a new home

7 Nov 2011

Still settling in, trying to turn the hunting camp that this once was, into a home for the newly arrived Writer In Residence.

Assisting me are three guys; Bernardo, who’s been here for 16 years and stayed on as caretaker when the camp fell into disuse over the last eight years; and two young rangers, Alberto and Shadrick. Solomon, the old man who hangs around as a general worker, is off sick with malaria at the moment.

These guys live in a compound a short distance out of camp. Camp itself consists of five tents with beds, two reed bathrooms, a brick kitchen and a thatched lapa. Which is more than I need; one tent is ample as both bedroom and office for just me.

First a good cleanout and scrubdown of the one I’d chosen. Then duct tape over the worst holes in the canvas to try and stop the creepies. A bed, table, chair, easy chair and three sets of drawers, all arranged the way I like them. Linen, towel and lantern, plus another one outside in the tree.

Finally the writer is, quite comfortably, in residence.