Until the reccy trip that is. The reccy trip which is going to decide how much the Kesho Leo children's village we're buliding in Tanzania, East Africa will cost. We think it will cost $AUD 250,000. If it's any more, I might have to kill myself or something.
We're almost all packed. Darren has 16kgs of personal luggage. I'm not even asking him why. I've 6kgs. We've got to get two 19kg bikes on with us. We've a limit of 30kgs each all up. So you can see who is dragging the chain. Starts with D. Ends with 'azzie Pants'.
Even though we're almost on the plane, it still seems that there is a lot to do. Keep getting last minute 'jobs'...."While you're there..." It's two weeks - two already-jam-packed weeks so no, I dont think I'll be delivering a parcel to your long-lost aunt. (Actually nobody has asked me to do that. Not many Australians have Tanzanian relatives, see). Suffice to say, that in reality, all the jobs I'm being asked to do are reasonable and sensible... and yes, actually need to be done. And this my friend, is wherein layeth the problem! Gimme jobs I can say no to, please!
Anyway, I'm waiting some details for the Rotary guys in Arusha, the nearest town to the village we're building in, and they seem fairly supportive of the Kesho Leo concept already, so that's extremely exciting. Hopefully we'll be able to meet up with them and walk them across our newly purchased land, explaining what's going where (which we'll be making up as we go at that point, because while our architect is travelling with us...well it's not like he'll have designed anything by the time we meet the Rotary guys).
It seems we're going to meet Brother Frank (Aussie who has lived in Tanzania for 12 years, is principal of Edmund Rice Secondary School there, and has been helping us buy land in his village) in Nairobi, Kenya. The plan was for us to meet him in Arusha, Tanzania but he went and got himself bashed up by a giraffe (true... a bus he was travelling in ploughed into a giraffe which was 'behaving eractically because it was being poached' and up Frank's head went, ploughing into the giraffe's proverbial. Or that's what Frank says anyway... He's in Nairobi getting head scans and stuff, so hopefully he'll be cleared, recover well and return to Arusha with us.
Okay, that's it for today. I've still got to buy a zawadi (Kiswahili for 'gift') for the new bebbie of my African friend, Mudi. And, of course, I've got to delegate some jobs to unsuspecting bystanders...
Speak soon,
Disclaimer: This is a personal blog. The occasionally bizarre and always passionate rantings, ravings, views and opinions expressed here represent those of the author who is sometimes in a state of bewilderment and at other times in bliss as she travels on her FWS journey. Obviously, the author's sentiments are not always those held by foodwatershelter incorporated, but we indulge her none the less - for your reading pleasure.
1 comment:
how exciting it is Beck to read your first blog! and I just had to be the first one to comment. I hope as I am writing this you are breathing and packing, breathing and packing! (I wish you were packing me in your case)
cant wait for all of your updates, we know that you, Darren and Rob will do fws proud....lets get moving!!
big love xx
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