The ABCs of Another Steppe Into Adventure!- Last Africa Ch. + World Showcase Pt. 2

[Steppesister]

She's a tad bit better but still not well. I'm still fighting. My voice was raspy when i woke up, so i took more Vitamin C.

Keep at it! Lots of fluids and plenty of rest. Give Fran a hug for me.

Between her browsing the shops and potty breaks, it gives me ample time to jot down a few notes in my Google doc on my phone. Then on the busses too. If we both have scooters we are seated "in line" she can't hear me (need to get her ears checked, mine too) so we just play on our phones and tablets.

That makes sense. I have used bus time in the past to do the very same thing.

Well Casey Jr, most of the rides in toontown.

I have ridden Casey Jr. Cute! And the cute coaster too. Not even sure I know what else is there.

Too much work for me!

LOL! It would be. And with the FiP system, even more so!

Interesting that this was a dream of yours. By the end of this chapter, you've described something which rivals my worst nightmares!

Definitely not everyone's cup of tea.

It's amazing how different conditions are there.

So very much so!

How many vehicles were in your convoy.

I believe there were 6 cars plus the truck.

Ugh. Did the whole convoy stop or did you have to catch up?

They just drove on. Ahmed was NOT happy.

I would too, but for different reasons. It would give me the heebie jeebies.

Really? Built of mud with thatch on top. Dirt floor. They do keep the rain off.

And my sight grew dim

There she stood in the doorway.
I heard the mission bell
I eas thinking to myself the could be heaven or this could be....

No?

Oh most definitely.

Well I'm glad you got to hear that!

Me too!!! And guess what? LOTS more to come!

I would have been totally caught off guard.

It was something that brought up a lot of emotions. Fascination, sadness, curiosity, joy....

Wow! Id be thinking put me to bed, but I do understand the need to participate.

They were definitely making it clear we were the "main attraction". There was simply no way out.

OK. There it is. Not. Going. To. Africa.

I DON'T do bugs.

I can handle bugs okay. Spiders? NO. WAY. JOSE!!

 

[Steppesister]

Lots of replies here... going to take it in chunks.

This is the chapter that I've been waiting for! This and the ones to follow.

well........ I've been waiting for all of them, but especially these ones.

I'm happy I've gotten to this point to. There's some really cool stuff coming up and neat pictures.

How long ago was that?

Around 1998?? ish? We went to a Missions Conference in Urbana, IL around then, and by 1999, we had gone through our Agency's trainings in Orlando. I remember because we spent NYE of the Millennuim at Laughlin, NV on the way there. So yeah, 1997 or 8...

Wow. I don't know if I could do that. I really doubt it. Just... too much stuff now.

It's easier when younger or older, but not middle-aged with teens. In fact, many of the bigger agencies will not send families with teens out. Too much trauma to those kids and they tend to get "messed up".

So why or how did you wind up in Kazakhstan instead?

The couple in Senegal ended up divorcing before we were ready to go, and after scoping out loads of Teams, and even sending agencies, it just made sense to go there where the need was so great.

Oh boy! Just how excited were you at this point?
Or was that tempered by annoyance from the delays?

Super. I had learned to just go with the flow (and pack my own food) and succomb to the circumstances. I was so happy to get to see things that were so wholly exotic and new and was happy to let the team politics and irritations play out.

Oh! I didn't know you were doing that too. I thought it was strictly medical supplies. That's a nice touch.
Did you bring other things besides rice and medical supplies?

Yes, they had a clothing drive in the DC/Maryland area and all of those clothes were on the pre-shipped cargo container that made it juuuuuuust in time. Food, clothes, medical supplies were mainly it. They did ship over a tractor a month or so ago in time for tilling the acreage the NGO purchased- that was pretty exciting!

I was really glad to read further on that that wasn't foreshadowing. How terrible it would have been if... "Here's your rice. Sorry it's ruined! Maybe in a few years when we do this again, we'll tie the tarp down."

Me too. I was more worried about the medical supplies that had already been abused and compromised though!

That surprises me. That even the locals were getting irritated. I was kinda under the impression that delays and delaying were kind of a way of life for them.

Partly it was because, remember, at least 2 have lived in the States for years and know how things can be with some foresight and planning. At least one of the Freetown office staff has traveled extensively so has something to compare with. The length of the upcoming travel was pressing the need to be better at planning.

They do that here for funeral convoys. Do they do that where you are, too?

Yes, they do. I've not really seen it for other uses other than military.

Oh?

Maybe in like 3 or 4 more chapters??

"Stay together" "Yes sir!" zoom!!!! "Later gator!"

Picture 8 people in a van traveling from central Canada to the west coast and back via Yellowstone.... in the summer.... with no AC.

Been there. Done that.

Oh! Story time!! Yay!!

Gorgeous and.... certainly demonstrates just how humid it was.

It was one of my favorite shots. I may post a Top 10 at the end of this saga just for fun.

Really! I had no idea they did that! How long ago did that happen?

It was still in the process of being constructed, but perhaps it was in "exchange" for them overfishing the waters and raping the land of the bauxite and other minerals.

Discovered it? He hadn't noticed when he was driving? I take it that it wasn't completely flat, then, just going down?

I think it was a slow leak and needed to be fixed by the time we got gas an hour into our trip.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

After 5 days, the work in the city had come to a close, and now it was time to leave that behind for a time and take the eastbound highway toward the interior jungles of Sierra Leone.

(cue Indiana Jones music)

The supplies we’d labored over packing the day before were in the final stages of being loaded onto an open-air truck and, as the last 50 lb. sacks of rice were hefted in, the tarp was hastily folded under the load… enough to keep it from flying away, but probably not good enough to keep the precious cargo from getting wet should it rain.

Um...that sounds bad.

The convoy lasted approximately 2 miles. We never saw the truck again until we reached the village and there was no small amount of praying for it as it left our sight.

2 miles! Wow, that's a serious convoy.

The highway eventually became a brand new paved, striped, modern roadway recently built by the Chinese. Perhaps the tolls that were collected at many points along the way will keep it nice. Then again, given our experience at the Port Authority, I’m more than a little skeptical.

Gotta wonder who gets that money. I wonder if the Chinese get a cut...

As the car drove off, I realized that my camera was in it (of course it was)

About twilight, Rebekah noticed this cloud formation building and remarked it looked like Barney Rubble.

I can...kinda see it.

It was enough, however, to completely destroy the convoy placards that were on the windshields where the wipers obliterated them.

D'oh.

Cars were passing with dangerously too little distance between, there was no speed limit, no painted stripes, no guard rail....

And no one ever complained about American highways ever again!

(ahem)

She was also kind enough to allow us to use the toilet in her home. It’s amazing what one is willing to use when one’s eyeballs are floating.

Sounds a lot like Oklahoma.

You know the kind of bumping that you get on the Safari ride at Disney? It was absolutely every bit of that and more. The red mud, the deep ruts and holes. I’m telling you!!!! It’s JUST like that!!!

I'm glad to see the attention to detail still matters!

What I didn’t say before was, at one particularly poignant moment, he, with tears in his eyes, said, “Liesa, tonight I’m going to sleep with my father.” I knew he meant that tonight he was “coming home” to pay his respects and truly grieve. That he would come back to his roots and re-visit some memories that were distant. I was touched that he would allow me into his reverie and share in this significant event about to pass.

Sounds like a beautiful, powerful moment and evening.

“Ahmed has returned to us our son and brother. He did not come only with life, but he brought 3 white people with him to show that there is Light in their village that night. White people, you are really welcome!”

I truly do not know what the deeper meanings and significances are there, but I will take it for face value and believe that we were welcome in their village and for our part, we were truly honored to be there as guests.

It's a blessing for them to welcome you like that!

In that moment, every minute of feeling like crap, the hard work of preparing for the trip, the heat, the malaria pills, the hunger…. It was all worth it.

Yes, that is the singular use of the word. One double-sized bed for 3 exhausted women.

I was far more… concerned, however, about the cockroaches in the bed. Not big ones like you’d see in Florida, but the little bitty ones. The bigger ones were on the floor with the mice. To be completely honest, while I was somewhat grossed out, that is not what kept me up all night. Remember those parades we drove through the day before for the ending of the school term? It was the last day of school for everyone in the whole country, including Mayola. And it was party time. Remember when I said they like to play their music loud. End of school, loud music, all mean an all-night rave next door. I did not sleep one minute all night long. I might have dozed from 5-6, but we had to be up at 6 to start our next day. The music muffled any sounds of the roaches and mice, but it also muffled the sound of my occasional crying at being utterly exhausted with no hope of sleep.

Oh, man. That's brutal. I know what I'm like when I get no sleep and...it ain't pretty.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

I had missed the update on Abu, and I'm sorry to see he lost his eye. I'm thankful the swelling has gone down and praying that he can continue to get the treatment he needs. Is his gofundme page still active?

 

[MeghanEmily]

We never saw the truck again until we reached the village and there was no small amount of praying for it as it left our sight.

That sounds stressful!

As the car drove off, I realized that my camera was in it (of course it was) and I chuckled to myself that this was just like California, but not.

Tehehe, I thought of this as well. You and that poor camera definitely seem to struggle with your long-distance relationship~

Rebekah noticed this cloud formation building and remarked it looked like Barney Rubble.

Though you're right, I can't seem to find Barney in the picture you took.

It was on this highway, past the new Chinese section that I literally feared for my life. Cars were passing with dangerously too little distance between, there was no speed limit, no painted stripes, no guard rail....

Terrifying! Speaking of "Chinese," that's how we felt whenever we rode in a taxi in Beijing! Though I seem to remember there at least being lines on the road, and a suggestion of a speed limit.

I cannot lie when my first grass hut sighting made my heart skip a beat.

This.

This was the Africa I had come to see.

Wow! I can only imagine how it felt to see this!

You know the kind of bumping that you get on the Safari ride at Disney? It was absolutely every bit of that and more. The red mud, the deep ruts and holes. I’m telling you!!!! It’s JUST like that!!!

Well...I guess I can commend Disney on their accuracy.

45 minutes later, we came to “our” village, Mayola. The cars stopped at a home where a HUGE gathering of villagers was singing a welcome song. Ho-leeeee cow!!! A HUGE long-time bucket list item was now happening; hearing native Africans singing an acapella song of jubilee IN Africa. Well, it was a welcome song, but it was also one of lament. We all piled out and were escorted to the porch of the home of Ahmed’s grandmother. She was sitting on a rough plank bench wailing. Weeping with long, gut-wrenching sobs, wailing, crying. Someone showed us where to sit while Ahmed embraced his grandmother and cried with her. I felt like an intruder into a very intimate moment. To an American who is not used to loud, outward displays of grief in public, it was admittedly awkward. Not nearly as awkward as it might have been had we not seen plenty of it in Crapistan, but still it’d been a long time since we’d been part of a funeral where open, public grief is expected. All the while, the crowd continued to sing.

Oh my goodness! What an emotional scene!

I was far more… concerned, however, about the cockroaches in the bed. Not big ones like you’d see in Florida, but the little bitty ones. The bigger ones were on the floor with the mice. To be completely honest, while I was somewhat grossed out, that is not what kept me up all night. Remember those parades we drove through the day before for the ending of the school term? It was the last day of school for everyone in the whole country, including Mayola. And it was party time. Remember when I said they like to play their music loud. End of school, loud music, all mean an all-night rave next door. I did not sleep one minute all night long. I might have dozed from 5-6, but we had to be up at 6 to start our next day. The music muffled any sounds of the roaches and mice, but it also muffled the sound of my occasional crying at being utterly exhausted with no hope of sleep.

Holy cow...what a rough night...and to think, I tear my hotel room apart whenever I arrive somewhere on a hunt for bedbugs. "First world problems" I guess! I'm sure I would have dissolved into tears at points here, too. I don't function well without sleeping, and I can imagine how draining this whole couple of days had been for you all.

 

[pkondz]

Lots of replies here... going to take it in chunks.

Just don't blow chunks.

I'm happy I've gotten to this point to. There's some really cool stuff coming up and neat pictures.

I can't wait! Really!

Around 1998?? ish? We went to a Missions Conference in Urbana, IL around then, and by 1999, we had gone through our Agency's trainings in Orlando. I remember because we spent NYE of the Millennuim at Laughlin, NV on the way there. So yeah, 1997 or 8...

Got it. So it was a fair bit ago.

It's easier when younger or older, but not middle-aged with teens. In fact, many of the bigger agencies will not send families with teens out. Too much trauma to those kids and they tend to get "messed up".

Huh. Interesting. I hadn't thought about that.

The couple in Senegal ended up divorcing before we were ready to go, and after scoping out loads of Teams, and even sending agencies, it just made sense to go there where the need was so great.

Hmm... Why did the couple divorcing affect where you would go?

Super. I had learned to just go with the flow (and pack my own food) and succomb to the circumstances. I was so happy to get to see things that were so wholly exotic and new and was happy to let the team politics and irritations play out.

Good for you!

Yes, they had a clothing drive in the DC/Maryland area and all of those clothes were on the pre-shipped cargo container that made it juuuuuuust in time. Food, clothes, medical supplies were mainly it. They did ship over a tractor a month or so ago in time for tilling the acreage the NGO purchased- that was pretty exciting!

Oh! And... a tractor! That's pretty amazing!

Me too. I was more worried about the medical supplies that had already been abused and compromised though!

Oh! I was thinking they'd be shrink wrapped and therefore impervious to rain.

Partly it was because, remember, at least 2 have lived in the States for years and know how things can be with some foresight and planning. At least one of the Freetown office staff has traveled extensively so has something to compare with. The length of the upcoming travel was pressing the need to be better at planning.

Gotcha.

Yes, they do. I've not really seen it for other uses other than military.

Hmmm.... Don't know if I've ever seen a military convoy...

Oh! Story time!! Yay!!

Nah. Not much to tell. Long time ago. I was... 8?

It was one of my favorite shots. I may post a Top 10 at the end of this saga just for fun.

That'd be interesting.
I wonder if your top 10 would match ours?

It was still in the process of being constructed, but perhaps it was in "exchange" for them overfishing the waters and raping the land of the bauxite and other minerals.

Oh! And.... oh...

I think it was a slow leak and needed to be fixed by the time we got gas an hour into our trip.

Okay, understood.

 

[krnelson65]

So far, so good...?

Yes, just waiting on a cooling laptop tray to be delivered. And to have time to actually play on it.

Kim

 

[Steppesister]

Wait... the employee drove off with the tire going down... or they took the tire off and they put it in another car?

Yes, like that. It wasn't far, so I guess he figured it was okay?

No! You didn't!!!

Who took all these shots? I thought they were you, but.... no camera (in car) and... I see you're in this one.

Those were taken by one of the Freetown staff and I pulled them off of WhatsApp.

Sounds like they did a really good job of repairing that tire.

Oh, the tire was fine.

Hmmm... "fixed" in quotations.... More problems later?

We shall see....

Nope. But I've already posted that.

Actually I was surprised she'd think of Barney Rubble. I would've thought she was too young for that connection.

My kids grew up with Classic Looney tunes as we could get pirated copies overseas.

They... they.... were on the outside????

Yep. Like I said, nice touch, even if a bit ill-thought out.

I'm familiar with that. Very. Almost died myself a few times under very similar circumstances.

Highways can be scary! I doubt there'd be a LifeFlight coming anytime soon in SL.

Gorgeous shot!!!

Thanks, might be in my Top 10.

Wow.
I'm guessing you were thrilled by that.

Very!

I think mine would too. That's only on TV!

I know!!! I thought so too, but I was living it!

Did she light up a candle and show you the way to the bathroom?

Flashlight. Er, I think I lit up my Cell phone.

Hmmm... Do you think that was necessary? Or did you guys pay for that "escort"? i.e. was it graft? Or custom?

Possibly. I think there may have been some concern of unrest given that there's be over 1,000 people the next day. Just precaution I think, and a nice gesture.

Guess you can't really say mean things about someone who lets you use their facilities.

Correct. If she hadn't have, I'd have used her driveway.

Oh, crap.

But... then you write about the last bit of travel. How did you get the car going? Had jumper cables along? Or?

Someone did, yes. It may have been one of the local cop cars??

It may have been uncomfortable at the time, but.... you really had an adventure, Liesa!

The adventure of a lifetime. I think I was more excited about this than seeing yurts and camels for the first time.

 

[Steppesister]

This is so cool. We're talking National Geographic stuff here, folks.

\

It was! I mean, I as a kid, remember seeing stuff like this in Nat'l Geo and thinking, Ok, that's cool! I wanna see stuff like that. And had NO idea it STILL existed in 21st Century Earth.

That is indeed a very heartfelt and special moment.

I was privileged to get to be part of it.

Ahhh.... tempered with mourning. And yet... still such an incredible experience.

I think even the harder stuff of life is worth experiencing. It makes us know we're alive to have feelings.

Yes, I can understand that... and you can see it too.
I rewound part of the accompanying video a few times where you are visible.
You are sitting with your head respectfully (and yet a bit self-consciously) down and when that child comes to sit beside you, you look up and give a small respectful, yet welcoming smile.

The video itself is quite something. Very far from my experience... and fascinating and wonderful at the same time.

I'm glad to have that video as part of the memory.

You must've been so tired.

soooo tired!

Which... I'm betting was absolutely wonderful. You hardly ate anything at all that day it seems.

I hadn't! Spam never tasted so great!

Was it a North American style toilet?

Yep. Well, except you still had to pour water to "flush".

Totally foreign to me, but I have heard of the term. I have no idea (other than villages in Sierra Leone) where that might still be done, however.

It was done in the villages of Central Asia too. Pretty common in fact.

Eep! And yet... I'm thinking much better than most of what the villagers have?

Oh yes, for sure!

Oh, geez.... this is just... heart breaking.

I'm so sorry, Liesa. I just feel.... awful for you.




Despite the sad finish... I am very much looking forward to hearing of the upcoming days.

But... was that what you meant when you posted this?:

I was an exhuasting trip, but worth it. And yes, sleep deprivation can do bad things to our perspective and outlook and behavior.

 

[Steppesister]

I had to break out the tissues for the update on the poor child who had to have his eye removed and then for your latest update as well. Any posts that I want to make seem so trivial and not quite what I would like to say. I've started sentence after sentence only to go back and erase them and try to start over. I can only say that I am glad that your dream of helping others in Africa have truly come true. Even if that meant that you were in an awkward situation and totally exhausted at the end of the day. See, even that doesn't sound quite right so I guess I'll just leave it at that and hope that you know what I am trying to say.

I know this is not your typical feely-good TR with some parts that are hard to read. I have lost many readers I think due to that, but it's a tale I still want to tell to whoever will be interested in listening. Not all of life is unicorns and roses. It was, though, so rewarding and good despite how hard parts of this trip was. But, on that note, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for commenting and being part of this with me. Without the comments I have no way of knowing if anyone is even reading or if it's worth the effort of writing. I may go back someday; I may not. I'd like to visit Abu if nothing else. I absolutely do know what you're trying to say and it's good to know that someone understands.

 

[Steppesister]

(cue Indiana Jones music)

If there was ever a great place to hide the Ark this would be it! Now, where's my whip? (OH, right. I gave that to Tim.)

2 miles! Wow, that's a serious convoy.

It was for about 10,000 ft. Yes.

Gotta wonder who gets that money. I wonder if the Chinese get a cut...

That is something perhaps very few will ever really know the truth about.

I can...kinda see it.

Looks a whole lot more like PK's dog.

And no one ever complained about American highways ever again!

(ahem)

Oh. Sorry.

Sounds a lot like Oklahoma.

Some places are useful like that.

I'm glad to see the attention to detail still matters!

From the stories and sketches and whatnot from Tiffins and the Nomad, the research was authentic as well as how well they executed it all.

Sounds like a beautiful, powerful moment and evening.

Very.

It's a blessing for them to welcome you like that!

I was touched beyond measure. A moment I'll not soon forget.

Oh, man. That's brutal. I know what I'm like when I get no sleep and...it ain't pretty.

I vascilated between grumpy and at times sullen. I tried my best to keep myself together with varying degrees of success.

I had missed the update on Abu, and I'm sorry to see he lost his eye. I'm thankful the swelling has gone down and praying that he can continue to get the treatment he needs. Is his gofundme page still active?

We are trying to keep the funds going for him and there is hope enough will be raised for a prosthetic eye.

https://www.facebook.com/Abu-Mansaray-from-Sierra-Leone-138356173638887/

No clue if he'll ever find curing, but he's got an extension and new lease for now. We just keep doing what we can and go from there.

 

[Steppesister]

That sounds stressful!

It was!

Tehehe, I thought of this as well. You and that poor camera definitely seem to struggle with your long-distance relationship~

LOL!!! It's almost funny in a ridiculous way.

Though you're right, I can't seem to find Barney in the picture you took.

Yes, by the time I took the photo it had morphed into PK's dog. That was not the last time we'd see looming weather.....

Terrifying! Speaking of "Chinese," that's how we felt whenever we rode in a taxi in Beijing! Though I seem to remember there at least being lines on the road, and a suggestion of a speed limit.

taxis are like that all over the world. Been in some crazy ones before- the worst being on a highway between Almaty and Bishkek.

Wow! I can only imagine how it felt to see this!

Amazing! Wondrous!

Well...I guess I can commend Disney on their accuracy.

Disney goes well above and beyond. I really like that about the parks!

Oh my goodness! What an emotional scene!

Almost overwhelming in some ways.

Holy cow...what a rough night...and to think, I tear my hotel room apart whenever I arrive somewhere on a hunt for bedbugs. "First world problems" I guess! I'm sure I would have dissolved into tears at points here, too. I don't function well without sleeping, and I can imagine how draining this whole couple of days had been for you all.

I don't think anyone does stellarly without enough. Just keeping it real.

 

[Steppesister]

Just don't blow chunks.

Amazingly, I didn't get stomach sick even once.

Got it. So it was a fair bit ago.

A lifetime ago....

Hmm... Why did the couple divorcing affect where you would go?

There was no longer a team there when we were finally ready to commit to a place.

Oh! And... a tractor! That's pretty amazing!

Yep, and they're using it right now to get some crops planted. Exciting stuff!

Oh! I was thinking they'd be shrink wrapped and therefore impervious to rain

The "they" would have been us. No supplies to do that or we probably would have.

Nah. Not much to tell. Long time ago. I was... 8?

OH, yes, a fair bit ago.

That'd be interesting.
I wonder if your top 10 would match ours?

Maybe I should make you guys pick a couple faves first and we can see.

Yes, just waiting on a cooling laptop tray to be delivered. And to have time to actually play on it.

Kim

Ah, the elusive time that is so hard to find. I get that! Getting a new laptop set up is not fun or easy.

 

[Steppesister]

Ok, Ladies and Gents... off to work. Another day, another dollar. I think I'm caught up on replies up to here; if I missed anyone, PLEASE let me know. I was caught up for the most part on threads a couple of days ago, but many of you have posted chapters again, so will try to get caught back up again this weekend. Hope you all are having a fantastic week!

Steppe

 

[pkondz]

Yes, like that. It wasn't far, so I guess he figured it was okay?

I guess?

Those were taken by one of the Freetown staff and I pulled them off of WhatsApp.

Ah.

Oh, the tire was fine.

?? So it was a different tire that went down?

My kids grew up with Classic Looney tunes as we could get pirated copies overseas

Oh! Well that’d explain it!

Yep. Like I said, nice touch, even if a bit ill-thought out.

Just a bit!

Highways can be scary! I doubt there'd be a LifeFlight coming anytime soon in SL.

Then again, I’m betting someone would’ve stopped right away.

I know!!! I thought so too, but I was living it

Flashlight. Er, I think I lit up my Cell phone.

Because you heard voices down the corridor?

Possibly. I think there may have been some concern of unrest given that there's be over 1,000 people the next day. Just precaution I think, and a nice gesture.

1,000 people?

Correct. If she hadn't have, I'd have used her driveway.

Then we’d be seeing photos of that on the internet!

Someone did, yes. It may have been one of the local cop cars??

Didn’t think they carried them. Huh.

The adventure of a lifetime. I think I was more excited about this than seeing yurts and camels for the first time.

I believe you!

 

[pkondz]

It was! I mean, I as a kid, remember seeing stuff like this in Nat'l Geo and thinking, Ok, that's cool! I wanna see stuff like that. And had NO idea it STILL existed in 21st Century Earth.

Not only exists... you were there!

I think even the harder stuff of life is worth experiencing. It makes us know we're alive to have feelings.

Very true.

I'm glad to have that video as part of the memory.

Thank you for sharing that with us.

I hadn't! Spam never tasted so great!

I bet!

Yep. Well, except you still had to pour water to "flush".

That’s okay. Nothing wrong with that. It’s how they work.

It was done in the villages of Central Asia too. Pretty common in fact.

Huh. Had no idea it was so common. But makes sense.

I was an exhuasting trip, but worth it. And yes, sleep deprivation can do bad things to our perspective and outlook and behavior.

You seem to be behaving just fine.

 

[pkondz]

Amazingly, I didn't get stomach sick even once.

Liesa of the iron stomach.

There was no longer a team there when we were finally ready to commit to a place.

So you have to have a team there already?

Yep, and they're using it right now to get some crops planted. Exciting stuff!

Yes, that is!

The "they" would have been us. No supplies to do that or we probably would have.

I meant from the manufacturer.

Maybe I should make you guys pick a couple faves first and we can see.

Not a bad idea.

 

[franandaj]

Keep at it! Lots of fluids and plenty of rest. Give Fran a hug for me.

That's why I'm letting her sleep as late as she wants. It's nearly 2PM and she's still asleep!

Really? Built of mud with thatch on top. Dirt floor. They do keep the rain off.

Bugs probably live in the thatch!

They were definitely making it clear we were the "main attraction". There was simply no way out.

I can see that.

I can handle bugs okay. Spiders? NO. WAY. JOSE!!

I don't handle anything on more than two legs very well unless it's a cat. Bugs, some dogs, spiders, OK lizards are OK. I like them well enough, but rats, mice (the big one excluded) just yuck!

 

[pkondz]

mice (the big one excluded)

Glad you clarified.

 

[docsoliday1]

Oh, the tire was fine.

Uh-oh!

My kids grew up with Classic Looney tunes as we could get pirated copies overseas.

But Barney Rubble wasn't Looney toons...it was Hanna Barbera. If my time in Korea was any indication, they had pirated that too. In Korea, copyright meant the right to copy!

Highways can be scary! I doubt there'd be a LifeFlight coming anytime soon in SL.

Another Korea flashback...4 lane highway with 7 lanes of traffic and mirrors an inch or two from each other. When driving a government vehicle and knowing if you have an accident, they'll automatically go after the US government, quite nerve wracking. I think it was good the general population didn't know that.

Flashlight. Er, I think I lit up my Cell phone.

I would think a crank powered flashlight (or solar powered) would be very useful there.

Correct. If she hadn't have, I'd have used her driveway.

Wow! Hey, don't worry about a restroom, I'll just squat here. (Again reminds me of Korea)