Skool round the corner
Trip Start
Jul 24, 2007
1
13
50
Trip End
Ongoing
Trinidad,
Bolivia
Monday, October 1, 2007
The climate is tropical, meaning it is mega hot and humid during the day (normally 38 to 40 degrees) and mega hot and humid at night (30 to 32C). There is absolutely no wind............OK i mean there is no breeze :-)
The sewers are open and you have to careful where you are walking in case you make a wrong move, as they don't sell paddles in this place. They are a lot of animals living in the sewers including BOA CONSTRICTORS....eek. Once you get used to them they aren't that bad, in fact the locals think they are "just the jobbie" (boom boom)
We sleep with the windows open at night to try and get a wee bit of a breath, it's OK we have mozzie nets over the windows
2 specimens of local wildlife
. The only thing is, you get awoken every morning by the creatures giving their early morning yodel. You have cock-a-doodle-doos, frogs, crickets....and there's more.......birds, dogs and a load of buzzy things. I'm not joking the beetles here are so big I heard Brian Epstein had tried to sign them up! There are big things the size of tennis balls that drop from the ceiling or fly up the street...........scary.The school, La Palmera, is brilliant. It is well organised and the little darlings are normally well behaved. We have been given the job of creating a database which can be linked to the website showing pupil details and a connection for sponsors to correspond with their sponsored child. We are almost finished and will be heading on to the next port of call when we are done.
I have also been involved in the daily escuela de futbol (football school). I started off watching and doing the odd thing and have ended up looking after the under 9 team (los sub neuves). They are a good bunch normally and i haven't had to say the old statements "yer only foolin yerselves" or "you can run round here all night" Although I have been looking for a translation of "if you don't desist young fellow I'll place my Primark gutty up one's rear end!!!!" A few of the kids have Tvs and they can't wait to let me know the Liverpool scores, which have been mostly good recently, I think that means I am officially barred from Anfield now!!!!!
The town suffered really badly during last years rainy season. It was disasterous for farms and crops and loads of people were made homeless. We visited a lot of the families with the school and they are living in real poor conditions.To combat the floods this year they have a big dyke now
Come on you REDS!
.Like all Bolivian towns there is always lawlessness, but I think here it is mostly the friendly type, done with a smile:-). Three banks have gone bankrupt here because no-one bothers to pay back loans. The normal mode of transport is by moped (that's like a Honda step through for you fogeys out there) it is 15p to anywhere in town. But someone has sabotaged their highway code and put DON'T in front of everything; don't give way, don't stop at junctions. They also had a general strike when everything closed down and barricades were everywhere.....at least it stops ya from being homesick.
Like the Cheers bar, this is the place where everyone really does know your name. We'll miss the place when we go and have loved our time here. When I told the youngsters we were going there were a few tears, it was the closest I was to gurning since THAT night in Istanbully (and you can't beat a bit of bully).
Next place to lay down the swag: Santa Cruz de la Sierra (Bolivia)
Comments
stay where youse are!
well phil and julie, how's it going? it's great to read that you are having a great time. stay there a while, though, eh? the Reds are top of the table and philip mooney's on the other side of the world.coincidence? i think not. look after yourselves,as those banditos are everywhere,just ask anyone who works at the kremlin!!
its us!
hey you guys! glad to see you're having such a great time, photos are great! keep them coming! hope alls well at the school, stay safe and keep the funny messages coming! lots of love John and Josie xxx
g'day from Portydown
Do you know, reading the travel-log has been just like having you here telling us about it! Michael Palin eat your heart out!! Keep the tales coming - I think you should write about your travels when you come home - it might fund the next trip!! Off to see the Red Men tomorrow night - we'll sing a song especially for ye both! Maybe if your dead lucky, I might even send a photo of our ugly mugs at the match. All together now - When you walk, through bandit country, keep your head down low, and don't show your fear to the locals........... Keep safe! Andrew & Michelle xx
Come Back All Is Almost Forgiven
Don't listen to them mate, we need you back. The 'Red Men' played like a boa constricter, like a big jobbie, 'C**P'. Anyway hope things are good on the other side of the world and you are keeping my Jules safe and well. From the sound of things you certainly are keeping her in the style you are accustomed to, Carrick without the view of Bangor. Enjoy and keep in touch. LOL and not in a guy who likes guys way.
buenos noches
or should that say buenos dayos ..your gonna get some stick for going out to a foreign country armed with what you thought was the peoples language only to find it was a different dialect...well heres one for youse both you should know..the shore road mooneys are thinking of you two skitters and hope you keep safe and well. c ye later, nae barrer big lad, keep er lit.
the rooster.
Ciao amici..
How yous doiiin? Pics are brill. Nic sitting beside me looking at them too coz she hasnt seen yous in aaages (a whole week she said! bless her). All the wee kids look so happy. Nowt much happening here. Its Sat nite and we are sitting watchin the lightnin and listenin to the thunder.....fandabbydosey! Keep the fotos comin and the commentary.
Keep safe love Jan, Max and Nicky noo
usted nunca adivinará qué!!!!!!
Bien usted fruta pequeñita, se parece a usted ambos tienen un gran tiempo. Los hoteles parecen fantástico, usted se divierte realmente! !!. ¿Los Galways será +1 cuando usted llegan a casa tan hay un poco de noticias para usted - hasta luego y suerte xxx