Winter? Really??

So last week my Saint colleagues were arriving at the Castle in coats and scarves. When I tell them it's hot, they laugh and tell me it's my age!
Today in Jamestown it was 24 degrees and we are into winter! There's still a drought and a severe water shortage here. Even my local colleagues had to admit it was unusually warm.

I am no longer the 'new' girl! Sarah and her family arrived on last weeks ship and she started work at the Castle on Monday. I should now know what I am doing, after all I've been here 3 weeks now! There are still loads of places to visit, but I saving as much as I can for when Andy and Henry arrive, but for operational reasons, I had to go out in search of Scotland at the weekend.
In Scotland you will find ANRD  (Agriculture and Natural Resources Department) I had a meeting scheduled with the Director and rather than be late or lose my way, I thought it only best to locate it in advance. So on Sunday Scotland was duly located. Finding it reminded me of a very amusing trip to Dublin in 2005 when there was a distinct lack of sign posts, In fact the only sign I found pointing to Scotland was when you actually find Scotland! Just like Dublin...
All I can say is that it is much quicker going to Scotland from here than at home in the UK

Foraging in the shops becomes a bit of an occupation and excitement is often over the simplest of things! I found a dozen eggs, complete with egg boxes in the supermarket on Saturday. That may sound uneventful to non Islanders, but here if you are lucky enough in malting season to find eggs, you usually have to supply your own egg box in order to purchase them! Another quirky thing.
As was entering into discussion with the Chief of Police to find that back in the UK he lives 8 miles from me, which i thought was amazing to have traveled over 4000 miles. But them I met the Health and Social care Director - a Saint - who's son is oversees and currently residing in my home town! What a small world

Roll on the sunshine and fine weather, so long as it rains at night to maintain the reservoir levels and prevent a shut off of water supplies!!

Firsts!

It's been a week of 'Firsts' this week - My first Bank Holiday weekend - I know, I know, I've only just got here!

A couple more ‘Firsts’ - Going to Jail and Alcohol at Work Policy

Having joined the local car-share group to undertake the daily white knuckle ride from Piccolo Hill in Longwood down to Jamestown, I am often in Jamestown by 8:10.

The 6 mile journey involves 4 tight hairpin bends (so tight that they cannot always be taken in one move        (vehicles often required to complete a 2 or even 3 point turn to make it round!) to enable the decent down the mountain side, not to mention numerous other bends and turns along this mainly single track road. There are a few ‘passing’ points which you almost hurtle between to avoid meeting an upward travelling vehicle, which has right of way and then involved copious amounts of skillful reversing up a single track mountain path (otherwise known as Side Path - see picture below!)

 You rarely use gears above 2^nd and decent is usually in 1^st or 2^nd gear with your right foot firmly fixed to the brake – It’s not dissimilar on the way up to be honest! (Other than I don’t have to reverse!) It takes around 20 minutes to descend into the capital of St Helena and we take it in turns to be in the driving seat.

Arriving before the official start time for Government employees creates a challenge in itself. Due to recent divestment of services, the offices are often still locked. In order to get the one and only key to the front door (the Island’s Key cutting machine is currently out of order!) the first person arriving has to walk over the road to the Prison. On arrival at the prison gate you have to identify yourself to the jailers and retrieve the door key by collecting it though the bars of the jail! 

Luckily, I only had to go to jail a few times before a new opening up routine was established and now the Castle is unlocked by a newly appointed caretaker. It was an experience though.

On my first day in the office I am familiarising myself with my colleagues by making tea.  The office is all female, as opposed to my last job which was male dominated.

This is also the only place in the world I have opened the office fridge to find it stocked with wine!

In the words of my very good friend Steve, ‘There’s a water shortage, darling – save water, drink wine’  Looks like they have already started!

The highlight of the Bank Holiday weekend is Gravity Rush 2013

This involves competitors 'driving' a home made cart a mile or so down the hill into Jamestown. Believe me, they do half pick up some speed. Here's some pictures of this years event. It also shows some local shops and the market place.

The event is followed by a walk along the Wharf at James Bay. The daytime temperature is holding between 18 and 20 degrees - not bad for winter!

You don't know what you're missing until its gone!

There has been an extreme shortage of set-top boxes to receive satellite TV on the Island (only TV available) I had gathered this from reading the newspapers before I came out and I had contacted Cable and Wireless well in advance of my arrival to place my name on the waiting list!
Signing up for internet, phone and TV was one of the first things I did when I arrived last Friday - it's very expensive £108 a month for a 1Mb connection and that is NOT a misprint! I also have a very low data usage allowance and I am on the Gold (top) package. Having parted with an extortionate amount of money, the really helpful girl at CW told me my phone would be switched on later that day, which it was around 4 and my modem and welcome pack would be delivered to the Castle on Tuesday. No set-top boxes though. The Government have loaned me a TV until my container arrives on the Island, but the Blu-ray player and discs are also on the container so I haven't been able to watch anything.
The modem arrived on Monday - a day ahead of schedule - very excited with the prospect of being back in touch with the UK! As soon as I got home, i set about getting it up and running. Almost immediately, my heart sunk as I realised the telephone/internet socket and the power socket were about 6 feet apart and the cable on the modem about 2 feet! Just before I sank into depression, I remembered seeing another telephone socket in the 2nd bedroom. Hooray! The phone socket was next to power so the 2nd bedroom is now an office! It was great to be able to email friends and family - particularly my lovely husband - we were in danger of clocking up a mortgage sized phone bill.....
Then, totally out of the blue I got a phone call from CW on Friday evening informing me that I had reached the top of the waiting list and a set-top box was ready for collection! (and payment - naturally!)
It's not that I have particularly missed any TV as such, but it is nice to have the option and to have it on in the background (although I have an IPOD mini Hi-Fi system that Andy insisted I bring - thank you darling - you were right!) But I miss the company of being with my lovely husband watching something - anything but being together - This is hard!
The box can't be collected until Monday though - Businesses here are generally open from 9 to 5 Mon - Fri - except for early closing (lunch-time) on Wednesday - remember that in the UK? Most shops open on Saturday morning 9-12. Nobody opens on a Sunday apart from a couple of pubs and restaurants!

One item not loaned as part of my 'transit kit' is a dustbin - which in sub-tropical climates is a must - rubbish starts to smell pretty quickly here - even in winter - which it is coming in to now. So Fridays question was 'Where would I go if I wanted to buy a dustbin?' Various places were suggested including the Emporium, Solomons DIY. Neither had a black bin like at home. Another ex-pat Hazel suggested Maisie's DIY.
Maisies is located in someones garage, as are many local stores here, so not actually expecting much, I visited Maisies where a black dustbin was purchased for £20! Maisie also stocks paint, fridges, freezers, BBQ's and all manner of odds and sods - as do most stores LOL.
I bump into David, Hazel and their daughter Deanna in town and David has also had a phone call from CW allocating him a set-top box - he's waited since January for his though so my 1 week wait is something of a record.. There's going to be a queue at the CW offices on Monday lunchtime....
If you are interested in the TV programmes on offer, take a look here!http://www.cwi.sh/

My First Week on St Helena

First things first - I believe there is a bit of a debate back in the UK as to who 'won' the battle of the lettuce! So there is no doubt, here is a picture of me with the said lettuce!!!!!!!

Arrival on the Island was fairly uneventful. Earlier than planned, after a short tender from the ship to the quayside, we passed through customs and immigration easily - I had declared absolutely everything I could remember on my customs form!! You only get to keep the bags you had as cabin luggage at this point and have to return to Customs later in the day to claim Hold baggage.
We emerged from Customs, walked over the bridge to see my name on a piece of paper held by some enthusiastic people. Paula was the first to greet me with great gusto and friendliness, followed by my new Boss Susan and Anya from Human Resources. There are a number of important things to do on arrival, so we all walked back to the Castle (St Helena Government - SHG HQ) and started to 'look' for the hire car that had been booked for me!
The Castle Entrance

Paula took us for coffee and we chatted about the Island. Paula is the Statistician and has been on the Island since September, being previously based in Southampton. She is also my next door neighbour in Piccolo Hill.
I then have to take my driving licence to the Police Station to have it verified to enable me to drive on the Island and hire the car! A first look in the local shops proves to be a real eye opener. The main shops are the size of Tesco Express or smaller, with a range of out-of-date Tesco/Asda/ Iceland products at around an 80% mark-up. There is of course local produce too which I by far prefer to purchase. On our first visit we get lettuce, bread, wine - oh so important :-) butternut squash to name a few items.
Paula locates the hire car and we take the heart stopping journey from Jamestown to Longwood, via Side Path. Paula offers to drive, for which I am forever grateful!! To give you some idea of the horror, here's a picture taken from Side Path across the valley - Jamestown below, but imagine that the road is single track, stuck to the side of the mountain!! I didn't look down..

Paula drove to our house. Her house is just behind ours and I am pleasantly surprised by the size and location.

 Check out the size of my neighbours satellite dish!!!!!!!!!

Paula, her partner Bob and daughter Pip are extremely welcoming and invite us to dinner so we don't have to worry about cooking - They continue to be a great source of help and assistance every day, for which I will always be grateful!
On that first day, Bob takes me to meet the local 'fish' man who arrives at Piccolo selling very fresh fish - I get a sizable piece of Wahoo and Tuna for around £3.00. I also meet other neighbours Eleanor and Hazel. A housewarming gift is a can of RAID!! MMMmmmmmmmmm...
The weekend is spent unpacking, returning to the quay to retrieve my hold bags and practicing driving on Side Path! I have to be confident - it's the only way into work!
Sunday - And this is just for my very good friend Steve - the day was spent chasing GOATS off my land - Yes it's true!! We laughed about it, but there are goats - kids especially - wandering loose on other peoples land!
I am joining the local car sharing pool so only driving in 2 days this week, which I manage accident free, but spend a great deal of time on the horn - -the bends are pretty much all blind hairpins - single track..
I arrive at the office on Monday morning - Paula is still being an absolute star showing me all the ropes and introducing me to a plethora of new faces - names are in there somewhere but as with any new job it's a blur!

I have an early meeting with Susan and the Acting Governor to start outlining my role and the deliverables. I am not sure it sounds wholly like the original advert, but hey I am here now and will turn my hand (and ability) to pretty much whatever is required!
I also find loads of subject matter for the Masters in Strategic Change Management that I will be attempting to complete from here..

Lunchtime is a world of discovery!
Every morning in the car, I have introduced a new game - it starts with. 'Your question for the day is : Where would I go to find...' I then insert some obscure (or sometimes not so obscure!) object. So far we have had Thai green curry paste, a dust bin, Blu tac, eggs; among others - are you starting to get a picture?
And have I been successful - well I think so  - not always exactly as planned, but I found (after 3 days of foraging) Thai yellow curry paste, a sort of Blu Tac equivalent, Annie at work bought me eggs when I couldn't get them anywhere - Thanks Annie, I think I have found where I can buy a dustbin! I have also been fortunate enough to work with some great girls - Nicole, who asks me if I would like bread, tea cakes, rolls on a regular basis and orders them for me! Tessa, from whom I am learning what a true St Helena Islander would eat for dinner and Rachel who is a very young ex-pat, who was far to quick to point out that she was younger than the number of years I have been married for - Thanks Rachel!

For anyone interested, Picture 1 is Nicole, Pa to the Chief Secretary and a great person who makes me laugh every day, Picture 2 is my desk in the foreground with Tessa at the next desk. Tessa is a wonderful source of local information. I am incredibly lucky to have such a friendly, helpful and supportive team around me - of course I have to say that as Nicole is going o follow the Blog - JOKE Nicole LOL

I have had a couple of shaky moments not about what I have done or where I am, but that I am not with my husband and sons. That's by far the hardest bit. Although I managed to get the internet up and running in record time - even my colleagues were impressed! I still have no TV as set top boxes are scarce - There's not lots to watch but it would be nice to have the option....

On my first or second day at work I was asked if I cried when the ship left - Those who know me well will know the answer! I was confused by this statement, but apparently some people coming to the Island to work cannot come to terms with the isolation of being completely cut off from the rest of the world. To be honest it hadn't even occurred to me - a good thing apparently!

Yesterday I was asked 2 things
Nicole asked me what the time was in the UK..
I was asked if I knew where the RMS ST Helena was.
I had to think long and hard about:both! Apparently that's good too - means I am assimilated already!

Am I missing the UK - No, only those I have left behind  - and of course counting the days until Andy and Henry join me - maybe I can convince George and Jenni to come out too at some point.
Steve, Mandy and Dave have already said they will visit and I truly hope they will - It will be an experience of a lifetime, for all the right reasons..

Sunset today XX

Family XX

 Andy and Pippy

 George and Jenni

 Me and Daniel

Jill and Me

 Smudgey

 Henry looking like James Dean - Google it Henners LOL

Andy and Me

St Helena Arrival

I appreciate there has been a flurry of BLOG activity! I managed to get onto the internet yesterday (Monday) for the first time since leaving the UK - well over a week of isolation!.
I will hopefully, internet permitting - it's not the most reliable - post weekly from now on!
I will do a piece on the arrival - and shopping - I almost battled someone for a lettuce today!!
This is a picture of what I saw as I approached the Island at dawn and the second picture is taken from my house veranda at dawn - will get some better ones soon. The mountain on the bottom, veranda photo is called the barn and you can just about make out the sea line on the horizon between the trees and the sky. Our house backs on to open fields and mountains -wonderful..

The Royal Mail Ship St Helena

Standing at the Pier Head, donning a rather attractive life jacket accessorized with walking boots and a cross body bag, I wait nervously at the top of the steps. There is a steep collection of steps down to the waters edge, where a small tender is struggling to stay alongside the steps, fighting against the swell from the Atlantic Ocean that is pushing it into the rock face of the Pier. One by one, passengers are taken down the wet slippery steps and guided to the waters edge. When I say ‘jump’ do it, I am instructed. I try not to look at the significant fall and rise of the tender and wait for my cue and ‘jump’ I do, grabbed by experienced staff and hauled into the tender. I find a seat and sit down for the short trip across the bay to the RMS, once the tender is full.

I was congratulating myself on a successful crossing, when I caught sight of the extremely steep and narrow metal steps that have been lowered from the RMS, a floating landing platform sits beneath them. They are static and at times the drop from the bottom of the ladder to the platform is 6 feet or more! This reduces with the swell  and again I am instructed to jump when ordered to! Although not the most attractive of looks, I am grateful for both my sturdy walking boots and life jacket. I jump onto the metal steps as the landing platform disappears beneath me. For all intents and purposes I am now ‘floating’ in mid air several hundred feet below the safety of the ships deck. I climb slowly to the top and am relieved to reach solid ground! Apparently if you are unable to manage the steps, you arrive by ‘sky lift’ that involves a crane and a cage and an expanse of Ocean beneath. Not for the faint hearted.

Having been directed to my cabin, I find my cabin luggage has arrived (I’ve been separated from all other cases for the duration) and unpack.

Like on Ascension, everyone is very friendly and polite. Folk are genuinely interested in you and why you are travelling to the Island. It is refreshing and before long you feel as though you have been welcomed into a large family – there are less than 50 passengers on this trip so it’s easy to recognise fellow travellers.

The activities are a bit Hi-De-Hi but that makes for the charm and entertainment. You are encouraged to participate at your own leisure as much or as little as you like. There’s no pressure at all.

The food is amazing and seems to be continuous – full breakfast at 8 followed by up to 3-course lunch at 12. Afternoon tea commences at 4 with sandwiches, cakes and biscuits. If you are hungry, it’s not long to a massive 5-course dinner!

Everything is going fine, until Thursday morning. The boat seems to be pitching somewhat from left to right – Oh joy, there’s an issue with the stabilisers. We roll at more than 90 degrees for the rest of the trip. Mandy – you would have loved it! Fortunately it’s happened after I’ve already found my sea legs so it doesn’t make me feel ill at all. The RMS is a lovely ship to be on. The staff were all very attentative and entertaining, but from a size point of view think Isle of Wight ferry crosses the Atlantic Ocean! At times I did feel vulnerable to the vastness of it all. Andy, George and Henry are never far from my thoughts. I arrive on the Island tomorrow, Friday, which means I will be almost a week closer to having my family back with me! 

Ascension Island

We arrived almost on time having caught up some of the delay on route. Ascension Island appeared very barren at first and the heat was very noticeable, even at 7 in the morning. Progression through Immigration was swift, largely due to the fact that I had already completed all required entry forms and permits. The Immigration officer/St Helenan Police Officer was friendly, helpful and reassuring, telling me where to find the hotel shuttle bus and welcoming me to the Island. Nothing like the terror I experience every time I enter the USA and have to pass through their immigration!.

Mervyn, the minibus driver, ushers us onboard and we are transported to the Obsidian Hotel 10 minutes away. The hotel is clean and rooms are functional. My room consists of a bedroom, lounge area with TV, balcony and fridge as well as ensuite facilities. Don’t expect much in the way of a shower though! Water is at a premium here. The shower trickles out at full pelt! There are very few places to eat in Georgetown. Luckily the Hotel supplies breakfast, lunch and dinner on request, so decide this is the best option and order pasta for lunch – dinner to be ordered later – assuming at dinner time, but no, I am asked to order my dinner requirements at lunchtime. The pasta is good though and I opt for Wahoo cooked in a coconut sauce with local vegetables. It is superb, with the Wahoo tasting more like chicken than fish!

The local policemen offer a whistle stop tour of the Island and I get to the top of Green Mountain with it’s spectacular views of the Island, along with a trip to the Pier Head where the RMS will arrive tomorrow and the fishing trips depart from. I also get to see Long Beach, famous for the laying of Green Turtle eggs. The tracks made by the turtle hauling themselves up the beach are plain to see. As nighttime approaches, thousands of turtle hatch and head for the water. Black fish await them and very few baby turtles make it out into the Atlantic Ocean.

The police make a note of the arrival date for Andy and Henry and promise to take them on a tour as well as out for a pint in the evening.

Everyone is so friendly and welcoming – you have to wave at every car that passes you as you walk around Georgetown and every pedestrian says hello – and means it!

At the Hotel, I get to know some of my fellow travellers. Jane, the vicar’s wife, is returning to the Island after several months in the UK. Miranda and her 5 year old daughter are travelling to St Helena for the first time to visit her mother who is working on the Island, Kedell, the St Helena UK rep arrives as I am leaving for the Pier Head. She has been on the Island for a few weeks and is now returning to the UK. Amazingly, I receive a text to my mobile – there is not supposed to be any mobile network here! I check my phone and find I have a full signal on a network called ‘Sure’ back home I am with Vodfone. I don’t think about the cost and quickly text Andy – he is surprised to hear from me, but we are able to exchange a few texts, for which I was very grateful. Missing the ones you love is hard.

 

It is hot, hot, hot on Ascension Island, around 30 degrees, but dry not humid, so bearable.

The Journey

Arriving at RAF Brize Norton at 19:30, meant that we had a 3 ½  hour wait until our scheduled flight to Ascension Island at 23:00. We all had to complete security clearance to enable Andy and Henry to accompany us to the ‘airport’ terminal.

It was one of the worst moments of my life saying goodbye to my wonderful husband of almost 25 years and my youngest son at the airport. Andy and I have barely been apart in 27 years together, so this is a very alien experience and not one I have been looking forward to. Earlier in the day I had said goodbye to my eldest son, also a difficult time.

The terminal is small with few facilities other than the statutory toilets. Check-in was swift and pain free followed by a long wait for the departure call. There is a tiny shop selling coffee, sweets etc, aimed at military personnel, which are the main customer.

Eventually an announcement meant I could proceed to security, have by bags x-rayed and checked. However, something was missing – my jacket! It had entered the scanner, but failed to emerge the other end. I waited for the next person’s belongings to emerge, but still no sign of my jacket. Eventually I had to ask and it was retrieved from the depths of the scanner!

Although we ended up departing later than scheduled, the flight was exceptionally smooth. No seat back TV’s but this was counteracted by the loan of an IPAD, pre-loaded with films and music which, in exchange for my boarding card, I was permitted to use for the duration!. Food was surprisingly good too, onboard. There is no alcohol at all, so blackcurrant squash all-round! Cheers!