The downfall of having exotic trees in your garden

This area Cameroon is very lush and green due to the amount of rain it receives (and don't we know it). There are loads of exotic fruit trees about. In our compound we have palm trees, mango trees and plum trees (not the nice plums that we eat but the minging ones they have here). In the compound next door there are banana trees also.

I thought it was wonderful living in such an exotic garden. That is until the fruit is ripe. Over the last few weeks there have been rather loud THUDS on the roof at night that wake me up from me deep and peaceful sleep. We have discovered this is mangoes falling from the tree. On occasion a neighbour has been asked to climb up the mango tree to shake the mangoes down. Which he did but then he cleared them all up and took off with them all. Leaving no mangoes for us. Will not be asking him to do anything for us again!!!

Then yesterday we were walking home from work in the evening just going through the gates of the compound and there is an almighty crash. Then a coconut rolls along the ground. So the coconuts are now turning ripe and falling from the tree. We must remember not to stand under the palm trees. I am sure if it hit us on the head the least it would have done it knock us out. The coconut was pretty heavy and fell from quite a height. However it missed us, by about a meter!!

So other than being woken up my mangoes and almost killed by coconuts (which so far appear to be the most dangerous thing about Cameroon) it is wonderful living in an exotic fruit garden. We have even been able to eat some of the fruits.