Fond Farewells

When you work on a remote site anywhere and do those long, long stints, life and time telescopes and it means that unless there are good people around - no one survives in tact for very long. All the more so if the team you are working with is very small - when it doesn't hang together, nothing is fun and life D-R-A-G-S on and on and on.

For me, arriving to work in a place like Mali has had its unique roller-coaster of emotions and discoveries to contend with - and I can only imagine that when the time comes, after collecting that whole range of weird and wonderful experiences, it will be just as strange to leave.

Two weeks ago (and it already feels like more than a month) we said goodbye to our friend and workmate Wade. Wade arrived at Syama two years ago when the expat team was very small, only 6 or so people, and listening to his stories of his time here and the hardships that everyone struggled along with together (plumbing misadventures, dire situations with food and sanitation, Christmas alone in camp) it really sounds like a fantastic adventure.

So Wade leaves behind the people who became his family over the past two years and the guys were all very sad to see him go. He made some great friends and will be missed by them all.


Wade and the guys together for the last time


... on my way ...

That's one way to say goodbye - the other way involves the bar ...


Mr Cool surveying the scene

No farewell party would be complete without sharing a rite of passage with Marcus - the last surviving member of the original team ...


Shotgun heroes

... and a last dance - yeah!


Ready to go now

Good luck Wade - keep on having fun.