Back online, alone again...

While having a trip around with the office bike.... These people are Mahafale, thats the tribe they belong to! (madagascar)

Not been writting here for a very long time.... I guess life has been a little to busy to get the time to write to myself again... inspiration and feelings for writting here are very sporadic.... I don't really know if anyone reads this, but in anycase, this is just another session I write with myself. Im in boredom bangla jessore city, and its a real test to put up with. This place must be the most dirty and disease infested one I have ever been into since I Started traveling.... Dengue fever, Malarya, lepra.... a lot more... smells, dirty hands all the time, smelling hell...... just enough...

Im in a lost town, where there are so far no expat seen, and where all there is to see is dirt.. now in an office on my own, noone to talk to, just an internet connection, and a hord of Moskitos attacking from all sides. I might just be lucky enough to transform into one of them soon!

Christina the adorable! No! its not my daughter! (madagascar)

Anway way, Ill try to catch up a little on thing by pasting here a few picture of the event happened since Lebanon..... Its got to be, Madagascar, Mauritius, Iran, and Bangladesh....

Take care...

Nahr El Bared (Tripoli)

It has now been a month that I am in Lebanon, working on this small scale Emergency project. Its been a month, and yet, the real action has not started. The Palestinian refugee camp is still being shuttered by heavy mortars and gunfire. It has become a routine to hear the permanent "BOUUMM" from the place where I stay. The unfortunate people of this camp had to move to another camp near by called Beddawi. As a result, this camp is now overcrowded with double the people it would usually take. The refugees, have been living in the camps for generation, and seeing their 2Km square territory is extremely painful. The other day, I was with one of the refugee from Nahr El Bared camp, we were driving along, and were in a location where you can actually peacefully watch the mortars blowing building into dust. As we were watching this, I discovered he had his house there, which he had just morgaged for. He explained to me that his house was reduced to none, and that is futur was worst than is present! Not only that now he lived in some other famillies places, but also, he has to prepare for the return to the ruins of his ex-house, and ensure he keep working as usual to pay back the morgage he had taken to buy a very modest house, such as they are in the refugee camps. All in all, he will receive a thousand dollars to compansate his faith, and the rest is entirely up to him. Basically having a family with kids and no house to live in, is already sad, but on top having to p[ay a morgage for a house that has been destroyed by the army is even worst..... I still dont know what I could have said to this so strong and unfortunate man.

Mauritania - Morocco - Palestine - Israel - Lebanon

Been a while, and as usual, im coming up with that sentence.... Well, it seem as if its been along way for me since Sudan where I started writting this blog.. And I'm starting to try and understand why my motivation in writting through here has decreased so much! Its all to do with myself getting used to the job, and a little less confused, but also with life having been so busy! After the last trip to Somalia, I have been doing alot, but probably so much of it was full on, that I didn't feel the need to write to myself!

After spending sometime in Mauritania, for the fourth time in a year, spent some holidays in Morrocco! About two weeks! I wanted to find out about this stories I had, and also, it was the only place available at the time, near where I was based (MAU). What I'll shortly say, is that I was not impressed at all by this country, the police hassles you all the time, people are just not entertaining at all, and you have to watch out all the time, and the cities (Marakech, Agadir, Essaouira, and Casablanca) did not impress me at all. I would put that one on the last position in the priority list of the country I liked! Anyway, that only me, maybe others will find their dreams in there.

Following that, about 5 weeks later, Im off to Palestine (Occupied Territories) and Israel (of course, you have to get there to go to Palestine). Jerusalem was an amazing city to see, and I'd say that I would never replace this trip for any other! it was a fantastic opportunity to discover this amazing troubled land where most of religions history referes to! I saw the Jesus grave, Mohammed portal to Heaven, and the Jewish with Adam! It's just a breath taking city I must say and for me who converts into a muslim, it was a beautiful moment to do my first paryers! I loved it all the way and this city has everything that others don't have! All the religions together in the same place!

The darker side of it, is all this never ending war between people which in the end are no different than any other, they are led by politics and dragged into darkness! Religions seems to be a good tool to politicians to ensure complete control over their own interest! What a pity! It was so frustrating to see a country with plenty of land, and luxury on one side, and an other with absolutely nothing, and povrety all around.. I wont comment much on that for reason some you will surely understand!
Maybe one day, I'll spit all this out, but I doubt it happens here! :-)

Half way through my life in this very emotional land, I headed to Jordan, passing through Albin Bridge, border with Israel and Jordan! this was another so fantastic journey, with a stunning landscape, and the famous and notorious Dead Sea! I surely cannot explain how wonderful it feels to be in the middle of this extraterrestrial land with eroded DRY mountains, and this so amazing dying Dead Sea! :-)
On this Mission, Mogadishu was well far from my mind, and altho I will never forget Mogadishu trhilling experience, there are time where nothing disturbs my mind from these amazing beauty of earth!

The journey to Jordan was paradise, and I made my way through to Aman, on the same day! There I spend only 7 hours, before heading to Lebanon! Arrival in Lebanon happened at night, with a Dash 9 C400, and it was not without trouble. My luggage were forgotten in Aman, and I had to change my schedule before being able to take on my duty! After spending a very confortable night in Beirut, I headed North to the troubled area of Tripoli! For those who have no idea, there are two refugees camp where one of them has been assulted by the lebanese military forces due to a siege of the Fatah Al Islam group. Again, Im sure some will see my point in not getting into more details.... In the end, I am now still in Lebanon where the situation is getting more and more tense, to the point where I will very certainly have to give up on my return in Palestine!

All I can say, and I beleive that this will not offend anyone who truly beleive in Humanity, is that the Palestinian people have suffered more than any other people I have heard of! And even if still some will say that they were the victims of there mistake, I will always keep in my mind that by now, they have paid the price, and that there is no reason for the new generation to still pay tribute as much. It must be taff for a people to always having lived in a restricted area, which looks like jail on a big scale while there is so much space available for living in the place they orgininated from... Its so hurtful to see that even now, in 2007 there is still this kind of un-humanity towards brother humans... what can I say, or think... its just very sad!

I should remain over here for another month, inshallah, and hopefully get to meet more of the Lebanese people! I love this country and its people, I love the ever streching costal view, and could very well see myself living in such a place. However, there is still alot to be done for people to live in peace here, and As much as the Palestinian people suffered, the Lebanese people also had to go through a lot more than may deserve.... I'm still thinking of getting a life here, All I need is enough time to find a house! Imagine, view on the sea everyday, up in the mountain side, and near from work! Tempting isnt it! of course you will have to cope with the usual bombs there and there, but thats how you come to beleive that there is a god... its when you have passed by them that you understand that the only safe place is in beleif of your luck!

All I have to do not, is wait, and inshallah I will evenatually find my love and therefore home! This could well be in Lebanon!

;-)

Back from Mogadishu - Somalia

Hello Hello,

Phewwwwwwwww.... releasedddddddd, when stress evacuates your body, it does like a waterfall, physically touchable, and mentally relaxing! It's like you empty your body from all the event recorded from previous days, its like archieving your new files the souvenir closet! After these 9 days in Mogadishu, working long hours under some kind of stressfull environement, is eventually the end. Now, it time to relax for two days in Nairobi, and then I'll be off again, but for now, its time for stress release! inspire, expire! it also works for the head! :-)

Some pictures from Mogadishu....



Scared.....

Latest News, Mogadishu under fire.

Lunch time today, mortar and gunfire on Mogadishu Int'l airport:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6293897.stm (so quick, as usual its all here).

Oops...

Back to work

Three weeks sleeping and sleeping, but yet, its time to go back. Emergencies, do not wait for Mr Fab to have his rest. Its time to go to work again.

The day starts like this, once its decided of where he should go, its time to wake up! 7:00am, Fab packs his clothes and few belongs in a 60l bag pack. An additional small buisness suitcase will be taken to fit the valuable stuff in it: work laptop, a hard drive with a few photos, music, and other things, the legendary ipod, and a headset. Lunch, its rather sad despite the efforts of the family trying their best to hide their worries and sadness to see him go again. Still its a very intense moment as each keeps inside his pain, but tries to enjoy as much as possible this time. The last lunch home was potatoes with savoyard cheese! Delicious! Thanks!!!

Time is for the ride to the train station, 20 minutes away from him. It nothing, indeed, but its certainly the worst journey on the way to work. It also time to HUG very deeply and lovely his mother. None of mum or fabrice cries, its a matter of respect for each other. Father will seat on the passenger side while fab will drive the car to the train station, just for the good fun of driving in a "civilized traffic". Arrived at the train station, while mum is certainly already crying rivers, dad have a coffe with him. As dad is very reserved and does not like to show his sorrow, he will leave before the train comes. A last big hug for him too, and father and son, are appart. Dad will certainly drive home and make sure that mum isn't going mad about it, after all, she does eventually got used to this come and go thing (she said). Fabs take a last sip of the coffe, and jumps in the train! This is the thinking, dreaming, wondering, scaring trip to Paris. Its when he has in his head all these things about what where why.... its a 2h30 journey. Thats more than enough to think of life for. Slowly the mind gets ready for the work to start. Its like this everytime, but everytime, its becoming more and more difficult to leave home for these first two journey. Then from the moment he is in Paris, it becomes easier... it like he is away for good already, and this makes it all a lot easier. He will have to spend one night in Paris to ensure that the plane is being taken ontime tomorrow. From the train station it will be underground to a nice area of Paris, where Fab has arranged to meet a friend. But first, he will find a hotel where to sleep for the night. Unlike usual most friend who could provide somewhere to squat, there is none this time. Hotel is found, time to standby till the evening, its 16:30.

22:15, out the hotel, walk for 15 minutes to the friend place, from St michel to Place Monge. Here she is, late but anyway here, they both walk to get the car some one km away from here, yeah, it isnt easy to park in paris! This friend is someone from pakistan, who happened to be from paris, and worth keeping in touch with as a friend from pakistan in France (through she is french...). A small party before bed time, and by 2:00am Fab is asleep at the hotel, with himself, of course!!! come on!

10;00am off to the airport, check out the hotel, underground, terminal, 2 hours wait, in the plane, flying over europe, and 2:30 local time, arrived in Dubai UAE. Hotel driver is here, so there he goes to the hotel, straight to bed, but not able to fall asleep before 4am, it will be a short night. Not much time to do anything, 8am, heading to the office, the mission now, is to pick up essential "Nomade" articles (mosquito net, toilet things, survival kit, and 50 kilos of tools), oh, and I forget, money, plane ticket, and mission infos.

12:00, Taxi is here, ride to the airport, check in (1h queue), terminal (1h), in the plane, flying over to Nairobi, Kenya! At last, arrived to work! now things almost start.... almost yeah... still, Somalia is where the real work start...

Fab will be in Nairobi for 6 days, time to sort permissions and security clearing to enter this hot spot. The first location to work in will be Mogadishu for 8 days. Mogadishu is the worst place in entire Somalia in terms of security, so things have been arranged so that permissions to enter come from the highest authorities possible, and that an immediate evacuation, if need be, is done easily. What does this mean ? well, the entire 8 days will be spent in a wall surrounded counpound near a runaway for the plane to take off. 400m to be accurate. This will allow quick escape, just in case things gets out of hand like its happening in Somalia for the last years. In the end, I hope this country will find its way to peace and unity for all. After Moga, will be two other towns for another 14 days, and then, who knows whats next after that....

Fab is stressed about it of course, its probably the most dangerous place he ever had to put his foot into. Its also going to be stressfull to be with only two other expates, in the middle of a warfield. But somehow, he will still go there. There are a million reasons to discuss about it, and probably two outcomes possible, Dead or alive.

I Wasn't to sure I'd write anything about this, but I guess its better to be said, just in case... I know its dangerous, and possibly deadly... But, its got to be done, I have escaped an other conflict before, by refusing to go, but then, in the end, I do have to pay a tribute for my collegues who went, when I didnt. And afterall, Im not yet about to leave this work, so what the heck, I go. Will see what happen, in the end, I do beleive, that the chances to be killed somewhere, are equal whether you are there or there, I beleive thats it all written, therefore, not eligible for stress overdose.

Anyway, no worries, im cool with it, I have had a great life so far, A one of a kind love once, and only once, reached a dream; that was to travel and see the world populations, do not be obsessed with money matters, a good health. The only thing I did not have yet, in this happy life, is a kid or many, and a loving wife to go with it, this will be once I have finished certain acheivment I got to do... anyway, its has not shown up yet, so why bother worrying about it, life does it all its own way, we can only decide to walk or stand.

To all readers, specially the one I know, and really also, a big Hug, and lots of love, from the deepest of my soul. Special message to 007: "I know you".

Take good care all, see you when you see me..... :)