Caia - Logistics

We are in Caia, finally made it - we bought 15tons of milled corn in Beira and hired a truck to bring it up to Caia. We thought he had left at 11am, but when we arrived in Caia at 4pm that afternoon he was still in Beira!!! HE had decided to have lunch, take a nap and have a bath... so, we will not be hiring him again! They kindly called me the minute they arrived - at 5am. Not impressed. But we got permission to use the huge storehouses of the World Food Programme to store the food for free, so that is really good.

We are staying at Pastor Phombo's house, Lois and I are sleeping in one of the 2 storerooms, and the guys have pitched the tents in the old church.

There are things to do before we can actaully go hand out the food - first we have to check in with the INGC and see if the place we have chosen needs help, who has been there, what has been done etc. We want to go to Maringapans, a town accessible only by plane/helicopter. But no one here seems to have any info about them! There is a meeting later today where I will try and see if any of the other NGOs have info, else I will ask about the possibility of scheduling a helicopter to take us out there to 'recon' the place! Its all quite exciting really.

I am writing this blog at the UN WFP headquarters - they have electricity and internet!

There is lots to do, but I am learning to slow down and just relax a lot more!

Yesterday I got another speeding fine just outside Caia. 89 in a 60 zone... I got out my car with the 1000mets in my hand. They were still telling me that I was speeding when I cheerfully said 'Please may I have a fine?' They laughed at me took the money and then started writing the receipt... suddenly they closed the book, gave me my license and the 1000mets and said 'go by yourself a coke or something...' WHAT? they were just letting me go. SO that was pretty snazzy!