Khartoum day 2 28 /02/2010

Toook a few pictures today not too interesting as just as i got out on th street I was stopped as there are not supposed to be any taken so luckily it was Peter who ionted this out so will have to ait till I get to site to take some more this is probably the reason there are not too many photos on the net.

All good again today slowly getting the insight into the project it will be fantastic and the people are great Met the big boss from Cario today an extremely switched on man and very engaging .

Dust thikcer today just hangs in the air with no wind quite amazing .Certainly vast differrences in the sttaus of people and conditions .When we went and met the boss it was I guess in about a 5.5 star hotel next to a barren flat and rubbish all over the place .A difference that is hard to explain but no one complains.

happy local

Local road train

Taxi anyone

Off Juba tomorrow and then onto site the next day .

KHARTOUM SUDAN 27 FEB 2010

Ally way of hotel all is good city of 6 million give or take a few .Dust haze all year round people every where, cars being fxed in the dirt ,wrecking yards by the edge of the road an organised form of chaos with rules ony the locals know.little donkey carts trotting around wth there freight on from steel c section to the bunch of vegetables.No road rules bit like Suth America and Asia biggest horn wins cause he is the biggest. Traffic all over the road along with people and the 3 wheeled taxi bikes some with there chariot like imitation sythes on ther axels as a decoration.

People are unbeliviably friendly even the customs people as they search through your bags .I had some 2 way radios which caused some concern and we are still in negotiation concerning the tax we need to pay, all in all a very civilised way to do do business if you have the negotiating power end.

the  area is full of building and construction every where there a new houses and shops going up asll over the city.Of to meet some suppliers to morrow and meet the guys in the office up here in Khartoum and see The engineering company building our sheds for the workshop .boiler makers shed and our first Machinery shed.

Had a great day with Peter and Lindsa met ther great kids and then went and had dinner with John and Fiona which was fantstic John and fiona are involved in the Sabina project.The passion displayed by all for the projects was phonomenal and gave me even more confidences in my dission to come and I really look forward to working with them all,The girls a very passionate about what the boys are doing and could not be more suportative of there endevours.

Will put up some more photos tomorrow

Albany

little COUSY BRO

view from big brothers window of Princess Royal harbour with normal Albany weather

trish is working on the power pole

Down here in Albany with my brother and sister in law (mother) .It is a normal Alany morning the harbor is a mill pond clody sky and cool which makes achange of thhe last4 months .

This was where the 10th light horse left for eygpt and finally Gallipolli during thr first war so perhaps it is fitting it is one of my last port of calls before I leave for Sudan and the adventure of a life time and the beginnning of a new chapter tin the  The Funston journals of things to do cause you can.

The thought of the trip is beginng to have have its mark upon the excitment level of my brain and all is at full pace as the day becomes closer .

Bought the new camera lens to get that perfect piture but have a suspicion that I will be going back to the old one.Back pac buying today .as Bob and Dan have purlioned my old one and it likes to travel,For those ofyou who&; know elvis he now has a new fiend Brett the Sheep and both are in the process of getting there passports in order so they can come as well,

Thanks to all the cousy bros in Melborne for there wonderfull hospitlity over the last week and will see them again some time in the next decade as usual.
The enjoyment of being back in Perth was quite a shock to me maybe it was the SKy or smell but I ahve discussed this with Devon and Dianne and it is different or maybe just familliar and ours .But it seems to be lighter and cleare than Melbourne or Brisbane and everything is fresher and brighter than there perhaps it just the youth and vibrance that abounds arround the place although the farmers are a bit quite as the last year makes it s mark on the budget line along with the banks squeze.

Melborne feb 13

The weather is as most people imagine it to be cloudy nd drissling pretty bleak realy have left the sunny North and on the way west. Bob has gone to Cairns for a bit of diving and Scandanavian Cutie hunting.
I am off to the archiatech who has designed the camp we need to build in Sudan it is to built out of the containers that the Machinery and all the other bits have arrived in .So will be interested to see the final desiign and how hard it will be tobuld the village

Well on the train to Geeelong listening toth eBeach boysEndless summer album  and Janis Joplin very 60s 70s but hey we had music and fun in the sun.Had a great couple of days so far fora saw Dang for the first time since he has been back and he is great also met Nicky for the first time properly and they are very hapy which is great very proudof Dan and fin and bob makes meblush with pride much more organised ,better life skills and aware of what the world can do .Oh  the travelling has been good for them.

Karen (mycousin for those ofu not of the funston clan) has been nursing her sick husband for many aday now and thr time came yeterday to send himoff to hospital as he has become too hard for her to look after him on her own. She has been the eptemy of love and compassion and we all need to be humbled by he resiliance bit like her Mum it must e somethig that persononifies the Funston womens courage and devotion to there husbands so be aware if you have married one you have got her for Life like it or not,( cant say the same for the men not this one any way).So all of you who are around Karen help her embrace her new life when it comes as she will need have a n ew foud freedom that will be a bit sureal.
"Life is for the  better when the past is only in the Shadows and has no impact upon the Sunshine"

Wowperhapsoneday I will be a phD

Not with spelling like that.

nearly away

Four sleeps to go and the n the beginning of new adventure with a bit of soft Aussie travel first and then off to the rest of the world.
Has been raining a bit lately and some rads closed with all farmers around here being very happy with melon holes full and dams over flow all is good and we begin to pack although 2 back pacs is not much.It is a great place Chinchilla and it has been fun livnig here .

Bit of a storm on the way

Putting the heat into regrowth control

The human torch

Hot air rising over Origin

Cut off

wELL HAD TO STOP HALF WAY AS APPARENTLY MY SPELLING WAS NOT GOOD ENOUGH AND i AMNOT YELLING I HAVE JUST LEFT THE CAPS ON AND i WILL TURN IT OFF NOW.

Rain at last the Chinchillacrowd are estatic but not we bachelors all our washing is wet the mold in the showers grows the washin ig is biuilding up.Bob is training with the Chinchilla Bulldogs an it ahs been wet every night .has the big club BBQ tonight in the rain should be fun.

We only have 7 more sleeps then we are off into the new world of adventure. Bob up to Carns for a dive charter me off too Melborne and Then home for a bit .

Packing up the house and chatels not that 2 bags take long but there is a bit to through out and give away.

THe plumbers Bob and Lee

The picture is around the wrong way so you have to practise your stretches.

Even God was on our side for our coutry drive around.

All you need in Cane Toad Land is a gun and a bible and your right

The consumer having a break at a dam near Lismore

Trip over back to work

The conclusion of this father son bonding trip was that when in search of Hotels ther are many and varied types  availiable on our little trip we encoutered  some very hospitable others not so  .We were forced to have a drink in 37 hostileries in all and most were great.