Aother plumbing crisis averted at the 11th hour!!

I am quite pleased with myself today as I got quite a few things ticked off on my ‘to do’ list. Although I would have to admit as the day progressed my work level got closer and closer to Zambian speed. It is so warm again today and there is not a breath of air moving in the office, it is so tiring just sitting in it!!


On the way in to work today I saw what was either the army or police all gathering, some in full riot gear (well helmets anyway, which is probably as far as the riot gear budget will stretch here). I assumed they were doing a practice, but apparently there was the threat of a protest in the town following the arrest of a catholic priest who had upset the Government. As was explained to me, he was arrested before for something similar, which then resulted in protests and riots in the street as this priest has quite a following here. Unfortunately, none of this was explained to me until I needed my first comfort break of the day. By which time all the shops had put up their shutters and offices had closed their doors – including the office where I avail myself of their functioning facilities! Never mind rioting in Kitwe town centre, I was having my own full blown crisis!! It had actually got to the point where I was thinking of going back to the hotel, which is either a 20 minute walk (may have been slightly shorter if I was forced to break in to a run) or a short taxi ride. I was actually on the verge of calling Kandu to come in his taxi and take me back to the hotel when I decided to venture out in the direction of the office. What a relief, the priest had been released on minimal bail and the town was open for business again, including the office that is my salvation at least twice a day!! Crisis averted (well at least for the next few hours).

Not sure which of my limited choices I will be having for dinner tonight. I was presented with a special Sunday night menu yesterday, which was a list of meat which could be flung on the barbeque they had set up earlier that day. When I said to the waitress I was vegetarian she asked if I could not eat the chicken, to which I pointed out that chicken was in fact meat. Undaunted, and eager to please, she obviously thought she had the answer when she suggested that perhaps I could try the Pig on a Stick. Even thinking of it today still conjures up the image of being proudly presented with a full sized pig skewered on a (very large) stick at my table. Ok, so granted it was probably only going to be part of a pig, but I was still obliged, yet again, to politely decline and point out that the said pig would once upon a time have been alive and kicking and therefore classed as meat. (Unless off course it was a soya substitute pig – but I didn’t go there!!!). They eventually agreed they could give me the vegetable casserole off the usual menu! I may be tempted to get a carry out Pizza on my way home one night.