Somewhere between my last post and today, eleven days disappeared. Let me try to recover them for anyone (including myself) who may be remotely interested....
After Easter, things started slowing down and streamlining, and the weather cooled, with night time lows of 22. I caught a cold, and allergies flared up, and I suffered daily asthma attacks. Thanks to Prime Care Pharmacy for supplying me with uppers, downers and anti-inflammatories to withstand this predicament, and to The Martin Clinic for neutraceuticals to make sure the drugs didn't kill me! Now, the rain is gone, the cold and asthma are clearing, and the temperatures are soaring back up into the high 30s.
I went to Beira one day, flew down in the morning and stayed in the FHI guesthouse until the next morning. The purpose of this visit was to chat with the FHI country director about my future here, so we did lunch. Our really late lunch was interrupted by the realization that we both needed to meet with people in the office before they left at 3.30, so we hurried back, and I scurried through brief 'hello, can I get/give something, goodbye' meetings until 6, then off to shop for much needed staff encouragements to take back to Caia (Nutella, PB, chocolate, curry powder). I got to the guesthouse at 7, and arrangements had been made for me to eat out, rather than there, because I had planned to meet several people from other agencies in Beira, just to get better acquainted (mixing business with pleasure). Unfortunately, none of them where available for dinner, but one group would meet me at the restaurant after, if it was the one close to them. So, my 5 minute walk to a great restaurant became a 30 minute (dark, urban) walk to a goodish restaurant, where I ate alone and watched cricket. Then, the group all cancelled except for one woman, who showed up and we chatted for awhile. In the meantine, I got a text from another acquaintance to say her dinner with her boss was done, and could I meet her and another colleague at that restaurant for coffee. So, I spent as much time as possible with the first woman, than took a hasty taxi to the other restaurant where the other two where waiting for me. Needless to say, it was 11:30 by the time I got back to the FHI guesthouse, and it was all locked up. Not worried, I rapped on the gate and called for the guard. The dogs (one a massive, drooling, snarling Doberman) woke up, but not the guard. I continued rapping on the gate, standing on a poorly lit street in a lowish end part of the cityfor some time. Around 1 it started to rain. The rain stopped before 2, and the fisherman were on their way out to sea at 2:30.
By then I had determined that the Doby was chained, the other dog was stupid, and the wall wasn't too high, so I jumped it, and ran arund to the back of the guesthouse to wake the staff, and get let in. I woke to my alarm at 6.30, in great pain, but I had to get my ride at 7.00 to get to the airport. Fortunately, the guesthouse had an incredible hot shower, and by 7 I was good to go, breakfasted (real cheese!!! and an apple), and ready to go (sans coffee).
The next adventure will be in the next post, because this one is too long already.
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