Mexican Madness; 2006 in Aguascalientes - Shower Time

Shower Time!

Here you have me in my 1st apartment, off the loo (last email), & into the shower.

It seems to me you have 2 choices here in Mexico when it comes to showers; full jets of cold water, or 3 squirts of warm that you chase to catch. If you’re inclined towards a quality Russian ‘contra-shower’ regime, then best you make time for a 24-hour shower. The water is bone-chillingly cold at 7am, only warming to tepid at around 1pm, & cooling rapidly after 7pm.

I’ve lived in a couple of places that had gas heating for the water.
The 1st was the best; a mere 20 minutes for the gas to heat the water..but you’d better be the 1st one in the shower!

The 2nd had greater hot-water capacity..it’s just that the shower rose didn’t work. I had to douse myself with a hose-arrangement, soap & shampoo up, rinse off with the hose, condition my hair, & whilst letting that work, plunge the plug hole because the drains were clogged, & scrub the shower down. Rinse off the conditioner, dry myself off, AND the entire bathroom..no shower curtain!

After that, I lived in a place that had no gas heating; it relied on the natural hot-water springs. No complaint from me..except for the days when the spring was over-taxed..NO WATER AT ALL! “BUT WHAT ABOUT FLUSHING THE TOILET?” WAAAAAAHHHHHHH!

Then there was the Hobbit-hole..no gas..all electricity. No charge for electricity..it was incorporated into the rent..the landlord had the water regulated. 3 squirts..COLD! 5 squirts..WARM! 7 squirts..REALLY CHILLY! 9 squirts..PIPED DIRECTLY FROM SURGUT SNOW! If I was back in my ‘dike’ haircut days I wouldn’t care, but it makes for a VERY long shower trying to wash, condition, & rinse longish locks under 5 squirts of water..especially when 3 of them are directed at the shower wall about a foot above my head! Great exercise though, chasing & jumping for those water squirts.

Now I’m living in an accountant’s office. No gas..no electrical heating. I can shower in privacy at 7:00am before anyone arrives, freeze my bits off, look presentable for the hoardes that traipse through the office shortly there-after, & wake up with a cold the next morning. OR, I can hide out in my room until 2:00pm when everyone takes their 2-hour lunch & siesta break, & the sun has warmed the water tank to a tepid level. OR I can save my shower until the last person leaves the office somewhere between 9:00pm & 1:00am. Sad to say, I can’t get myself cracking until I’ve had my morning shower..so every 2nd morning I have a sore throat & blocked nose..just to add to the bleeding nose I have every morning from the pressure & dryness of living in high desert.
I’m getting used to the cold showers though. I no longer squeal, gasp, & groan my way through them; I mentally prepare myself by pretending I’m diving into a cold NZ lake..1-minute of held breath, then get down to the business of swimming or washing. I have to qualify that statement though..a shower before 7am is HORRENDOUS! Only had to try it once so far; I just couldn’t do it. I filled a bucket with the cold water, soaped & sponged off..a ponytail day seeing I couldn’t wash my hair. SHEEEE-YATTER-ME it was cold!
And this is summer! I can’t even bring myself to think what it might be like in January when the overnight temp drops to -6°C. I can’t see me hanging around to find out..but “never say never”..I’d be definitely taking mid-day to late afternoon showers!

Better than no personal hygiene..I’m not griping..just letting you know how much I’ve learned we Kiwi’s & Aussies take ‘basic’ necessities for granted back home.

Those of you that have never lived with me or experienced stepping into the shower at MY chosen level of heat, you need to understand that my personal choice of temperature is somewhere between boiling & REALLY boiling..irrespective of season or climate! If I didn’t emerge from the bathroom looking like some thing resembling strawberry jam or cooked lobster, then I clearly wasn’t clean!

When & if I ever get back down-under, I challenge everyone for all the Corona we can drink to beat me into any stretch of water..no matter the temperature! AND I want perfect fresh limes squished into the bottles..very un-Mexican you know!
As for my Russian mates..”race you to the ‘swimming pool’ in January!” If you win, I have to buy you all the tequila you can drink for a night..if I win you have to drink all the tequila I can buy you for a night! ;oD

Ha—ah—gasp—phee-eeew—ppffffffffffff—I’m ok..I’m ok..YEAH, this is all fine! It’s going to be great when I get out, dried (haha), dressed (hahaha), & outside (yeeeehahahahahahahahaha..cutesie little sun dance!) “Get AWAY with your rain dances & prayers for cooler weather, you Mexican freaks!”

Challengingly awake & refreshed, sharp as a scorpion’s tail,
Pru XXXX