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Re: Australia ranked no 1 in lists that rate good things about Countries.
I've been deploying fly traps in the garden this last couple of weeks. It takes about a week to catch a packed tight medium coffee jar equivalent volume of them. The mozzies are getting bad around here this last couple of days too. But it's been worse tonight. Wifey was sweeping some leaves earlier and it appears to have woken up hundreds of them.
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Re: Australia ranked no 1 in lists that rate good things about Countries.
Originally Posted by verystormy
(Post 9716240)
Mossies though?
Repellant deals with the sandflies at least and I say that as a wildlife enthusiast who is often around mangroves which are full of them! |
Re: Australia ranked no 1 in lists that rate good things about Countries.
Originally Posted by tonyk38
(Post 9716245)
I would agree with you 100% on B and D, but not A and C alas. Well OK, the 'camping and trekking' bit is fantastic, but not the way the National Parks are often managed.
A lot of wildlife in this country is in so much trouble; extinction rates are amongst the highest in the world. The incompetence with which many NPs are supposedly managed to protect them beggars belief. On a brighter note, I'd add to the 'We're number 1' at such and such: 1) Space in general: not just the 'Red Centre'. Aus is almost inconceivably vast. Even in the populated areas it doesn't take long to get to areas where there are no people at all. Sometimes that can be a very good thing.;) 2) Houses: we're talking about space again. Aus apparently now builds the biggest houses in the world. We gobble up a lot of land in the doing but we have the space to do it if we do it right (not always done...), and if I'm honest, it's actually really nice to live in hugeness.:p |
Re: Australia ranked no 1 in lists that rate good things about Countries.
Originally Posted by paulry
(Post 9716239)
That's a godforsaken part of the world. I spent just under a year in Angola in the 90s. And that was hell on earth, I even had my own AK47 (I kid you not). It was good money but I ended up getting out while I could. One of my best mates: a South African geologist spends a lot of time in the DRC. He even lived in Australia up until 18 months or so ago. But hey, the DRC's a big country so it's unlikely you've bumped into him. :D
The part i am in is in the NE corner. So when the goverment web sites advice against travel to the DRC they then mention the NE and say do not go there under any circumstances. Stay as far away as possible. Which probably explains the fatalities we have had (2 because we couldnt get medical treatment, one shot and one had his throat cut). Oh, and thats before we have the presidential elections this month in which one set of loons will set upon another set of loons in a fight about a piece of land that no sane person would want and all armed with AK's. Not seen any geo's from Aus. Have a French guy, but thats it. Rest of the staff are locals |
Re: Australia ranked no 1 in lists that rate good things about Countries.
Originally Posted by verystormy
(Post 9716257)
Yeah, it pretty much is the anus of the world.
The part i am in is in the NE corner. So when the goverment web sites advice against travel to the DRC they then mention the NE and say do not go there under any circumstances. Stay as far away as possible. Which probably explains the fatalities we have had (2 because we couldnt get medical treatment, one shot and one had his throat cut). Oh, and thats before we have the presidential elections this month in which one set of loons will set upon another set of loons in a fight about a piece of land that no sane person would want and all armed with AK's. Not seen any geo's from Aus. Have a French guy, but thats it. Rest of the staff are locals Stay safe, mate :fingerscrossed: |
Re: Australia ranked no 1 in lists that rate good things about Countries.
Thanks paulry. Have a beer for me. Only 2 weeks and 22 hours to go till break. Not that i am counting
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Re: Australia ranked no 1 in lists that rate good things about Countries.
Originally Posted by verystormy
(Post 9716280)
Thanks paulry. Have a beer for me. Only 2 weeks and 22 hours to go till break. Not that i am counting
Okay, will crack open a James Squires for ya! How's that? :beer: |
Re: Australia ranked no 1 in lists that rate good things about Countries.
A month today. Roster is supposed to be 6:2, but doing a bit longer this one but then taking 6 off for christmas
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Re: Australia ranked no 1 in lists that rate good things about Countries.
Originally Posted by verystormy
(Post 9716293)
A month today. Roster is supposed to be 6:2, but doing a bit longer this one but then taking 6 off for christmas
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Re: Australia ranked no 1 in lists that rate good things about Countries.
Sod that. Though i am not earning much more than i was in Oz doing week on week off. At a nice cushy big mine with a swimming pool, gym and sports facilities, nice bar, good food. Well, i suppose i could swim in the river, but i really dont fancy the disease and in any case there is that much mercury polution i would probably just skim across the top. I can get excercise i suppose - just go into town at night and get chased back by the locals.
Not quite sure how i could replace the food or bar though. |
Re: Australia ranked no 1 in lists that rate good things about Countries.
Originally Posted by verystormy
(Post 9716313)
Sod that. Though i am not earning much more than i was in Oz doing week on week off. At a nice cushy big mine with a swimming pool, gym and sports facilities, nice bar, good food. Well, i suppose i could swim in the river, but i really dont fancy the disease and in any case there is that much mercury polution i would probably just skim across the top. I can get excercise i suppose - just go into town at night and get chased back by the locals.
Not quite sure how i could replace the food or bar though. No crocs in the river? The place I was at had near zero wildlife except for crocs and snakes, a lot of em :blink:. I used to get trailed by several crocs every time I walked along the banks of the Cuango. :eek: I maintained a very safe distance of course cos they must have been extra starving :blink: |
Re: Australia ranked no 1 in lists that rate good things about Countries.
Not come across any crocs, but havent tangled with any of the big rivers yet. There isnt as much wildlife as i might of expected - i think the locals have pretty much eaten it all. Though the enviro people we had here said there were chimps, bonobos and even some evidence of mountain gorrila. Plenty of snakes. Had a mamba fall on a guys head recently. That woke him up.
Yeah, well taken care of. Might even get full electricity one day. The thing i would kill for though is a good shower and not a bowl of cold water to wash with. |
Re: Australia ranked no 1 in lists that rate good things about Countries.
Originally Posted by verystormy
(Post 9717140)
Not come across any crocs, but havent tangled with any of the big rivers yet. There isnt as much wildlife as i might of expected - i think the locals have pretty much eaten it all. Though the enviro people we had here said there were chimps, bonobos and even some evidence of mountain gorrila. Plenty of snakes. Had a mamba fall on a guys head recently. That woke him up.
Yeah, well taken care of. Might even get full electricity one day. The thing i would kill for though is a good shower and not a bowl of cold water to wash with. What kind of shower system do you have at your camp? When I lived out in the bush we rigged up a fantastic shower system from a sealed 44 gallon drum on bricks with a gravity feed enhancing pressure valve system, it worked great until one day when the camp guard over-stoked the fire and caused the thing to explode! We had cold water hosepipe showers for several days after that which wasnt too bad but I hated having to shave with cold water. |
Re: Australia ranked no 1 in lists that rate good things about Countries.
It is pretty devoid of wildlife. There are monkeys and things, dont really see them, but here them in the canopy. The locals have basically eaten everything.
Have come across pygmies which was good. They lead a traditional life and have no concept of money. There were 3 of them walking down a track carrying bows and arrows. Driver wouldnt stop though because the Congolese are terrified of them. Did meet another living a non traditional life with a load of illegal miners and managed to get a snap. We have a main camp, which has real showers of a type. It is real brick buildings - even have sky tv in my room. The bush camps though are another matter. I am the only white guy so it is do as the locals do which means a bowl of water. And after a guy spilled boiling water down himself the other day resulting in 2nd degree burns to his legs and groin, then it is cold water. I say we have showers in main camp, but the shower head doesnt attach to the wall and the hose is only about a foot long, so have to sit on the edge of the bath and it just dribbles out. Well, drips is probably closer. The medic has warned us to keep our mouths shut when we use it as they annalysed to water and pretty much every nasty you can imagine was in it. The other crap thing is the food. The bush camps buy food from local villages and the meat is rancid. The fish is fresh, but the mercury pollution in the rivers is so high from illegal mining that you would have to be an idiot to eat it. So in the bush its a diet of rice and beans or more often than not just rice. Main camp food is pretty reasonable - all brought in from Uganda and we even get served a cold beer with dinner. The think i am looking forward to most is a decent shower. Speaking of nasties, found out that we are running at a 100% instance of malaria in camp. Thats nice to know! One of my geo's came down with it yesterday and today the chief mechanic Main camp is an interesting place. Untill a couple of years ago it was the headquarters for one of the main rebel groups and they used it as a centre for torture and mass excecution. |
Re: Australia ranked no 1 in lists that rate good things about Countries.
Originally Posted by verystormy
(Post 9722608)
It is pretty devoid of wildlife. There are monkeys and things, dont really see them, but here them in the canopy. The locals have basically eaten everything.
Have come across pygmies which was good. They lead a traditional life and have no concept of money. There were 3 of them walking down a track carrying bows and arrows. Driver wouldnt stop though because the Congolese are terrified of them. Did meet another living a non traditional life with a load of illegal miners and managed to get a snap. We have a main camp, which has real showers of a type. It is real brick buildings - even have sky tv in my room. The bush camps though are another matter. I am the only white guy so it is do as the locals do which means a bowl of water. And after a guy spilled boiling water down himself the other day resulting in 2nd degree burns to his legs and groin, then it is cold water. I say we have showers in main camp, but the shower head doesnt attach to the wall and the hose is only about a foot long, so have to sit on the edge of the bath and it just dribbles out. Well, drips is probably closer. The medic has warned us to keep our mouths shut when we use it as they annalysed to water and pretty much every nasty you can imagine was in it. The other crap thing is the food. The bush camps buy food from local villages and the meat is rancid. The fish is fresh, but the mercury pollution in the rivers is so high from illegal mining that you would have to be an idiot to eat it. So in the bush its a diet of rice and beans or more often than not just rice. Main camp food is pretty reasonable - all brought in from Uganda and we even get served a cold beer with dinner. The think i am looking forward to most is a decent shower. Speaking of nasties, found out that we are running at a 100% instance of malaria in camp. Thats nice to know! One of my geo's came down with it yesterday and today the chief mechanic Main camp is an interesting place. Untill a couple of years ago it was the headquarters for one of the main rebel groups and they used it as a centre for torture and mass excecution. |
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