A funny thing happened on the way back from the market yesterday ... I tripped over a huge metal slab on the sidewalk right outside the grog shop. My head smashed the ground, big time, my big toe got wrenched under the metal sheet, I landed on the side of my right hand and then scraped the left knee and bruised the left hand. My groceries, purse and sun glasses went flying (glasses now no longer fit properly). I couldn't move for a few seconds then felt like a right pratt when what seemed like half Nadi town came running up to help. Two men managed to haul me to my feet, and when I asked one of the if my head was okay he sort of paled and just asked I could walk. So I probed my temple and felt a goose egg size goose egg; luckily no skin was broken. Ended up not being able to move my right hand, got a tension bandage and spent the rest of the day feeling somewhat wobbly and bloody silly. The hotel staff here have been wonderful, so I kind of feel like I've had an accident at home, not away. Spent an hour or two in the lobby with a cold bottle of water on the goose egg (no ice in the hotel), which caused some smiles of sympathy from people passing by.
Later in the day an old friend from the 'old' days dropped by - someone I met in the street last week told her I was here - Nadi is a small town! - so we went out (me hobbling on the damaged toe) for tea. I was so excited to catch up with her again, and she's going to contact another old friend so we can all get together when I get back from7 days R&R on the beach at Nananu i Ra (leaving for that tomorrow - yippee!). She and her husband have asked me to stay with them when I get back from the beach break.
Then the evening ended rather bizarrely when a young male Italian traveller asked me to help him make a video - the only available space being in my room (he's staying in the dorm) - so off we troop to make videos in my room :-)) Cougar-town gone berserk? Nothing so exciting, he needed to make a demonstration video for a job he's applying for in China, teaching English to primary schoolers. My room was re-arranged, flash cards made, and we made a15-minute video, on his smart phone, of his teaching method. Bit hard for me to hold the phone in my bandaged hand, but we did it and after many unsuccessful attempts he managed to send the 3 video segments to China. Then we went out for dinner.
The bandage is off my right hand today, it feels much better, my left hand has sort of stiffened up and is bruised, there's a big bruise on the inside of my left big toe which got caught under the metal plate, my knee is find and my goose egg is only slightly swollen, turning purple, and I'm developing a black eye. A first!
I wonder what can go wrong on the beach? But I'm going, even if I end up in a body cast today.
Edited by: Watsoff - because I think I'm still a bit groggy.
