It turns out that date palms need pruning at this time of year, so the gardener shins his way up the trunk using only a small band of cloth attached to a circular chain for support. Once he reaches the top of the trunk, he slithers out of the cloth and climbs, totally unsupported onto the palm leaves, draws the machete out of his belt and begins hacking away.
Pruning over, he hurls the machete down to the ground (luckily I'd ushered the kids into the house), wriggles back into his "harness", poses for a quick photo and them shimmies back down the tree. Time taken: 10 minutes.
Now imagine the same scenario back in Europe: the health and safety issues; hydraulic platforms to transport the gardener; the required permits; not to mention the cost.
Some aspects of life in Bahrain are definitely simpler.
Where I am working at the moment you are not allowed to go down the stairs without holding on to the bannister, and woe betide if you answer your mobile phone at the same time....
ReplyDeleteSorry, how old am I? Four?
LCM x
I have seen them prune the palm trees in places like Fiji. It is incredibly quick. They are not in danger at all because they are so experienced. As you say, the public liability issues alone make such things impossible in other parts of the world. Seems a shame, really.
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