road - again, he asked for nothing in return.

Then the next day, I went out to my usual Friday afternoon hangout, having not been for the previous few weeks, and for some reason I was plied with drink by friends present there - and two glasses of baobab juice and two of Cote de Rhone later, I had to state very firmly that I did not need someone to give me change for the bus home!!  I also went away with an invitation to visit the house and meet the family from one person there - this from a place where people meet but mostly discuss impersonal stuff like religion and politics, so an invitation to peronalise things is quite meaningful.