Jambo!!!

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Hello!
I know I said I'd write more often but I feel like I've been dead busy. Looking back on it though, haven't really done much! I guess I'm just lazy!

Last Last Thursday we went to Prison Island. Its called Prison sland because the Zanzibarians started to build a prison there. When it was finished, however, there was a massive outbreak of cholera on the mainland so the building was used as a quarantine facility for people showing symptoms coming across to the islands. Now the building is a very expensive restaurant but the island is also home to a giant tortoise sanctury. The giant tortoises were brought over to the island from the Seychelles in return for some Zanzibari fauna. The Seychelles is the only place where these tortoises live in the wild because people have poached them for their shells. I think to say they are giant is an understatement....there was one fella that was about twice the size of me!!!! The island also had a really nice beach so we sunbathed for a bit before our boat driver took us to a reef just off the island where we could go snorkeling...I can't really describe how amazing this snorkeling was to you guys but I was simply blown away! One of the girls who came with us has been snorkeling in the barrier reef and she said that it definately compares! Saw loads of nemo's family, starfish, sea urchins and other fish of every colour and shape imagineable...it really took my breath away! To make things better, in the afternoon we all went to Paje, a village on the South East coast and I know I've said the beaches on this island are amazing but this was just something else! White sands, crystal clear water...simply beautiful! We stayed in a hotel owned by a Sweedish couple and aparently that evening was a Sweedish holiday where they celebrate the end of winter and the beginning of spring so they had a big bonfire on the beach. We brought our own alcohol down and joined their celebration. Some of the guys stayed up til sunrise but most of us went to bed then got up at 5.30 to watch it...we weren't disappointed...as we were on the east coast, the sun rose over the sea and it was simply spectacular!

It was a really nice day that day so we stayed on the beach and went in the sea. Some of us walked out to the seaweed farms in the sea...it was really weird to see perfect square patches of seaweed planted in rows! We came back about 6pm for a bbq. We were supposed to be having a house party but everyone was pretty tired from the night before so it wasn't as crazy as the previous ones have been. One of the lads was flying out at 6 though so some of us stayed up til 4 to see him off.

The next day was really sad. Suzie and Becky, who have been sharing a room with me and Tor, were leaving. Suzie wasn't very well but I went into town in the morning with Becky for some last minute shopping! They left about 2pm and I think everyone who had been here for a substantial period of time cried cos they were lovely people. The afternoon and evening were a bit subdued...we were still a bit tired from the previous nights but the house also felt a lot quieter...especially our room. We had an early night then woke up to poaring rain on Sunday...I don't know what it is about this place but it always seems to rain on weekends!!! We went to the hotel across the road for the afternoon then went to a chinese in town for dinner...we ordered about 5 dishes to share between us and they were all yummy!!! :o)

Monday I woke up to go to the hospital but had pretty bad stomach cramps so I just went back to bed and spent the rest of the day feeling sorry for myself!

I went into the hospital on Tuesday though and up to the orthopaedic ward. it is so frustrating because i have to be referred a patient to see them on the ward and there are patients with AC joint sprains, hip dislocations, humeral fractures etc that could all benefit from some physio imput but the doctors don't seem to think that they need it! All I have been referred is a couple of amputations. I told the medics on the general medcine ward to let me know if they had any patients that I could see and they said that on their ward round they had a lady with back pain and sciatica, however, the consultant on the ward said she didn't need physio as her back pain was caused by hypertension!!!!! Sorry I know if you're not from a medical field you won't get that rediculous diagnosis but let me tell you, its stupid! Its just so frustrating because I could do so much good in that hospital but they just won't let me!

In the evening we all went into town to watch the Champions League semi. We went to a nice little bar/restaurant and I had a yummy pizza!!! We left after Man U went 3-0 up though cos there was no point in staying and since we're 2 hours ahead of England, it was coming up to midnight!

Spend the morning on Wednesday dealing with more stupid diagnoses...had a 13 yr old girl with hemi symptoms (probably with CP) with a diagnosis of spina bifida and a guy come to see me with spondylolysthesis and a referal to physio for vertebral minipulation! So frustrating!!! Did what I could though but left the hospital in a bad mood! Went to the internet cafe to check my e-mails then just chilled on the beach. I think my tan is coming along nicely now but I still feel white compared to some people here!

Thursday after the hospital we went to Bawe Island. The guy who took us to Prison Island said that this Island was even better for snorkeling. We hired a boat and headed out there with all our snorkeling gear but truthfully it was a bit of a let down...the tide was higher so we were further away from the coral and there were a rediculous amount of jellyfish! I got stung so much that I was fed up after 15 minutes and got out to sunbathe on the boat!

In the evening we had a bbq and house party because it was Maya's last night. We didn't have high expectations for this party as there were only 7 of us but it was actually one of the best ones we've had...I guess when you're not expecting to have lots of fun, it always makes it better when you do!

On Friday we went into Town for pizza and ice-cream!!! I don't know whats wrong with me at the moment but I haven't really been eating so I couldn't enjoy my pizza too much cos I felt full after 2 slices! When we came home, 3 new girls had come and they are staying in our room. They're all friends from cumbria studying nursing. Tor and I were a little bit apprehensive before they came because we knew they all knew each other and we were hoping that they would join in our group activities...it became pretty obvious after a few hours however that they weren't going to. They didn't really introduce themselves to anyone and when we invited them to come across the road for a drink at the hotel they declined.

Saturday started off badly...it was raining and the new girls in our room got up super early making a racket! They also queued for the bathroom taking forever so Tor and I had to come out and use someone else's to use the toilet! When there were 4 of us in that room we always asked if anyone needed to use the toilet before we had a shower but I guess they didn't really think about it.

Karl left just after lunch, which was quite sad cos he was my football buddy and the boy in the house! A couple of hours later though Rahul came so we had another boy again! In the evening we went out for a few drinks in town...one of the girls got a phone call from our friend in Kendwa who was at the full moon party asking us to come up...2 of them went and Rahul, Tor, Katy and me stayed in town and went to a local club called Bawani. It was on the roof of a hotel and there was a massive swimming pool in the middle of it with no water! It was super dangerous cos the pool had to be at least 10 feet deep and it was only protected by a rope around the outside! Anyway we played pool for most of the night and came back to the house slightly inebriated. We then decided it would be a good idea to gatecrash the party at the hotel across the road...so we did! Everyone there was dead nice and we had a really good night!

Sunday was lala day again...Everyone who went out the night before felt really rough so we just chilled in the house feeling sorry for ourselves! We did make it out in the evening though to a really nice italian restaurant in town...we managed to persuade the nurses to come along too, although they all sat at one end of the table and talked amongst themselves!

On Monday I went into the hospital but we only had a few patients so I was done by 10! Went into town and had lunch with the others. When we came back I went on the internet to construct a quiz because it was decided that the best way to integrate old and new people (and split up the nurses) was to have a quiz night! It was actually really good and we had a good mix of old and new people in teams...it was also a good way to spend an evening and I think everyone appreciated me doing it.

Yesterday I decided not to go into the hospital. It was a lovely day and we just chilled on the beach. i felt like my tan was fading after 3 days of cloud and rain but I think I'm slowly getting it back again! In the evening we got some wine and chilled on the balcony getting to know each other.

That brings me to today...its nice weather so I should be on the beach instead of writing this but I figured it was overdue! Hope you enjoyed it anyway! Sorry its so long again!

Right I'm off to sunbathe but I hope everyone is ok...let me know your gossip!

Miss you all loads and I'll see you soon

Lots of love

Jane xxxxxx

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