Tasikoki- first 2 weeks!

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Firstly, sorry it's taken me so long to write something! The Internet at Tasikoki hasnt been very reliable!

I'll try to start at the start:

I was alittle nervous about arriving into Indonesian customs carrying all of those medical supplies, but there was no problem at all and they sent me straight through. I had two people from the centre meet me. I was very glad of that because as soon as we step out of the airport terminal there was a sea of faces staring at me! My driver Antony helped me get an Indonesian sim card and credit so that I could let Tris know I arrived ok. I also sent Dad a txt which he received but didn't tell Mum about!

It was about an hour and a half drive from the airport down winding roads with crazy overtaking and generally whatnew might call unsafe driving but I've come to accept as just being S.E Asian driving.

I arrived at the centre to find alot more people then I expected. I thought there might be 10 or so people but at that time there was over 20! It was unseasonable hot, sticky and there was no breeze on my first night there. To make matters worse the bed that I was in had no fan or mosquito net! The first couple of nights were very hard to sleep! The accommodation is very basic with 3 bedrooms with about 8-10 bunk beds on each room. There a 4 showers and 2 toilets but no hot water and no flushing toilet paper down the toilet. All of our meals are provided at set times. The food is vegitarian but most of it is vey good. Our house is at the top of a huge hill and we walk up it 3 times a day so I am getting fitter but not loving the hill!

There is over 100 animals under my care. There has been another vet nurse heshe helping me but she leaves on Saturday. On my second day here we during daily rounds we found Ginger, a long tail macaque, collapsed in here enclosure. We attempted to treat her but she passed away that afternoon. We were asked to proform an autoposy in a small room wearing face masks, gowns and gloves, it stank and at one point i tjought i was going to pass out. Very unpleasant. Since then nothing any where near as dramatic has occurred.

Half way into the first week and 2 peoplehere have been diagnosed with Typhoid and 7 with Dengy! At this point I was wondering what I was doing here!!:) but 2 of the other girls were planning a short trip to Banacan. A snorkelling and diving hot spot do I decided to go along. It was beautiful and the snorkeling was amazing! I saw parrot fish, cuttlefish, clown fish, and a host of other colorful fish that was a welcome break from 5.30am starts and bunk bed communal living!

We get one day off per week so last night I came to stay at a resort callEd Kungkungan about 45min away from the centre.It's is very nice here and I am going to get a Masage and a pedicure before heading home to tasikoki today.

Well that's all for now. I have much more to write but will do so at another time!!

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