Action in Africa

Whats up y’all! 

Whats up y’all.  Its me again, I told myself I wasn’t going to post anything today but for many reasons as you will soon read I changed my mind.  This is internet access is costing me a fortune.  I was able to barter 3 autographed York Region Firefighter Calenders and one signed photograph of Shan and Arnold posing in there ‘Wonder Twin’ underoos while standing on the picnic table.  Unfortunately all that got me was my first 10 minutes free.  Its too bad the internet speed is so slow and I have already used five minutes.

Thanks for all the cooments and emails.  Sorry I have not responded to you all but my internet time is short.  I will do my best to respond.  Pics are coming I promise.  And yes you can send other people to this site.

So the funniest thing happended yesterday on our way to the cafe.  A group of us were walking along one of the main streets in Ndola to go and fire off some emails.  If your not aware they drive on the opposite side of the road here, street lights are staggered and pedestrians are treated the same as a raccoon trying to cross the 404.  Anyhow (this is a true story by the way) most of the group crossed the street when the opportunity arose.  All except for Andy and myself.  Well I didn’t want to leave Andy by himself on the other side so I waited along with him until the opportunity arose were we could dart across safely.  Well it took a while but finally there was an opening.  “Lets go!” we ran across the street but for some strange reason Andy ran to the far right of me.  There was a bus coming and Andy ran like the wind.  As I ran across and over to the sidewalk all I heard was pops (Ted) yelling “DITCH!, DITCH!, DITCH!” I looked over and there was Andy running only to disappear and fall straight into the 5 foot ditch! luckily feet first.  He had us all in stiches.  He escaped the ditch unscathed minus a little booboo on his leg.  We almost pi$$ed our pants.  All we could think of afterwards was he could have just ran into a black momba nest.  Any time I see him I can hear a song in my head; “Its ANDYYY loveable huggable ANDYYYY!”  Hey Sharon (cuz) I feel a sitcom here $$$$!  ahhh ya gotta love him.  Don’t worry Donna I am now personally looking over your brother and I assure you and your family he will return in one piece.  We are looking at purchasing a giant bubble to help protect him.

Today however was another story.  It was a day that in all seriousness the we will never forget for the rest of our lives.  I know I said I changed my mind about posting a message today but I have changed my mind again.  I have decided to leave you in suspense but not on purpose.  I started to encapsulate everything but I need a little more time to absorb my experiences today and present it to you in a manner that makes sense to not only me but for you too.  So much happened that I need a little more time to put it together.  Today moved me in ways that I could not possibly imagine.  Today I experienced just a piece of the “African Experiece”

To be continued…

Its me again and what a week it has been.  We are working hard on the house now and are almost finishe the roof framing.  Tomorrow is a slow day (visit the hospital, go to the bush school….) and I am sure that it is going to be one day I will never forget.  Not that every day hasn’t been a n experience either.  The kids today nearly beat the tar out of me (again!).  Man they got alot of energy.  Its funny the power a hug can have.  And believe me there are lots of hugs going around over here.  My little pal Arnold had his batman pj’s on tonight and Elias had his spiderman pj’s on.  They decided to use uncle Arnold’s karate techniques on me.  Problem was 6 other kids decided to join in too (Thanks uncle Shaun!).  I survived and barely escaped unscathed. 

One of the house mothers told me today that the kids asked why I don’t speak bimba.  She said I was not from Africa and they still could not believe that I could not be from Africa.  Tonight I got the map out and showed them where m family was from.  I think it stuck in for some but they were more amazed at the fact that Jamaica was such a small country.

Now heres the kicker…. As we were working at the job site yesterday a couple of us had a chance to speak to Lexon the job site manager.  He had a vast amout of knowledge to share with us.  Some of which was not what I wanted to hear.  Like…. In Zambia the country is filled with snakes. 

Lexon: “Oh YES, lots of poisonous and very, very dangerous snakes!”

Action: “Really”

Lexon: “Yes, yes, there are SPITTING COBRAS and BLACK MOMBA’S”

Action: “What the…..?

Now for those of you unfamiliar with the black momba, it likes to stalk its prey! thats right taunt you and then kill you.  Even better you will die within 20 minutes without the anti-venum.  BUT Lexon did say that the hospital is only 5 minutes away!

Action: “Thanks, thats reassuring.  And by the way why didn’t someone tell me this when I decided to take a looksy outside the compound???? And lets not forget the 2 times I had to do a number one out back??????  (Mr Giggles was exposed for Petes Sake!!! Whats that all about? Besides between that and the outhouse there is no way I am going to expose Mr. Giggles to any of this outdoors nonsense again.)

I have since decided that going to the washroom at the jobsite is now a last priority.  Tonight I am going to take a couple pair of childrens diapers and tape them together to make some man pampers.  It sure beats going out back! 

Nights are still painful over here.  I woke up last night a 4 AM again to the sound of the mating of 10 wildabeast.  Actually it was Andy our genious roomate snoring.  I put my earplugs on it did abolutely NOTHING.  Man this guy has the snoring strength of a pack of elephants, but you gotta love him.  He keeps us up but makes us laugh too. The guy deserves his own theme song.  God bless him.

Thanks for all your emails and comments (keep’em coming).  I love them.  Sorry I have not posted any pictures yet but it has been hard.  I promise i will post some soon.

By the way for everyone who is interested (Nerds), if you want to really follow my adventures below are the GPS coordinates of where we are or where we have been.  Check them out on ggogle earth or some other similar site.  I know Dale will fo sho!

Peace

Action Out!

Ndola 

S 12 degrees 57.956′ 

E 028 degrees 37.482′

Wayne’s House

S 13 degrees 04.478′ 

E 028 degrees 42.306′ 

Whats up y’all!  So far I have to say that this has been quite the trip.  After seeing 3 car accidents, dancing midgets and Shaun’s ugly you know what we have finally made it to the Buseko Home safe and sound.  Arriving there was quite the heart warming experience.  These kids are amazing!  They LOVE to play.  And play, and play and did I mention play?  I have so many new little friends.  From the moment they wake up to the moment they go to bed all you can here when you go outside is Uncle Duane, Uncle Shaun, Uncle Arnold, Auntie Brady?????? Auntie……………  they are truley beautiful kids.  Arny taught my little buddy Arnold some Karate.  Unfortunately little Arnold doesn’t realise that uncle Duane is much bigger and eye level for him is low blow level for me.  How do you say mommy!  Funny thing with these kids is when they saw Arnold the first question they asked is do you know karate?  It was like meeting people for the first time in Keswick.  Except the kids are adorable and they have teeth.  Sorry Jimmy!  I know your kids have teeth!

By the way I would never have believed it until I saw it with my own 2 eyes but these kids play hockey!!!!! and there good.  Hockey in Africa go figure.  Look out NHL!

Its quite funny all of the kids speak to me in Bimba (native language) and don’t believe me when I say I can’t speak it.  They wonder why I look like them and talk the whiteys (oops), I mean the white people.  I tell them that it is all a deep plot of world domination.  They ask me e-v-e-r-y day where were you born?  I figure by next week it will stop.  The kids love Shaun.  He taught them CPR last night and they were gooing crazy.  It gets dark by 5:30/6 but they were out running around with Shaun all evening until he had to retire with a headache and go straight to his little bed.  Poor baby.  It was actually good for hime because I share a room with 5 snoring people.  Lord have mercy! Ear plugs are definitely a necessity.  We also have quite the characters on this trip but stay tuned for details later.  They make me laugh every minute of the day.  Some I can equate to some of you guys back home.  So far Eric (McGyver) is at the top of the list.  Man that guy has a story to tell. 

We had our first day of work at the the new orphanage today and it was hard labour in the blistering sun.  The guys were not happy with me waring my speedo, work boots  and tool belt.  I don’t know why.  The sun was perfect for tanning.  I changed back into my regular clothes and worked like a fiend (spelling, who cares I speak Bimba).  The house is coming along fine, tomorrow we exect to put the rest of the rafters up for the roof.  We work hard but play harder.  And what a bunch of misfits on the job site.  I’m sure the Zambian work crew are saying what a bunch of morons over there, except for Action! Hes the man.

Anyhow time is running out so I bid you adieu.  I have many more tales to tell but some I can’t put on the internet cause my mom reads my posts too!  Arnold is such a baaaad boy.  Sorry Marty!

 Peace

 Action Out!

P.S.  Yes we have lots of pictures and I will try and post a few during the trip.

P.S.S. The kids have a little climbing wall on there jungle gym.  Crazy or what?

What a ride! After over 36 hours we have finally landed in Africa.  We are now at the Holiday Inn in Africa where the last leg of our travels to the orphanage is about to begin.  We have another 5 hour drive to get to the orphanage and I can’t wait to stop traveling in any motorized vehicle.  The fact that we stuffed ourselves into a small van with what seemed like 2 tons of baggage made our arrival at the hotel a welcomed one.  At least this bus ride had plenty of leg space.  Poor van had to push its little engine to the limit.

Ever been to a hotel with crocodiles?????  Yes, I can truly say I have.  Just stay out of the wading pool! 5 little crocks in that bad boy.  Needless to say there is a swimming pool that is quite the opposite.  Pictures to come later.  Sleeping has since become more difficult.  Even ran into a large rodent at the bar last night.  That was very special.  I think he/she was a resident seeing everyone ignore it as it ran throughout the ‘hotel’ bar.  Everyone except one gentleman who moved quickly to the upper seating level.

The ride here has been interesting.  The jacka$$ who sat beside us on the plane from London to Joburg drove us crazy.  Shaun almost lost it (as did I) on him.  The melting point was when he was rushing us to get up when we landed so he can catch his connector flight.  Considering there were 10 rows from the back of a 747 and there were 200 + people in front of us trying to get off the plane, I really didn’t think that we were slowing him down.  Luckily Shaun sat beside him cause he was invading Shauns leg space.  I who only had a 1/2 inch of spare space in any direction would have had to rectify the situation by any means necessary.

Anyhow this internet thing here is expensive! (yet I keep using it????? now whos the jacka$$!!!!) I feel rich with all these kwacha’s in my pocket (Zambian currency).  But then I did the math and realized I need more Kwacha to buy one once of bling! so I am back where I started. 

Weather is warm not and not as hot as London or the airplane ride from London (thank Geebus).  Nothing much more to report at least in this little time I have, so you will just have to wait and here about Arny and Shauns first …………….

 Peace!
Action Out!

Keep Bounc’n!

L-O-N-D-O-N

We have arrived in London unscathed and it is a bloody hot here.  If it is this hot here I can only imagine what it will be like in Africa.    We had 8 hours to kill so we took the tube into town.  I don’t know what Arn ate (or didn’t eat) on the plane but he is sure paying the price now. I think the half gallon of water he drank has helped to soothe the pain.  Other than that all is well.

Internet here at the coffee house is slow as malasses and I think I am paying by the second.  What ever happened to the honest human trying to help a brother out?  Anyhow it has taken me 18 minutes to type 8 lines and I have 1 complimentary minute to wrap up.

Peace

Keep Bouncin!

Action Out of time! 

Whats up ya’ll? The time has come to say good bye. My adventures in Africa begin in just a few hours. I’m nervous and still getting myself together. Funny the things reality does when it comes and kicks you in the keester! Anyhow the real reality is about to drop and I only hope I’m prepared for what it brings. For all of those I did not get to see or talk to, my sincere appologies (things have been hectic). Just stay tuned to lotug.com home of “Action in Africa”. I will do my best to update you with stories and pictures as I normally do. My suggestion is to check the site perodically for updates as I may not send an email but just add a post. And to the Lee’s and Mitchell’s I promise to bring your boyus home safe and sound. Although we may marry Arnold off on the trip cause he’s so adorable.
So farewell to you all and safe journeys to all who are travelling as well. As always Keep Bounc’n!

Action Out!

P.S. Feel free to email me at action”at”lotug”dot”com (replace the “at” with @ and the “dot” with . and all will be well). I will do my best to respond.

P.S.S. Alison please this link on to the family. Sharon, etc…..

P.S.S.S. Feel free to pass the link on to anyone you think I may have missed. I.E. The climing society at Joes!