Moving fun

Today our container was delivered into our new house, all 40 feet and 333 items/boxes. The container arrived in Mombasa alraedy end of July, but due to customs clearing it was ready for release last week. However our house was not ready, although the rental agreement started beginning of August.

The house went through quite an extensive remodeling in 4 weeks, most of it on the outside though. For example the landlord added 4000 liter underground water tanks that will be great during periods of water outages, and fixed the roof and paving around the house. Inside the master bedroom bathroom was upgraded, walls painted and floors varnished. typical rental agreement stipulates that everything must be painted before moving out. As the work was ongoing, this was left as last item and even this morning the painters were still adding paint to walls and security grilles while we were carrying in boxes. The outside is still pretty much a construction zone, but we really had to move in this weekend so there was no choice. Being an optimist I think another week and the work is completed, and we can start to enjoy the house which is really really nice.

Anyhow, back to moving. We've moved quite a few times, and it is always a bit of a hassle. Last time the moving company  just brought in the boxes and left us to do all the work. This time the crew consisted of 10-11 men and the container was emptied in about 4 hours. The compound is build on a steep bank which complicated things a bit. They couldn't drive the truck inside the compound but luckily they had a small truck and they loaded the content of the container in it and then drove it to the house. We thought that was it, but the men started to empty the boxes and I think we got through about two thirds before we had to say the rest needs to be left for a later date since we don't yet know where to put the content.

Having bedrooms livable (is that even a word?), kitchen almost done, TV and playstation working makes the house almost feel like home. Quite an accomplishment in one day!

I guess having cheaper labor has its benefits, large crews can really move mountains in no time. The work they've done at the house in no time, as well as how efficient the moving company was is something. Not bad, not bad at all...