Material girl

I've been quite proud of myself since I arrived here with respect to the fact that I don't seem to miss shopping. Now, shopping choices are quite limited so I can't really go shopping but I thought that I'd miss browsing the shops, picking up the odd skirt here, a dress there and a pair of shoes somewhere else.

It hasn't happened. I do sometimes browse the bookshop, which is quite good, but I buy much less frequently than I used to. Whether it is the act of paying in cash as opposed to on card, the reduced salary that I am on or simply the lifestyle out here but my material covetousness seems to have reduced.

I was going to write "seems to have gone", but our trip to Zanzibar and Nairobi proved that given the opportunity I can still splash the cash. Voila, my pretty new belongings.

This ring is so girly and pretty that I couldn't resist it. I used to be a bit of a boyish girl, always in jeans and big jumpers and t-shirts. Over the past 5 years I have become a serious skirt and dress convert, have grown my hair long again and generally enjoy pretty things.


And this collection of books and magazines brings joy to my heart. The magazines just because it's fun to read them and look at the pictures. I like being vacuous sometimes. One of them is a running magazine though as I am trying to get motivated to start running again and see if my knees can take it.
The books however are the real prize. One delicious Nigella Lawson cookbook with summery recipes. Perfect for this hot and steamy (and yes, surprisingly green!) climate. The other is a book on digital photography so that James and I can both learn more about our digital slrs and get more out of them. Perfect!


And so, it seems that I have not left my material ways behind yet. But I think I'm learning that I don't need as many things as I used to crave living in London, where the shops tempt you all the time. I am definitely going to make an effort to carry this reduction in shopping home with me. Happiness lies elsewhere!

(Photo credits: me)