Team, (the frivolous bits part 1)

A quick catch up as only Nigel has managed to gain access to the blog, the internet only being available when we're not around! We are all re routing via his donkel....

So observations so far, I'll leave the others to blog about their first impressions, I'll do the people watching bit!

As expected Pauline is the Queen of Barter. Daisy and I have managed to buy outfits at prices that were well below the asking price, thanks to her negotiating skills! I'd been in the day before and the sales guy remembered this, pulling down the Salwar Kameez (Indian-type trouser suit) I had admired the previous day saying “here it is Madam, I saved it for you, see the size, it's the same”. So he got 3 sales out of us and we were all happy, although of course he would have preferred it if Pauline had not been quite so adept. We were all quite speechless, now we all want her to accompany us to be our “personal shopper”!

As for Daisy...the guy magnet...is coping superbly with all the admiring gazes wherever she goes. Poor girl had to resort to putting her scarf over her head in the minibus as guys across the street would zero in on her and remain focused unblinking for way longer than is normal acceptable behaviour. She is so enthusiastic about everything and is loving every single moment...except the guy who felt that he had to stand right behind her as she was painting “I could feel his breath on my neck” at which point it became necessary for me to simply HAVE to paint right where he was standing and therefore put some space between them..You can relax Bianca, she has many minders!!!

Stuart is “The Pied Piper”, everywhere he goes, Harry the monkey goes and the children follow, skipping behind, laughing and crowding around. Harry causes mayhem in the minibus where he amuses everyone whether on buses,in taxis, cars or pedestrians...not crashes yet, but some close shaves, although to be fair can't blame them on Harry....

Which brings me to Frances, who has been given “Most Nervous Passenger Award”! Most of you will be staggered by this, thinking hang on, surely Lorraine? But no Lorraine has impressed us all. She has lost count of the number of urinating men she has seen on the streets, but tells us she has evidence on camera. I applaud her, she's doing great! Today she has face painted kids who loved what they saw in the mirror, rubbed it off and came back for more if they could!

Louis has been in great demand for the intricate designs to start us off. I had to smile when he came into the “Children's room” and asked “What is that?” pointing at Daisy's “woodpecker”, in an appalled way that only an artist could voice it... Daisy tried to explain, but Louis just couldn't stop staring at it, I could tell it was really offending him... After a few minutes when his eyes kept returning to the spot, he couldn't restrain himself any longer...”Would you like me to draw it?” he offered. Everyone thought this was probably the only way out of an obviously awkward situation....I haven't seen the result yet.

I will write more about the others at another time, as dinner calls and this needs to be continued in stages...some has to add the frivolous bits!