tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-81624016306478702402024-03-05T07:23:35.663-08:00Rosi and Dale's Ongoing Electronic DiaryOur thoughts, ideas and observations of the world around us. We've always believed that when the end game is played, it’s the things you didn't do that you'll regret, not the things you did. Our motto? No regrets!Dale and Rosi Boisclairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17981337747325445262noreply@blogger.comBlogger201125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8162401630647870240.post-16580195894134107652014-04-02T20:59:00.002-07:002014-04-02T21:03:57.957-07:00Giving credit where credit is dueJust a short final entry to let family and friends know we're back in the US safe and sound. It was a wonderful trip and speaking to security concerns for just a minute - there weren't any. Motorcycle trips are kind of like flying: uneventful is often a very good thing, and on this trip such was the case. We saw very little in the way of a police or military presence and there was nothing at all that gave us any cause for concern.<br />
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But I have to give credit where credit is due. For those of you that ride I think you'll agree; there's no better way to travel but riding is a lot of things but the one thing it isn't, is easy. Especially long distance travel on a VStrom. It's a great bike and nothing is better for some of the roads we covered but after a few long back-to-back days a Gold Wing starts to look good. (Shhh.... don't tell her I said that!)<br />
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But the credit that's due isn't for my bike, it's for my wonderful, hard-working and oh, so patient wife. We covered some hard miles on this trip and she was a real trooper, especially through Chihuahua rush-hour traffic but nothing compared to what she endured today. And endured is the only way I can describe it. There was no joy in today's ride. No adventure to be had, no scenery to be seen - no, today was just that; a test of stamina, will and endurance and she came through with flying colours.<br />
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Last night in Chihuahua all the news reports from El Paso Texas were full of warnings and advisories telling motorists to stay off the roads and to avoid all unnecessary travel. WIND WARNING, CODE RED, STAY OFF THE ROADS were just a few of the flashing red warnings that scrolled across the screen. What we didn't count on or even consider was even though we were 200 klm southwest, the storm they were warning of was actually blowing west to east and was originating - and blowing through - the path we were taking. And blow it did - hard! - all day. Sustained winds of 25-45 miles per hour with gusts to 55 miles per hour - all freak'n day! And with the wind comes the dust...... and the tumbleweeds......<br />
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And please believe me when I say it's not hyperbole; this was honestly one of the hardest rides I've ever endured. I've ridden through snow storms on the Hope-Princeton, torrential rain on more occasions than I can count, temperatures that were both frigid and brutally hot, but never, not ever, have I ridden for eight hours with a non-stop white knuckle death grip on the bars like I did today. For most of it we were both hunched over the tank as low as we could get to give as low a profile as possible, all the while praying that the Semi's coming at us didn't blow into our lane or at the very least, gave us some warning before they did so we could try to keep out of the way. And lets not forget the few kilometers through the mountains where hundreds of tumble weeds all of a sudden blew onto a long stretch of highway and I couldn't avoid them because of their speed and ferocity. Nothing puckers the ol sphincter like a series of tumbleweeds literally exploding against your windscreen and fairing while you pray they're all as flimsy as they look.<br />
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And finally, one other little tidbit that makes it so exciting - for most of the last half of the trip there was no shoulder on the road to speak of, paved or otherwise - so "pulling over" was never an option. <br />
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We arrived in Douglas five hours ago dog tired, hot, dusty and weary and more than a little shaken from the experience and it may be a while before Rosi agrees to go on another ride. But no matter if or when she rides again she can hold her head up today with the best of them.<br />
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Signing off for the last time (on this trip anyway) from Douglas AZ<br />
Cheers!Dale and Rosi Boisclairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17981337747325445262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8162401630647870240.post-12767568404094886992014-04-01T15:56:00.001-07:002014-04-01T15:59:57.113-07:00Of Mice and MenThe best laid plans can often go awry, but not always in a bad way.<br />
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We've been on the road since Thursday and as anyone that rides knows, and more important rides in Mexico, it's a different time scale and a different world. 6-8 hour days on the bike are looooooong days in the saddle and cute quaint Mexican hotels, as darling as they are, often have beds designed by the Marquis de Sade. And what is it with Mexican bed and sheet manufacturers? Would it be too much to ask to have the sheets actually fit the bed? But nooooo, that would be too easy. It's much better to have them pull away during the night so you end up in a disheveled mess by the morning. But such is life and it's the price we willingly pay to experience the true Mexico. And at $58/night including breakfast and dinner one can't nit pic too much over fitted sheets, can one?<br />
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But sometimes the best laid plans change and not always for the worse - sometimes for the better.<br />
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We woke up yesterday with the full intention of riding out to a close-by lake and taking in some more of the sights in Creel. Our original plan was then to leave Creel today and take a secondary rode north which would by-pass the Chihuahua freeway system (or as Rosi would call it, hell on earth) and eventually spit us out in Nuevo Casas Grande, a really nice little Mexican town not far south of the border. From there it would be a long but easily doable one-day ride home. <br />
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But two things changed. We started thinking about safety and as much as we've never - not once - felt anything remotely threatening down here, discretion played the better part of valour and we decided we should ride through Chihuahua, city traffic or not, because from there we can stick to the better traveled toll roads. And with this in mind, and knowing it was a little longer ride, we decided to leave Creel a day early. Yesterday was an absolutely gorgeous morning. There wasn't a cloud in the sky and by 10:00 it was really warming up and the high-mountain road out of Creel just begged to be ridden.<br />
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So off we went; a great ride on a sunny day on fantastic roads, and like the Yellow Brick Road, it eventually spit us out at Oz. Or in our case, that bastion of civility, that which knows no compromise, the Holiday Inn Express! It was a a VERY stressful last half-hour navigating the eight-lane freeway through the centre of the city to get here (especially when a large truck in front of us dodged out of the way to avoid the big piece of cardboard that then blew directly into our path) but once we arrived it was all worth it.<br />
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We're in a large room with a king bed, high-end linens and a luxurious bathroom with a massage shower head and HOT HOT water. Muy Bueno! And I can't tell you how much we enjoyed the free happy hour in the lobby last night with an open bar of wine, beer and drinks and enough "snacks" to make dinner unnecessary, and the hot breakfast buffet this morning was superb!<br />
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Which brings us to our change of plans. This morning, when we should have been climbing back in the saddle for another six hours to the border, we decided to spend an extra day here in Chihuahua.<br />
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Chihuahua has a history going back to the 1700's when it was first settled by the Spanish but more recently, in the early 1900's it was the headquarters of the Mexican Revolutionary Army of the North lead by Pancho Villa.<br />
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Lately it's better known as a large, modern, sprawling city of just less than a million people and a hub for industry, commerce and agriculture. There are large north-american styled suburbs and modern shopping districts right next to huge Mexican housing developments and mega-factories with names like Ford, Honeywell and Toshiba, all pumping out merchandise for shipment north and abroad.<br />
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The downtown core though is replete with lovely parks, the presidential palace and several fantastic museums all within walking distance of the main town square. Most north-american tourists, those few that there are, only stay long enough to board the train to the Copper Canyon but for the Mexican tourists and locals the downtown central historical district is a hub of activity and we enjoyed every minute of it. The absolute highlight of the day however was the visit to Casa Villa, the home of Pancho Villa, both for it's excellent museum and the great way it offered education and some perspective on general Villa's influence and contribution to what is now modern Mexico. <br />
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It's now late in the day and we've settled down in our (very nice) room for a bit of a Siesta before we make our way to the lobby bar for drinks and snacks.<br />
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Viva Mexico!<br />
Cheers<br />
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Outside facade of Casa de Villa</div>
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The car Pancho Villa was assassinated in</div>
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Interior courtyard of Casa de Villa</div>
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Second floor sidewalk cafe overlooking one of the pedestrian malls in downtown Chihuahua</div>
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Typical interior courtyard of a government building downtown </div>
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Pedestrian mall - I'm much happier than I look! :-)</div>
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Just one of many downtown parks and churches</div>
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Rosi always smiles better than me when she gets her picture taken!</div>
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Dale and Rosi Boisclairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17981337747325445262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8162401630647870240.post-50476982611876646302014-03-30T20:39:00.003-07:002014-03-30T20:46:37.340-07:00Hola from the heart of the Copper CanyonHola Mi Amigo's and Mi Familia<br />
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If you've found this blog by accident or mistake it just a few rambling thoughts from the road as Rosi and I continue our motorcycle travels as time and circumstance permits.<br />
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This time around we're on a bit of a quick trip south to the Copper Canyon to get a little riding in and to revisit an area we loved but which was too cold to explore last time we were here. Hard to believe it's been almost ten years!<br />
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The Copper Canyon is 1,000 feet deeper and three times larger in area than the Grand Canyon in Arizona and an amazing place. Last time we bused from AZ to Los Mochis and caught the train in but this time we decided to try a more adventurous route; two-up on our Suzuki DL650 VStrom. <br />
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We left Phoenix around noon on Thursday and rode approx five hours to the Mexican border where we crossed into Agua Prieta to spend the first night. And for those of you considering this type of trip but a little apprehensive about the border crossing I have to tell you, it couldn't be easier. I pre-ordered online all my Mexican customs paperwork so all we had to do at the border was pop into an office to have our passports stamped and we were on our way in less than 15 minutes. From there it was just a few minutes down the road to our hotel where we stored the bike in a secure compound and we made our way to the hotel restaurant for the first of many great authentic Mexican meals. <br />
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The only downside was the wind. The ride down was clear and warm but it was really windy once we got south of Tucson. Not dangerously so but enough that it kept us on our toes and it's really fatiguing after a while so were were glad to call it a day when we did.<br />
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Friday was a long day through northern Mexico from the border to Chihuahua. And as much as we both love all things Mexico, northern Mexico, not so much. It's just miles and miles of miles and miles. The weather was good albeit a little cooler than we expected and overcast for much of the ride but not too bad and the only negative aspect of the day was arriving in Chihuahua itself, which is HUGE. It's a typical, very chaotic, large Mexican city and a necessary evil that is more to be endured than enjoyed. But all's well that ends well and in this case we arrived safe and sound at our destination; a large, very well run, conference hotel with a great restaurant, a good sized bar and the ever necessary secure parking. Ahhhhh....... Muy Bueno.<br />
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Saturday, (yesterday) was another exciting day of riding in Mexico except this time we climbed high into the Sierra Madre so we saw much better scenery. It was amazingly similar to the pine forests at home and kind of surreal in a way. At first we had heavy overcast and it was quite cold but by noon the clouds parted and the temperatures rose so that when we arrived in Creel around 1:00 it was hot hot hot. <br />
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Today was fantastic - the whole point of the trip. We started out with a 8 klm hike into the surrounding mountains to visit a Taramuhara Indian village and to view some of the cool rock formations that we couldn't see last time because it was too cold. We did great, especially considering Creel is over 2,300 meters - or close to a mile and a half high for those of you metrically challenged. :-) No wonder we were a little winded on the uphill bits.<br />
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Then this afternoon we rode out on a VERY twisty but well paved road to an overlook area 50 klm from town where we rode a cable car from one peak to the next. It was AMAZING. Apparently it's the third highest/longest cable car in the world and it's longer and higher than the peak-to-peak at Whistler. <br />
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We're now back in a very cute and very quaint small family hotel while we rest up for another day of riding and site seeing tomorrow. This time to a lake about 10 klm from town, and then on Tuesday we'll start making our way home.<br />
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There's one bit of sad news to pass on though. There's a very noticeable lack of tourists every where we've been. In Chihuahua it wasn't an issue because the hotel was chockablock full with Mexican business people and some obvious conference attendees but in Creel things are way too quiet. Businesses are looking a little forlorn and unless things turn around with the security situation a lot of people here in Creel are going to be hurting - a lot. <br />
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Adios Mi Amigos<br />
Signing off from Creel Mexico<br />
Dale and Rosi<br />
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The second cable car as we passed it going in the other direction</div>
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View from the cable car</div>
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A typical Mexican highway toll booth</div>
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Getting ready to leave on Saturday morning</div>
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The courtyard of our hotel in Creel</div>
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Typical high mountain road </div>
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Valley of the Frogs - can you see it? BTW, it's 20' high</div>
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<br />Dale and Rosi Boisclairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17981337747325445262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8162401630647870240.post-54332540750568201032014-01-30T05:30:00.003-08:002014-01-30T05:32:42.753-08:00Signing off from Kampala Uganda<span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">I can’t believe it but
it’s now been two weeks since I left home and like all good things, it
eventually has to end. <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
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<span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Today was our last
official day in Uganda. This morning all eight of us in-country left the hotel
en masse and travelled the few short blocks to the downtown offices of the
Uganda Cooperative Association. UCA is the umbrella organization for
cooperatives in Uganda and the Ugandan partner organization to the Canadian
Cooperative Association, the Canadian organization that funds and administers
the credit union coaching program. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">There were eight
Canadian credit union coaches and the CCA African Program Director, and we
were joined by our UCA counterparts; the executive director, the program manager,
the micro finance manager and four field officers. Throw in the German
cooperative association representative and the CCA intern who’s working in
Uganda for three months and we had enough for two very cooperative, very
diverse baseball teams! </span></span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Arial; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings; text-transform: none;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><span style="text-transform: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">It was a great
opportunity to compare notes and analyze the pros and cons of what worked and
what didn’t for the in-country program in general, and the impact we had on the individual
credit unions. Our hosts filled us in on their next steps and how they plan on helping
the SACCO’s to implement our suggestions and recommendations and it was great
to be validated. They really appreciate us volunteering out time, energy and
resources and it feels good knowing that in our own small way we each made a
difference.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">I’m now at that awkward
stage between still being here and heading out. We’re checked out of our rooms
and we’ve moved our bags into two hospitality suites so we can shower and
change if we want but really all we’re doing is hanging out and marking time
until we finally load back up into our vans for the final drive out to the
Entebbe airport at 9:00 to catch our eight-hour flight to London. I’ll be in
London for two days because we have a final debrief with CCA representatives
from Ottawa to examine the entire program. We’ll look at the effectiveness of
the pre-departure briefing, the overall in-country program and the logistics of
putting it all together. It’s an intense all day exercise and I wish I was just heading home but it's a necessary part
of the process to ensure the success of the program going forward. I’ll have a
little time for site seeing but I’ll probably spend a lot of the two days just
hanging out and resting while I try to assimilate the sights, sounds and smells
of the last two weeks. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="text-transform: none;"><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">It’s been an incredible
experience and I’m truly grateful but more than anyone I have to thank my wife,
Rosalie for her love and support. She’s my staunchest ally and my closest confidante
and only through her love and support have I been able to take part in these incredible
journeys.<br />
</span></span><br />
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<span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">So here’s a big heartfelt thank you to you Rosi, I’ll see you in just a few more days.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">
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<span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span></span><br />
<span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Signing off for the last time from hot, humid Kampala, Uganda!</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Cheers <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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Audry and I and Michael and Adad on the drive back to Kampala</div>
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<span style="text-transform: none;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
Dale and Rosi Boisclairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17981337747325445262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8162401630647870240.post-36552996563205225322014-01-28T06:01:00.000-08:002014-01-28T06:01:14.038-08:00My new mantra, don't let them see you cry
<span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Where to begin. Today was a bit emotional –
more so than I would have expected. I didn’t embarrass myself, or worse,
embarrass my co-worker or CCA, but I have to admit I got a little choked up and
I was in a bit of awe with the story we were told and the member we met. </span></span><span style="text-transform: none;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></o:p></span><br />
<br />
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<span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">We finished our two day
coaching session with Koboko United SACCO this morning and keeping to the
schedule CCA has established we finished our visit with a site visit to one of
the SACCO clients so we could learn first-hand how members are benefitting from
an avenue to establish savings accounts and access to much needed capital. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Today’s visit was just
like the last; we were introduced to an entrepreneurial businessman who saw an
opportunity and has used loans from the SACCO to buy equipment and material to
start a business and through this, he’s improved his circumstances and those of
his family and the community – but that’s where the similarities ended. For his
story was much different than the last.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">But first some
background. I haven’t done much research but I’m sure a Google search or an
inquiry to Wikipedia would reveal that this area was carved up fairly
arbitrarily by the colonial powers of the time, France, Belgium and England,
which ended up with The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sudan (and now South
Sudan) and Uganda. The problem with an arbitrary demarcation on a map is it
often has little to do with local ethnicity, familial ties or even natural
boundaries. And so it is here. The border between Uganda and Sudan and the DRC
is spoken of often but the reality is it’s a fairly abstract concept to the
local inhabitants. People come and go as they please, families live on both
sides of all three borders and both SACCO’s we dealt with have members in all
three countries. And it’s within this context that we met David. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">And I’m going to
apologize in advance for what seems like informality but the Ugandan custom is
to introduce yourself by your usual given name and so I don’t have David’s
actual family name so that I can now show the proper respect that I’d like.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">David is the owner,
chief administrator and driving force behind the Eden Primary School, a private
school offering education services in Koboko to students from 3 – 13 years old
which includes kindergarten to P-7, the equivalent to our grade 7. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="text-transform: none;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></o:p></span><span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">David is a local
Ugandan but when he was a young child his father was killed in the Ugandan
civil war and he became the head of his household. At the time it was only
natural for him to take on the mantle of responsibility and take him, his two very
young, younger brothers and his mother, and move the entire family to Sudan and
set up new roots. In Sudan he took on the role of head of the household and
being extremely bright himself and a task master when it came to education, he
completed his schooling and insisted both of his brothers do the same. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">All three brothers
completed their primary and secondary educations and David was doing so well he
was poised to commence his university training as a doctor when fighting broke
out again, except this time in Sudan and once again David and his family had to
flee, this time back to their ancestral home, Uganda. And it’s here the story
really takes off.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">In 2003 David moved his
family and all their possessions back to Koboko and he eventually became a founding
member of Koboko United Savings and Credit Cooperative. David had to give up
his dream of becoming a doctor but not his commitment to education so he
acquired a Batchelor’s degree in education, obtained a teaching certificate and
in 2008 he formed the private primary school, Eden Primary School. I also have
to mention he just completed his Master’s degree and both his brothers have bachelors
degree’s, with his brother Paul also teaching in the school. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Public school is free
in Uganda but it is underfunded and ill-equipped to deal with the demands put
upon it. It’s not uncommon to see public school class sizes of 200 students and
the quality of education isn’t anywhere near high enough to prepare students
for continuing education. It’s because of this that private schools are so popular
and it’s this market niche that Eden Primary school is looking to fill. And
make no mistake. David is a businessman and Eden Primary School is a for-profit
enterprise, just like any thriving business back at home. But just like our
credit unions and the SACCO’s, profit isn’t the issue, it’s what you do with
those profits that makes a difference and what sets you apart; and what a
difference Eden Primary School is making! <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">The school started off
small, just 300 students, but in 2013 they finished the year with more than 800
students! And they’re on track for more than 1,000 in the very near future.
They’ve already acquired a large plot of land to develop a secondary school for
their now graduating primary students and they have big plans, very big plans,
for the future. But just like credit unions, a major part of their business
plan is centred on giving back to their community. The school may be for-profit
but it finds the time and resources to offer free tuition to over 150 students
each year. These include orphans whose parents have been killed in the conflict
in Sudan, the gifted children of poor farmers that can’t afford to send their
children to a private school and the children of clergy working in their
communities with very limited means. And free tuition often includes free board
because the school hosts more than 100 students on a full time basis, offering
them a safe haven and a structured home life they would never otherwise have. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">We met the staff and
toured the facilities and the moment that struck me the most was when we were introduced
to the “gifted” new grade 7 class preparing for the new year’s classes. Apparently
the school year doesn’t actually start until February and their teacher
apologized to us because they weren’t yet in their school uniforms. Because you
see, technically it’s illegal to start early so the students had to “sneak”
into class and can’t put on their uniforms until classes officially start next
week.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">These students are
gifted alright, but in ways they can never imagine.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Signing off in Urua
Uganda and feeling oh so humble and just a little overwhelmed.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">When you look at the
pictures please understand the school is in the midst of last minute
preparation for the student’s arrival next week. What looks undone will be
ready and waiting for a mad rush of young people when school commences<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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New desks under construction</div>
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A school poster</div>
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The school playground</div>
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A list of teaching and non-teaching staff</div>
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Words some of our students would be good to learn</div>
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David, my inspiration!</div>
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Some of the teaching staff preparing for the new school year</div>
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The "gifted" students sneaking in to start class early</div>
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The new classroom being built with money from a loan from the SACCO</div>
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Our new friends! </div>
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Final preparations on the dormitories</div>
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The school staff</div>
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<span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Cheers!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="text-transform: none;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
Dale and Rosi Boisclairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17981337747325445262noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8162401630647870240.post-85528099286484610132014-01-28T04:04:00.002-08:002014-01-28T04:04:37.555-08:00Back in the saddle again......
<span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Greetings everyone from
hot and humid Koboko, where the rain is falling heavily and the sky is lit up
in the most incredible light show and I’m definitely over my blue funk. I won’t
be able to post this until tomorrow because of intermittent internet but I’m
typing it now so I can get my thoughts out while they’re fresh.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">They warn us in our
pre-departure training about the highs and lows of international development
work and yesterday I definitely hit the “wall”. A combination of too much sun,
too much sweat, too much rich food and the shock of going from really basic
accommodation to the height of luxury and then back again, coupled with
back-to-back four-hour drives, and I was definitely at an emotional low last
night. The water and toilet didn’t work, the power was out, my room/cell was an
absolute oven and the hotel next door – which is normally so quiet I wondered
if it was abandoned – was the site for a Rave to commemorate a local holiday.
The disco music and live band cranked up, and I mean REALLY cranked up, at 8:00
and didn’t stop until 4:30. Audrey and I both have rooms that back right onto
the music and if we got two hours sleep all night that was it. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">So I should have woken
up – if that’s what you call it when you never really got to sleep in the first
place – in a foul mood and if anything even lower emotionally than the night
before. But great things can happen with a little sleep (in this case very
little) and some much needed perspective. We both woke up with a laugh about the whole
thing and chalked it up to one more part of the experience. “This is Africa!”
This morning the water was back on, the heat was just a little less oppressive
and the eggs were fresh (thanks in part to the chickens that wander freely
throughout the compound and on occasion into the restaurant)…… and so began
another day in Koboko! <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Today we spent the day
meeting with the board and staff of arguably the most successful SACCO in the
immediate region. They have sound books, great business practices and they own
their own building and equipment. It may not be much by our standards; bare
concrete walls, old furniture and the bare essentials, but to them it’s proof
positive of their commitment to their community and their members. And I have
to agree. Audrey and I spent a day being grilled over general and specific
items and often had to really put on out thinking caps to give them the advice they
were looking for. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Not everything will
translate to a Ugandan setting, but some (and you’d be surprised how much) will
really help them out. They soaked up like a sponge whatever experience and
knowledge we could share but don’t think for a minute this was another example
of the developed world showing their African counterparts how to finally do
things “right”. Nothing could be further from the truth. This was an exchange
of ideas amongst equals. This board and this staff are an experienced, educated
group of professionals and it’s only by circumstance that it was us visiting
them. With very little training and just some opportunity there isn’t one of
them that couldn’t be a successful executive back in Canada and I felt honoured
and privileged to be able to work with them. And more than a little
intimidated. Several of the board members are full time teachers and professors
by profession and sit on the board as volunteers. I was VERY away of my grammar
and syntax when I was answering questions. </span></span><span style="text-transform: none;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Their version of
English and ours may have differences, and their accents and ours may
have gotten in the way or made us all repeat a few things, but the SACCO members
in northwest Uganda are in very good hands. The board of Koboko Unitied SACCO
told us their long-term goal is to grow to the point where they can compete
with the commercial banks now doing business in this district. What do I think?
I think HSBC should be afraid, very afraid.</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Signing off under a
mosquito net and typing by the pulsating light that only a Ugandan generator
and compact fluorescent bulbs can produce. Hot, sweaty and tired but never
prouder to be Canadian and REALLY glad I left Scotiabank 17 years ago to work
for my first credit union. </span></span></div>
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<span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Cheers!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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Dale and Rosi Boisclairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17981337747325445262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8162401630647870240.post-50703193826213467792014-01-26T06:16:00.002-08:002014-01-26T06:21:45.292-08:00Luxury on the African Savannah<br />
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<span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Yesterday and today; amazing, fatiguing and overwhelming, all at the same time. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">We finished with our
last CU on Friday afternoon and travelled the short but brutally rough stretch
of road to Arua where we checked into a nice business hotel early so Audrey and
I could write our report. And it was maybe at this point where my inner clock
or whatever it is that guides our emotions started to tilt just a bit. Whatever
it was, it started to bother me that here I was, in a nice hotel with
electricity, running water and cold beer delivered on demand, when just beyond
the walls of the compound was a teaming city, busy with commerce but filled
with people that will never get beyond the gate, so to speak. Even our driver
and the field rep from UCA; both educated full-time staff, weren’t able to stay
with us and instead stayed in alternative accommodation in town. I know it’s
the reality of the world we live in – and I’m eternally grateful to UCA and CCA
for finding us the great hotels that they did – but I’d be lying if I didn’t </span></span><span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">say that on some level
I’m not quite in sync today. Or as my brother-in-law would say, I’m just not
feeling the love. (Stevie, I miss you!)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Maybe it’s just the
heat and all the driving and I’ll be better after a good night’s sleep because
what I saw yesterday and today was beyond amazing. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">We left Arua at 7:30
and drove approx. 1 ½ hours to hook up with some of the other members of our
team where they’re staying in Nebbi. It was great to see familiar faces and
compare notes and experiences and it just felt right that we were back
together. From there it was another hour to the entrance gate of Murchison
Falls National Park and then 25 klm to the Paraa Safari Lodge. OMG! It was like
Out of Africa, replete with all the amenities you would expect at a luxury
lodge in the middle of the African savannah. At the park gate we were greeted
by a small group of Elephants and then on the drive in we saw all kinds of
antelope and even some giraffe. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">At the lodge itself we
were greeted at the door by welcoming courteous staff and handed a moist cool
towel and a tall cold drink of juice to help wash down the dust while we
checked in. From there it was lunch and libations on the poolside deck, a quick
shower to freshen up and then our first adventure; a luxury boat cruise on the
Nile. The freak’n Nile! Can you believe it? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We cruised for over three hours from the
resort to the base of Murchison Falls and back and we saw some fantastic
wildlife; LOTS of Hippo’s, (they’re everywhere!) Elephants, Crocodiles and all
kinds of Wart Hogs and Antelope. It was truly amazing and I had to pinch myself
more than once. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">After the cruise we
headed back to the resort for a much deserved swim in the pool and a few more
libations at the swim up bar. But it was a little surreal to think that I’d
spent over 12 hours in a car over the past four days and not once since leaving
Kampala had I seen anyone at all that would have been able to enter the gates
let alone afford the prices. For the SACCO members I was dealing with this might
as well have been Mars for as close as they will ever get to a swim up bar - and
that bothers me. I’m not going to get on a soap box about the disparity of
wealth in the world and I’m not convicted enough to forgo these luxuries myself,
but it did make me feel a little guilty and it does cause you to pause once in
a while to consider it, and it should REALLY make all of us grateful for what
we have. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">But enough maudlin
introspection, the remainder of the stay was just as great as the beginning. We
enjoyed a fantastic buffet dinner taken on the verandah and retired early because
this morning we all got up early for a 6:00 start to a four-hour game drive
through the park. It was amazing; Giraffe, Antelope, Birds, Wart Hogs and
Buffalo – but the most amazing siting was a male Lion with a fresh kill! Pinch
me, am I really here?!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">But all good things must
come to an end so we had a quick breakfast after our return and Audrey and I
loaded back up with Michael and Adid and made the four-hour journey over rough
roads back to Koboko where we’ll meet with the credit union board and staff in
the morning. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Last night was drinks
at the swim up bar and tonight it’s intermittent power, cold water and a VERY
limited menu in the restaurant. And again, over four hours of driving thorough any
number of towns and settlements and not one person who could afford the
entrance fee to their own national park. But when you’re a six year old girl
and you have to walk miles in the heat just to fetch water for your family, is
a park entrance really that important? </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">If me coming over to offer advice and support to a local grass roots credit
union helps in some small way so that someday that young girl no longer has to
carry water, then it’s all worth it. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="text-transform: none;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></o:p></span><span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Feeling just a little
homesick in Koboko Uganda<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Cheers<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="text-transform: none;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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Elephants at the park entrance</div>
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My new African friends</div>
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Just a regular drive to the lodge</div>
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The lodge pool area</div>
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<div align="center">
River Cruise</div>
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River Cruise</div>
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</div>
<div align="center">
River Cruise</div>
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River Cruise</div>
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River Cruise</div>
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River Cruise</div>
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Lion with fresh kill - unfortunately we could hear the deer still crying </div>
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Murchison Falls</div>
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Our safari vehicles</div>
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Dale and Rosi Boisclairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17981337747325445262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8162401630647870240.post-26722958089780710382014-01-24T10:31:00.000-08:002014-01-24T10:40:04.823-08:00What do you see?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<h2 class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="text-transform: none;">What do you see?</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-font-size: 80.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; text-transform: none;"><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-font-size: 80.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; text-transform: none;"><span style="text-transform: none;">What do you see? Do you
see an older car? Something that needs repairs and much needed maintenance? Something
we’d scoff at at home as too old, too drab or too much past its prime?
Something to walk past at any car lot as a might have been rather than a might
be? <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-font-size: 80.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; text-transform: none;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
</span><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-font-size: 80.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; text-transform: none;"><span style="text-transform: none;">Or do you see something
else? Close your eyes. Consider for a minute if it was your only car – or your
first car – or maybe even your future? Now what do you see?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-font-size: 80.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; text-transform: none;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="text-transform: none;">Maybe, just maybe, you’ll
see what Maneno Night and Ajiga Richard saw, and what they opened my eyes to.
It’s not a car you see, its opportunity. It’s a future. It’s an education for
your children, a business to employee your family and a much needed service for
your community. And without the help of Koboko Town Council SACCO, who gave you
the loan to buy this car, you’d still be walking and, as Richard told us, you’d
still be idle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="text-transform: none;">Koboko sits just about
right on the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo and is within a
short drive of South Sudan and people from both countries come to Koboko and
often on to Arua, Koboko’s larger neighbour to the east, for much needed
supplies and staples. And to do this they need transportation. Most people here
in Koboko, and in Sudan and the DRC, have no cars. A car is much too expensive a
luxury when you spend 90% of your time just taking care of the bare
necessisties that we take for granted, so you walk. You walk in 35 degree heat
and 85% humidity, sometimes for miles, just to fetch water for your family. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="text-transform: none;">Menano Night and Ajiga
Richard saw this and saw opportunity. If they could just buy cars they could
start car for hire businesses that would help themselves and help their
neighbours at the same time. And to do this they turned to their SACCO for
help. And help they did. With the car loans they were given they each purchased
one and then a second car, and they now both run busy car for hire businesses
in Koboko. They’ve provided jobs for their families, are sending their children
to better schools and are improving the lives of their neighbours – all because
of the help they received from their credit union. </span><span style="text-transform: none;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="text-transform: none;">Yesterday was another busy day for Audrey and I as we finished up our visit with KTC
SACCO. We spent all of yesterday meeting with the staff of the SACCO to discuss
any number of issues that drilled right down to day to day operations and
specific files and scenarios. Audrey was able to provide some great advice and
direction on HR and Finance issues and I hit it off with the three loans
officers. It turns out we have far more in common that you would think and they
were eager for my advice. It was a long day but the most rewarding yet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="text-transform: none;">Then today we were
taken out into the town to meet Richard and Maneno. Maneno is a full time school
nurse but she also owns a small drug store and now operates two cars for hire
and is able to employ two full time drivers. And Richard, who did odd jobs
before and told us he was far too idle, now has his own two-car, car for hire
business that employees he and his brother. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And both say it was only through the support
of their SACCO that they were able to achieve the success that they have.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="text-transform: none;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="text-transform: none;">We then drove out into
the countryside …….. WAY out into the countryside, to meet Mr Aleh Ben. Mr. Ben
is a founding member of the SACCO and a retired government agent and is the
elder of his family. He and his family are practicing new ways to approach
sustainable farming and he gave us an extensive tour of his home, his farm and introduced
us to some of the members of his family. His wife prepared a lovely meal and
we've never felt so welcome. </span><span style="text-transform: none;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="text-transform: none;">But all good things must
come to an end. We zigged on the way back when we should have zagged but we
eventually made our way back to Koboko to pick up our bags and hit the road for
Arua where I’m now spending the night. This is just a stopover however, on our
way to Murchison Falls National Park in the morning. CCA is giving us a day off
and is taking the entire team to a national park and game preserve for a day of
R&R! I can’t wait! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="text-transform: none;">More to come<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><span style="text-transform: none;">Signing off from Arua
in western Uganda</span><br />
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Cheers!</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="text-transform: none;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<div align="center">
Meeting with Maneno Night at her drug store </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
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<div align="center">
Maneno and the SACCO staff in front of her new car</div>
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<br />
<br />
<div align="center">
Richard and his brother</div>
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<div align="center">
Meeting Mr Ben at his farm</div>
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The lovely lunch served by Mr Ben and his wife</div>
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<span style="text-transform: none;">We were quite a novelty and children came running to catch a glimpse of the Mzungo</span> </div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
More kids came running to see us!</div>
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<span style="text-transform: none;"></span><span style="text-transform: none;"></span><span style="text-transform: none;"></span><span style="text-transform: none;"></span> The drive into Arua - at last, warm running water and electricity!</div>
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</span><br />Dale and Rosi Boisclairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17981337747325445262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8162401630647870240.post-21476629958650484962014-01-22T09:50:00.000-08:002014-01-22T09:50:04.594-08:00Earning my keep
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Today was our first
real day on the ground and where we truly began earning our keep.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">I’d like to say I
greeted the day with a smile but the inviting and refreshingly cool shower of
the evening before had somehow turned into a grimace producing ice cold shower
this morning. But that’s OK, as I’ve been told more than once since I arrived,
this is Africa </span></span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Arial; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings; text-transform: none;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">The power was on when I
got up but apparently it only stays on from 6:00 until 7:00 in the mornings so just as I
lathered up to shave the lights went out and the room went dark. Not pitch
black because it was getting light outside, but just dark enough that I had to stumble
around looking for the headlamp that I so carefully packed in the one place I’d
be sure not to look when I needed it. But this was all just a very small bump
in an otherwise extremely rewarding day. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Our driver Michael, and
the local district field officer Adad, both from UCA, the Uganda Cooperative
Alliance, picked us up right after breakfast and drove us the short distance to
the Koboko Town Council SACCO, a Savings and Credit Cooperative, or what we
would refer to as a credit union. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">It’s a small office in
a small rural Ugandan town. It’s hot and dusty outside and lacking many of the
modern accoutrements inside that most of us – probably all of us – would
absolutely insist are necessary for the running of a financial institution;
electricity and modern computers just to name a few. But just like the TV
advertisement at home likes to say, those people would be what we like to call,
wrong. Because what they may be lacking in modern conveniences and amenities
they more than make up for with perseverance and professionalism.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">The board and staff of
KTC SACCO provide necessary savings and loan services to rural farmers with no
other access to capital. Capital sometimes needed for farm equipment but far
too often needed for things we take for granted like medical expenses and
schooling costs for their children.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">And they do this just
like any credit union at home: with a dedicated board, a professional staff and
well established policies and procedures. What they were looking from us was
advice. And not general, “why is the sky blue, kum buy ya, we’re a cooperative so
let’s hug advice”. No, very specific advice and recommendations on a broad range
of topics and real-time issues facing any credit union today, whether it’s in Summerland,
Vancouver or Koboko Uganda.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">What was amazing was
the juxtaposition between what we were discussing and where we were discussing
it. In a small dark storeroom, in back of a rented facility with a dirt floor
and the roar of a generator in the background, where we were often interrupted
mid-sentence by the crowing of the resident rooster (which I have to admit only
Audrey and I seemed to notice) we were grilled all day about our thoughts on capital
adequacy, loan default procedures, board governance and human resources policy, just to name a few
of the topics covered. And all this by board members with more combined
education than most Canadian small towns.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">I’m exhausted! I feel
like it should have been us asking for the advice, not the other way around. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">But by the end of the
day some great ideas were exchanged and Audrey and I were able to give some
specific advice and concrete examples the board of KTC SACCO can now consider
as they move forward to strengthen and grow their credit union. Tomorrow we do
it all again but this time with the senior management and I’m already a little intimidated.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span></span><br />
<span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">It’s getting late as I
settle in for my second night at the Hotel Di’Ambiance. We’re in a secure
walled compound and the hotel is full tonight but other than Audrey and I the
rest of the patrons appear to be Ugandan aid workers. There are lots of 4X4 four-door
Mitsubishi pickups that seem to be the vehicle of choice and lots of people in
various uniforms of one sort or the other. We saw a UN truck yesterday and
there lots of Red Cross teams here this evening. The generator is on but it’s
been sporadic and the water isn’t running. But no worries, this is Africa </span></span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Arial; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings; text-transform: none;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"> The staff already brought me a Jerry Can of
cold water and they delivered a Jerry Can of hot water earlier so I’m good to
go. I can work by headlamp and my memory stick thing gives me great internet so
what else do I need? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Signing off from Koboko
Uganda<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Cheers!<br />
Dale<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="text-transform: none;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Children outside our gate this morning</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"> The loan department</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"> The Koboko Town Council SACCO</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"> The Cashiers</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"> Audrey and I answering questions</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Some of the SACCO board</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-font-size: 80.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; text-transform: none;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
Dale and Rosi Boisclairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17981337747325445262noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8162401630647870240.post-19693917003193013032014-01-21T08:38:00.001-08:002014-01-21T08:38:46.024-08:00Koboko - the jewel in the crown!
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<span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Hello from the jewel in
the crown, Koboko, Uganda.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Today was a loooooong,
nine-hour drive from Kampala to Koboko in the north-west corner of the county. I
can’t say anything yet about the town itself because truthfully, I don’t have a
clue. We left Kamapla this morning at 8:00 and we didn’t arrive here until
5:00, and the hotel is on the outskirts of town so all I’ve seen is the inside
of a compound. The road was paved for a lot of the trip but a lot of it was
under construction so it was graded dusty gravel – and some of it was still
paved but it VERY rough condition, which is worse than unpaved. When the pot
holes threaten to swallow whole villages it’s time to hunker down and grin and
bear it. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">But……………. and this is what
made the entire experience more than worth the price of admission – we came
around a corner and on the side of the road we pulled up right next to a group
of elephants! Not in a game reserve, not on a guided tour, no….. right on the side of
the road in the middle of nowhere. How freak’n cool is that! <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">And how do you know you’re
truly in Africa?<br />
You leave a hotel in the morning that may have faded a bit with the passing
years but is still a very nice business hotel the likes you’ve seen in any
city. With a lounge, restaurant and uniformed staff at every corner – and nine
hours later you arrive at something most recently frequented by Stanley and
Livingstone. Where the water is cold, the lights are dim, the mosquito net and
coal oil lamp is definitely NOT decorative, and the power is dependent on the
generator that is roaring comfortably in the background ..... but the staff are just
as inviting and if anything you feel even more at home. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Signing off, happy and
excited from Koboko Uganda<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Cheers!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqVOvK0Q2kLNT4hLHX4bb3-aIBFGK5U7lKlvdaFT9U1PlLQYBM7NVAKgBlmwwvQKD9tEdZLeTcGx5fhktkaIrnCta2PboYob9SnfjD29NuaLJRZ3wZZQSzDgdFhdxOkoB9D_UkfYQFhPE/s1600/IMG_9796.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqVOvK0Q2kLNT4hLHX4bb3-aIBFGK5U7lKlvdaFT9U1PlLQYBM7NVAKgBlmwwvQKD9tEdZLeTcGx5fhktkaIrnCta2PboYob9SnfjD29NuaLJRZ3wZZQSzDgdFhdxOkoB9D_UkfYQFhPE/s1600/IMG_9796.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
Dale and Rosi Boisclairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17981337747325445262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8162401630647870240.post-49506324554152889412014-01-19T07:47:00.001-08:002014-01-19T11:02:56.943-08:00Weary Travellers!<span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Greetings from the Pearl
of Africa<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">This posting will be
short and sweet because I’ve only been on the ground part of a day, and most of
that was spent napping. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">I flew from Phoenix to
Ottawa on Thursday morning and true to form I slept very little the night
before. My flight was at 6:30AM, which meant a 3:30 shuttle so needless to say
I was more than a little weary on Thursday evening. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Friday was spent in orientation
at the CCA offices in Ottawa and then at 4:00 we all loaded into cabs to begin
the first leg of our journey. And what a journey it was; uneventful (which is
always good when you’re flying) but gruelling nonetheless. Off to the Ottawa
airport at 4:00, on to Toronto at 8:00 and finally flying out to London at
10:30 for a seven hour overnight flight on British Airways. But spirits were
high and a stiff upper lip was had by all as we took on the necessary evil of
international air travel. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">We arrived into London
at 10:30 AM London time and had to run to catch our connecting flight to
Entebbe which again, was long but uneventful. Long story short; after approx. 16
hours in the air and more than 30 hours since starting the day on Friday we all
arrived in Entebbe Uganda!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">We were all exhausted
but also wired and so after dumping our bags and washing up we all met in the
hotel bar for a bite to eat and our first Ugandan libation. Between this and
getting sorted out I didn’t get to bed until 4:00 and our down day today was
much appreciated. Other than a short walk to a close-by mall to pick up a few needed
things I spent most of the day napping and catching up on emails etc. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">First impressions: we’re
in a really nice part of Kampala and its Sunday here so the traffic is light
and it’s quite pleasant. The drive in was like driving through any number
of other cities I’ve been in in developing countries although the lack of a
language barrier is a little different than what I’m used to. The Ugandan’s I’ve
met – and it hasn’t been many at this point – have been friendly and welcoming.
I struck up conversations with strangers on the plane and today walking to the
mall, and my overriding impression is the how everyone I’ve met or spoken to values
education. Everyone I spoke to was either studying for something or working to
save the money to go back to school. I haven’t felt threatened at all and
during the day at least, I wouldn’t hesitate to walk around the local
neighbourhoods. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">I haven’t posted any
pictures yet but if you’re interested on where I’m staying here in Kampala here’s
the link;<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="text-transform: none;"><a href="http://speke-kampala.hotel-rn.com/index.htm?lbl=ggl"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: Arial;">http://speke-kampala.hotel-rn.com/index.htm?lbl=ggl</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Anyway, that’s it for
now. Tomorrow we’re meeting with our in-country partners and then Tuesday we
head out into the field. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="text-transform: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Cheers!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
Dale and Rosi Boisclairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17981337747325445262noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8162401630647870240.post-7786187698432772912014-01-15T06:29:00.000-08:002014-01-15T06:29:39.219-08:00Well, it's almost time to head out on another great adventure. There's been more than a few sleepless nights of late while I went over (and over and over) packing lists and travel arrangements in my head but it's now finally almost time to leave and I'm sooooo ready. <br />
<br />
I leave at the absolute crack of dawn tomorrow morning when the shuttle picks me up at 3:30am for a 6:30 flight to Ottawa via Toronto. Tomorrow night I'm joining the other coaches and CCA staff for a dinner out to get to know one another better and then on Friday it's a day of orientation and training to familiarize us with the different credit unions we'll be visiting in-country. And there's definitely no rest for the wicked. Right after our final meeting on Friday we're all cabbing to the Ottawa airport to start a 24 hour journey to Africa via Toronto and London with my final stop being Entebbe Uganda at 10:40pm on Saturday. It's not too bad though because Uganda is eight hours ahead of Toronto so I'll only have been up for 32 hours. Hah! Who said international travel is tough? A cakewalk - bring it on! <br />
<br />
I'm really looking forward to the opportunity to learn and grow from the credit unions we visit and I know they'll have as much to pass on to us as we do for them. Take care and stay tuned - there's lots more to follow<br />
Cheers<br />
Dale<br />
Dale and Rosi Boisclairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17981337747325445262noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8162401630647870240.post-56608156382697224252013-12-11T05:27:00.003-08:002013-12-11T05:29:49.297-08:00New Friends and New AdventuresIt's been two years since Dexter passed on and the place he holds in our hearts will always remain. We'll never be able to replace him but that doesn't mean there isn't room in our life for another loyal loving companion. Someone to talk to when no one else will listen and who will always be there when you need them most. It turns out that Rosi and I are "dog people" and the sad fact is it's taken over two years to get to this point but now that we're here there's a gap that needs to be filled and our house needs to be a home again. (And yes, we talk to our dog in full sentences as crazy as that sounds)<br />
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Please let me introduce you to Austin, the newest addition to the Boisclair household. Austin is a four year old rescue from the Arizona Australian Shepherd Rescue Association. He lived with an elderly woman who couldn't take him when she had to move in with her daughter and he was desperately looking for a new forever home. The irony is Rosi and I actually drove over to Payson to meet the woman from the Association and to view two other potential dogs. Austin wasn't even supposed to be there. She only brought him along because he has a few behaviour issues and she thought the socialization would be good for him. <br />
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Rosi's a big believer in fate and in this case us meeting Austin must have been meant to be because it was love at first sight - in our case anyway - and the rest is history. We can't pick him up until next Monday because I'm in Dawson Creek working and his foster parents think it would be best that we're both home when he arrives so for now we're expectant Pet Parents - and we're both looking forward to Monday when our house. as nice as it is, will finally be a fur-filled home again.<br />
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And by the way, if you come for a visit, black dress pants might not be a good idea..... :-)<br />
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And now some other news....<br />
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I don't update to Facebook very often, and my blog sits idle for most of the time, but for whatever reason I like to keep a bit of a diary when I travel and this blog seems like a good way to do it. It's really more for me than anyone else but if you want to read along I'm more than happy to share my thoughts and ideas. <br />
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The Pearl of Africa.......... Uganda <br />
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In 2010 and 2011 I was fortunate to be chosen to accompany a team of credit union professionals that travelled twice to Mongolia to work with our rural credit union management counterparts over there. The trip was part of the Canadian Cooperative Association's overseas work with cooperatives abroad to fulfill their mandate to alleviate poverty through the development of the cooperative model. As some of my friends and family know it effected me greatly and more than once I've seen eyes roll and glaze over as I start telling one more story about my trip or my experience. <br />
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I'm now very pleased to say that I've been lucky enough to be accepted to join another team of credit union managers and executives traveling abroad, this time to the Pearl of Africa, Uganda. I'm leaving on January 16th on a flight that will see stops in Ottawa, Toronto and London before finally arriving at Entebbe. <br />
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I'm just old enough to remember some of Uganda's more infamous history, including Idi Amin and the famous Israeli raid so landing at Entebbe will be more than a little surreal - but I have to admit, I'm really looking forward to what I'm sure will be another fulfilling and rewarding trip. So if you're interested in one man's perspective and don't mind the odd rambling story or two, by all means check back after I leave to follow along on my next big adventure. <br />
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Cheers!Dale and Rosi Boisclairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17981337747325445262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8162401630647870240.post-72345069786392741332013-01-06T06:29:00.000-08:002013-01-06T06:33:30.593-08:00Mexican Security Situation Hi Everyone<br />
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Just thought I should post something about the drive down vis.a.vis the security situation on the roads etc. This blog is primarily for friends and family because I'm not one to use a Facebook account but in case you came across this by searching for info about driving in Mexico I'll give you my take in things. <br />
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First though, please understand this is just my opinion. I don't know anymore about what really goes on down than the next person.<br />
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We left Nogales AZ Friday morning at 8:00am and crossed into Mexio with no issues. In fact it's a non-event. For those of you that have never done it you don't actually "clear" customes at all. You basically just drive down a narrow road with a few customes officers on each side and you get to a split where there are two lanes; one for those that have something to declare and the other for those that don't. If you take the nothing to declare lane you just drive through and wham, bam, you're in Mexico. <br />
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The first thing we noticed over our last trip down two years ago was the increased traffic. Last time there was a deserted feel to the roads and it was a bit spooky but this time the roads were all busy and there was lots of other traffic. It may be because it's the end of the Christmas /New Year holiday and a lot of families were heading home but it was definitly busier. <br />
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The next thing we noticed was a significant increase in a police presence. And by this I mean a huge increase. We saw numerous checkpoints and lots of high-profile patrols. And if you think Mexican police aren’t intimidating you haven’t pulled into a gas station and stopped next to three large one-ton pickups that have been retro fitted with machine gun turrets and are full of very large Mexican Federale’s, all wearing blacked-out full combat/riot gear, all with balaclava’s and toting machine guns. These guys mean business and aren’t to be trifled with. But..... rather than scarring us it gave us a huge sense of comfort! No one bothered us and it was great to know the government is taking the situation seriously. <br />
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So, long story short.... we spent a long day on Friday and a half-day yesterday, driving the 1,100 klm from the border to Mazatlan and it was completely uneventful. No security issues at all and no problems of any kind. It’s divided highway almost the entire way, which ranged from really crappy, to less crappy and to OK – with a few Autopista stretches thrown in that are really quite good. The tolls add up though; $35CAN on Friday and another $30CAN yesterday. The alternative though, is taking the free roads which are a LOT slower and in much poorer condition.<br />
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So there you have it. We’re now in Mazatlan in a condo overlooking the ocean and our little SUV is securely parked in the parking lot waiting to be loaded with Mexican treasures we hope to buy over the next few days.<br />
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Adios Mi Amigos<br />
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Dale<br />
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<br />Dale and Rosi Boisclairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17981337747325445262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8162401630647870240.post-67823005790984145252012-11-27T07:39:00.003-08:002012-11-27T07:39:42.341-08:00Greetings from sunny Dawson CreekHi All<br />
I'm back in Dawson Creek but not for long. For those of you that don't know me I do consulting work for credit unions and I've had a contract to assist a credit union here in BC's north off and on for almost two years. I arrived a week ago Monday and I'm leaving after work tomorrow. I fly home on Thursday and by Friday afternoon we plan on hitting the road South. It'll be a welcome change since here it's -20C! <br />
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We bought a townhouse in Gold Canyon AZ last February but it was late in our stay and we were only able to enjoy it for a week before we had to head home. Since then it seems like ages since we were there. The unit was unfurnished when we bought it so other than a bed it's pretty much empty. We're not much for marathon driving trips so it'll take us at least three days to drive down but we're really looking forward to the trip because we'll finally get to start furnishing and decorating it the way we like. We'll be in AZ for four months and I have to fly back and forth at least five times for work but I should still have lots of time for some great rides on the motorcycle I have down there and at least one road trip to Mexico.<br />
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We're driving to Mazatlan in January to stay for a week to do some shopping. Our plan is to buy as much of the art and decorating pieces for our new place as we can. And here where my absolute cheap side comes out. For anyone that's done it you'll know how unpleasant timeshare presentations are. They can be high-pressure and time consuming, and to the uninitiated or naive, they often result in unwanted poorly thought out purchases. But....... for someone that likes the thrill of the hunt and looks at it as a battle of wits, it can be a lucrative endeavour. Two years ago on a whim I went to a presentation and after 2 1/2 hours of repeated no's I left - but with $400US cash for my time. What? $400? Sign me up! I was able to go to four more before they caught on and it dried up. $2,000 in total over two weeks - and I was there for two months so it's not like I had anything better to do those mornings :-) So that's the plan for this trip down. It's not a vacation, I'm looking at it as a business trip. Time share presentations in the morning and shopping in the afternoon, and if I'm right, the whole thing will be paid for by someone else. <br />
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So only three more sleeps and we'll be on our way south where we'll do our part to support the American economy.<br />
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Cheers!<br />
dale<br />
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Dale and Rosi Boisclairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17981337747325445262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8162401630647870240.post-10167373713313232842012-09-11T13:43:00.000-07:002012-09-11T13:43:05.263-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Entry into to the Cathedral entrance tunnel</div>
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The first part of the tunnel </div>
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This was taken with a flash to show the salt deposits on the tunnel walls</div>
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One of a series of small alters </div>
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This is where my point and shoot camera just doesn't cut it. I shot this without a flash to try to capture the image but it just doesn't do it justice. This chappel seats more than 1,000 and it's 800 feet underground if that helps give some perspective </div>
Dale and Rosi Boisclairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17981337747325445262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8162401630647870240.post-73046838354499330912012-09-11T13:36:00.000-07:002012-09-11T13:36:49.116-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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One of two patios for our room</div>
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Living room and dining room in our suite</div>
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Second floor mezzanine</div>
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Lobby</div>
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Transmillenio station - picture taken from the overhead walkway</div>
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Typical Transmillenio bus</div>
Dale and Rosi Boisclairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17981337747325445262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8162401630647870240.post-24844292632931056692012-09-11T13:29:00.000-07:002012-09-11T13:29:01.753-07:00A city within a city and salt, lots and lots of saltAll good things must come to an end and so too must our trip to Colombia. We’ve had a great time, saw some fantastic sights and met some incredible people but we’re definitely in wind down mode now. <br />
We flew out of Santa Marta yesterday and arrived in Bogotá after a 90 minute uneventful flight with LAN airlines. I played major tourist and booked us into a really nice hotel and made arrangements for a car and driver to pick us up at the airport. It was more than a taxi but still really reasonable by our standards and was a welcome change from the chaotic scramble for a taxi.<br />
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And here I have to apologize for my earlier comments vis-à-vis Bogota. The city is huge and as much as I thought we’d seen a large part of it when we spent the day visiting four credit unions when we first arrived, apparently we didn’t even scratch the surface. Our hotel is in a VERY nice area in the north end of the city. It’s not the actual Zona Rosa - and truth be told I’m not exactly sure where we are in relation to down town - but it’s an area of low rises and businesses that reminds us of the West End in Vancouver as much as anything else. There’s hardly any graffiti, it’s clean and orderly and if we’d stayed here instead of the La Candelaria district my description of Bogota would have been very different. <br />
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And I don’t think I’ve mentioned the most amazing thing yet - Medellin may have its Metro but Bogota is just as rightfully proud of its Transmillenio; a bus system unlike anything I’ve ever seen. It seems a few years back the city planners decided to build a large metro system, not unlike Medellin, to augment and replace a lot of the existing city busses. They designed a system that would run dedicated rail lines between existing roads and highways and went so far as to designate the right-of-ways and start the construction. And then, like so many good intentions, things fell off the rails so to speak during their financial crisis in the 90‘s at the height of the war against Pablo Escobar. But rather than let a good idea lie dormant they simply changed things up a bit to live within their means. And what a job they did! Rather than light rail the new Transmillenio is a system of dedicated intra-city bus lines using bus-only road and highway lanes and utilizing literally thousands of double and triple articulated high-end busses. There are raised pedestrian walkways giving safe access and the terminals to get on and off look more like a subway stop than a bus stop. And all the secondary bus lines feed into a Transmillenio station so it’s easy to get anywhere in the city safely and inexpensively. For all intents and purposes they’ve built a light rail system without the light rail. I’ve said it before but it bears repeating. We could learn a lot from the ingenuity of Latin America. <br />
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And now the hotel. Hotels in general in Colombia are more expensive than what we expected but at the higher end (for Colombia) we’ve found much more value and this hotel is no exception.<br />
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<a href="http://www.lancasterhouse.com.co/index.asp?idioma=bogota-colombia-hotels">http://www.lancasterhouse.com.co/index.asp?idioma=bogota-colombia-hotels</a><br />
Our room is absolutely amazing although room hardly seems an adequate description for a four-room, 500 square foot suite, complete with a full separate kitchen and a large outdoor patio with two seating areas and patio tables to seat eight. It’s an old hotel from the (40’s?) that has been wonderfully preserved - it’s almost like staying in a museum or visiting a vintage building as part of a tour. All the original doors, trim and furniture are original Art Deco and still in place. The staff are all in uniforms or in grey or black business suits with white gloves and in the bar there’s a piano player and a bar tender wearing a white shirt and bow tie. The bar is open 24/7, as is room service and the included breakfast buffet, complete with waiter and chef in white shirt and bow tie, was a deluxe spread of fruit, breads, waffles, eggs cooked to order and local juices coffee and hot chocolate. <br />
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When we checked in a bellman whisked our bags away and installed them on a trolley to take to our room and while we taking care of the check-in process he quietly attached new name tags with the hotels logo to all our bags. He showed us to our room and gave us a tour reminiscent of a movie from the 30’s or 40’s and we then had a complimentary glass of wine while the piano player serenaded us in the bar prior to us taking our early dinner in the dining room set with sparkling china and beautiful linens. It’s definitely not as modern as the Diez in Medellin but I can’t remember when I’ve felt so welcomed in a hotel. All the staff now greet us by name and it’s truly an amazing experience. Muy Bueno - such is life in Colombia! <br />
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This afternoon we took in a sight that I’m not sure how to describe. I know the pictures I took will be woefully inadequate and I’m afraid any mental picture I attempt to paint will be just as poor. <br />
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<a href="http://www.tourcatedraldesal.com/en/">http://www.tourcatedraldesal.com/en/</a><br />
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There’s a small town an hour outside of Bogota where there used to be a large salt mine deep in the surrounding mountains. Apparently in the 30’s when it was actively being mined the miners carved chapels, naves and alters out of the rock so they could offer their daily prayers for their safe return when they started work each day. These were eventually enlarged and further developed until there was a very large cathedral carved out of the rock and salt deposits 200 meters underground. Then in 1990 the entire site was abandoned because it was geologically unstable and considered a safety hazard. <br />
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The government of Bogota with assistance from the Colombian government both felt that this was a site that should be reopened and preserved so they held a national competition for an architectural design for a new facility and the results are beyond amazing. The new “Salt Cathedral” is a complex of interconnected tunnels and huge amphitheatres carved out of solid rock 800 feet below the surface. There are three large “Cathedrals” that are used as places of worship on Sundays that can accommodate as many as 7,000 parishioners and the entire experience has become a pilgrimage for local Catholics. Rosi and I aren’t religious but it’s had to argue with the sense of peace and tranquility that seems to exude from the very rock walls themselves as you descend deep into the mountain and the feeling off spirituality that engulfs you as you listen to music playing softly in the background. The tunnels are softly backlit with subdued indirect lighting and they interconnect through hidden stairways and wide ramps all leading deeper into the mine. The chapels themselves are huge naves the size of an airplane hanger carved out of solid rock with large rock alters illuminated with hidden spot lights - and the overall experience is beyond amazing.<br />
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Today is our last day in Colombia and this will be my last entry. Tomorrow we fly to Toronto where we overnight before completing the journey home via Vancouver. It’s been an incredible trip and I can’t think of a better way to finish it than the visit today to the Catedral de Sal. <br />
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Cheers<br />
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Dale and Rosi<br />
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Safe and Sound in Colombia <br />
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Dale and Rosi Boisclairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17981337747325445262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8162401630647870240.post-18302313397714867782012-09-08T06:49:00.001-07:002012-09-08T06:49:31.889-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It looks deceptively easy at this point </div>
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View through the jungle</div>
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View from one of the headlands</div>
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View in the other direction - it was VERY steep to get up here</div>
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Rocks to be clambered over</div>
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We went through a section that was covered with these snake holes. Just when I thought they were all old and abondoned a head poked up the size of my fist. I missed the picture but we gave them a wide bearth after that!</div>
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Starting to get a little warm</div>
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This section was approx 50 feet long and all I could think of was the </div>
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spiders just over my head</div>
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Only 30 minutes in and almost soaked through</div>
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Through the rocks instead of over</div>
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This is about the half way point - somehow I don't think Rosi is feeling the love</div>
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Heat stroke anyone?</div>
Dale and Rosi Boisclairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17981337747325445262noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8162401630647870240.post-40641081102964445152012-09-08T06:28:00.001-07:002012-09-08T06:28:12.580-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVkiOeqakUvFud1A9S98JXhw48_Hj4uUN2XaiqUel1sJ0LbGihewZTX0QXV2E3jbWq3msFevSnatC1HfXgcXLc84C4ALLEP0HOikjXb0tP1iAMxO8lQk9jaizT3dlp30tQBf4dbkBjl98/s1600/IMG_7254.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hea="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVkiOeqakUvFud1A9S98JXhw48_Hj4uUN2XaiqUel1sJ0LbGihewZTX0QXV2E3jbWq3msFevSnatC1HfXgcXLc84C4ALLEP0HOikjXb0tP1iAMxO8lQk9jaizT3dlp30tQBf4dbkBjl98/s320/IMG_7254.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Double rainbow from our balcony. Everyday the weather is the same; beautiful clear days until around 5:00 and then showers and/or thunder and lightening in the evening</div>
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Sunset from our balcony</div>
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The entrance to the Tayrona National Park</div>
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The first stretch of trail - boardwalk, how nice - this won't be so bad :-) </div>
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They lied!</div>
Dale and Rosi Boisclairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17981337747325445262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8162401630647870240.post-47440172147396002682012-09-08T06:15:00.004-07:002012-09-08T06:21:27.832-07:00Mud, sweat and tearsGreetings from a balcony overlooking a crystal blue pool under sunny clear Colombian skies. A far cry from what we endured yesterday. <br />
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Yesterday dawned clear and blue and we got up early in order to meet our bus at 8:00 for our escorted walking tour into Tayrona National Park. We were in the lobby by 8:00 and to be fair, we were told our pick up would be between 8:00 and 9:00 so having to wait a bit wasn’t unexpected. It gave us a chance to people watch and we noticed a lot of the other guests - all Colombians, since we’re the only Notre Americanos in the hotel - being picked up by very small, very cramped mini-vans and heading out on their respective adventures. With each pick up we worried more and more; cramming ourselves into a tight mini-van just wasn’t at the top of our to do list. But just as our trepidation was starting to build a large 15 passenger micro-bus pulled in and through sign language and gestures (so much for our English speaking guide) we determined this was our ride to the fabled Tayrona National Park, where we were promised an easy to accomplish, 2 - 3 hour nature walk through groomed trails. <br />
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http://www.colombia.travel/en/international-tourist/vacations-holidays-where-to-go/recommended-weekend-destinations/tayrona-national-park<br />
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All we needed to do was make one more stop to pick up additional guests at a different hotel and we’d be on our way……. but it wasn’t to be. We arrived at the next hotel and our guide/driver left the van running while he ran in to make the pick up and we waited…. and waited…….and waited……..until he eventually came back and told us (again through much sign language and gestures) that this group had cancelled. No worries we thought, less people on the bus, lets go. Not. Buddy apparently gets paid on a per guest basis and refused to take us any further if it was just the two of us. He proceeded to drive us back to our hotel and unceremoniously left us on the curb. He tried to apologize but I wasn’t the smiling understanding gringo I usually am. At this point I was the loud obnoxious Notre Americano that is convinced if I say this is absolute crap loud enough and slow enough it’ll eventually overcome the language barrier. We didn’t exactly have a scene but it wasn’t pleasant. <br />
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Luckily it’s a cheap and relatively short cab ride into town so after calming down (me, not Rosi - she was fine) we made our way back to the tour company where we’d pre-paid for our tour. They fell all over themselves to apologize and explained that the driver didn’t phone them until after he dropped us off and by then it was too late for us to join another tour so they offered us a full refund on the spot. The only problem was this didn‘t get us any closer to the park and we didn‘t want to go Saturday (today) because it gets a lot busier on the week-ends. And this is where I’m actually proud of my behavior/approach. I shelved angry tourista and switched to calm reasonable customer and asked plainly and reasonably if they considered themselves a reputable company? They of course strongly and adamantly said yes and I responded that the question then was simple: a reputable company would make arrangements to take us on our tour then and there, regardless of cost, while an unreliable company - one I would review on Tripadvisor for instance - would give us a refund but leave us to make our own arrangements…… gotcha!<br />
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With lots of Spanish spoken under their breath amongst themselves they agreed to hire a cab to take us from their office to the park (a good hour drive, maybe more) pay for our entrance fees and have the cab pick us up at the end of the day and take us back to our hotel (probably an hour and a half). I added up the total and their out of pocket expense was at least $50 Canadian more than what we paid for the group tour and this way we had an air conditioned taxi to ourselves - Muy Bueno! Calm reasonable customer trumps angry tourista every time!<br />
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So now the park…….<br />
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First, it was beautiful. The topography we saw and hiked through encompassed deserted beach, scrub forest, tropical rain forest and thick jungle. I don’t know for sure but I would say the elevation ranged from the shoreline to maybe 300 - 500 feet where we climbed into the mountains and/or hiked over headlands to get around rock outcroppings etc. <br />
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But an easy walk on a groomed trail? Not on your life. It was broken into sections which was great but it was MUCH harder and MUCH more arduous that we thought. All the other hikers we encountered were young hippy types hiking into the deserted beaches or staying at the wilderness camps - there wasn’t ANYONE our age at all. And it’s no wonder. The trail was well marked and for the most part well groomed but there were lots of sections with huge rocks to clamber over (and Rosi is the fist to admit her clambering days are behind her since she’s had problems with her knee) and lots of elevation gain and loss - and all of this in 32 degrees and 100% humidity. Within minutes we were soaked through. My shirt literally couldn’t have been any wetter if I’d worn it into the shower. <br />
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The first section was just over an hour of steady hiking and it spit us out at the wilderness camp which had bathrooms and a restaurant where we cleaned up a bit and had a much needed cold drink. It was then another hour to a remote beach, with more rock climbing, more elevation gain and loss, and a long stretch through loose sand, which turns out is the hardest hiking of all. From there it was turn around and repeat in reverse in order to get back to the parking lot by our allotted pick up time. All we could do was pray that the never ending jungle hell our life had become would end at some point. <br />
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I know the word grueling is bandied about a lot but if it ever fit a description this is it. We started our little “ walk” at 11:30 and stumbled out of the jungle, soaking wet and absolutely spent - five hours later. Rosi was absolutely fantastic. She needed help in a few places but the look of grim determination never left her face and turning back was never an option. <br />
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Bear Grylls would have been proud.<br />
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We arrived back at our hotel around 6:30 and after showering to clean up we could barely keep our eyes open through dinner - and it was a very, very early evening. <br />
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Such is life in Colombia!<br />
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Safe and sound and enjoying a day recuperating around the pool<br />
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Dale and Rosi <br />
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<br />Dale and Rosi Boisclairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17981337747325445262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8162401630647870240.post-60377184136469258962012-09-06T07:22:00.002-07:002012-09-06T07:22:54.582-07:00Thank you RCI!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Our new digs outside Santa Marta</div>
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Our new room, Muy Bueno!</div>
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View from our balcony</div>
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Catching up on email and news from home - I either need a </div>
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bigger screen or better glasses!</div>
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Another view from our room</div>
Dale and Rosi Boisclairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17981337747325445262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8162401630647870240.post-24063902680748623562012-09-06T07:09:00.003-07:002012-09-06T07:09:39.089-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Another view of the wall surrounding Cartagena - all the kids are flying kites which seems to be a national pastime here !</div>
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Our last night in Cartagena - having a drink in one of the many different squares, plazza's and parks</div>
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The view from our table</div>
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Another street scene in Cartagena</div>
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Saying good by to our new friends in Cartagena</div>
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The view from the bus our of town just to show that it's not all an old walled city</div>
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The view from our bus as we left the hotel in Cartagena - a vendor with his wares </div>
Dale and Rosi Boisclairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17981337747325445262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8162401630647870240.post-44076872104990389592012-09-06T07:00:00.003-07:002012-09-06T07:00:54.712-07:00On the road again......Greetings from Santa Marta, Colombia, or to be more exact, a resort hotel approx 15 klm south of the steamy port city of Santa Marta. <br />
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All good things must come to an end so as much as we enjoyed the sights and sounds of Cartagena we hit the road on Tuesday for the port city of Santa Marta and our final days in Colombia. Our original plan was to take a cab to the bus terminal (45 minutes) and then catch a bus to Santa Marta (four hours) and from there take another cab to our hotel (30 minutes). As luck would have it though, the owner of the hotel was in that morning and overheard us talking about the trip. She speaks a little English and she interceded with a MUCH better recommendation. There’s a tourist shuttle - similar in size to a large passenger van at home - that runs a service between the two cities and offers door-to-door pick up and delivery. Muy Bueno! The van picked us up at our hotel at 11:00 and continued on to pick up other tourists at various hotels but by 12:00 we were on our way north and by 3:00 it dropped us off right at the lobby of our new hotel, the Costa Azul Beach Hotel. <br />
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Since then it hasn’t been too exciting, which is a good thing. Sometimes uneventful is just fine. We moved around quite a bit our first three weeks here but for these last few days we’re going to sit back and relax and play tourist. Yesterday we took cab into Santa Marta proper to look around and to get some much needed laundry done. We took in a museum on a whim just because it was open as we were walking by and we had an absolutely fantastic lunch at a little Italian restaurant off of the main square, but by 3:00 the heat and humidity had taken it’s toll and we were VERY ready to head back for a swim and siesta. Today is going to be a down day to hang out at the pool and maybe go for a nice walk on the beach. Plus as much as I hate to say it, I have some work I need to do in order to prepare for a presentation I’m making in PEI at the end of the month so I’ll be working a bit over the next couple of days. Tomorrow though, we have a tour lined up for a jungle walk through the national park that’s close by. <br />
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In the interim we’re still safe and sound in Colombia!<br />
Cheers<br />
Dale and RosiDale and Rosi Boisclairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17981337747325445262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8162401630647870240.post-90021929689177485722012-09-03T06:27:00.001-07:002012-09-03T06:27:47.651-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Inside the fort - felt like 40 degree's!</div>
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A hero of the revolution</div>
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Yoga stretching the inquisition way</div>
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Typical street scene in the old quarter</div>
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Another square, another hero</div>
Dale and Rosi Boisclairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17981337747325445262noreply@blogger.com0