 Creepy crawlies and things that bite! |
Hello again,
Well fancy this, I have a day off! We really pushed the survey yesterday and finshed 9 km of magnetics readings and walked a total of 12 km! So as a reward we're taking it easy at the lodge today, I am currently sitting outside under a veranda watching the world go by and drinking a beer! (a Kilimanjaro, and yes, they are all largers)
So we left the Sunshine De Motel on the 13th, leaving the relative luxury of mains electricity behind us in Kahama and headed NW to the small town of Katoro. We have set up camp in the Twiga Beach Lodge (twiga = giraffe), a strange name considering we're 100's of km from a beach and there are no giraffes to be seen anywhere! The lodge is a little basic, no running water and only a few hours of generator power each night, but hopefully we'll be moving on again if not tonight then in a day or two.
The second site for the magnetic work is a 1 1/2 hour drive away so the days are pretty busy with not a lot of spare time whilst we're here, hence the push to finish the work yesterday and relax today. The site itself is very interesting, I don't think I've even been anywhere quite so very remote. Rulenge was remote but like I said, there where lots of people around. This place is a half hour drive from the closest village and you don't seen the smallest indication of human life whilst you're there. It's just one big forest of varying thickness, think of the Blair Witch Project film or the latest Resident Evil game and you're pretty much there!
There is no game to speak of, which is probably a good thing eh?! but the whole place is crammed full of spiders. And flies. And ants. And butterflies. And just about every kind of insect imaginable! Which is all very nice and interesting until they start climbing in your clothes and biting you! But that's not the best bit...
Two days ago I was getting dressed in the morning, in the dark as there was no power and it was early. I had left my field trousers on the floor and proceeded to pull them on. I then went and sat down and had some breakfast (hard boiled eggs boiled in a kettle the night before!). I noticed that my right leg was very itchy, so naturally I thought it was just mosquitos from the night before. I then finished breakfast, cleared away, packed the car and got in and sat down. Now my left leg was itching too, so i had a scratch and found a lump, under my trousers just above my knee. Now I had worn the same trousers in the field the day before and you get a lot of sticky buds from plants attatched to you as you walk through the bush - i thought this lump my be a clump of those - it was however, quite large and squishy....
i proceeded to roll up my trouser leg to see what it was, I rolled it past my knee and no, it wasn't a clump of sticky buds.... it was a fat 2 inch hairy caterpillar!! That had done a tour de Joe through my trousers and thankfully didn't take a wrong turn half way round!!! I jumped out of that car like lightning and those trousers were not on me for very long I can tell you :) So yes, leaving your clothes on the floor is a bad idea as I had a nice itchy rash on my legs for the next two days! (gone now)
I would love to put a photo of it up here but i'm still on this satellite connection and it would take an age - we're technically supposed to be working now but personally i'm waiting for my beer to chill in the fridge! So the works going ok, it is tiring and can be a little testing but the whole experience is something else.
I hope all is well with the ever increasing fan base :) Thankyou all for your comments, it is nice to hear what you're up too. Sunshine in england you say? It's 28 degrees here every day! ...which considering the 24 you're getting in Aberdeen tom doesn't sound like much.... still, my tan will be better than yours! :P
Love to all,
Joe.
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July 18th 2008 - jenni: day off...jungle party!
Hello! I hope you have enjoyed your day off! it sounds like it was well deserved! you must be exhasted after your 12mile walk in the heat! It was so nice to have sunshine here at the beginning of the week. I had a few nice lunches in the park, with some girls from random house. One of them has come all the way from Germany to do the work placement!
I hope the rest of your stay at the twiga beach lodge isn't too uncomfortable and you don't get any more suprises from horrible creatures!
jenni xxxx
July 19th 2008 - Baba Nadal: Anyone for tennis?
Just lost to Max 6-2, 7-6 on the tie break. I was rubbish, although it was my first outing this summer and it took a while before I could get a serve in with enough pace on it to make Max stand on the baseline to receive. It was a bit pathetic really but eventually got going and we actually had some good rallies with some real tennis shots!! Tom's coming down on thurs so perhaps we'll have a game on Friday. For some reason we still have Dave Bromell's tennis racket. I used yours - it's quite good isn't it. It's been very windy here but the sun got out again this afternoon. It made serving from one end a nightmare. The bathroom door is approaching completion - only got the "outside" of the door and surround to paint and then put some paint on the patch of wallpaper I had to put up to cover where the sliding door went. I'll be extremely glad when it's finished as it's "doing me 'ead in, innit"! I'm off to pick up Nanny tomorrow evening; staying overnight and coming back mon. That's the main reason why I've been trying to get the door finished - Nanny can't stand the smell of paint.
So, how did the day off go? Have you read any of your book? I didn't realise that the current survey is in a forest - I imagined rather bare scrub and lots of dust - obviously it's a bit more tropical. How do you replenish your supplies of beer? Do you have a housekeeper/cook or are you fending for yourselves? Well, I'll sign off now - We're getting a Chinese, and Sam's meant to be arriving soon - he said he'd be here by 6; it's now 8:15!! He's staying for the week and doing stuff on the car. Take care. Blogging Baba Mzazi.
July 19th 2008 - bigger bro: yeaaaarrrgggghhhhh!
yeaaaarrrgggghhhhh!
that is all :o)
(glad you survived your bush-tucker challenge - you've won our respect!)
-hijack!-
Baba Mzazi: What was the caterpillar's name...Willy?
July 20th 2008 - Mum: What did I tell you!!
Far be it from me to say "I told you so" but I did tell you not to leave things on the floor. Lucky it was not something lethal eh! Still I can understand that you must be so cream crackered that you just fall into bed. How do you manage about food? I am very intrigued - no power so you cannot keep things fresh - so remote ..so no shops. Do you get supplies flown in or what??? Eggs are good because they will keep fresh and edible for at least a week without refrigeration - is everything else in a can??? Do tell!
Dad has been very busy painting doors in bathroom etc. Off to get Nanny soon. Sam is here working on the car - just like old times!
I am aiming to work at home as much as poss so I can be with Mum- let's hope we get some sun. Tom is having more than us for heaven's sake!
We did more wedding dress shopping yesterday and are a bit nearer coming to a decision and Ellie is getting used to standing around in her underwear while strangers dress her!
More than half way through now - time is flying by
Take care ! xxxxxxx
July 21st 2008 - Timmy: Ants in ya pants!
We know your enjoying Africa Joe but getting that close and personal with the wildlife is probably taking it a bit far :) Would of been classic to see your face though!
At least you know for next time now :)
I have no doubt your tan will be better than mine but since i was going for pasty aberdeen tan i think i'm doing ok. New dwelling sounds rather rustic, hope you got to move on quite soon from there. Enjoy the beers, sounds like your earning them.
Timmy
July 24th 2008 - Bride to be!: late to comment!
Hello - sorry my comment is a little belated (work, work, work!!). Yikes is all I can say about the crazy caterpillar! and also 'hehehehe!' Just spoke to Dad and he says you called last night and are now somewhere a little less remote...maybe a good thing? can't wait to hear more.
this summer really is flying by. we're back at M&D's on Saturday - to see Nanny, celebrate T's birthday and visit a wedding photographer (every weekend has a little flavour of wedding at the moment!) - at least I don't have to stand around in my pants at the photographers!!!!
hope you get some more days off soon and watch out for those creepy crawlies!!
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