Scorpions, E.Coli - What Next?

My former boss in the Shuswap asked me over email today what life was like in Kabul. Well, the life we have in Kabul is interesting and very different…often invigorating and fascinating, sometimes difficult. It’s been between 37 and 40 here in Kabul, sans air conditioning, and I have to be covered from head to toe. Arrgh!! It’s actually really hard to sleep in this weather. What has compounded my difficulty to sleep was the discovery of a large, juicy (i.e. poison-filled) scorpion downstairs yesterday. Tariq smooshed it with his shoe and all the juices came flying out. We don’t have a bed and sleep on a matt on the floor, but I think I’m going to change all of that very soon. Don’t want any little “night guests” coming by. I have had among the worst 36 hours that I can remember – in bed with a high fever and the major runs…e.coli poisoning, unfortunately not the first time it’s happened. I don’t drink the water here (only bottled) but sometimes it gets into you, somehow. As I explained to my former boss at the CSRD, the north Shuswap has nothing to complain about compared to this part of the world! (not that unsafe water is good anywhere). I shudder to think of what water tests would come up with here…there’s no lab though. All I can say is, people dig shallow holes in the ground for toilets, there are no septic tanks here and definitely no sewers… only the rich can afford to bore a deep hole for a well and install a pump (or those that have been lucky enough to have been served by a development project). Many of the millions here just take their water from dirty street-side canals…unimaginable until you see it daily with your own eyes.

Tariq has been taking very good care of me – he has been a gem. I don’t think we can say we are newlyweds anymore since these experiences require the sharing of too much information on a regular basis. The bright spot in these past days has been my new pup King. I love that dog already. I’m going to take him to the Mine Dog Center’s vet clinic today to get his first round of shots… would be nice to get some advice on how to train puppies. Poor King is a tabula rasa in the training department and we will need to start his education asap (beginning with house-breaking…). Tariq has also brought me home a new parrot, and he dubbed him Martini. He is beautiful and cruel…Tariq sustained a major bite in his hand while clipping his wings. I haven’t had the will to approach him yet after seeing the damage so will take my time trying to get to know him. He makes some horrifying noises when upset but also talks (in Dari), a good reminder that the power of speech has its pros and cons.