You wouldn't believe how hard it has been to just get onto this site!

I've tried everything to get on to post another topic, and this is the only way it has let me, by editing a former post. No shit, I have been trying to type this for 30 minutes at least. I'm finally through so I hope it publishes properly.

Landed in Eritrea last Saturday. Found out in Cairo that the other volunteers have been delayed and will be here this Saturday. Luckily, a couple of Aussie volunteers have taken me under their wing and shown me around the joint.

It will take far to long to upload a picture, so I will attempt to describe it.

Asmara is clean, with trees lining the sealed roads. Old cars and new cars travel on the wrong side of the road (to me) but traffic is minimum, but you need to watch out for the hustle of people on bicycles, and the red buses which have squeezing room only. Walking down the street I notice a long line of people with small plastic containers near a gas station that look like they have been waiting all day. They are patient, and fill out the required paperwork as they reach the front to collect their ration of kerosene. They've been cooking with charcol because kerosene hasn't been available for weeks. Cafes are dotted around town. A big cathedral stands on the main road, outside is a bus station with many people waiting. If a seat is available, it is offered to the old lady with her kerosene, or the mother with her baby wrapped to her back. People pass you on the street and look at you. The pale skin is a dead give away that you are an outsider. Some are indifferent, most are friendly, sharing a smile and saying 'selam', rarely are you bothered.

Outside the city there is no mistaking it, I am in Africa. The only paved roads are those that connect major villages. Mounting a motorbike with a fellow volunteer we venture into the dry, dusty landscape. The eye can see for miles- clouds are at eye leve in the distance as they approach the eastern escarpment to hopefully dump their precious moisture. A well of water is surrounded by green, then red, and dry yellow dust. We climb up a rocky road, holding on for dear life. Don't want to fall off out here. Passing a collection of Eucalyptus trees reminds me of home, there must be water under the ground as twist and turn following it. A friendly face greets us. He is the director of the school where my friend works. He takes us on a tour of his historic village built of stone on stone. New houses built with old methods, leaves and dirt for roofs. Interested faces poke out of these homes. Kids play soccer with socks, or tennis around a pole. Electricity goes down to the well to pump water. Regretfully, and somewhat difficultly, we decline an offer for coffee, a process which can take up to four hours. Food is scarce, coffee is expensive, though hospitality is bountiful. A welcome introduction to this vastly different region. This is Africa.


If there is perhaps one country which could rival China's rapid development, it would have to be United Arab Emirates. It has the feeling of being 'under construction.' What they have is very new, but you look around to see most things are only half finished. I also get the impression that the labour building this place is imported, mainly from India, maybe. I'm in Abu Dhabi for a day and just read that it is the richest place in the world! If the wealth (oil) was shared equally, each person would be worth approximately 17 million UAE dollars! Don't take my word for it though, I just read it in a magazine that was lying around the hotel room. Off to Cairo today, then onto Asmara, Eritrea, tonight! Pretty stoked. Really looking forward to getting to the place i'll be calling home this year, making some friends and learning heaps of new things! I'll keep posting...