It's all a bit different this week, it's a lot hotter, far more humid, a bit more jungly and a lot closer to the equator than normal. As I mentioned at the end of my last post, I'm in Brunei for work, so the normal routine of "playing out" has been replaced with a lot of sweating, a bit of sunburn and plenty of hiding inside where it's a bit cooler. Oh, and lots of work obviously, after all that's the whole reason for being here. So, what have I been up to that's of any interest? Well, not a great deal really. The time difference caused a few issues for the first few days. Being 8 hours in front of the UK meant my body seemed to think I needed to be awake all night, which would be fine on holiday, brilliant in fact, party tastic! Ideal if you can spend the day sleeping off the night before lazing around the poolside, not quite as convenient when you've got to go to work during the day. Not to worry, we might as well make hay whilst the sun shines, and being awake for most of the night did mean I got out for a couple of early morning runs whilst it was still cool enough. Running in the dark can be pretty tedious at times, there's nothing to look at except the small pool of light cast by your head torch, and nothing to distract your mind from the task in hand. A whole new world of sounds greeted my ears, and the head torch beam picked up plenty of new things to occupy my imagination as I stepped out into the darkness, running shoes on and head torch at the ready, for the first time here though. The sound of crickets and other insects, chirruping in the grass by the road side, unseen birds calling from their roosts, waiting, just like us for first light to start their day. The sound of the sea, waves gently breaking against the shore off in the distance and the crew of a mobile oil drilling rig, which appeared, as if by magic overnight, lifting drill pipe up into the derrick, calling to each other in a well practiced routine. Making ready, poised to start the drill off on it's long journey, deep into the cool earth, in search of the black gold which has shaped Brunei into the country it is. All these things and more caught my attention and occupied my mind during those first few hot and sticky miles. Each and every new sound bought a smile to my face, bringing back fleeting memories from long forgotten travels. The sound of the Crickets taking me back to Corfu on my first holiday away with the lads. The birds calling in the trees, heralding the dawn and the end of the cool night outside the hangar in Afganistan, another world and lifetime ago. All set against the back drop of my feet gently falling onto the damp road, tapping out their regular rhythm, just like they do at home. Maybe the worlds not so big after all?
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Paul PerrattOld enough to know better, young enough to still feel invincible, stupid enough to keep on trying the same thing again and again. Cyclist, Gardener, Runner, Hiker, Cook, Woodworker, Engineer, Jack of all trades and master of none, Anti social old git and all round miserable bugger. Archives
March 2024
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