Trip to Bombele and starting the line

Sunday June 21, 2009

Our day began with an early wake up call for the 7 AM water committee meeting. The meeting started well after its scheduled time. We were probably only needed for the first 30 minutes of the meeting. The rest of the time was spent arguing over community issues that had no bearing on the water project. These meetings stay organized for at most 45 minutes. We decided to head for the house at 9. (The meeting was still going strong)

TK came to the house around noon to take me on a motorcycle ride to some nearby villages. We were joined by his friend Percy. TK allowed me to drive his bike on all but a short section of the road from Boa Bakundu to Bombele. TK and Percy were both impressed with my riding skills. The roads are rough and require absolute focus to spot rocks, holes, and muddy areas in time to avoid them.

After arriving in Bombele, TK directed me to a bar where he bought Percy and me a beer. TK then drove us to a nearby bridge over the river Meme. Meme is a fairly large river that can turn extremely dangerous during the rainy season. We also walked up a hill just past the bridge that led to the next village. It was another section of road that I can’t believe vehicles are able to navigate. On our way back to the house, we stopped at TK’s compound and I met his family. I think TK is my favorite Cameroonian thus far. He is a legitimate nice guy and our personalities match up very well.

Monday June 22, 2009

Pipe joining began in earnest this morning. We had a small crew numbering perhaps ten including ourselves. We started at the catchment in some moderate rain showers. At the start, it took some time to develop a good system. This would also be the most difficult section to connect due to changes in elevation and using all 90 mm pipe. When we ran out of pipe glue, we had connected 86 pipes. After today, it was pretty obvious we didn’t need a plumber to help us connect pipes. Our only issue was with the way the pipes were laid out along the line. Mark talked to the water committee to have a quarter lay out the pipes correctly tomorrow in order to speed our progress.

The evening brought another torrential downpour, so I had some time to reflect. It’s nice to be away from TV, the internet, and videogames. Cameroon is just so relaxing. I may have said I was stressed or frustrated in earlier entries, but that’s only for a passing moment. The stresses of school and other priorities are gone. Tonight, I had nothing more pressing to do than to lie in bed and listen to the rain pound on the roof above me. It doesn’t get much better than that.