On the way out......

My Last time passing through the gates of TS KURMUK...... :(



My "dealer" Afrim - our Beer and Birr dealer.... Great guy....



Mike Stacey - this one is for you. The first School to receive your Sqn's gifts.

Yeh, I thought I was strong..... 80 year old women with no muscle tone carry these loads for miles.... three of us (me being the smallest) had great difficulty lifting it.

I have said farewell to my friends at Team Site Kurmuk. I am now at the sector HQ in Damazin. I was told that I will need 2 full days at the sector. This means that when I flew to the sector on Wednesday it was not a full day, so I would have to stay Thursday and then I would still need another full day.... Friday and Saturday are days off for Sector and then Sunday would be my next full day which means I could not fly out to Khartoum until Monday.

Well I didn't do anything on Wednesday when I arrived. I figured I would start fresh on Thursday morning and test the theory that I require 2 full days to check out of the sector. I actually used my stop watch and hit start as I walked in the main gate. I completed my entire check out process in ......... 59 minutes!!!

Welcome to the UN.... I still laugh! I am here for 5 days for something that I had told them would only take half a day at most. It took me less then 1 hour to complete a "two day" check out. LOL

The good news is that I had lots of time to study and work out. The bad news is that it was 51 degrees today at noon!! Man it was hot. I stayed in my cabin and completed another module of an online course that i am taking.... so I was happy!

I have also received a basic confirmation of my fight home. It looks as though I will be stopping in Amsterdam for 7 hours again. Last time I went to central Amsterdam. This time I will be visiting the Hague home of the International Criminal Courts. I have been told it is quite beautiful.

Oh by the way.... It has been a very long time since I have mentioned anything about my pet chicken "Sheeza". Well it turns out she did get along with the Cock across the street and she has now produced 4 chicks. They are all doing well.

The boys proudly standing by their STEAM WHISTLE Beer opener!! It will be permanently mounted on the bar next week when the bamboo comes in. Thanks Lorelei!!! More pics to follow from Canada House next week...

I was meeting the Sector Commander on the day I was leaving. The Pak Army is all about the formal "Show". This is one of the guards.

Look up, way up... (do you remember that show?) and on top of the rock you will see a little bump. That's all we can see from the camp of our Inukshuk. Its much more impressive from the top!


Another view of the same rock..... way up....

When I run I start at 6pm as it is the coolest part of the day and it's just before night. Here is the view as I come around the back side of the camp..... Every time I started my run I would smile and think.... I am running during a sunset in AFRICA!!! It still hasn't set in yet...LOL

Good-Bye KURMUK........ I will miss it..... I will miss the team members and my friends....

Best wishes to all of you.....