:>~ another view

nother office Originally uploaded by Hop.

Pic of the Painted Office

Now to work on a garden in the front and it will be complete

Blue and White Originally uploaded by Hop.

And the race has begun!

There are certain things about a tomato that bring a glint to my eye. Put a huge amount of white pepper on a raw tomato and I am a happy personage. Based on the fact we get 1/2 a tomato on our dinner plate every night, I should be happy. This was not the case due to the fact our dinner is nuked in a microwave to warm things up. Ergo - the tomato becomes this icky red thing that gets left over when I have finished.

Last night - the tomato was taken off the plate before it was nuked. There looking at me quite hoppily was a bright red, raw, firm tomato. Lashings of pepper later, it was duly despatched down the gullet and I had a hint of a smile on my face.

Today! - The hint of a smile is a rueful one, as the adage "if you cannot peel it - do not eat it" comes to mind. I am starting my weight loss program after been up 1/2 the night reading my book while sitting on the loo, and any food that passes my lips, gets processed in 30 mins. I am melting!

Now that everyone is aware of my bowel habits. A bit more news of my happenings:

I formally have a house, as soon as they paint it to make it habitable and install a shower. $750 a month (payable 12 months in advance as is the norm here) and has 4 bedrooms 2 bathrooms and open plan kitchen, lounge and dining room. Not bad - basic and a place that I will soon be able to call home. Will move in around the 12th of August.

I am also getting a car. This is mainly cause I am sick and tired of waiting for a vehicle to become available so I can move around. It will be a rental ($75 a day) until the contract is finished and vehicles become available.

The office are painted so I am happy - everyone else is cause as they say "it is a much brighter place to work in". If anyone wants to paint their offices - or anything else for that matter - a shitty brown yellow color (refer the start of this post) - you need your head read.

First month end that I am running and besides the fact I STILL cannot get the asset billing to work it is running quite well. Steps I have gone thru to get here on the assets was for someone to realise that the company with the asses actually was not set up to do billing, and once that was done (2 days), we now realise that I STILL do not have the correct access to the data entry screen. I swear I am going grey!!!

Getting my first care packet from down south (thanks nessers) with replacement Captain Morgan which was finished at a braai on Sunday night, some more books and some SA Ciggies. I am smoking summit called LONDON which retails to the local spaza shop for c6000 (around R4.80) for 20's. Cough Material of NOTE!!! - but has enough nicotine to keep the wolf from the door.

Our line has been upgraded to 128K (WHOO HOOOO) and u can se the difference.

It appears to be a month end weekend, which means everyone knocks off on Friday at 12:30 and comes back on Monday morning. I assume that means I am not working this weekend as last date for ac input is tomorrow - soooo I may be able to get the Golf clubs and Camera out and go for a drive and see if I can get lost. (Sign posts are not a big thing in this place)

Other then that: Life is not that bad now that I am getting my feet wet. Should be in full swing in another few weeks!!

Have a happy one peoples ( well the three people that actually read this blog)

:>

Site 3

Image006 Originally uploaded by Hop.

Site 2

Image005 Originally uploaded by Hop.

Site 1

The next few pics are of the site we are working on. Cranes are ours and we are doing all the Steelwork, Piping and Ancillary stuff. Completion date - August 2004.

Image004 Originally uploaded by Hop.

More views

A quite pic early in the morning as I juice up on my first ciggie of the day. This pic was actually taken with my phone camera. Not bad quality. The LDV's that we see are the CAT people. Our neighbours. Seems like at some stage when the lad directly below us gets enough money, he is going to build his house. He has started with the bricks, which I would not assume will satisfy SABS standards.

Image003 Originally uploaded by Hop.

Arty Times

This was a pic that I took when I was still in JHB. Kinda like an arty moment, somewhat changed in context by the little pink number resting on the table *wicked chuckle*. Needless to say the other pics keep me smiling during my time here :>

*chuckle* Originally uploaded by Hop.

More View :>

More View Originally uploaded by Hop.

My View

View from my House. Note the interesting town planning and the wonderful roads

My View Originally uploaded by Hop.

The Infamous Gennie that runs the Sat System

Read the "how to install a sat system" blogged earlier :>

The Generator Originally uploaded by Hop.

Tarkwa Offices

This little pic is of the offices in Tarkwa where I mostly sit during the day. I am currently repainting it corporate colors :>

Offices Originally uploaded by Hop.

Pictures ?

I have dropped a few pictures on Flickr. As soon as I work out how to link to it you will be able to see :>

Thoughts

It amazes me the thoughts that go thru my mind from time to time:  I have got a bloody cold of note, with blocked nose, runny eyes and mini headache.  Has to be the weather change and aircons. 

• The toilet paper is like two garage wipes rolled together. Not recommended for wiping your nose for any length of time as "ruff and tuff" comes to mind.
• I have a new cell phone. Bloody thing vibrates louder then it rings. Nessers may enjoy this considering she is as hawny as hell *chuckle*
• Met a customer with no sense of humour yesterday - yup he was an engineer. And they say accountants are bad.
• I am now suffering severe withdrawal symptoms from the lack of spices in the food. I really must arrange my own house. When tabasco sauce is the only spice available and I am happy to use it you know that I am desperate!!
• I can now hang a towel off my dick in the morning. Which for me is quite impressive as my towels are nice bath sheets from woolies.
• Had my first brush with a clinic yesterday. Needless to say - I do NOT want to get sick in this place.
• Saw a nice house at the west end of town. The view however was spoilt by looking onto the road which doubles up as the towns refuse pit. The goats were having fun tho as I counted at least 30 before I gave up. The house search continues.
• Month end - so we work this weekend punching stuff into a stunningly slow system. Screen refreshes can take up to 60 seconds.
• Crane spares are an issue - so I did internet searches and sent off emails to see if they can supply us some alternators.  Seems like the local ones last a few days and burn out. Rewinding shops are primative to say the least.
• My farking cell does not link to my pc *growl*
• We go through petty cash at an alarming rate here.  Every tom dick and his mother uses it. Will have to sort summit out here.
• Have decided to repaint the offices. Shitty yellow does not inspire many people, and definatly does nothing for me.  Corporate colors it is: White inside and blue and white outside.  Total cost - Paint R2000 and labour R66 per day for 10 days.
• Got a request to quote prices on tug boats and barges. Not 100% sure where I am going to get that information from.
• Got a request to quote on cranes - now that we do :>

Another day in the african wilderness!!!!

Love ya all !

Now send nekked pics demmet!!!!

 

Another day in the African Jungle!

Another day in Africa.  That was the thought that traveled slowly through the fog of my brain at 5:50 am this morning as I stood outside having my second ciggie of the day.  I am getting a whole lot better with this early morning start, and for the third time since I arrived here, I did not have to wait for the alarm to go off. Scary!  I am becoming a farmer!
 
Had a meeting with workers representatives today to introduce myself, and they were most accommodating. I trust that the accommodation will continue.  9 am off to the main office and was pleasantly surprised that the sat system was up and running and there was fuel for the small gennie.  This is looking better already.  To realize how much better when I checked it was tonight the fuel tank was full!!!  Mebbe they are learning.
 
 
Today on the list was as follows:
 

Ghana Electricity
Get cell phone
Get drivers license
Meet Bank Manager
 
We started off at 1pm with the driver’s license. 2 hours later I was in possession of a temporary license valid for 30 days, with a stern warning from the nice man behind the desk not to expect my permanent license until at least 60 days “as they had a problem”. I do believe that the SA licensing department must have learnt from our lads in Tarkwa.  *chuckle*.
 
That done we were off to the bank to draw petty cash and meet the bank manager.  Nice enough guy with an unpronounceable name and wearing a suit. In this heat???
 
We walked out of the bank, with the accountant and driver carrying a huge bag between them.  This was our petty cash for the week.  40,000,000 cedi’s (R30,000) and take into consideration that the largest note is a c20,000 note – and they are in short supply – the bag must have weighed at least 30kg.  Drop it into the back of the vehicle and drive to the local clinic for the driver to pick up some medicine. No issue that you have loads of cash in the car. “people do not steal money in Ghana” was the statement made by the accountant.  I shuddered to think what would have happened if we were in SA and had the equivalent of 20 workers salary in the car.
 
As you may have realized, it was almost 4:30 pm and the Ghana electricity / cell phone has been put off for another day.  Slowly slowly catchee monkey here young tones.
 
Working happily on getting the books up to date, home time is announced by the total failure of all electricity to the offices as the large Gennie is turned off. Pack up – go home – and finish off the work at home.   That’s what was done and time is now taken to do the blog for posting tomorrow.  That is of course assuming the sat system is still working :-/
 
Dinner tonight was a kinda beef stew with noodles.  Basic grub, and not bad at all.  However I really am looking forward to my own place and been able to cook for myself the strange foods that I enjoy with SPICES!!!!
 
On that note, I was offered a house today. Did not even ask the price – it had five bedrooms each with their own bathroom.  Did mention to our friendly accountant what part of two to three rooms did he not understand :>
 
Until next time then – keep on smiling :> 
  
 

How to Install 21st Century Equipment in a 19th Century environment

 
It is always going to be interesting when a statement is made at the Works which goes as follows: “I see we have a half a million rand satellite system which connects us to the world, but can someone tell me when we are going to have running water in the toilets”.
 
Couple this statement with the fact that Ghana Electricity has not quite made it to the workshop site and you can place bets that the installation is going to be a problem.
 
Problem one: It appears that when you DHL a system to Accra in Ghana, despite there been a direct flight from Joburg to Accra, DHL believe in well traveled goods and will send the package via Lagos.  So of course when Lagos has a strike, your package will be delayed.
 
Problem two: When you get around to installing the system, the fact there is no wired electricity is but a small problem. This is adequately resolved by the use of a Generator that powers the site during the day. The complication then comes in when the voltage measured between live and earth exceeds the voltage allowable by the card manufacturers, and the resultant “pop” does not bode well.
 
Problem three: Ordering spares from South Africa is a simple thing, but the insistence of using DHL a second time starts worrying me. Via Lagos once again, and two packets arrive in Accra after the due delay. The issue that starts you tearing your hair out arises when the two parcels addressed to the same company are placed in two different trucks. Result – one box arrives on one day and the other box arrives the following day.
 
Problem four: Once everything is connected and goes through rectifiers and regulators and UPS’s, the system is up and running and testing can begin.  Testing goes really well, email “flies” up the line (as fast as something can fly up a 64KB line) and we work out that you cannot use the comms as well as receive email.  This requires setup change in SA and is apparently a simple issue to resolve.  What is not that simple is when the UPS’s start beeping and while Frikkie is trying to find out what the issue is, everything goes blank and there is no power.  What now appears to be the problem is the voltage that comes into the plugs is around 190, instead of the normal 220-240 that is expected.  As per their design, the UPS makes up the voltage from the battery and in short order, the batteries are flat.  The main reason is that the Genset is used for welders, grinders and other nice equipment. Simple way to resolve this, by a small 6.5kVa gennie and run the sat system off this equipment.
 
Problem five:  I bet you were thinking, they not going to be able to find a small genset….  Welllll   you wrong, that took one phone call to the local steel supplier/landlord/pump supplier/generator supplier and we had the choice of gensets all EX STOCK!!!! Now you come to the problem that have plagued accountants and engineers for years.  The accountant says, start the gennie, make up an extension cord and plug the system in.  The engineer says, we have to build a plinth, bolt the genset down, cover it from the elements, rewire the part of the building that feeds the system to ensure that no aircons will draw power from the small genset and eventually we will have 220v at the plug.  For those of you that know me… you will guess what happened and know that after remembering to go and purchase petrol and oil, the little unit was quite happily puttering away providing power.
 
Problem six: It appears that when you run a UPS flat flat… it needs time to recharge again.  Taking into consideration it is now 5pm, and we have been up since 5am (see previous posts), lets go home and rest before we raise the beast again the next day.  The little genset is left puttering away happily, with dire warnings to the security guards if it is not there in the morning.
 
Problem seven: Wonder upon wonders the genset is still there, puttering away hoppily as we decide to try and switch over to the big genset to run the system in the day. Problem remains. Not enough voltage, battery’s drain and 30 minutes later we back to square one. Restart small genset and resign ourselves to running the small gennie 24/7.
 
Problem eight: A simple planning exercise, we have run out of petrol
 
Problem nine: Petrol is duly obtained, and it is discovered that the container used to transport the petrol is a container that normally would hold sulphuric acid. That’s never really a problem as long as it did not have a quantity of sulphuric acid in the container which quite happily mixes with petrol and gives the petrol a lovely black color which fortunately is noted as an attempt to fill the gennie tank is made.  Solution is simple, send nice man out again with a (now) verified clean container to get more petrol. 
  
 The fact that you have read this means it is working :>

You are Welcome!

The title says it all.  The ghanaians have a saying when they greet you. Translated it says exactly that:  Wonderful people.
 
A belated  hi there from the land of Jungle, rain and humidity that makes the pores open and sweat run freely. This little piece of information is made much more interesting by the fact that according to those in the know, ie. The locals, this is actually “winter” and come November it will get *really* hot!. Now lets go back a few years – well ok a lot of years – when I was but a nipper at school, and in the Geography class I was taught that when it is winter in the south, it is summer in the north.
 
Granted that when u see a weather map of the UK during June, the maximum temperature is 14 C and it is rainy, but hell – even they call it summer.  Couple this piece of information with a smiley SAA captain announcing that we have crossed the equator on our six hour trip from JHB to Accra, all my teachings tell me that it is summer in Ghana. I will dwell on this fact over then next few months no doubt…
 
Monday did turn out to be a bit of a rush with me attending a contract meeting at the office, but all in all I had enough time at the airport to recline in the business class lounge – not because we travel business class, but courtesy of my Silver Card – juicing up on two ciggies before getting onto the plane.  True to form there was an issue with luggage, which delayed our push back by 40 mins, and while doing the taxy to 27R, everytime the pilot touched the brakes it sounded like the wheel had falling off. Needless to say this required a right turn into the lower bay area and a further 30 mins while the mechanic tighted the wheel nuts, or retrieved his spanner that he left behind while completing the service.
 
Flight was pleasant enough, reasonable food, a good pinotage (or two) and six hours later we landed at Accra airport. Hot humid and dare I say it, another African airport that looks identical to most other airports in Africa. 25 mins to clear immigration and 2 mins for the luggage. Only then!!!! Could I get a ciggy in my mouth and start boosting the nicotine levels.  Boost them I did – two in quick succession before I made the parking lot. 
 
The office had arranged a driver for us, and we checked into the La Palm Royal Beach Hotel. $108 a night for a room with no soap and a mini bar. Drinks were good – Star Beer was my first local beer supped and I was duly warned by those in the know that the alcohol level may vary from 4% - 14% depending on the batch you got.  Mine were evidently 4% as I did not see my butt that night.  What was nice is nestled up against the mirrored shelf of the pub was a bottle of Captain Morgan!!!!  Needless to say a few of those were duly supped that night.
 
Dinner was a buffet – nice basic stuff with a wonderful chilli salad type thing, which was hot and bloody tasty.  Once again – needless to say seconds was had. *chuckle*
 
A hellishly restless night followed and I awoke at 6am to do the shower shave brekkie thang, before meeting my driver at 8am to honor an appointment at the bank. That done – very pleasant relationship manager we have – six hours on the road to the sprawling metropolis of Tarkwa.
 
One thing that was in mind was how could it take six hours to travel 367 kilometers. They have told me that the road is bad….. but come on – how bad does a road have to be in order for a vehicle to average 60kmph over 6 hours.
 
Welllll :  to say the road is bad, is an understatement of note.  It took two hours to get out of Accra – 40km thanks to a combination of narrow roads, heavy traffic, at least eight broken down vehicles causing stunning traffic jams, and my introduction to street vendors.  If you thought you had it bad at the robots in sandton, it has nothing on the “markets” that we passed every 5km’s or so.  From the myriad of vendors who wander past the car you can purchase food, tooth brushes, chocolate, plastic bags of water or iced fruit juice, car tyres to name but a few. Hellishly interesting.
 
There are roadworks on the main gold coast road which necessitated numerous diversions onto dirt tracks, which carry around 400 cars an hour. Needless to say, the roads were full of potholes and contributed to our low average speed.  Everything is green and jungle type foliage abounds. The country is poor, of that there is no doubt, and informal business abounds.  Very India like I thought, with small shacks selling anything and everything.
 
The Ghanaians are very friendly, speak good English with a strange accent and seem to be a very happy lot.  My driver was pretty good at dodging the potholes, hooting incessantly at the pedestrians and overtaking on a solid white line.  That said, 70% of the road seems to be a solid white line, so one would assume it is the local national sport here. Stopped off for cooldrinks and pee break at an amazing little hotel, built on a type of natural pond which is the home –as I was informed by the driver  - to crocodiles. Needless to say, they were nowhere to be seen, but I did purchase two cokes and 1.5l of mineral water for the equivalent of R15.00. Not bad in my book.
 
A short cut was agreed upon between Michael and myself and 90km’s of narrow dirt road was the route taken. Another African trait is speed humps. (see Nessers laugh). Everytime you reach a village there are tree trunks laid across the road, covered in sand which work as a very very effective speed hump. Add two hours for the 90kms.
 
One thing which  is worth a mention is been a former british colony, the nice people drive on the wrong side of the bloody road. Bar the fact, I keep on trying to get in on the wrong side of the car, when the mind wanders somewhat and returns, it is all I can do not to shout at the driver that he is on the wrong side of the road.  Couple that with everytime you turn a corner, your mind automatically screams that what is been done is incorrect. I do not somehow think that I will be doing much driving.
 
Tarkwa…. What can I say.  There will be some pictures taken and posted as well as to show exactly what Tarkwa looks like.  To paint a mental picture while you await the photos goes something like this.
 
Take a healthy dash of the north side of Maputo, a little bit on Mnduinduze township and a whole lot of Soweto in the 80’s and you will be getting there.  The place is filthy, roads are almost non existent, shops are filthy and the houses in general ancient, half built and packed together.
 
The house that I am staying in on a temporary basis is a double story, with the contract manager staying on the lower level, and me sharing with the works manager and his wife in the upstairs unit. Large, tiled floors, six bedroom, water and electricity and beer in the fridge. Not too shabby Nige. 
 
I do however want my own place, as horror upon horrors the house owners are dedicated non smokers and I join the mozzies once every so often to have a ciggy on the balcony!! Who was it that mentioned this as part of the horror stories???  Methinks one can tick that part off.
 
Rose is the site catering manageress, and accordingly the food is good and plentiful, and once again the beer is cold. :>
 
Next horror story comes at bedtime on night one when I am informed that we leave for work at 6am.  Read the previous blogs to work out how mortified I am re the early mornings I had in Joburg.  With long teeth I set my alarm for 5:20am, and try and catch up on some well earned rest.
 
And yes!  I was up at 5:20 – cue everyone who gets up at that time normally – not you Esther – hysterical laughter!!. Shower shave and clamber into the bakkie for the 20 min ride to site.
 
Slowly getting my feet wet, understanding what is happening on site and hearing that the spare parts for the sat system are once again “lost” – one would assume G5 in JHB will no longer use DHL for sending packages to Ghana, I am quite getting to enjoy what is happening here.  Not the friendliest bunch of people I have met, which is unusual, but considering the guys are at the business part of the contract, under pressure to meet deadline dates and are all overdue for R&R, I can understand and will ease my way in slowly.
 
The main office where I am does not have electricity as I was warned, but apparently they have attempted to get electricity in previously, which once again is stymied by Africa and their strange concept that if you want power, you will pay for the full capital cost of getting electricity to your site.  Cue in an estimate for ZAR2,5 million and you will nod your head and understand why I see extended use of the Generator as a viable option.  However I did note that there were quite a few sites around us that have businesses on them, and based on the assumption that Ghana will operate the same was as Swaziland did on this score, it may be possible to share the capital cost with our neighbours.  Another item on the to do list.
 
Tomorrow it is the following
-          Get local cell phone
-          Speak to Electricity board
-          Speak to local ISP about connectivity
-          Meet the IRS man
-          Meet the local Police
-          Meet the local Bank manager
 
The job has started.  Lets see how far this can take me!
 
Have a fun one – till laterz 
  
 

The Time is Nigh!

An airticket has been delivered, the visa is firmly pasted in the passport - a whole page used as is the norm these days - and the final injection (Hepatitus B) has been obtained.

At 13.20 on Monday 12th July, this kinky individual wings his way to the wonderful country of Ghana to start his tour of duty. Official Title "General Manager - Ghana".

Now that the time has arrived, I decided to look into what I am taking. It does not help that it is winter in SA with a maximum temprature during the day of 14 degrees, and come Monday evening I will be in Summer at a forecasted temprature of 28 degrees with 90% humidity. Ergo - I need more shorts as those of you that know me fully understand that my shorts have seen better days and the holes in them show more package then is deemed modest. SO ... Shorts, long socks, boots and open shirts. I will still have to take the longs for the "larnie" times. That said I am not sure that larnie times are the same as they are in good old SA.

Never the less - last weekend of concentrated sex (for 78 days)and I wish to make good use of that time.

Still have to come into work here on Monday am for contract meetings and then spend some time negotiating the excess baggage fee. (refer previous post).

Communications do not appear to be installed yet as the guy who is installing the sat system cancelled his return flight today and rebooked for next week Friday. That does not bode well for the first week there and communications. Still - no issue - I will do what I did when I went off to Europe and Cyprus and type up the missives until I have connectivity, and post them all at once.

As they say in the classics - fun!!!! fun !!!!! FUN!!!!!!

Another Day in the Life of an expectant expat!

28th June has come and gone, so has the 5th and 9th of July. My new date of departure is the 12 July at 13.20pm. 6 hour flight (no smoking - AAAAARRRRRGGGGHHHHH) and some interesting reading relating to baggage allowances.

Accept the fact I am taking my golf clubs and all my camera paraphanalia. Golf Clubs weigh 16kg and all the Camera kit around 4kg. That effectivly leaves me 5kg for clothes and other fun stuff. Quiet chats to the nice lady making my booking , who happily advises me that the additional 10 kg baggage allowance granted to me by favour of my Silver Card Voyager status does NOT apply on the Accra flight. Numerous swearwords later and she does mention that "the company will pay the excess baggage". Bloody hell. Why not mention this sooner? Then there is the nice fact that 3 other people will be flying up with me on a short trip and should not have 25kg with them when they travel. BONUS!! - All excess baggage worries fly out the window.

I do not have a place to stay in Tarkwa and I will be sharing a house for the first few weeks while I do the scout thang and find a cabin for myself. I do value my independence where I live and do not mind people staying with me as opposed to the other way around.

The sat system is apparently installed and hopefully next week I will find out if it is up and running.

Due to a missed deadline - which for some reason no-one told me about - I am working tomorrow to finish processing year end entries.

The weekend has arrived....... time to chill and catch up on my sleep. For some farking reason I still canna get used to waking up at 6:30 am. Bloody hell - I arrive at work at the same time that I used to wake up in the old days. My how the mighty have fallen. On a more positive note :- My computer has had the RAM upgraded and is now a pleasure to work on.

PARTY!!!!!