Great Photo Opp.

The residents of Chancy Tavern are the original National Geographic family but with these pictures we come very close! 

In Singapore

Myself and the kids are here in Singapore with the rest of my family - it is chaos!!! Hopefully I will get a card reader for my camera because I left the USB at home then I post pictures. 

The Jungle

It's no surprise that our elders tell us the the jungle is a superstitious place that is not be be ventured into unless absolutely necessary. On entering the jungle one should always give a quiet salutation to the spirits and telling them that you are passing through. This my paternal grandmother taught me as a child though I never even saw the inside of a jungle with her but the edge of her wooded garden was enough.

On the hash runs we go in and come out again in a flash with all our various antics in between. But it wasn't the case for the hetro-hashers last friday evening. Diplo is a vast site with tracks leading to neighbouring areas. A fellow lady hasher was on the run and I write about her experience on Friday as best as I can. Her plan was to turn around after the first half hour but lost track of time. And before she knew it, it was way too dark to turn back. There were about 45 of them in total and they reached second check and followed the wrong tracks. It was dark but they followed fresh paper. Unfortunately as the most popular site for hashers they were soon on old paper again ....wrong track. Someone finds new paper and they follow that....old paper again ...followed by a dead end. They track back and follow another trail on what they think is new paper. And all this in dark jungle - not all of them have torches either. By this time even the guy with the bugle has been shut up - another rule in the jungle - don't make too much noise. Someone one calls they are on paper and they all follow the lead...except after a few minutes they don't recognise the voice that is beckoning them. They make a decision to stop and go another route. Two of the front runners think they have a route out and shout out for the rest to follow except the ones behind hear the same shout from the opposite direction...

They eventually came out three and a half hours later. Tired, a bit frightened but safe. Whether or not one believes in the spirits of the jungle, it is a place to be respected. I know I will be giving my salutations the next time I go to that site....and I won't forget a torch!

Laying green paper

For the hash this week I was a hare. The hare having worked out a route on a chosen site will go in with a partner a couple of hours before the other hashers and lay a paper trail. I was apprentice to two experienced hashers Smurf and Madame Sin. It was very hot but nevertheless being with the two of them, also very amusing and the view at the top of the hill was absolutely fabulous.

Our little drummer

Ayden is really into music and especially loves this drum set.

Donncha's Birthday

Happy Birthday to Donncha today. We just had lunch at my parents with the whole family. Thank you to Jasmine for the roast and fab chocolate cake made with Swiss chocolate. Thanks Hanna for the sushi and thanks to my Mum who organized the lunch.

Halal Fun

This evening I came across this Muslim comedy show - Salam Cafe -  from a Bruneian blogger studying in Australia. One of the panel is Waleed Aly who wrote "People Like Us". Earlier this year he was a guest speaker at JIS. A lecturer, former laywer, UN Ambassador, writer, broadcaster, he's an impressive guy who's done everything and anything. Now to top all that's he's also got a sense of humour. Show worth watching so do check it out.

From Beirut to Lugu

Yes I dragged poor Donncha to the Brunei Nash Hash. Cruel after his ordeal getting out of Lebanon but I think he admits himself that it helped him forget Lebanon for a few hours and focus on something else - how to get out the jungle! It was a very wet and muddy run which we completed in just over an hour. And that was the medium, wise choice not to go on the long.  I managed to slip off a log crossing a stream except it wasn't just a steam and the one leg went into a very wet bog. My thoughts when finding myself on very soft ground is - what else is in here?!

The event was attended by about 250 hashers from all over Brunei. There were also about 20 from the ladies chapter in Hong Kong. Not used to hashing in proper jungle a group of them were the last to get out of the medium run by which time it was nearly dark and very, very wet.

After makan groups were invited to make performances. The Hong Kong ladies gave us a song but after that the stage (which was very muddy by then) was all ours!

24 Hours around the Middle East

Friday morning started with some uncertainty. Went to bed on Thursday evening to the sound of gunfire and RPG grenades so it was obvious that things were escalating rather than quietening down. Our colleagues in the local office had started the week with cautious assurances that it was just another week in Beirut but by Wednesday afternoon, that had all changed.

On Wednesday evening, an option to take motorbike to the airport (leaving our luggage behind) was explored and would have involved handing ourselves over the Hizbullah contacts at the roadblock nearest the airport. By Thursday morning, that was no longer a consideration as the fighting had escalated seriously. Plan C was to look at options to get to Cyprus but that was ruled out as nobody was willing to take a boat out and no ferries were scheduled. The fireworks display on Thursday evening convinced both myself and my colleague from Geneva that it was time to make for Syria if that could be arranged.

So, Friday morning, second cup of tea and a call from the local office - pack and be ready in 20 minutes. A taxi driver had been found and was willing to take us to Damascus. The calm that the local team and our customer had shown in the previous days was now replaced with a genuine concern for what was happening and the safety of their visitors (this sums up the Lebanese people, more concerned about our safety than theirs). So, we with hard handshakes and nervous goodbyes, we took our leave of our Lebanese colleagues and the bank's CIO. See you in Geneva in three weeks - well, maybe !

Milan, the man we were now placing our safety with, turned out to be a hero. The journey started with regular checks of the local radio stations to hear the latest status on the road situation (closed or open?) but was soon replaced by calls to our colleagues to get more accurate information as the situation was changing by the minute. First stop was at a Lebanese army checkpoint where we were searched (professionally) and wished well. My mother calling the middle and Kevin's camera on the back seat of the car were the only minor headaches!

Next stop Tripoli. We gathered at a bypass layby along with other taxis who were 'breaking for the border'. Some discussions while we watched a convoy that was parked parallel with some very heavy weapons - the local police were not impressed but little they could do about the display of weapons. Then a decision, the road is closed - no going forward. Milan decides that it's best to head back to Beirut, we check with our colleagues to explore options. An uncle of one of the local staff worked for the police in Triploi - he's contacted and he meets us. Try again - if we don't get out today, it won't be possible after this evening. Ok then - let's try again. This time we make it to a major junction before becoming snarled in traffic. Roadblock ahead, we were sitting and waiting when something gives - lots of well armed men started running in the direction of the road block - we head in the opposite direction along with most of the other cars.

Another option is required - a suggestion of a mountain route is explored but a four wheel drive is required - let's find one - hell, it's only money ! But on further enquiry, the route is considered dangerous (relative to what but if it's considered dangerous, then it must be). So back to Beirut? Let's try again - this time, timing is everything - the Lebanese army had just cleared the road and we could make it through that roadblock. You can now tell the role of the Lebanese army, sitting in the middle, helping to provide temporary solutions. Almost immediately, you could see people starting to block the road again but we were through. Later in the weekend, we hear of some terrible fighting and 10 deaths in Tripoli.

Next was the Palestinian Settlement that was raided by the Lebanese army last year to collect the stock of weapons they had. This section of the road was clear as it was heavily protected by the army. The settlement is now in ruins - the attack there was massive and the destruction total. We pass by and head to our next challange. We are told that Milan cannot make the journey to Syria and we have to explore other options - he can get us to the border, road conditions permitting but he can't get us further. More calls, more plans hatched.

Then another roadblock - this one is serious. Hundreds milling around, some with weapons but mostly young kids. We explore options through Milan but the impression is that we have no chance of getting through. Then, two Lebanese police men step in, negotiate and we are permitted to pass through the roadblock. They escort us further towards the border and we start to worry about the options once we get to Syria.

Then Milan becomes the star again - he arranges for a Syrian driver to take us across to Damascus - can this chap be the real deal? Well, with very limited choices, we agree and hold our breath. First things first, we need to get exit stamps on our passports - the Syrian chap immediately steps into action and it appears to knows everyone at the border post. We struck gold - he does know everyone - things happen without our involvement, visas are issued, problems dealt with and we are given the bill. One could use this guy elsewhere in the world. Of course, a car has four seats and three were occupied so he manages to pick up another person enroute who also needs to get to Damascus - we were not complaining..........

Until he started to drive - 160km an hour for the next three hours ....... no seat belts in the car so Kevin and I chat about anything, BPEL, Oracle Fusion, long finger nails... anything to ignore the fact that we were inches from death on a number of occasions. Damascus arrived quickly (even if it was 250 kms away!). Hotel is fine apart from the fact only one room is available. A short night, we're in Damascus airport at 5.45am to catch a flight to Jordon and then hope to change our flights to catch the earliest to Dubai. All runs smoothly and that evening I'm joining Royal Brunei back to Bandar ........

Next day - no rest - Maria has me running through the Jungle on the Nash hash - but I'm sure she can tell you more about that.......

On his way home!

Its a big relief that Donncha is now out of Lebanon and on his way to Damascus, Syria!

Beirut Airport - Tutup (Closed) !

Jack is a little confused as to why his Dad is saying that the airport is closed - surely you have the key he asked! Well, I wish it were that simple.

Myself and a colleague are awaiting the latest news on opportunities to leave Beirut after two days of a general strike and no access to the airport. There are TV announcements being made as I write so we're hopeful that we will know the state of play after these have finished - either we really have to worry or the strike and violence will be called off.

All eyes on the TV - the chap from Hezbollah has been speaking already for 20 minutes but the team here are saying that's just an introduction. Will update you all once things change !

Rolling Hills

The hash last night was at a site most frequented by the ladies hash. Great jungle with miles and miles of trails and packed with hills. Most of the experienced hares know this area very well and last night's was laid by one of them. Twenty minutes into the run we were faced by this steep climb as the final leg of the climb up to the ridge. Unfortunately the picture looks like it's a gentle slope but is was pretty steep and I won't repeat the words I said when I first saw it ahead of me. We were rewarded with a gentle cool breeze up the top and helped me cool down but not for long before we went down again, repeating the sequence till the final ascent out.

Sadly word is out that we may loose access to this wonderful jungle in the near future. The jungle borders an area designated to foreign embassies and we park our cars and set up shop on the vacant roads. The ones currently there don't mind hashers and walkers but the one embassy planning to build is of a nation whose security policy is of paramount importance and most probably won't be so accommodating.

Sharing Everything

Like all mothers out there with young ones, I share everything with my kids - perfumes, lotions, lipsalves, hairbrushes, make-up (the few items that I do use), whatever I may be eating and drinking - I think you all catch my drift. My Mac was the one thing that I never let the kids touch and I had it all to myself (and Donncha occasionally). That was until Jack figured out there was a slot for DVDs. At first I did the usual - no, you can't put that in here etc. - but he was persistent and I thought - well it's no harm just this once - BIG MISTAKE. Jack now wants to watch DVDs on a laptop all the time. If only I had his persuasion skills!