A Nomad by Blood - Liberia

i have usually had the wanderlust gene embedded in my blood. for decades now i've traveled the globe running as a excellent specialist having were given my early training in Aberdeen after hitch-trekking 960 kilometers to find a process, unsuccessfully i'd add, most effective to get concerned in the oilfield some short months later. From then on it has been a kaleidoscope of change and revel in.

The oilfield turned into the car I used to travel substantially whilst cash become in no way the prime goal it changed into forthcoming and i've to say generally a higher remuneration then the norm. it's miles and constantly has been a vocation that has added me change, education, realisation, and just unadulterated wonder and amusement even as engulfing me in so many exceptional cultures and nations.

due to once I first commenced my travels and the lack of technology at my fingertips maximum of my recorded pix have melted into the mists of time. greater currently generation and particularly the arrival of digital pictures has enabled me to document and log my latest foreign places adventures. it's far those, because of the clarity of the recorded photos and the capacity to resultseasily store them, which will be my point of departure in recording my nomadic odyssey over current years. Others now not visually recorded i'm able to address within the destiny. under is a brief log of certainly one of my most current projects to provide a flavour of my existence on my travels.

Liberia
unusually for me this settlement changed into mining related and despite the fact that my work in exceptional warranty, exceptional control is pass enterprise it changed into a new and interesting enjoy for me.

on this specific day, tenth March 2014, depicted under i was attending a blessing of the development that have been partially finished and to be finished.

It was attended by means of all the staff and i used to be, amongst others, visitor of honour there to interrupt a coconut on part of the rules as a part of the ritual. This having been finished by way of all guests of honour absolutely everyone become capable of partake in some light refreshments. It struck me at the time that such a lot of ceremonies revolve round food globally. it's miles almost mandatory for any event like this to be triumphant.

The project itself become the continuing refurbishment of an iron ore mine in Yekepa, the rail hyperlink to and from the mine located further into the hinterland and between it and the port in Buchanan wherein the iron ore became deposited prior to loading from silos into large ore sporting tankers.

My rotation become 6 weeks on and a couple of weeks off and at some stage in my durations of work (on) i used to be billeted in this very property which fashioned a part of a gated village or as a minimum 6 or 7 gated groups in near proximity to each other. via Liberian requirements it turned into pretty precise digs. The truth that the electric could cut on a ordinary foundation was testament that we were in Africa, growing Africa, the a part of Africa we had come to, to assist expand. So it changed into some thing taken in your stride and brought about a few thrilling nights around the dying embers of a braai.

In fact it changed into here that I first tasted Sushi, nicely absolutely not because I had first eaten sushi some years before. What changed into unique approximately this tasting turned into it become served from the returned of bakkie (pick-up) most effective hours after it were caught by way of some of the men on certainly one of their normal weekend amusement activities. It changed into without doubt the most up to date, tastiest raw tuna i have ever tasted.

work changed into as usual on maximum projects 10 hours an afternoon for six days a week which left the Sunday (Friday in Arab countries) unfastened to pursue your pastime or enjoyment pursuit or simply lay to your pit. television changed into hit and omit so it turned into incumbent on you to apply a while maximum profitably.This specific vicinity like many i've had the fortune to work in had an off limits to everywhere other then the confines of the camp. After 6 weeks stir crazy feelings make you crave civilisation and a new face. thankfully for us this camp changed into situated subsequent to the sea to deal with the work ongoing within the port. What that allowed us become to go by means of vehicle along the seashore of the camp to a cute spot wherein we may be beside the ocean on our time off. a few beers, a braai, a few true employer and time just melted away.

Liberia is in West Africa and has thick lush jungles and minimal infrastructure and so wherein we were become deepest darkest Africa so to speak. continually warm or raining heavily gave this place the humid steamy sticky sense that had you constantly looking to have a bath having just completed one.

paintings become ongoing and the days were damaged through early morning bathe, breakfast, work, lunch, work and evening meal. Nights had been in general spent in your accommodation except punctuated with the aid of an impromptu soiree. but predominantly relaxation turned into taken on a Sunday.

So lifestyles maintained its recurring week in week out holiday time and paintings. That turned into till the advent of Ebola! i will cowl this in my subsequent revelation.