We are not Amused!

So Near yet So Far !!!

Whilst Bansang may be on steroids under the dynamic leadership of new CEO BaBa Jeng, Morro’s merry men appear to be on a go slow. So before leaving for Banjul yesterday I had to sit down with him and read him the riot act! I‘m just hoping and praying that he continues to work at the pace he was going when I left at lunchtime !! I left with Morro a list of items which I wanted either completed or in a few cases  (i.e. removal of building rubble) at least started. I really had hoped that the children would have all been back in the newly refurbished section before Anita left for home but it wasn't to be.

I’m not really sure what the problem is but his team of workers seems to have shrunk by over half and the frenetic pace of the early weeks of the work has become more akin to the pace of the maintenance guys and it is sooo frustrating as the first phase of the work is so very nearly complete. Apart from the work on the showers and toilets there are only very small finishing bits to do, which whilst easy with an empty ward, become almost impossible once it is full of children… And speaking of full; the top section of the ward is now just about full to bursting point with the bays which usually contain 6 beds each now holding up to 9 beds each; it is utter chaos, but through it all the nursing staff keep smiling and I still haven’t heard a word of complaint from them. 

So this morning I after a leisurely breakfast with head of theatres, Sulayman, who is coming across from the University to see us, I head into the commercial heart of Banjul to find builders merchants and electrical stores before trying to meet up with a potential new window supplier. Yes, we have finally had enough too of Ahmed and his lame excuses as to why he never returns phone calls or turns up when arranged to fit windows so I’m kicking him into touch and voting with my feet for another suppier.

Last nights meal at Luigis, was, as always when Anita is involved, a working dinner with the Project Manager and Audiologist from Sound Seekers joining us to discuss their Gambian project and more particularly their proposals for the new Audiology Unit at Bansang, which at the moment sits empty and forlorn at the hospital. Today, they too head up to Bansang although in transport that they have arranged with driver ( an Audi A6 !!!) After much negotiating and changing of minds they ended up with a slightly better price that the hospital’s, I just hope they don’t live to regret the decision as the driver did not appear to have the faintest idea of where or how far Bansang was relative to Banjul. However, as I cruelly commented to them at least as they are leaving much earlier that Sutay and I, we could pick them up enroute if they encounter problems. LOL

Another reason that I am now redoubling my efforts to push Morro along is that my deadline for departure from Bansang is approaching rapidly! With the first of the full meeting of the 2013 Scoots team scheduled for the first weekend in July and much organisation and preparation for it still to do, I really need to be home by the end on June at the latest. Ideally I am hoping to make the return trip at a slightly less hectic pace; not that I was riding fast, I was just doing too much mileage every day and want to start getting back to the “Joel Philosophy “ of travel in readiness for my trip to Poland with Allie straight after the Scoots meet ! I am also hoping to spend a couple of day at the Zebrabar working on the second chapter of the new book… However, I don’t then need to spend too much time in Morroco and can if need be head straight up the coast or even, God forbid, hop onto the motorway all the way from Agadir to Tangier… but I’d far rather head along the desert roads through Erfoud and run along the Mediterranean  coast through the Rif mountains to get to the coast. But it all depends on Morro as I really don’t want to leave once more with the work unfinished… so I feel a lot of stress heading my way over the next two weeks…. But then I guess that’s the role of a Project Manager for you !!!

But it's not been all work, as Sunday saw Anita and I join the merry throng for the final part of Abdouli and Halima's wedding, the opening and display of the "wedding suitcase" containing the wardrobe of clothes, perfume and make-up that the groom has to provide for his new bride (at least we think and hope it is the final part !!!) The revelers from the hospital all arrived at Anita's house, complete with the drummers, to collect us. Anita and I in our newly made traditional Gambian clothes., at which point all 25 of us piled into one of the Ambulances for the short ride to the Brides compound. I'm not sure if 25 in an ambulance is a record but it must be pretty close... and all the while the drummers drummed and the women sang! It was an incredible experience and with the intense heat and humidity i am amazed that nobody fainted with heat stroke.... Once at the compound the drumming, singing and dancing intensified, as dis the heat! In the confines of the compound walls with no trace of a breath of wind, crammed in with over 100 other guests the heat was almost unbearable, but stoically we stuck it out with Anita even joining in the dancing at one point. 

Once the formalities were over and we felt we could safely escape we grapped a bush taxi back to base and a nice cold shower...