Sickly Friday!
A Friday. A public holiday. Apparently today is “Farmers Day” and has been declared a National Holiday. Interesting concept this. As we are not farmers (coupled with the fact we are on breakdown work and thus working 24 hours a day), all our lads are here. The only bonus is they earn double time, over and above the massive overtime they earn by working 18 hours a day.
I have for some reason come down with Ghana General Flu. This was heralded by a sore throat a few days ago, which has become full blow cough – light headedness, sore bones and the whole shebang. I am defiantly an uphoppy lad!!!
Was up on top of the bloody stacker conveyor again yesterday, in 34 degree heat and still with no handrails (this time to check the size of motor, gearboxes and pulleys). I must admit that I could have sent someone else up, but some mutation in my psyche made me do it myself. I did learn that I still defiantly do not do heights well.
I have had 1 day’s water over the last 4 and am now getting very adept in the bucket shower. I am however using a bigger bucket – and boiling the kettle to take the chill off the bucket water. Last night however I decided the local council was not going to get it right and phoned the fire department. They duly delivered 5000l of water for the princely sum of GHC 440.000 ($50.00). That should last 3- 5 days and hopefully by that time the normal water mains will be up and running.
I (finally) got my box from SA, complete with decent ciggies, rum, magazines, red knickers (thanks Nessers) and a tummy exercise machine. I managed 40 mins on the tummy machine while watching TV last night. Maybe that’s why I feel so kak today *chuckle*
The week so far has been hectic, what with everyone working 24 hours and running around a tad sourcing materials and other such things. Some of the lads are walking around like Zombies, so one hopes that all will be complete by Sunday and they can take the day off. Thank goodness it is almost xmas shut down!.
There are certain things that continue to amaze me in Ghana. We were requested to reassemble a 1.000.000 liter fuel tank, which had been previously cut up and stored in a field. Our guys went to have a look at it, and after much head shaking decided that no-one knew what was there and what was not, what piece fitted with what and could not get drawings from either the client or the supplier. If the tank bursts after reassembling all hell will be let loose. (besides 1,000,000 liters of Diesel). We respectfully declined the job and offered to build a new one which we would know was sound. We now have the tank been rebuilt by another local engineering company next to the side of the road with a crane and a welder as the only equipment I can see. I cannot believe that people can be so irresponsible!
Other amazing things. There are four parties contesting the presidential elections next week Tuesday with a new party that had never made the press suddenly popping up. It also appears that at some stage in the history books, each one of the parties have run the country. What really gave me a huge chuckle was the ruling party waxing lyrical in a full page advert how many kilometers of road they have built in the last four years. Bar the fact all the roads I have traveled on are in shocking condition, the tables used to show how “good” they are did not even add up. Very very different.
I may have mentioned before radio stations are not very English friendly here with most of the stations been in the local dialect. We get BBC world Service at 6am for Africa news and Ghana Radio doing their news in “English” as well. Therefore we listen to tapes. (no cars have a CD player that most have access to). The tapes are Highveld Stereo recordings of the morning show and afternoon show. However when u have listed to the traffic joke and news reports for the 100th time it really gets a little annoying. Ergo I have started singing in the car. The positive side about that (for those that have seen me break into song at parties, they will nod vigorously) my voice is bad enough to ensure all the locals and sheep that walk along the road, either run like hell or turn around to see where that noise is coming from, which means I do not have to worry about knocking anyone over. I exaggerate – but not by much!
The sweat is pouring from me. I feel shite – so let me go!!
Have a fun weekend everyone
And
19 days till home time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
I have for some reason come down with Ghana General Flu. This was heralded by a sore throat a few days ago, which has become full blow cough – light headedness, sore bones and the whole shebang. I am defiantly an uphoppy lad!!!
Was up on top of the bloody stacker conveyor again yesterday, in 34 degree heat and still with no handrails (this time to check the size of motor, gearboxes and pulleys). I must admit that I could have sent someone else up, but some mutation in my psyche made me do it myself. I did learn that I still defiantly do not do heights well.
I have had 1 day’s water over the last 4 and am now getting very adept in the bucket shower. I am however using a bigger bucket – and boiling the kettle to take the chill off the bucket water. Last night however I decided the local council was not going to get it right and phoned the fire department. They duly delivered 5000l of water for the princely sum of GHC 440.000 ($50.00). That should last 3- 5 days and hopefully by that time the normal water mains will be up and running.
I (finally) got my box from SA, complete with decent ciggies, rum, magazines, red knickers (thanks Nessers) and a tummy exercise machine. I managed 40 mins on the tummy machine while watching TV last night. Maybe that’s why I feel so kak today *chuckle*
The week so far has been hectic, what with everyone working 24 hours and running around a tad sourcing materials and other such things. Some of the lads are walking around like Zombies, so one hopes that all will be complete by Sunday and they can take the day off. Thank goodness it is almost xmas shut down!.
There are certain things that continue to amaze me in Ghana. We were requested to reassemble a 1.000.000 liter fuel tank, which had been previously cut up and stored in a field. Our guys went to have a look at it, and after much head shaking decided that no-one knew what was there and what was not, what piece fitted with what and could not get drawings from either the client or the supplier. If the tank bursts after reassembling all hell will be let loose. (besides 1,000,000 liters of Diesel). We respectfully declined the job and offered to build a new one which we would know was sound. We now have the tank been rebuilt by another local engineering company next to the side of the road with a crane and a welder as the only equipment I can see. I cannot believe that people can be so irresponsible!
Other amazing things. There are four parties contesting the presidential elections next week Tuesday with a new party that had never made the press suddenly popping up. It also appears that at some stage in the history books, each one of the parties have run the country. What really gave me a huge chuckle was the ruling party waxing lyrical in a full page advert how many kilometers of road they have built in the last four years. Bar the fact all the roads I have traveled on are in shocking condition, the tables used to show how “good” they are did not even add up. Very very different.
I may have mentioned before radio stations are not very English friendly here with most of the stations been in the local dialect. We get BBC world Service at 6am for Africa news and Ghana Radio doing their news in “English” as well. Therefore we listen to tapes. (no cars have a CD player that most have access to). The tapes are Highveld Stereo recordings of the morning show and afternoon show. However when u have listed to the traffic joke and news reports for the 100th time it really gets a little annoying. Ergo I have started singing in the car. The positive side about that (for those that have seen me break into song at parties, they will nod vigorously) my voice is bad enough to ensure all the locals and sheep that walk along the road, either run like hell or turn around to see where that noise is coming from, which means I do not have to worry about knocking anyone over. I exaggerate – but not by much!
The sweat is pouring from me. I feel shite – so let me go!!
Have a fun weekend everyone
And
19 days till home time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
1 Comments:
I still chuckle when I imagine you dunking your head in a bucket to wash. ;)
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