NOV 20, 18 .. WHEN I CAME BACK OVERSEAS I KNEW WHAT WAS COMING
As Patti surely will attest (verb : provide or serve as clear evidence of ) I did not make this trip until I felt that I was as ready to-do-so as I could possibly be given my overall age and health. Living outside of the U.S. is in no way a free ride. It takes work and effort and it takes a lot-of-stamina to do what must be done on a daily basis to live outside of the U.S.
First and foremost, one must deal with the second (air is first) most important of health issues, water. You must have safe drinking water. In fact, from-the-neck-up, I also use safe water to bathe with.
This afternoon I made a ‘water-run’ up the street to my favorite and closest local convenience store that sells water in 5 liter size jugs. There is a small but cute convenience store right here IN my apartment building but they do not sell water except in 1 liter bottles. Bread, eggs, and soup I get here.
Past my local Russian Orthodox Church I walk.
Past my colorful wall. Looking up the street in the direction I am walking.
Looking back down the street from where I came.
And on up the street I walk.
To my favorite local convenience store. In good weather (read : no snow and ice) it is an 11-minute walk.
On a snowy day like today was, it is about a 15-minute walk up and 25-30 minute walk back because of the weight of the water jugs and the imminent risk of a severe fall.
I use the new rolling-duffel-bag that Terry got for me in Seoul, South Korea
Loaded up with four, 6.25 liters of water (about 55 pounds) and ready to walk back to my apartment.
It doesn’t look like much, but even the gentle incline (hard to see) carries the risk of a fall on the slick sidewalk.
On the return walk, there is one 2-block section of sidewalk that is just difficult to pull my bag over due to pot holes and other very uneven surfaces. On this section I walk on the street. I watch for the traffic to clear behind me, and I walk very close to the parked automobiles.
The drivers here are extremely ( and I DO mean extremely ) courteous to pedestrians. In a marked cross walk, they really stop and yield to you. In the middle of the block, IF you step out with an oncoming car say 100-150 feet away, they WILL stop and let you continue to ‘jay- walk’ across the street.
Home safely to my apartment building. Notice (in the below photo) the sidewalk has been cleared of snow.
Inside I go. Then unload the water jugs. And two jugs at a time, up one flight of stairs at a time ( I have three flights of stairs to walk up, an initial 6 steps and then 9 steps each the final two flights) I carry the water upstairs.
It doesn’t look-like-much BUT .. it is a job to get the water, get it back to my building, and then get it up the stairs, one flight at a time, to my apartment.
I now have a good supply of drinking (45 liters) and boiled water (on the right side of the jugs below).
Over and out for today.
Cap
2 thoughts on “NOV 20, 18 .. WHEN I CAME BACK OVERSEAS I KNEW WHAT WAS COMING”
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Life can be a challenge at best sometimes … healthwise and otherwise. Outside of the USA, it can be far more challenging. We seldom think how lucky we are to just turn on the tap and have safe bathing and drinking water. Always glad to know you have a good supply of water in. Sounds like the drivers there are far more polite and accommodating to pedestrians than we are! Hugs! Love! Patti
Oh Yes! Just turn on the tap and safe water flows. Hard to believe isn’t it?
You bet! The drivers here, at least that is my experience so far, are indeed very polite to pedestrians. I learned from Mike how and when it is OK to cross (jay walk) the streets because the traffic density is so high you might have to wait 5 minutes for a truly clear opening. When there is a space out you go.
Smiles and Much Love .. Cap