Early on a September morning in the year 2000, I was told to get up to go for a walk through the bush. It was hot and humid, but not unbearable, and I was intrigued to know where we were heading. The path was narrow, mostly just one person wide, and with low undergrowth both sides.

Here’s my daughter with my cousin Kelvin.

After a while I began to wonder what might be sharing the path with us , after all there’s no bush without bugs. My sister Patricia laughed and said, yes there are snakes and many things that will bite you. Well I was already bitten, mozzies see me as their own private banquet, and I told myself that most snakes would scuttle away.

After half an hour, we reached our destination, the village spring, with, so I was told, the best water I’d ever taste.

It was definitely a delight for our feet, the best tasting? I can’t remember, but the experience of walking to collect it, makes it the most memorable liquid ever.

Here’s Patricia carrying it home.