Bloody 'ell. Everything seems too overwhelming one day; and then just when we think we've just got a grasp; everything just goes and happens. Which I must say is jolly inconsiderate. Where would we be if everything just happenes willy-nilly. In a black hole for one. Blinking at the green sun with our seventh eye for a second. Perhaps I'm taking a choice of words too literally. I shall now move on.

I fell sick on Thursday; which slowed things down a bit for me. Me and Sandy decided to take a day off, as we were both exhausted and slightly ill. Luckily enough; we coincidentally happened to be living in a house full of homoeopaths. Oh well; how convenient!

Oh! and one of the most exiting bit's of news; the Kili came out! Kilimanjaro usually jurks just out of sight behind the clouds; but every now and then; the clouds part for it. They did so yesterday; and they did so very well. It looked wonderful coming up out of the clouds; as if it were not actually connected to the ground.

Photogenic Lizard with a good sense of timing

Mzungu in Swahili is "white person" so we get a lot of people saying "Mzungu" to each other wherever we go. I used to be rather confused by this; because I wondered what context they were putting it in. I understood that a mzungo was seen as a foolish rich person who is ripe for overcharging and scamming; but I still wondered what they were saying. It wasn't something genuinely sensible like "oh look; that's the mzungo which was at "x" place at "x" time" or anything like that; because it seemed to be on it's own; just people saying "Mzungu" to themselves. Not really directed at said mzungu; more under their breath; as if taking note. (of course many times it will be directed at a mzungu; or in some other context; but I'm talking about the times, like I said; where it just seems to be as if they are taking a small verbal note.) I was baffled by this for a few days; until eventually it became that whenever I saw other wa-mzungu (wa makes words plural when you put it before a word.) I'd have to struggle to keep myself from saying "oh; look. Mzungu." to myself. I understand now. It's just that it's a bit of an event when you see a mzungo; and it is kind of worth mentioning...

Other than that; we've just been working at clinics (getting footage on my part, treating patients homoeopathically on my mothers part), sorting footage and case files and writing this blog. (I'll tell you aaaall about that latter part another day, and it won't be majorly paradoxical in any way.... *ahem*)

Oh; and I mentioned on the last post about an animal which says vegtinibbles. This is not true. After studious (looked up the word vegtinibble on google. Only this blog came up) research on the internet; I have not at found a single smidgin of evidence that the famous animal who supposedly calls them that does in fact call them that. It was Peter Rabbit I had in mind. So... I must have made it up some time between 4 and 15... Come to think of it; Beatrix Potter was very correct with her grammar and English; so I somewhat doubt she would have misspelled the word intentionally; even if it was a character she had invented saying it. Oh well... Probably won't bother me too much; it's too set in. I shall carry on thinking of Peter Rabbit as a chap who says Vegtinibble. Also; it means that you only need type the word "Vegtinibble" in google search to get this blog to come up (or perhaps my google search is biased; because I have been on this page before... I shall have to look into this.). This also Gives me an idea. If I say The word Quasmaflapstuck and publish this blocg; will that result in Quasmaflapstuck bringing up this blog on google? Or perhaps there is a brand of... uh... shoe retailers called quasmaflapstuck who have a website which would come up first. 

Right. My time is short, This blog is long, so from me;

  Tara!

 Omelet at the end of the road

Phew! Tanzania. Bloody 'ell. I'm flabbergasted beyond words. But of course I will have to attempt to put it into words anyway; because this is a blog; and that is what it demands of me. *sigh*

Perhaps I should start with the flight over. It's description will be rather brief and uninteresting; but it would probably be neatest to begin there. Let's try and sum it up... Airplane food. There. Done. Need I say more? *shudder* I shuddered there not only mentally; but physically. Though the latter may be because my back is to the open window. Perhaps I should say; I'm sitting in a Cafe which answers to the name of "The Union Cafe" and using the internet there; on account of the fact that the chaps who provide our internet via little usb sticks seem to be having problems.

We got off the airplane; got ourselves some visas and collected our hold luggage. Already there was clinching proof that indeed; I was in a different country, and not in fact still in dublin airport; as I turned around with my wheely-bag. (Blogger seems to think that wheely-bag is not how I want to spell it; and that wheezy-bag is more appropriate. I think not.) I turned around and saw in front of me; a Cigarette ad! Good gracious. It seemed so strange after years of living in a country where advertising cigarettes is illegal. Oh these heathen farigners.

What else to mention? I suppose I could go over in great detail how the speed bumps they have are steep and hard; very effective; as you have to slow down almost to a stop if you want to go over them; but I somewhat suspect that that would not make a very interesting blog. (not much to lose then; h-ho!... *cough*) Our I could mention how the smaller roads made of compacted stone and  dirt look as if they have been there all along; and people have simply scraped away the topsoil covering them. I have nabbed myself a picture of it; which I'll add in here. You'll see what I mean when you see they way the sides of the road sink back down under the topsoil.

Hmm. Perhaps that picture doesn't show it enough. I'll post another on a different post. Now; since I've gone done the road of photo uploading; I'll show a picture of Rosie and here stall which is just at the end of our road. She sells delicious bananas, assorted fruit and vegtinibbles. (comment if you know what famous animal called them that.) And also; she sells eggs! So; it's a handy ommelette at the end of our road! Anyway; better finish this before the internet runs out!

Tara!

 Packing-Post

Get this get that; pack those, buy these; quick! where have the passports gone! Four days 'till liftoff and then it's onwards to Tanzania. Bloody 'ell. Making a quick blog post is one of the items on the list; so here is "The Packing Blog Post" *dramatic music*

I'm going to try not to simply post a long list of everything I have to pack, but it will be challenging; considering that is what the entirety of the contents of my head is focused on. I've abandoned all hopes of personal hygiene for the duration of the ... "Packing!" *more dramatic music* as I find my self sucked in to a never ending pit of packing clothes; taking clothes out again to wear them; washing them; and so on. Solution; wear the same clothes and worry about packing the other things. Cheaty, I know; but I can't think of any better ways. I'm still trying very vigilantly to not let (toothbrush)this post degrade (camera) into a big (where's the phone charger! where's the phone charger!) list of things I (I still need to get the table top mic stand for the interviews!) need to get together before (what? I cannot comprehend this video editing software! What was the other one??) Tuesday (aaaaargh! where's my deodorant gone! It was just right here by the sink yesterday!) the thirteenth (playing cards) (chocolate) (extra memory card for the camera) (camera stand for the interviews....) (......) ........


PS: Yes, of course chocolate is a necessary item to pack.