I've uploaded some photos from my trip. They are a representative sample of hundreds and give an overview of things that transpired. I've included ones that I could tell stories about, so they may not be the best photographically speaking, but they remind me of things that happened or I saw!
Hope you enjoy peeking at them. If you want me to elaborate, just drop me a line.
I've been kind of stunned since I got back. I don't know what to think half the time, let alone what to write. I decided a good place to start was at the beginning...
From my journal of my first day;
Poverty...
hot...
detatched as I speed by in a 4x4...
daunted by the persistent sellers...
white...
western...
different... 
flat...
intimidated by lack of cutlural awareness...
As I finish off my packing, I'm looking at a huge pile of generously donated gifts that I have somehow got to cram into my baggage! The children and parents at my school are sending me off with supplies for the school that we are hoping to visit and form a link with while we're there. It's much needed basics, but I'm going to have to travel with no clothes! Still, I guess that leaves plenty of room for souvenirs on the way back!
With only 2 1/2 weeks until I jet off to Africa, I started buying a few bits that come on the 'essentials' list. After taking out a second mortgage (actually, I don't have a first!) I parted company with a shed load of cash for malaria tablets. Not really something you can get away without though.
My exciting purchase was a shiny red sleeping bag. I decided my old one needed to go into retirement after over 10 years of faithful use, but it looks like my aunt is bringing it out of 
the pensioners club even before it has arrived. It's very small and rather roomy and will hopefully keep me warm on desert nights! Cocooned hood is rather handy and soooo attractive!
We also bought a gas BBQ. No, not to take travelling, but it was such a superb bargain it had to be done. It's Australian, heavy and massive. Giant hotplate with boiler on the side. I'm all for mid-winter BBQ's. I'll issue invitations in due course.
In the past 2 days I've been kissed by a french man, signed the shirt of a giant baby in a nappy, eaten crepes and been to Switzerland.
I'm just too tired to write any more!!
Fatima and I approached the gates of the school with trepidation. I now know what it’s like to feel totally lost is a foreign world. The playground seemed decidedly empty as we approached the school gates at 7.45 this morning. A couple of mischievious looking boys hung on the school gates, so i cautiously asked them how we got in. After vigorously tugging all the doors, he concluded loudly that no one was yet present, so we had to wait.
The space between my ears has been well used today. To concentrate when someone is speaking another language to you ALL day is really hard, and I’m fortunate that I can understand the most part of it. Even so, arriving home this evening I just crashed! The thought of making polite conversation at the dinner table is daunting, especially when the previous nights’ topics had been challenging to say the least. I’m not sure I can discuss the political implications of the new French president’s policies in English, let alone French! Nor do I feel qualified to give the opinion of the entire British nation as to whether Charles will ever be King! We did converse around the subject of the new prime minister and having just spend a couple of days involved in the parliamentary prayer week, I felt a little more clued up about giving insight into that those affairs.
...to climb a mountain (or two)
Yeah. I am heading to Snowdonia in just a few minutes for a lovely weekend of walking. I'm fully kitted out (I always pack too much!) and am thoroughly looking forward to some fun. I'm not looking forward to the journey, all 6 hours of it, but it should be worth it.
I'll tell all on my return.
It seems like such a long time ago, but Germany was a really enlightening few days away. A cheap flight meant an early start to good old Stansted, Have to say though that I would recommend Air Berlin way above the Ryan Air flight we took home .(more on that later)
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