Sleeping in PAP...dogs, roosters, cats, and fire!

Sleeping in PAP is quite an adventure.  As those of you who have been reading know, I've been sleeping outside in a tent. The first night, the dogs went on forever and ever.  I felt like I was in that scene in 101 Dalmations when Pongo and Perdita are sending out the message that their puppies have been kidnapped. One dog would begin barking and before you knew it, dogs were barking all over the area and it just went on and on like that for hours.  Ay-ay-ay!

Intermixed with the dogs were the roosters.  I had a talk with the rooster wandering in the back yard before I went to bed and I told him very clearly that he better not be cockle-doodle-dooing right next to my tent at strange hours of the morning.  It appears he didn't take me too seriously.  It's truly a myth that roosters call around 5 a.m. or so.  Here in PAP, they make their presence known at every hour of the night (:

The second night was "cat night".  This was the night that there were cats either fighting or mating...I'm not sure which one.  Horrible cat calls would wake me in the night.  Craziness, I tell you!

And then there's the "mystery" animal.  I have NO idea what kind of animal this is, but it makes the most horrendous sound.  I would like to do away with it.

The other part of sleeping in the tent is the fact that we are right under an almond tree.  During the night, almonds fall on the tent and it sounds like someone is knocking to get in.  The leaves are huge and they fall and blow across the pathway and make it sound like there's someone walking outside the tent.  I think I'm slowly getting used to those sounds, but I still wake wondering if someone is about to peep in!  I have a plan though...I keep my flashlight right beside my mattress so that I could shine it in someone's eyes! Ha ha!  I should set your minds at ease that we are tenting on the grounds of the MCC guesthouse, behind locked gates, so don't be too worried!

Last night was unique.  As with every night, I wake up to go to the bathroom at least once.  This time my tent buddy, Janine had to go to.  So off we went, trekking into the house to the toilet.  I had just said to Janine when we got back to the tent, "this has been a really quiet night".  I had been sleeping SO well!  The dogs were quiet, the cats were quiet, the roosters were quiet.  Suddenly, we started to hear what sounded like a sledgehammer being taken to a house and demolishing it...very close to our property (actually just over the fence in the ravine, although we didn't know that at the time).  That wouldn't be so strange in the city, as some areas are attempting to work through the fallen buildings and break them up into small pieces to be carried away.  The problem was...it was around 2 in the morning...very strange.  Along with the loud demolishing sound was the breaking of glass.  It didn't take long for people to begin streaming out of their house and screaming and yelling.  I finally looked at Janine and said, "I think we better go in the house".  So we picked up some stuff and headed into the house.  I headed upstairs on the upper porch where I knew the men were sleeping..one of whom speaks Creole.  The funny thing was...they were both fast asleep! and hadn't even woken up to the sounds...and it was LOUD!  I did find Karen up there though, as she had been awakened as well.  Karen speaks Creole and so she was able to pick up pieces of what people were saying.  As it turns out there was a fire in the house just below us and they had very little water to put it out.  I actually don't know how they ever got it out.  The sounds we were hearing (we found out later in the morning), were the sound of glass exploding in the heat and the tin roof being ripped off the house so they could access the fire, I guess.  We spoke with the neighbours this morning and they said that everyone survived, but they lost everything in the house.  It was amazing watching the little community come around them and help carry out buckets of soot. 

I couldn't help but think how privileged we are in North America.  If we were at home, we would call 911 and someone would come and rescue us.  There is nothing close to 911 here!  In fact, I don't think there is even any type of fire department.  You basically fend for yourself and watch your community come around you to provide support.  There's such a comfort, at home, to know that help is only a call away. 

Life here is just so very, very different.

Far tent, under the almond tree...where Julie and Janine attempt to sleep!