Mum told me a story that I will always remember. I cant remember where we were living but I have a feeling it was in Mombassa, East Africa. 

We were higher up the hill and didn't have any running water, and no electricity. Our kitchen walls were just made of chain linked fencing. I believe it had a thatched roof.

In her life Mum has lived in some very rudimentary places with no luxuries.

Dad's boss came across to visit and came up to our home (hut). He had been travelling all day and was in need of a good bath and freshen up. Mum said he was covered in Red murrain (that is the red dust they have there) His windscreen had broken so had no protection from all the dust. He asked Mum if he could have a bath. To his utter astonishment she answered him "NO!"

She then explained that she had no running water, so he would have to go down to the local hotel and see if they had any hot water. He then discovered Mum didn't have any electricity either. 

After he left a few weeks later, he had pipes and pumps and a generator shipped over for mum. He said Jo Shell (her nick name) could not possibly have to live in those conditions.  Dad assembled the pipes and pump and rigged up a neckless of lights in the hut and kitchen. Mum was one of the first people to have water and electricity on demand. 

She said that one of the servants would use the hand pump everyday to fill a huge water tank further up the hill to provide us with running water. 

She must of felt she was back in civilisation again. We just take everything for granted, but I think Mum had to put up with a lot more than just an outside loo back in her early pioneering days.