Here's the thing...

Well, tomorrow we're going to call it a rap on the past six months in Indonesia. Headed for London and then the States wherein I will - most likely - sink into the blogging doldrums. When I have a new job somewhere I'll be back. Here's some random pics from the last months (if you look at one a week you might not notice that I've stopped blogging): Meulaboh Grand Mosque: Playing Frisbee: Closedown Coordinator Extraordinaire: Kids with their Disaster Risk Reduction Placards: Party at Marcela's: Our Easter Egg Houses: Our organic chili project: What 'alleviating poverty and suffering' looks like: Fishing boat on the beach: Caden Jack! How did you get in here? (see...told you I might become one of 'those' people!)

So I was walking along today and out of the corner of my eye thought I saw a snake. 'Hmmm...' I thought, 'this is a good life lesson. If you see something that looks like a snake it probably is.' I'm making this life lesson number #1. For posterity, I will now record other life lessons learned in the field - in no particular order: #2: Do not stand on well covers. #3: Everything is better with bacon. #4: You are not as good a driver as you think you are. No one is. #5: You are not as good a swimmer as you think you are. No one is. #6: Never say, 'it can't get any worse' because it always can. #7: The best time to use the toilets on a plane are immediately upon boarding - or within the first hour. #8: Everyone can survive without washing for at least 4 days before becoming offensive to yourself and others. #9: Television is overrated. #10: Headlamps (torches) are not. #11: Almost no one ever knows what they're talking about. #...

We left late. I blame the Spanish that were with us because they don't read this blog and you know how they are with time. At least, that's the excuse I'm sticking with. So, it wasn't until after three that we finally headed out of town in three white Toyota pickups piled with camping gear and headed toward the Gayo Highlands - more commonly referred to by us coastal lowlanders as, 'those mountains over there.' We were attempting to reach Lake Tawar before nightfall but with a five hour drive this idea was quickly abandoned as we wound up steep hairpin turns hour after hour. It was not a drive for the faint-hearted (or stomached). The scenery gorgeous but a wrong move could send a truck of hurtling thousands of feet to the canyons below...a fact that I liked to remind those I was driving every time we ground to a halt at a 45 degree angle to shift into four wheel drive or went around a particularly precarious turn. It was calm, and cool winding thro...

You know, as one normally does... on Vatican Radio . (Yes, the Pope's got his own station, apparently).

Our senior management had a great idea to take our cooks, cleaners, guards and drivers all out to the field today to see what all the project people had been doing all this time. They wanted the people who normally stay in the office to see how they contributed to something bigger. It was a great idea. So, after a day of touring around houses and schools, meeting families and children and teachers they stopped at the floating fish ponds that I have previously described in another entry. But, instead of getting there in a canoe they put them on a raft. To make a long story short the raft flipped and trapped several of them underneath. Most couldn't swim. Some of those who dove in to try to save them couldn't swim. It was awful. No one was drowned although there were some serious bad moments in which those who were managing the situation thought there might be. Everyone involved was traumatized and several in severe shock. Imagine having been through the tsunami and now this...

The quake that struck this afternoon was powerful enough to get us out of our houses and quick. I was at one location and drove across town soon thereafter. There seemed to be no injury or structural damage, however, panic was ensuing. The streets became quickly clogged with people trying to get out of town as rumours of another tsunami spread. Things have calmed down a little now and we're all fine. But...it does, again, highlight the fact that the tsunami warning system is an utter failure and that the NGOs have far more information than the local populous who are most in danger of injury in a tsunami - or injury in the ensuing mad crush of panic even if there isn't one. Interestingly, I did interviews with both BBC and SkyNews but was told to standby for live as they were simply 'monitoring the story to see if it develops'. In media-speak that is, 'waiting to find out if enough people die to make it interesting.' And thanks to everyone who has sent e-mai...

His name is Shari'a Law. Perhaps you've met him. He gets around. We've been living together for the past two years, Shari'a and me. Now, of course, I'm not literally dating a legal system but that's sure what it feels like on R&R. When I go shopping and browse through all the cute short sleeve tops and skirts. I'd like to try them on but won't even bother. Why tempt myself? Shari'a wouldn't approve. Shari'a doesn't like it when I show my arms or legs. He's not so thrilled about my head being uncovered but has learned not to say anything. On holiday when I go out to restaurants I order a beer and bacon burger first thing. Shari'a doesn't like me to drink or eat pork. He's kind of a downer, in fact. "It's your own fault," my friends say. "Move away," they say. And I should but most of the places I where I would think to go, he'd be there waiting for me. Unfortunate, but true. So, I guess ...

Well, you know how I blog about our vehicles getting stuck? Another such incident occurred today. Luckily, I have video to entertain you with...but let me give you a little prep first. I am standing in the back of one vehicle that is stuck in the mud up to the door. We have just dug out the second vehicle that will be doing the 'towing' after getting it stuck in the mud. We're edging toward hour 3 of the rescue effort. Be sure to notice: 1) the number people sitting around looking bored; 2) the song from Monty Python's, Life of Brian, that's being sung, 3) the number of items that could, inadvertently, become deadly projectiles; 4) that BOTH our tow cables are too short. Ahhh, and a good time was had by all.