On the way to work

On days that we both work we leave the house before 7am. The routine is about he same: shut the windows, lock the house, then hop on the motorbike and drive out into the chaos of town, dodging moving objects like vehicles and children who might be in the road.

Even at this early hour the town is already alive and busy. Most children start school at 7am so the streets are full of little kids in blue and tan uniforms carrying sagging, oversized backpacks. 

A lot of kids walk to school unaccompanied by an adult, even those as young as five. The more attentive mothers walk to the edge of the main road and tell their kids when it’s safe to cross, then watch as the children scamper quickly across before the next speeding vehicle passes by. 

People are on their way to work, their gardens, school, the market and just about anywhere. Some seem to be in a hurry, others walk as if they have the whole day to get where they’re going.

We pass through the main part of town and the central market on our way to the hospital. This area is where we do our shopping. When we get to the hospital we sometimes stop before the main entrance to see if there’s internet connection. Today there isn’t, so we pass on through the gate and park outside the building that encompasses the Maternity, Pediatrics and Surgery services. Then we both go our separate ways for the day to meet up again later and head for home.