Not a pretty town/moving/Dust/A Baby

Sudanese charcoal cutters on the move a very Sudanese movement.

The village of Lalop is to the North West of our Camp and I went there the other day in search of engine oil.A town built on one of the main roads to the north.Not a pretty town

Gives caravaning and house moving a whole new meaning

Th donkeys belong to this family They move most days

Dusty the power pylon belongs to the Oil Company

Still trying to get the dish going

The week has passed along very quickly our gear is still not here and is still in Kosti Port awaiting customs to clear it, So frustrating for every body. Noel Jessen has arrived from Australia to train the Zims in chaining and stick racking. So he is having a bit of a holiday or should I say culture shock.

 People can see the so-called 3^rd world on TV but too actually see and experience is some thing quite different. Realization that it is real and that people really do live in grass huts with absolutely no services. These are the ones who have something perhaps the scary part is it has now become part of my every day life; you almost become desensitized and don’t notice it and it is just a part of your surrounds and every day life,

The banking system still holds wonders with the Manager putting his stamp on every trans action, the bank writes the checks for you and it is all recorded in long hand as well as on the computer. Quite novel having a Passbook starting at what we think is the back and it going from right to left.

But if you go to the Kenya commercial bank they have an ATM in the wall that was actually worked yesterday only for there clients even a TV inside where u can watch Nigerian soap operas

The surreal feeling of living in a Wetland and being covered in dust was Fridays little surprise. Dust came down from Khartoum and the Gulf covering us in a thin film of red dust there was no wind just the atmosphere filled with super fine dust. Visibility was down to 2 to 3oo m at times. I t bought some welcome relief from the heat and the work on the interim camp progressed at quite a smart pace. The dust is still around this morning just a little less and again today the nose and syness’s are having a bit of a rough trot.

We have been having trouble getting water in Bentiu for drinking it will become a real problem if we cannot get it and our stocks run out, The old Aussie gut will handle it but I don’t think the Zims or The Africana’s’ will. Nothing wrong with a bit of dam water with the odd dead animal in it when you’re a kid just asks mine. Bolsters the immune system no ends. Gas for cooking is also a non-item so will be on the fire soon if nothing happens to re supply the town;

Off to the workers meeting this morning , nothing happens quickly! at times it is good sometimes totally and utterly frustrating. The longer we wait for our gear to be released the less tolerant I will become, so just gotta chill.

There was abet of excitement during the week when young Jim came to tell me we had a sick Falata under the tree at the camp entrance ,I naturally asked how sick and he said not bad. So after a bit I got Guilty to go and check  on the Falata and we found out SHE is pregnant and having regular contractions . It was a bit hot to have a baby under the tree so we organized Guilty to take her to the Clinic at Unity run by the oil company. But while we were getting organize Frank had come back from town and got the soldiers to move her away from our camp Poor old Frank did not feel that good about his latest security effort.

Looks as the soldiers may be moving up to the border for the elections so we will be with out them which in a way will be good but may make it a bit harder to get to town with the check points but I have never stopped any way  so will be a few mouths less to feed.

Concord launches its open air Abbitor and verticaly intergratted butcher shop.

The new long drop