Our front garden
The locked gate
My bedroom - messy of course!
Our streetThe Gated Community (Home)
People who have heard me talking in disparaging tones about those who chose to live in gated communities in New Zealand may be amused to know my situation here. I am sharing a very large house with two others. It has a walled garden and a gate at the front that is consistently kept locked. Every outing, even a dash across the road for fruit, necessitates a great deal of key fumbling and fiddling.
Our house is situated on the corner of a large hospital site. It is built in a western style. As the photos show, we have a lovely garden with mature trees and vines. There is a wide, shady verandah on the front and all around large windows with bars and mosquito screens but no glass. There are shutters but these do not appear to be used. The are no curtains, so I have a sheet pinned over the window and a sarong over the clear glass internal door that leads to my bedroom. This was regarded with some amusement by my housemates but I did feel the need to create a bit of a sanctuary.
The rooms are big with tiled floors and high ceilings. Most of the rooms have a ceiling fan which, although quite effective, we supplement with floor fans. The house is airy and, compared with outside, reasonably cool. Some of the furniture is fairly basic but it is comfortable enough. In my room I have a large bed with a mosquito net hung on four poles, a desk, wardrobe and some shelves.
In the kitchen we have a fridge, a gas burner for cooking, a sink and a lowered floor area for hand washing clothes. There are two lounge rooms, an office area, two bathrooms and a room that is kept spare for our guests. I am looking to having family or friends staying in there!!!!
Our street is one of the main Quy Nhon roads. Within a few minutes of our gate almost every need you can imagine can be met. We have a hospital next door, local beauty salons, the Vietnamese equivalent of dairies, cafes, fruit and vegetable sellers, chemists, curbside petrol bowsers for the motorbikes and even a maker of ornate coffins all within a few steps.
I am still finding it daunting to shop in these places. I find it difficult to discern what is actually available and challenging to establish the price. At the market this morning the old women insisted on adding more items to my bags so I ended up with, and probably paying for, more fresh produce than I will be able to eat before it goes off. My attempts at bargaining have been abysmal - never mind – it is all comparatively cheap.
Five minutes walk away we have a supermarket and shopping mall. My only visit so far was during a public holiday so it was too crowded to really see but it appears to stock a wide range of items.
People who have heard me talking in disparaging tones about those who chose to live in gated communities in New Zealand may be amused to know my situation here. I am sharing a very large house with two others. It has a walled garden and a gate at the front that is consistently kept locked. Every outing, even a dash across the road for fruit, necessitates a great deal of key fumbling and fiddling.
Our house is situated on the corner of a large hospital site. It is built in a western style. As the photos show, we have a lovely garden with mature trees and vines. There is a wide, shady verandah on the front and all around large windows with bars and mosquito screens but no glass. There are shutters but these do not appear to be used. The are no curtains, so I have a sheet pinned over the window and a sarong over the clear glass internal door that leads to my bedroom. This was regarded with some amusement by my housemates but I did feel the need to create a bit of a sanctuary.
The rooms are big with tiled floors and high ceilings. Most of the rooms have a ceiling fan which, although quite effective, we supplement with floor fans. The house is airy and, compared with outside, reasonably cool. Some of the furniture is fairly basic but it is comfortable enough. In my room I have a large bed with a mosquito net hung on four poles, a desk, wardrobe and some shelves.
In the kitchen we have a fridge, a gas burner for cooking, a sink and a lowered floor area for hand washing clothes. There are two lounge rooms, an office area, two bathrooms and a room that is kept spare for our guests. I am looking to having family or friends staying in there!!!!
Our street is one of the main Quy Nhon roads. Within a few minutes of our gate almost every need you can imagine can be met. We have a hospital next door, local beauty salons, the Vietnamese equivalent of dairies, cafes, fruit and vegetable sellers, chemists, curbside petrol bowsers for the motorbikes and even a maker of ornate coffins all within a few steps.
I am still finding it daunting to shop in these places. I find it difficult to discern what is actually available and challenging to establish the price. At the market this morning the old women insisted on adding more items to my bags so I ended up with, and probably paying for, more fresh produce than I will be able to eat before it goes off. My attempts at bargaining have been abysmal - never mind – it is all comparatively cheap.
Five minutes walk away we have a supermarket and shopping mall. My only visit so far was during a public holiday so it was too crowded to really see but it appears to stock a wide range of items.
2 comments:
Looks like you have survived the first steps, I must say that when I read that you had lost your passport I could feel the blood drain out and be replaced by a shot of adrenalin! I think I must have been almost as relieved as you were when I read that you got it all back!
The house where you are staying looks comfortable and I am glad to see that you have „some“ private space. It was also nice to hear (as expected) that your new work mates have welcomed you so warmly. I am sure that they all know what it is like to be in your situation! It is a shame that you didn’t take them up on their offer to take you with them on their trip, it would have been a great way to get to know them all.
But the big question is………. Have you been reunited with your „Christmas Bike“?
Looking forward to the next exciting episode of „Girls Own Adventure“….. same girl time, same girl channel!
Lots of love,
your first born.
All looks fabulous, and sounds like it will be the adventure you need.
Book that spare room for me.
Post a Comment