Weekending, 6th November 2010

On the Sunday morning we walked to Le Palais to use the internet we have stopped using La Parisienne as they have recently started charging 75 dalasi for an hours use with a complementary drink. Then after lunch we made our way to Safari Garden to meet Vicky Taylor. She is one of the VSO staff from the UK and is the lady who actually found us our placement. When we arrived Rachel was already chatting to Vicky, we introduced ourselves and then spent the afternoon chatting about our placement and the ups and downs of life in The Gambia. Abigail and Bradley spent most of the time in the pool along with a weird looking insect which was clinging to the steps. It was quite large and round with a long spike on its tail and six legs. The front legs where very much like a claw and at one point we did wonder if it was a type of scorpion. Paul decided to take it out of the pool picking it up by its long tail and prising it off the step which it did not want to let go off. When he put it down it crawled about a bit and seemed very awkward on land. We left it there and went back to talking, about an hour later the insect was still there and when we checked it again it was dead. We think it maybe was a water living insect so we had killed it by taking it out of the pool. We also had a short visit at the pool by Alpha he was over from Kenuma visiting his cousin. At 5 o’clock Paul went off to rugby taking Vicky along to watch. She is going out for a meal with Pete, Bernie and Tom after they have finished playing rugby. Vicky has worked with Pete in the UK VSO office so is quite keen to find out how his placement is going.

A BIG HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO NAOMI!

Abigail's Birthday

The rest of the week was spent preparing for Abigail’s birthday. Dale had already brought some things over so we just needed a couple more bits. We had also arranged a barbeque party for her on the Saturday afternoon and invited the VSO volunteers as well as Mick, Jenny, Teo and Mia. On the Friday the day of Abigail’s birthday we were all up early watching her open her few presents a couple of DS games, a CD bought out here with about ten kids films on some of which we already have, a cross stitch monkey to sew, crayons, colouring book and a Gambian insect book. On the Afternoon whilst Abigail played with her new DS game I set about making a chocolate birthday cake. Oops I ended up burning it so had to make another one, luckily the faithful carrot cake turned out okay. Oh forgot to mention we now have a new member of the family in the house. Whilst Paul was locking the door one night this week he said something large flew in on investigating the next morning we found a large praying mantis sat on the curtain pelmet. We watched him as he sat licking his antennae and eating a fly which he had caught, so along with Freddy the skink (we think the gecko has made its way outside) we are a family of six.