Saturday April 25

How much more different can the weeks be? This is one of the things I love about being here. So this week has seen me transform into an anaesthetic nurse for the week and a thoroughly enjoyable change it has been.

I have spent most of the week working with an American anaesthetist who specializes in paediatrics. As one who has not seen children under the age of three years as patients for a VERY long time this is quite a shock to the system. But God has been very good in giving me someone who loves to teach and who likes to drink black coffee. What better combination could there be? We have managed to work together exceedingly well considering the circumstances here and without all the cases being straighforward. I have twice done a "Starbucks run" which has met with great approval.

It was probably a good time for me to remind myself of the skills I need to practice once in a while to maintain my own professional practice.

One of the ladies with whom I travelled to Parakou and Natitingou right at the beginning of our time in Benin has left this week to return to the UK so off we went to the local Lebanese restaurant for a meal, all 11 of us. it's a great little place right on the beach with a view of the ship. The food was OK but the company better. Just as well as it's the place I've chosen to go for a meal next Friday to celebrate my birthday.

The general fitness levels are keeping up OK. I've been out running about 5 times this week - just as well with these meals out. The heat and humidity do take some getting used to though.

The other real fun thing I've done this week is to celebrate St Georges Day. Having a conversation about 3 weeks ago with other English folk onboard I suggested we ought to really try and mark the day so tea and scones - all 9 dozen home baked - were produced on Thursday evening after the community meeting along with strawberry jam and cream. we decorated the midships lounge with flags and balloons and even had a Lord of the Realm with us for the occasion. Hopefully the image is on here of all the people who turned up. One or two weren't actually English but have lived in England for quite sometime so we let them in! we heard the story about St George and then sang the National Anthem. It at least raised an awareness of the day (which is also Shakespeares birthday).

So yet another busy week, next weeks promises to be even busier.....