How long it's been since I last wrote and good or sad news this is my last post. Brenda over to you from here on in! Who is Brenda? Brenda is my replacement in Addu and she arrived in Male last week and earlier this week in Addu. By the sounds of things her feet have not hit the ground since she arrived - yes I have my spies....!
So to bring everyone up to speed since the arrival of the trolley months and months and months ago. Here is a rapid whizz down memory lane. So I left on the 16th of July and in the two week lead up managed to organise rowing the boats from Hithadhoo to Gan for a picnic and then returning with NO mishaps. Well almost none I had baked a couple of carrot cakes and as one student put it 'it looks terrible but tastes delicious'. It took alot of cajoling/forcing it between tightly closed lips to get them to try a piece it looked so bad......
We did the trip as a relay Hithadhoo and Addu High School rowing down to Maradhoo where Irushadhiyaa school and Sharu-u took over then onto Feydhoo harbour where Feydhoo school stepped in and we continued down to Gan had a great picnic and repeated the process in reverse. The day we chose to do this was the windiest it had been in weeks - lovely head on the way down which luckily meant a tail on the way back. We made the most of this by jumping off the boats and swimming while drifting back up the islands towards home.
Another interschool regatta was held involving 78 children, Dhiraagu and the council sponsored the event and Addu High School and I ran around like headless chickens getting it all ready. Logistical nightmares of clashing with the interschool football competition, bad wind blowing all the banners down and strong winds on the second day adding to the fun. Into this was thrown saying all my goodbyes, packing (i was flying out two days after the competition), flat tires two days in a row (Zig Zag your inner tubes are terrible) getting some last minute diving in (a foul chest cold cleared up just in time), oh and holding elections for RAM's board of directors! Again alot of food was involved in the goodbye process. Jeeja and Hari convinced once i left their sight i would never eat again did a stirling job. Stewed fish heads galore. I am now quite partial to fish brain and the eye is fine until the polystyrene textured ball in the middle. A bbq by the lagoon on my last night (Hasna missed all the shooting stars AGAIN) and farewell saibo and short eats on the way to the airport both wonderfully memorable.
I had a few days in Male chasing whale sharks (did not see one if anyone wants to know all the things you DON'T do to see one do get in touch) and then flew back to the UK and straight into Olympic fever.
So with a fully functioning Rowing Association and Brenda out there it is exciting times for the next stage of Maldives rowing! I am missing it all but especially all the great friends I made and every time I look at the north sea here I long for the bright blue and warm Maldives sea. I went for a swim in it the other day OMG it was FREEZING! 30 degrees I miss you. Having said that stepping into my first properly HOT shower back in the UK was heaven......
x Tash
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RachelI am one of the volunteer coaches about to head off for the Maldives and queen of this website! TashI am also one of the volunteer coaches and will be heading out in June 2011
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