During Anna’s and my recent short visit to Echo Three with the Loop a few days ago, we were treated to the delights of sleeping in bamboo and canvas bashas on the shore of a serene and picturesque reservoir about a kilometre away from the worksites in Gandathur.
To pay for the privilege, we were of course enlisted into the digging brigade. The first part of installing each biogas unit involves digging a very large hole – over a metre deep by nearly four metres wide! Fortunately the beneficiaries – and of course their children – join in to make this arduous task lighter and more entertaining.
The team is constructing four units during this phase.
Once the holes are finished, the skilful part starts – constructing the biogas digester domes, under the guidance of a local technical mason. Our visit came too early to see this, but Simon and David are out with the second loop at the moment and will hopefully bring some pictures when they return next week.
Meanwhile here are a few photos that I took.
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| Bashaland - the blue shelter is the communal chilling area |
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| Local colour - ladies washing by the reservoir |
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| The health problem to be solved by biogas - harmful, acrid firewood smoke every mealtime |
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| Digging the hole for the biogas unit |
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| Hooray! It's deep enough |
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| Carrying the 'jelly' (stones) for the next step. It takes two ... |
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| ... or does it?! |
Last but not least, here are two short ‘hello’ videos. The first shows everyone except Hannah and Jess, who were missing when the time came to film the team about to leave for work (doubtless for excellent reasons!) The second one is their own special clipette. I hope you enjoy them.
News of Echo Four and Charlie One will follow very soon ...
To Joris Moolhuijsen Echo 3 :
ReplyDeleteHoi lieve Joor, geweldig om te zien waar je nu bent, jaloers op de omgeving.
en wat een leuke groep mensen. en dan die tenten volgens mij heerlijk om in te slapen!! Gisteren heeft Jeanne ook nog berichtje geschreven ze wist nog niet helemaal hoe ze een berichtje moest achterlaten, maar nu wel. De berichten op het blog zijn voor ons echt een cadeautje!! We kijken heel veel op het blog maar als jij dan weer te voorschijn komt en we zien hoe fantastisch je het daar hebt! over een weekje ben je alweer terug op de homebase om je op te maken voor de laatste track! Voordat je het weet ben je weer terug. Geniet met een hoofdletter en tot horens.
Heel veel liefs en we love you pap en mam.
To Angus Rochford Echo 3
ReplyDeleteHi Angus - great to see the last set of photos and video. You look really happy and well. A very different environment. Bet you like being able to swim too. I love the look of the Bashas. really hard core camping. What an experience! Can hardly believe you are 1/2 way through. It will be so exciting to meet you at Heathrow and hear all your stories. Hope my camera is in one piece and you have managed to take lots of photos. Want to see them all.
All continues as normal here. Elspeth caught the dreaded winter vomiting bug that is doing the rounds apparently. Goodness knows where from as she had been revising at home most of the week - but it meant that she missed ALL her 3 science GCSE exams. The school went beserk! I couldn't really have sent her in could I?? I think Elspeth has recovered from the trauma of it all (particularly the prospect of having to revise again for the retakes in March). Luckily none of us contracted it.
Went to Grandma and Grandpa's at the weekend as Uncle Pete was over from Singapore. We had a grand time with lots of food. Grandma lost the pudding at one point. She couldn't remember if there even WAS a pudding and we had to hunt around the kitchen for it. Eventually we found it in the oven - a crumble - bubbling away nicely.
You know how we always boast that Biscuit never steals food? Well she attacked a chocolate cake at Grandma and Grandpa's and ate 1/2. She appeared to be OK but then woke me and Dad up at 6am next morning with a hyper fit and we had to take her into the fields where she ran around like a greyhound for an hour. Uncle Pete wants you and Els, Finn and Mark to go to Singapore and visit them and is setting dates. I think one of your fellow volunteers is from Singaport isn't he?
Joe Hardwick has had his appendix out and is delighted to miss a couple of weeks of school. I went into the Overton Deli today as they were advertising for workers. They have your CV as they want a bank of staff they can call on for emergencies and events - so I have your life planned out for you! Keep muscling in on the photos - I know you are VERY camera shy - but we want to see your face to know that you are happy!! We all miss you and send you a very big hug and a huge sloppy kiss
Mum and Dad and Elspeth xxx
Seth Somers - Echo4 - I am afraid to tell you that you missed the turning on of the Bury St Edmunds Christmas light. A more desolate affair would be hard to find. i am sure Diwali was much more fun. Big hug love Dad
ReplyDeleteTo Amber Elisa de Clercq !!!!! aaahhhhh so good to see your face and hear your voice!!!!! wat die je er chill en goed uit! hoop dat we deze week kunnen bellen, ik vertrek over 2 weken ook richting azie dus ben in volle voorbereidingen! heeeel veel liefs en ik denk aan je lieverd! xxxx esther
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