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Life in Africa, and particularly in Mogadishu, has always been a bit of a balancing act......
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Heading out today. Have been interestedly watching the ash-cloud circling the southern hemisphere. Looks like I am going to be able to sneak in between it all.
Can anybody do anything about warming the temperature up in Melbourne??
Can anybody do anything about warming the temperature up in Melbourne??[/QUOTE]
Sorry..... No...(climate change you know:angel:) It's pretty cold here near Sydney as well.
However, I'm sure you will find great warmth and joy just being with your family:)
Enjoy your break mate.
Erich
I assume you have the family with you... enjoy!!
Thanks again for the enjoyable and very informative thread!!
If you are coming towards ADELAIDE I reckon a lot of us would like to meet somewhere for dinner maybe?... anyway no matter what, enjoy your break.
Digger
It is a long way there, and 'bejesus' it was cold!!! But, the love and warmth of the time with the Missus and kids stays with me forever.
Got the Landy down off the stands and drove it whenever I could. Did a repeat trip, loaded the kids in the back and took a drive up to Lake Mountain. It was 'bbb-loody' cold, there wasn't a lot of snow, but we were together. The best bit was sitting in the restaurant coffeeing and just chatting, altogether.
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Stopped off to hire some gear:
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The forests are still recovering since 2009:
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Up on the mountain:
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The best place to carry the sleds:
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Yes...me failing all the principles of camouflage:
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Coffee'ing:
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Packing up and then home:
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Then back to Mogadishu. We are certainly seeing the effect of the growing humanitarian disaster of the drought here in Mogadishu, with growing numbers of IDP's (internally displaced personnel). The camps are growing, there is support on the way, but it is hard.
I had a job to do at the nearby TFG Training Base. One very pleasant part of the job was taking a look at the efforts of some really good people who have set up a school, starting with some space in a old wrecked factory. I believe the kids are all family from the TFG military in the locality. Funding is comimg from a few different sources, including from individual donations made by the AMISOM personnel.
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We had to visit each class and each class went through a little ceremony of greeting, singing and clapping. As cute as....kids are so innocent:
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This class was studying camels, important in Somalia:
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There were classes in different languages. One class was studying English, one Arabic, and Somali, of course. It was interesting to hear, when I told them I was from Australia that, in Somali, to say 'Australia' (spelling in Somali?) is to say....'the last word'.
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It was a really heart-warming visit. As I said above, these kids are all so innocent of what is happening in their world. How much difference can some education make? At least these kids aren't carrying AK47's. Let us hope.
Thanks for sharing BBC.. your family look like they had a fun day in the snow and I am sure they all would have relished having you home with them.
You do well to fit everyone into your SWB:D
And yes, the children at the school must be so appreciative of the assistance they are getting. We tend to take so much for granted here, don't we.
Your family in Melbourne must be so very proud of what you do; and I am positive all on this Forum also admire you for the job you are doing in very difficult circumstances.
Your posts are fascinating reading.
Thank you
What a crazy world we all live in.
Something I had not related previously, I had taken my leave on the premise that I was to be returning and renewing contract until the end of the year. I work for UNSOA Engineering and the new Chief Engr let me go on leave without consulting his intentions and when I returned (after paying for my flights there and back), I found that he wanted to only extend me by 6 weeks. Reason... he wanted to replace me with some of his mates from New York.
Unbeknownst him, his boss, the Chief of Tech Services, was on leave and staying with my mate up in Dubai...and...what is a network if you don't use it?
Anyway, the Chief Engr bled a little and I have now been taken on in a new role as the in-country Project Coordinator for the Chief of Tech Services. Let us see how it all pans out. I don't think the Chief Engr will be so wanton to get rid of us Intl Consultants in such a flippant and uncaring manner in the future.
Maybe some of you have heard that early last week Al Shabaab upstakes and left Mogadishu. Personally, I think that they were finding that fighting in an almost conventional role was just too...$$...and just like how their patrons (Al Qaeda) are in Afghanistan, they have chosen now to become asymmetric. Now, everything is a little more uncertain, who knows what will happen?
We do know that there is increasing pressure being put onto Mogadishu with the inward movement of more and more people being displaced by the drought. So many desperate and wanting people. So many people living so close, in the most primitive of conditions. The endemic health risks are increasing with malaria, dengue, measles, cholera, et al.
In the mean time, we are all waiting to see what it will mean politically now that the TFG no longer have a standing opposition, we will wait see what fills the vacuum.
The lions are still here, and they certainly ain't getting smaller:
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and we have a new resident...Bertus, the Tortoise. Does anyone know how to tell the age of a tortoise; besides cutting his shell off?
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I havent seen your posts for some time,must look back to see what I have missed.
Loved your Aussie Pics,MATE YOUR MOB IS A HAPPY MOB:cool::cool::cool::cool:
Cheers
Andrew
G’day All,
Plenty been going on over in this neck of the woods.
Just got back from a bit of time out in Nairobi. The weather was almost cool with some rain just on desk each evening. The Muslim Eid was being celebrated the day I flew into Nairobi. There are a significant number of Muslims in Kenya, mainly Somalis, and they were all out celebrating the end of their Ramadam. It was really wonderful to be out and in amongst so many people who were enjoying themselves.
Was having coffee on a balcony the other day and this pulled up and parked in front of me. Is that a viewing hatch, a Land Rover sun-roof or, a bit of both?
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Had a longer than normal time out as there was a political conference that was held over three days, between the Transitional Federal Govt, the African Union, and the international community to discuss and generate the Somali Development Road Map. We had to vacate to free up accommodation.
By all accounts, it was successful and we can only wait and see whether the TFG can be accepted by the people as being a legitimate government.
Thankfully, there were no attacks made. Al Shabaab had made an attack on a TFG Police complex with two VBIEDs the week before. Besides that though, they seem to have let go of Mogadishu.
The town, and you mob have seen how bashed and decrepit it is, is straining under the weight of the drought refugees. The immediate concern now , is to get water and food into the camps and try to control their waste to prevent disease. Already, measles have been taking many kids, a bout of cholera would make a difficult situation into a catastrophe.
There has been considerable food aid coming in, and rightfully so, much has been coming from the Muslim nations. Turkey has been leading. Multiple IL76’s flying in daily. Our efforts in repairing & patching the runway by night have been important. During the conference there was a visit made by an Arab dignitary, he came in with his sons and all their wives. He brought in $20millionUSD with him…can you imagine?
AusAid are also lining up. While I was out in Nairobi I was called to attend a meeting with someone called Paul Keating, who was there from AusAid No..it was not that one. Also connected up with the Australian Defence Attache for the African Union, he and the High Commissioner will be paying a visit in the near future. So, things are getting busier.
Yesterday, we were told that we should be expecting extensions of our contracts past Dec 11. Ever since I have been here, the longest term I have had to deal with has been 6mths....the tenuous existence of being a contractor. Always looking for the next best thing.
Then, this morning, someone e-mailed me from Papua New Guinea asking if I might be available to take up a job there…interesting, a 3yr contract.
Then, at 1000h I received a phone call from someone who asked if I would go back and work in a place I had been working in before….on a 2yr plus 1, plus 1 contract…decisions, decisions, decisions.
Good prospects, have to weigh them up.
P.S. The lion cubs have left. Boxed up and flown down to somewhere in South Africa.
thanks again for yet another update BB
the work you are doing is important - stay safe
btw - PNG doesn't seem to be improving
Photos from yesterday...soft ground and inexperienced operators that insist on seeing where they are driving, instead of getting a guide...anyway:
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