Another Night, Another Basha - News from Echo Four

Following our recent flying visit to Echo Three a few days ago, it would have been churlish not to visit Echo Four. Their camp was a short ten-minute walk away along the shore of the reservoir. The bashas are so comfortable that another night in one was something to look forward to.

As we approached their campsite, George stepped out to greet us. As he’s a medic, it seemed only right to greet him with a ‘Dr Pavey, I presume.’ He then handed out the menu for the day and apologized that there were no chocolates on the basha pillows (nor pillows either, come to think of it.)

As with Echo Three, hospitality was to be reciprocated by digging, just as we’d done the day before. Echo Four’s project is similar to Echo Three’s – four biogas units for four beneficiary families, about fifteen minutes’ walk from the campsite. More holes, more chai, more smiling children.

But only for half a day, as we all had the morning off. Time to relax, catch up on some sleep, do some washing or write our memoirs.

Then after lunch it was on with the boots (no lapsing of Health and Safety standards at Raleigh) and down to the worksite for a few hours’ grafting. After work came Radio Raleigh, dinner and another early night under the stars.

Here are some photos I took during our very brief stay. Sadly I didn’t manage to catch everyone or do a ‘hello’ video. But please rest assured that they’re all still there and no-one’s escaped!

'Dr Pavey, I presume'

Seth (the one one the right)

Frederique unreefing her shorts

Quinten not blowing his nose on his towel

Rory - 'I thought they said it was a black tyre event' 

Chris and that woman again - who's the best dressed? 

Anna engaging in skills transfer

'Now we're all clean, it's time to go and get dirty again'

'There were we, diggin' this hole, hole in the ground...'

Happy beneficiaries

The master mason checking how the hole measures up

The next morning before breakfast we were off to Charlie One, the subject of the next blog …