This week has been a fairly typical one. Work during the day, internet or a movie in the evening. Obviously followed by an early night. I’ve just about beaten my pinkeye, but the number of casualties has reached double figures. Work wise I’ve been involved in more demolitions this week, which is more fun but burns fewer calories. The Australian beaches will soon be upon us, so think I’ll be back to the lifting and shoveling next week!

We lost a couple of volunteers this week. Fern, the resident yoga guru left for Bali, and Big Aaron (our Will Ferrell look-alike) left because he didn’t want to catch pinkeye. Ironically enough he caught it the night before he left. Gutted! Some newbie’s arrived though, and I’m sure we’ll hear from the leavers in the not too distant future. I think we’ll be seeing Fern again when we reach Oz.

The main event of the week was probably our visit from the Islamic Values Enforcement Group, or at least that’s how there name was translated to us. At their most innocent they were a group of community leaders with strict Islamic values. They asked about the volunteer project and chatted a little, but were mainly here to tell us not to drink in the town.

I haven’t had a beer since I’ve been here, but a few of the others managed to find a place to buy local beer in the nearby market place. No one has been particularly drunk, and there hasn’t been any trouble, but the group that came to visit asked that we not drink outside of our house. We are still permitted to buy the beers, but must drink them out of glasses or jugs, in the tent at the rear of the house, and must not get drunk. Fair play really. It’s not a drinking ban, and the Islamic leaders were courteous enough to come and visit. They claimed to understand that we were different and some sayings about big fishes, little ponds and frogs under coconut shells were banded around.

The whole thing doesn’t really affect me. I was always waiting for the liberty and freedoms of our next destination to begin the revelry. Just not sure where that is yet…