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Everything posted here is stricktly the opinion of the poster and shall not be taken to be the official position of UNMIS, UNMISS, UN, the Norwegian Armed Forces or any other organisation whatsoever.

Thursday 27 January 2011

Farthest South

Even if the race to get Furthest South was won just under a century ago (and won by a Norwegian no less), I have set a personal record for Farthest South today... to the border town of Kaya, where Sudan meet Uganda and Democratic Republic of Congo - Google maps ought to show it if you search. At almost 3 degrees 32 minutes north, it is almost as far south as you can go on the northern hemisphere.

Life in the Temporary Patrol Base is calm and peaceful, even if I miss the air condition and a proper shower... with hot water, coming from above. Washing in tepid water from a wash basin isn't quite the same. What is really nice though is the unhurried atmosphere down here, and the reception we get when we visit the local restaurants and markets - in Yei UN personnel has become part of life, and white people are no longer a novelty. Down here on the other hand.... while not new and sare, we're still worth stopping and talking to, just for the experience.

Tomorrow is the last day of this Long Duration patrol... We'll break camp reasonable early (but not too early), make one stop on the way, and hopefully be back at the Team Site with time to spare for the afternoon brief. And at some point during the weekends - between laundry, report writing and starting to get ready for my upcoming leave - I'll find the time to go through the two hundred or so photos I've taken so far so my patrol, select the best ones, resize and upload them to this blog - along with a few videos. Stay tuned!

1 comment:

  1. LOL! I think I have an idea to some degree what it was like being a 'novelty'. I had that experience in Japan, though of course a little bit differently. Isn't it odd but in a strange and humble way? I look forward to the photos! I'm amazed you'll be able to have another leave so soon. For some reason on many levels of irony, it makes me of Red mentioning yogurt (I think I started that...) and I have a recipe from work that is yummy, at yogurt meal for breakfast!! I totally forgot about it even though I spoke to Red this morning. I need to remember to share it with her so she tonight. I'll stop rambling, trying to type what I can before running to class!

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