My first passenger!

On the morning of Koriteh, Paul and I actually did some work (though we don’t officially start until Monday). Paul had been called by his employer the previous day and had been asked to write a letter requesting some funding for the improvement of the toilet facilities at the office. The letter needed completing with some urgency. Therefore Paul had to go to the office to remind himself of the state of the toilets and what needed to be done.

Paul invited me along on this trip and together we rode our bikes to the office (I think I’m the only new volunteer to actually have their bike already – established good friendships with the motorbike trainers and it obviously paid off)! When we got to the office the gate was locked. Luckily a man came out from a nearby compound and when Paul explained what we were doing the man said that he knew someone who had a key. He said he would take us to him and then he climbed on the back of Paul’s bike. We then rode through the village until we reached the compound of the man with the key. HOWEVER, he wasn’t there so the man on Paul’s bike insisted that we take him to the Mosque to find the man with the key!

So we rode back through the village to the Mosque and after a few minutes the man on the back of Paul’s bike identified another older gentleman and began speaking to him in Mandinka. Within a few minutes the older gentleman started to climb on the back of MY bike! I began to panic. Paul tried to explain that I was a ‘beginner’ and had never taken passengers but it became all very confusing and the older gentleman became offended. In the end for the sake of peace and progress I agreed to carry him! So I had my first pillion passenger! I thought I did exceptionally well and Paul was impressed too. I’m not sure how my passenger would have rated the ride though!

Eventually after the taking the older gentleman from the Mosque, back to his compound to pick up the key and then to the office to open the gate (and also drop the initial man on Paul’s bike at a different destination) we got into the office! We were able to view the toilets (which was handy because now I know how important it is to try to not go to the toilet at work) and Paul was able to get some inspiration for his letter. Paul did want to show me ‘our’ office but even though he had a key the door wouldn’t open due to a slight change in shape as a consequence of the heavy rain. Paul ‘joked’ that we wouldn’t be able to get into the office until the dry season. Ha ha?

My bike