Moving on up, to the east side (of Moshi)

Mke writes:

Manatee and I are scheduled to leave our current pad and head away about a kilometre to a new place early next week (hopefully). I'm pretty excited but at the same time sad to be leaving behind some of the cool stuff at our current place. I like lists so I've made up some pros and cons about the old place and the new place:

Old Place
Pros
Over the past week some Maasai guys a few doors down have started up an informal singing, dancing and high jumping troupe which we get to see on the way home every day.

The nice fruit and vege duka (shop stall thing) and the alcoholic drinks duka. The people who run these places are very nice and they know us well.

People asking us where our 'bicykeli' are whenever they see us walking. This morning, while biking to work someone even asked me for a lift. (Had to decline though as not sure if my tyres would have held out.)

The street chickens, chicks and goats (mbuzi). These plucky little characters always put a smile on our faces and the roosters are always proud to declare how important (and tasty-Manatee) they are.

Nice little children saying 'good morning, how are you' (this will probably be the same at the new place)

Cons
The sounds of exorcisms. We hear one guy who does this crazy syncopated hup, hup noise like a hiccupping jack-in-the-box while a woman (never any men for some reason) screams. The exorcisms have increased as of late. Must be peak season.

Having our boss live in a place attached to our place.

The most uncomfortable sofa and lounge chairs ever created in the history of man.

No properly installed curtain rails. We've attempted to put some up ourselves without a lot of success. Some have just fallen off but the bedroom curtains have been doing well. Just as well. Our security guard sees more of us than I would have liked. Nice of him to say "helllllo" though.

'Old leaky' the affectionate name for our toilet. Six months on and still leaking.

The increasing hot weather and the sad realisation that we no longer have a fan since our last one spontaneously combusted a short time ago (hmm, I did say it was the peak season for things to get possessed)

Street tough children saying 'give me money,' 'give me your mobile phone' etc (this will probably be the same at the new place)

New Place:
Pros
A decent landlord who also happens to own four lovely little dogs. One has a cute pink nose and I've decided that he will be my best animal friend for the remainder of my time here.

Not having our boss live in a place attached to our place. (makes domestics a spectator sport...Manatee)

A comfy looking sofa-bad and couch in the lounge as well as a coffee table and wall shelves!

Curtain rails and curtains in all the rooms!

Light sockets that look like they won't electrocute us.

A ceiling fan in the bedroom!

I can't see leaking around the new toilet.

A proper mirror in the bathroom (the first day of work in the old place I had to use our stainless steel water purifier as a mirror) and a big mirror in the bedroom so I can see how my clothes don't fit me properly anymore.

We will probably have nice little children saying 'good morning, how are you'

Cons
All the pros of the old place plus:

The smaller size,it's about half the size of the old place

The toilet shower combo (but I think that might be okay)

Of course as we've not moved in yet there could be a whole heap of other cool and not so cool stuff but I'll keep you posted!

Mke AKA Franatee

ps from Mume-at least a different bike route will mean I will not have to bike near that guy who blares Beyonce's 'Single Ladies' from his bike