Piano died.

Piano MUST die...

Well, that was interesting.

So, the day has finally arrived.

Or rather, it will arrive tomorrow. In fact, although I'm flying out of the country tomorrow, I won't be reaching Congo-Brazzaville until Wednesday so the day will arrive then, I guess.

I must admit I am really nervous. I don't mind flying, I enjoy looking out of windows and admiring the sheer awesome power of science in action, but the thought of a horrible crash or accident really scares me stupid. I know that I'm more likely to be killed walking to work or going anywhere in the car, but the primitive part of my brain can't shake the fear.

I figure once I'm on the plane I'll be okay, but I've got six flights to catch this week. Having seen the landing strip at Pokola, my destination for the duration, the middle two will be the worst. It's basically a dirt road, with a river at one end, a village on one side and the mill on the other. At least they've replaced the internal Antonov fleet, but I have no idea what with.

Suffice to say, if I don't make it back it's been a pleasure....

PS. Here are a few websites to whet your appetite:

http://www.whrc.org/africa/INFORMS/study_sites/Ndoki.htm - This is where I'm traveling to, visiting CIB.
http://www.gabrielopenshaw.com/CongoMain.html - A huge amount of info on Brazzaville, where I'm staying initially, and more on the south of Congo-Brazzaville. Please note the guns on the train journey, Yay!

Okay, a little less enigmatic might help, eh?

Originally my Boss, Vicky and her Boss, Tim Wood, were supposed to be traveling to the Republic of Congo to visit one of our suppliers. Tim left the company a few months ago under a veil of misinformation and Vicky became pregnant and therefore unable to travel so close to her due date. After talking it over with the Chief Exec, Vicky put my name forward as a possible candidate to go. Which was a bit of a shock.

After a brief discussion with Fay about whether or not she would mind if I went, she doesn't, I told Vicky that I would love to go in her stead with our Timber Imports Guy, Pete Scott. The itinerary is as follows:

We leave Manchester, stay overnight in Paris, fly to the capital of the Republic, Brazzaville, spend a night there, then fly to Pokola, the Forest itself.

I don't know if you've seen satellite pictures of the Congo, but it is essentially a green mass, with tiny areas that might be civilisation. There is a total of 1,242km of paved highways and 795km of rail track in the Congo. To put that into some perspective, the Republic of Congo is larger than the UK, but we have 370,000km of roads and 16,000km of rail track. Hence the reason we're flying everywhere.

After three days in Pokola we'll fly to Doualla, Cameroon, catch a night flight back to Paris and then hop on a plane to Manchester.

Apparently, we'll be at Pokola at the end of the dry season, as it is above the Equator, but while we're in Brazzaville, south of the Equator, we might need an umbrella as it's the end of the rainy season.

I've had some of my jabs, Diphtheria, Tetanus and Polio in one arm, Hepatitis A and B in the other. I've got to go back for Yellow Fever and Typhoid Fever and to collect my Malaria pills as the Congo is bright red on the warning map the nurse showed me.

I hate heights, bugs and the heat. It could be an interesting trip.

I'm kidding, I'm going to love it.

Happy Xmas!

I might be going to the Congo....

For all the game music fans reading this:

http://www.ukresistance.co.uk/2007/11/worlds-most-in-depth-richard-jacques.html

Its a pretty good interview, with a few depressing/cheering things in it. My favourite bit:

'You've got to literally be better than everyone else to get a full-time composing job.'

Never mind, eh?

I'm a little less melodramatic now. Two things have cheered me up considerably, first season 2, episode 5 of Heroes. Two words: Kristen Bell!

Secondly, I've just been to see Stardust with Fay, and it was amazingly good. It reminded me of The Princess Bride but with the music and effects done right, so was much better.

Failing ur testz.

Had my first driving test today, failed on two bah silly things.  I get to try again in November because there's an eleven week waiting list.

I just joined the National Trust.

I am now officially my Dad....

Happy Birthday, Simon!

(You get an exclamation mark too!)

I've had a strange obsession with a computer game called Midnight Resistance for a few years now, mainly with the music from said game.  I've wanted to remix the main title music for an age, but I've not really had the motivation until this weekend.

Midnight Resistance

Warning:  Listening to this music will officially make you a nerd.  Oh, and its a bit loud.

Okay.  So, we've finally moved.

Before the big day I'd managed to blag a few free things for the new house. The first was a desk from work.  It's one of those large, sturdy affairs that'll last until the end of time that was only being thrown out because of a refurbishment. 

The second was a piano.

Yes, a piano.  Someone was just giving one away around the corner from my parent's house so I offered to take it off their hands.  It's now sitting proudly in my front room ,after taking a few chunks out of the wall and the floor.  It's a bit out of tune, but nothing that can't be fixed.  I must admit I'm a little out of practice, but once I've passed my driving test, I think I'll start taking some lessons again.

The house is great, I don't think I could be happier with it.  Actually, it could have a cellar with wall to wall bookcases, but that's just crazy talk.  We've just about unpacked everything, so we've begun to actually live there now, silly as it seems since we moved in a month ago. 

Work has been quite tense recently.  We've had a problem recently with stock, or the lack of it in certain areas, namely ones I'm responsible for, and I've been getting it in the neck.  In my defence I tried to point out the problems of doing two jobs at the same time, but I fear it fell on deaf ears and antagonised my boss. 

Bizarrely, while I'm being made to feel two inches tall by her, the Chief Exec has come up to me and thanked me for the environmental stuff I've been doing.  Luckily, that's the job I'm going to be doing full-time from Thursday as we've finally found some poor fellow to take over my old job.

Sorry I've not been online for an age now. I had to disconnect fairly early in the move and, for one reason and another, I've not been able to use the internet at work as much as I'd like. I should be back on the 29th of May. Catch you later.

One piece of good news, for keen eyed viewers, is that the house sale is finalised, we have done all the necessary paperwork and we're moving on the 1st of May.

Is anyone else watching this?

Just seen. You must see too. Now begins the pimping of THE comedy movie of the year.