A change of scenery

Up until today we had a really good working environment but this morning we were moved out of the venue we have been using. It was a fair enough decision as the room was enormous and there were only 6 of us in it. Another meeting with many more people needed the space. Initially we moved to a very nice conference room at the fishing harbour or area called New Port. It was a nice venue with plush leather chairs but the internet cables from the offices to the conference venue had not been connected so it wouldn't work for us. We decided to have our tea break there and then return back to SFA. We ended up working in one of the large open plan offices. The downside was that we didn't have a data projector in the office so everyone had to crowd around a small screen trying to see what was going on.

Clustered around a laptop

The group has suggested that next year their workshop should be held in Durban! What a pleasure that would be but way beyond the means of the project. It is far less expensive for me to travel here than bring out 5 participants to Durban.

This group have also been trying to twist my arm to go for lunch tomorrow at the Pirates Arms, a famous if not infamous restaurant here in Victoria. It depends on the budget though so that decision will be made tomorrow morning.

On the social side, there hasn't been much going on. Last night I went to the night market which is held every Wednesday night at Beau Vallon. I didn't stay long though because there isn't too much that interests me. It is just a collection of stalls all selling pretty much the same food and some stalls selling curios made mostly from shells. I did have some banana crisps which were good and I enjoyed walking around in the evening and just looking at the people. Everyone seems to go to the market, tourists as well as Seychellois. The Seychellois are generally on the beach socialising rather than frequenting the stalls.

One of the food stalls. This one is run by the hook and line fishermen who have formed an organisation to ensure that their fishery is operated in a sustainable manner.

I have managed to go for a swim each afternoon. The water is so nice and warm and because it has been high tide when I have gone there have not been many other swimmers. Why this is though I have no idea. It is not as if the water is that much rougher than at low tide. On the one hand I like that there are less people but on the other hand I think it might be better to have lots of people in the water so that if a shark should pass by it will have more options than me to chew on  J. Actually I don't worry much about sharks, I enjoy the swims too much to think about things like that.

The little cat has been good company. He is ever the optimist though. He will be sitting on my lap and hear a room door open somewhere and off he dashes to see if there is anything for him. Invariably he comes back after a while. Last night I thought he had gone somewhere else to sleep when at about 10pm I heard him meowing outside. I looked out and there he was sitting in the middle of the open area between all the rooms calling to see who would take him in. Of course I called him and he spent the night asleep against my legs.

Only one more day left of work and it will be an easy one. Most of the work is done and there are just some  finer details to follow up on. It is amazing to think that most of this year's travels are almost done but who knows, there might just be something else around the corner.