Mud and Inept thievery

  How to even begin describing Friday morning's adventure. Amanda and I, one of my roommates, took to the street of Freetown to get to the Craft Market and Crown Bakery. 
  Exciting the dockyard and all semblance of normalcy, we hit the cacophony of sound, bustling, shoving and yelling people, the most amazing dirt, mud, garbage and sewage flowing sluggishly in deep ditches on both sides of the street.  Sliding around in your muddy flip flops, my primary goal was to not slide right into these ditches. Secondary to that, by far, was our destination. There was no keeping the mud off of you though. The flip flops ensured that it's all well flicked over you. My clothing deserved biohazard bags at the end of that walk. :-)
  Battling this sea of humanity took some guts and a bit of a sense of humor. If we paused, the people instantly crowded around to see what's up, offer their opinions on a piece of fabric you might be looking at, or bustle you over. The little ones yell "hello madam!" and walk holding your hand a little ways. (One little fellow had 6 fingers, we found out that way....2 pinkies!)
 One chap tried to pickpocket Amanda's bag twice until she finally yelled him off and he disappeared into the crowd. Not too swift these pick-pocketers. He did it right in front of me! Another man decided to merrily stalk us through the town, speeding up when we did, slowing when we did, and when we slipped into a shop to lose him, he doubled back and reentered the same shop! At which point Amanda turned and confronted him with a very polite but firm "Hello. Hello? You go away now. Stop following us and go away."  Mercifully he did. Ridiculous really, just what was he waiting for heavens only knows. Makes me glad the ship is protected by a very nice guard of muscular Nepalese gurkas! (Who volunteered to go with us next time :-)