It's Too Darn Hot!

One of the advantages of living in a hot country is you can save a fortune on fuel bills. One of our enterprising Ugandan doctors has set up a solar oven which is ideal for cooking stews etc.

Bring me sunshine........

 Malcolm has his own way of cooking. This week he not only baked some scones but also managed to make some real clotted cream to go on top. Eat your heart out, Mary Berry.

.......in your smile!   Scrummy!

In the local village there are other entrepreneurs. One has set up a recording studio, and has copied the name of the famous American studios that launched the careers of Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash amongst others.

Anyone want to make a hit record?

 

Another team of visitors arrived this week. Aspen is an international insurance firm who are major funders of the hospital. Each year they send a team of staff from across the world, this year including London, New York, Singapore and Australia.

The Aspen team with hospital staff

 

One of the events they will join in with is the 16.5km annual Kiwoko Chase for runners and walkers. On Friday we arrived for the briefing. Malcolm was there with other Mzungu volunteers: Michael and Konrad , medical students from Germany with John and Catherine, teachers from England.

Konrad, Michael, John and Catherine - ready for the briefing

 

For some reason the children have taken a particular liking to Michael.

 

Michael - the main attraction!

Living in a hot country means we also get some spectacular insects. This moth flew in one evening. 

Wait  till you see my big brother!

 

So next week – Malcolm will have taken part in the Kiwoko Chase. Will the pace, and the temperature, prove just too hot for him? We think so.

"It's the way I tell 'em" *

Last Saturday we completed the ‘Kiwoko Chess’.

We had thought is was a 16.5 km 'Chase' (10 mile walk / run) around Kiwoko, but unfortunately there was a printing mistake on the tee-shirts. No matter; we don’t think we would be any better at brain-power than foot-power.

 

There were about 120 people entered in the Chase – half of which were walkers wearing green tee-shirts. To avoid walking in the heat the start was at dawn – just after 7am.

 

 

The race was along the roads and pathways around the hospital, and was a good chance to ‘catch up’ with people – by chatting if not by racing.

 

 

At the end everybody got a prize and a certificate.

 

 As for the results, it’s just that some people are simply faster than others

 

 

This week’s proverb from the BBC Africa web-site is from Nigeria : "If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together"



* with compliments to Frank Carson

Build Up for the Big Race

Next weekend we are taking part in the annual Kiwoko Chase – a walking / running race of 7  to 10 miles around the hospital.
 
In preparation he Hospital commissioned the refurbished male ward this week – just in time for Malcolm!!!!

The hospital received a new anaesthetic machine – this was made by a company called Diamedica based near Barnstable in Devon. It is a rugged design intended for easy maintenance in developing countries such as in Africa. The Managing Director, Robert, came this week to ensure the staff are fully trained in using the machine before Irene needs it!!

 

Out on the route urgent supplies are being arranged to keep us going.

 

And even a frog dropped in to see what all the fuss is about.

 

 

Lets just hope we survive to update the blog next week.

 This week’s proverb from the BBC Africa web-site is from USA  “A frog does not run in the daytime in vain””