Dominos

The rains that day were so heavy that we thought the sky might be falling in. The generator in the labour ward had died in the storm, and so there was no light, and no fans. Luckily, the day was quiet, and so when the rain died down, we went out to the market to buy some fabric with one of the midwives.
The roads in Brikama are mud and so during rainy season, they become an obstacle course of rally-driving proportions, with huge troughs of unknown depths. After the the day's downpour the water was 2 feet deep, brown, with all manner of unidentifiable things floating in it. We were wearing flip-flops, which depending on which way you look at it could have been either a good or terrible thing. Sticking close the the side of the road, we trepidatiously followed our midwife through the market, occasionally wincing as something slippery got caught between a foot and a sandal, or when the realisation hit that we were wading through muddy African water 2 feet deep directly outside a large health centre with a large infectious diseases unit treating tuberculosis, leprosy and more.
We made it to the fabric shop - mission accomplished. People were passing us saying "This is Africa!" - and it felt fun, like we were experiencing the real thing. On the way back one of us wanted to take a picture of everyone standing in the water. She gave the midwife her camera, and walked into the street a little for the photo. Some of the market traders on the other side of the street were calling out something- was it "stop!" or "no!"?
One more step and the floor was no longer where it had been before- it was a good foot or two lower, and she ended up waist deep. Next girl was following and didn't have enough time to retreat- also waist deep!
We helped them out, amid gales of laughter from every person in the market (including myself I'm afraid, sorry girls). Luckily, none was hurt, and we had spare clothes to change into. But we were famous at the market forever more.

Prodigal Child

It was bedtime, and two of us were writing in our journals, recording the unusual events of the day. It was a treat evening because we had air-conditioning in the 40-degree heat and 88% humidity, and electric light. The other one was reading a book quietly next to us. She said, in her gentle Cambridgeshire accent, and without a trace of exaggerated tone,  "Smack my bitch up"; we laughed and laughed and laughed.

Human too

Miss R, the obs&gynae consultant, was walking down the labour ward corridor behind me. Miss R is a good doctor. But she doesn't worry herself about speaking to or acknowledging students like myself. She is aware of the traditional medical hierarchy. She remains a little distant, doesn't joke or gossip with other staff.  Making our way down the corridor, I could hear her hiccuping softly as we walked.

Anthropomorphism

Walking to the train station through an industrial estate, a magpie skipped and hopped across the road in front of me. It looked so happy, it made me smile.

Not that we know of

My older sister and I look very similar. We were in a hostel in Shanghai when we walked past two men, one of whom called out to us "Excuse me, are you twins?" We said no, sisters but not twins. The man asked us again, "No, you are twins aren't you?" We said no once more, and carried on downstairs. "Are you sure?" he said. "Yes we're sure!" said my sister.  

We could hear him say to his friend as we descended, "They are definitely twins."

Better than Tesco

In Japan, we shopped for supplies in a supermarket near Mount Fuji whose name was 'Welcome Friends, I am POTATO'.

Whilst we were sleeping #3

Whilst we were sleeping and drunk: "I'd like to have a Deirdre Barlow picnic with big glasses and nice music".

Cooler than you

It was a hot day in London and everyone was sweltering on the tube. Exiting at my stop, a middle-aged man man bounded ahead of me up the stairs wearing only a pair of calvin klein underpants, trainers, and an empty-looking backpack.