So i live on the beach. Literally. There are positive and negatives. Mostly positive.
Fact is, during the Tsunami watch two weeks ago, although nothing thankfully cam our way, rains did… and raised water lines. The high tide mark, usually 30yards off the wall (live in an 8-house complex, i’m on the corner closes to the water) was lapping at the wall that night. I’m not sure what would have happened if it had been a real alert for us. Traffic was at a standstill, and high ground? There is no high ground in Dar. That’s a negative, but one that at least statistically speaking, shouldn’t be of significant concern.
On a positive note, there is living on the beach, watching wonderfully colorful sunsets, and of course, the sounds of the beach.. no, not just the surf, but the people. How to describe the simple cacophony of noise of a Sunday afternoon, beautiful day, slight breeze, not too hot, whereas hundreds of people have decided to hit Msasani beach for the afternoon. Three football (soccer) games going on simultaneously, kids swimming, running around, ice cream vendors, groups of young men doing calisthenics, karate and even shadow boxing, bongo music, fishermen working on their crafts, and a jet ski.
I stood at my window, looking down at the sight, smelling the cooking food of the various grills and fires spread through the sand. Listening to the laughter and the ever present call to prayer from the two mosques nearby reminded of just how far from loved ones i truly am as i admired the skill of the players on the sandy, uneven pitch, as families gathered at the top of the water line, to watch the sun descend into the land. As the light went out (and it does so very quickly in these parts, dusk seemingly lasting just seconds), the noise died down. Clumps of people walked off towards their sunday nights, while i ventured into my kitchen to forage for a light dinner. Big positive living on the beach.
My 40th and beyond 