Au revoir Syama ...

Hard to believe that yesterday I was still sweltering away and avoiding les moustiques after dusk, and that today I'm tucked up in Paris with the heater going, wearing four layers and a goosedown jacket and expecting snow at any moment ... really!

So let's take a look back at my west African lifestyle before my Parisienne lifestyle kicks in. The highlights included of course moving into my very own hut!


Tour all a-r-o-u-n-d my house

And as often as possible ...


Another dance

... with the gents in Fourou.

And what may be news to some of you is the night Pup proposed at the bar - I even got a handmade ring, fashioned out of a Castel wrapper - what more can a girl ask for?


Oh happy days!

Of course, I was abandoned only minutes after this joyful event as duty called him away to Liberia, armed only with a tin of pistachios for company.


Me and the aircrew

So thank goodness the geophysical survey crew arrived to keep me entertained for a few weeks.

Meanwhile, back at base there were one or two issues with the vehicles ....


Fixing the car

... nothing that a bit of manpower can't sort out! And we didn't even have a serious load, unlike the


Light cargo

... that you see on the road to Bamako!

An area in which the exploration team showed consistent and excellent performance was, naturally enough, on the fashion front.


Le guardien du sondage

in required attire! Perhaps outdone by the ever stylish and ...


... truly orignal ...

Ali Soro. The D&G poster boy geologist! And I like to think that I am also able to put up a fine effort when working on my tan.


Outdoor ensemble

And just in time for Simmo's departure, everyone was able to finally shine in ...


The Somisy Collection '08

I tried very hard not to give Siaka too much trouble, but I'm afraid that wasn't always possible.


I promise Siaka

Especially so whenever Catherine came to town.


Night out with CC

Thankfully a night out with the Irishmen is enough to get you giggling and stop you thinking about your worries!

As can a night when every man at Syama manages to bring you that much needed G&T, replete with cocktail umbrella and a wedge of lime ...


Ooooo ... for me!?!

Proving that it is possible to do the impossible in the middle of Africa ...


Garlands ...

... if you want to enough, hey Sean? (Always have to have the last word don't I?)

So before I left I had a few things to wrap up.


My stash

Most importantly, the eating of the stash - yes sir-ee - this is the cupboard of joy that kept me ... and Marcus ... and Simmo ... and Amanda ... and Ronnie ... and ... going over the months.


Blast buddies

John (and Paul) made sure that I managed to see the 'best of the blasts' in my final weeks - pretty damn cool I must say, and thankfully far more controlled (and therefore far less scary) than a volcanic blast.


Me and the driller

Rob de WADS took me on a tour of the new Chateau de WADS at Taba - just a few finishing touches required, including a fence to enclose the freestanding gate. The beauty of it all was of course that Rob sourced 90% of his building materials out of the rubbish dump at site!


...egads!

And after 18 months of being almost entirely free of any mosquito bites, the evil insects had a veritable feast on my arms in my last few days ... retribution! Let's just hope Madame Anopholes wasn't the culprit and that my malarone holds steady!

Then all too quickly it was time to go ... we had a lovely BBQ prepared by Chef Simon out the back of the exploration office and tried to share the joy of working together, rather than the tears of parting company ...


Rowdy bunch

... with plenty of happy memories shared amongst us ...


Mariam models a mug

... because your friends are with you wherever you go, always in spirit!


Sunset over Syama