The office at 27 degrees :(
Sunday night specials are always good I think, and there is no difference tonight.
Today has been a relaxed day, watching the cricket – not exciting as there is not way that the matches will be close given the current Zimbabwean team – but good fun seeing what the SA batsmen do to bowling that is of the standard of the cricket I used to play in Swaziland.
I actually went to play golf today! I had planned on nine holes of relaxing hitting of the ball and seeing just how bad my golf game has got. One thing which struck me as I walked to the car, golf bag over shoulder, was how bloody hot and humid it was. The walk was short, which fooled me into thinking that it was bearable.
Note to self: When you drive up to the course on a Sunday afternoon and see on-one playing golf, and even the gaggle of caddies are not there running en masse to the car to carry the bag, something is not right.
What was not right was that no golfer in their right mind would play golf when the temperature at 3.30pm was in the mid 30’s with humidity in the 90’s. Safe with the knowledge that I am not of sound mind at the best of times, I managed to find a foolish caddie and lose a ball on the 1st tee when my natural slice suddenly became a very unnatural hook.
I was sweating as I walked DOWN the hill. By the third hole my shirt was soaked and I had already finished the first bottle of water I had bought along. Couple this with the fact that the greens had almost no grass on them at all, and putting was “hit at the hole and watch the ball play ping pong with the remaining grass bumps” I was not having fun by the 6th. The 6th was the walk down the hill, walk up the hill hole. 172 meters and I managed to hit my 3 iron all of 150 meters I was so buggered.
I finished my second bottle of water walking to the 7th and my caddie was starting to smell like a horse that has just completed a cross country. I played the 7th and quite happily said to the caddie that instead of turning right to the 8th, turn left to my car.
My ciggie packet was soaked in my pants pocket as was the scorecard. To say I was knackered is an understatement of note. 20 minutes in a cold shower at home and I was still sweating afterwards. I ended up drinking around 3 liters of water.
What did I score? God knows – I stopped counting after the 3rd hole. But it was bad!
This shows three things
(a) The weather is not conducive to playing golf
(b) I am bloody unfit
(c) My shoes have not been used for a while and I have a stunning blister on my left heel.
On a Ghana Note, the budget was announced last week and the highlights are as follows:
(a) Tax rates have been reduced on both company and personal tax
(b) Witholding tax has been reduced from 7.5% to 5%
(c) Minimum wage has been increased to GHC13.500 (ZAR 9.31 per day)
(d) Inflation reduction to 13.5% has been targeted (this after a 50% increase in fuel price which may be impossible to achieve)
(e) Sector improvements and a huge dip taken against the banking sector due to the interest rate spreads on borrowing and deposit rates. As a note on a GHC deposit you can get between 5%-7%, but loaning money from the bank attracts and interest rate of between 19%-31%.
Most people seem to be happy with the budget, but the opposition predictably has hit out of the budget stating it does not go far enough. Problems they have pointed out are: (my comments in brackets)
(a) Minimum wage of under GBP1.00 per day was “worthless” (agreed)
(b) No productive fixed investments allowed for in the country. (Setting up a company here requires huge commitment as the infrastructure needs a massive upgrade to assist marketing)
(c) No clean water, increased infant mortality rates, decreased life expectancy and massive increase in Guinea Worm infection. (que?)
(d) No policy for providing employment.
(e) Cedi performed badly and depreciated against the US$ - (the GHC / US$ rate has been constant between GHC8900-GHC9200 since I arrived here)
(f) Massive increase in fuel price. (see my previous post)
Jumping on the free speech bandwagon, there is to be a demonstration this week protesting the fuel price hikes.
There was also an interesting article in the newspaper that the town of Obuasi has banned all pool tables from the town. This after banning all video games a year ago. All in the quest to ensure the students spend their time studying and not doing frivolous things like playing video games or pool.
The country is also on a massive polio vaccination drive over this weekend and in April. We were made aware of it, by a letter requesting the company make available vehicles and drivers to assist them in the polio vaccination effort. Good planning dictates that we received the letter the day before they wanted the vehicles and on a month end weekend. Oh yes and if you cannot provide a vehicle “please send money” *sigh*
I am off to bed now after a wonderful rain storm which almost cooled things down, and hope you have a wonderful week.
Keep on Smiling!!!
Today has been a relaxed day, watching the cricket – not exciting as there is not way that the matches will be close given the current Zimbabwean team – but good fun seeing what the SA batsmen do to bowling that is of the standard of the cricket I used to play in Swaziland.
I actually went to play golf today! I had planned on nine holes of relaxing hitting of the ball and seeing just how bad my golf game has got. One thing which struck me as I walked to the car, golf bag over shoulder, was how bloody hot and humid it was. The walk was short, which fooled me into thinking that it was bearable.
Note to self: When you drive up to the course on a Sunday afternoon and see on-one playing golf, and even the gaggle of caddies are not there running en masse to the car to carry the bag, something is not right.
What was not right was that no golfer in their right mind would play golf when the temperature at 3.30pm was in the mid 30’s with humidity in the 90’s. Safe with the knowledge that I am not of sound mind at the best of times, I managed to find a foolish caddie and lose a ball on the 1st tee when my natural slice suddenly became a very unnatural hook.
I was sweating as I walked DOWN the hill. By the third hole my shirt was soaked and I had already finished the first bottle of water I had bought along. Couple this with the fact that the greens had almost no grass on them at all, and putting was “hit at the hole and watch the ball play ping pong with the remaining grass bumps” I was not having fun by the 6th. The 6th was the walk down the hill, walk up the hill hole. 172 meters and I managed to hit my 3 iron all of 150 meters I was so buggered.
I finished my second bottle of water walking to the 7th and my caddie was starting to smell like a horse that has just completed a cross country. I played the 7th and quite happily said to the caddie that instead of turning right to the 8th, turn left to my car.
My ciggie packet was soaked in my pants pocket as was the scorecard. To say I was knackered is an understatement of note. 20 minutes in a cold shower at home and I was still sweating afterwards. I ended up drinking around 3 liters of water.
What did I score? God knows – I stopped counting after the 3rd hole. But it was bad!
This shows three things
(a) The weather is not conducive to playing golf
(b) I am bloody unfit
(c) My shoes have not been used for a while and I have a stunning blister on my left heel.
On a Ghana Note, the budget was announced last week and the highlights are as follows:
(a) Tax rates have been reduced on both company and personal tax
(b) Witholding tax has been reduced from 7.5% to 5%
(c) Minimum wage has been increased to GHC13.500 (ZAR 9.31 per day)
(d) Inflation reduction to 13.5% has been targeted (this after a 50% increase in fuel price which may be impossible to achieve)
(e) Sector improvements and a huge dip taken against the banking sector due to the interest rate spreads on borrowing and deposit rates. As a note on a GHC deposit you can get between 5%-7%, but loaning money from the bank attracts and interest rate of between 19%-31%.
Most people seem to be happy with the budget, but the opposition predictably has hit out of the budget stating it does not go far enough. Problems they have pointed out are: (my comments in brackets)
(a) Minimum wage of under GBP1.00 per day was “worthless” (agreed)
(b) No productive fixed investments allowed for in the country. (Setting up a company here requires huge commitment as the infrastructure needs a massive upgrade to assist marketing)
(c) No clean water, increased infant mortality rates, decreased life expectancy and massive increase in Guinea Worm infection. (que?)
(d) No policy for providing employment.
(e) Cedi performed badly and depreciated against the US$ - (the GHC / US$ rate has been constant between GHC8900-GHC9200 since I arrived here)
(f) Massive increase in fuel price. (see my previous post)
Jumping on the free speech bandwagon, there is to be a demonstration this week protesting the fuel price hikes.
There was also an interesting article in the newspaper that the town of Obuasi has banned all pool tables from the town. This after banning all video games a year ago. All in the quest to ensure the students spend their time studying and not doing frivolous things like playing video games or pool.
The country is also on a massive polio vaccination drive over this weekend and in April. We were made aware of it, by a letter requesting the company make available vehicles and drivers to assist them in the polio vaccination effort. Good planning dictates that we received the letter the day before they wanted the vehicles and on a month end weekend. Oh yes and if you cannot provide a vehicle “please send money” *sigh*
I am off to bed now after a wonderful rain storm which almost cooled things down, and hope you have a wonderful week.
Keep on Smiling!!!
5 Comments:
*chuckle*
I assume they don't have golf carts either? Hopefully you paid the a sufficient amount to accompany you in the wilderness you call a golf course ;)
paid the caddie even .. sheess
Oh Kappia - You know how to make a guy chuckle so early in the morning.
Btw: The only reason why I am playing golf like a 90 year old playing hopscotch is the bloody blister on my foot. Gawd it hurts!
And hush about the Vatican Bank, I could be visted by some mobsters who are keen to find out what "investment" is available in Tarkwa
;-)
Hey - and how about updating your blog.... you humour could make it a killa ap
Lovely way to relax on a Sunday.Whats your handicap as we might be playing golf one day...U never know ! As for cricket its fun to see at times..I enjoy watching as i am not active in that sport. Regards Kathleen
Handicap is a very very very bad 16. This made possible by not putting cards in since I arrived here in July last year as well as playing a sum total of four games of golf in that time. Only two of which was 18 holes.
I should be back to a 24!!
Cricket I do enjoy, but the fact our lads destroyed Zimbabwe in two days (of a five day test) makes a bit of a mockery of the game. And also not much fun to watch. This evident by the very poor crowds at the game.
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