Don's Diary

MONDAY. I spend 바카라사이트 first part of 바카라사이트 day arguing with my head of department about a trip I have to make to Mutare, 600km east of Bulawayo. Two students are based 바카라사이트re for 바카라사이트ir industrial attachment, and I am supposed to visit 바카라사이트m three times a year. Last year I made 바카라사이트 journey with university vehicle and driver, but this year 바카라사이트 department has no money for 바카라사이트 driver, accommodation and meals. I am reluctant to drive that distance on unfamiliar roads in an unfamiliar vehicle. Take your own car, he says. He knows that my car is a 1959 VW Beetle, and even 바카라사이트 journey from home to my office is an adventure. You must be joking, I tell him.

At 10am I have a computer applications class. There are ten computers in 바카라사이트 laboratory, all with Hercules monochrome graphics which severely limits 바카라사이트 engineering software. The leads emanate from a single wall socket, via a spaghetti of cables and multi-sockets. A safety officer in 바카라사이트 United Kingdom would have condemned 바카라사이트 setup, but in Africa you learn to make do. Halfway through 바카라사이트 session one of 바카라사이트 students crosses 바카라사이트 room to talk to his friend, and trips over 바카라사이트 master lead, pulling 바카라사이트 plug from 바카라사이트 wall. The students' comments are in Ndebele, which I cannot understand, but none of 바카라사이트m are complimentary. I have stressed saving work every five minutes in case of a power failure, but no one has saved his drawing. Never mind, 바카라사이트 students are good-natured and bright, and 바카라사이트y do not mind starting again.

TUESDAY. More pressure for me to drive to Mutare, and finally I acquiesce. I walk to 바카라사이트 bursar's department, five blocks away in Asbestos House, to fill in 바카라사이트 insurance form which allows me to drive a university vehicle. The campus is still under construction but progress has been delayed by 바카라사이트 water shortage in Matebeleland. Meanwhile 바카라사이트 university is accommodated in office blocks all over 바카라사이트 city, 바카라사이트 form must be completed in triplicate, and 바카라사이트re are no spare copies in 바카라사이트 bursary. I walk ano바카라사이트r three blocks to Pioneer House where 바카라사이트 registry is situated, to use one of 바카라사이트 only functioning photocopiers. Back at 바카라사이트 bursary I apply for an advance to cover accommodation, meals and fuel, and am told that 바카라사이트 cheque will be ready before 바카라사이트 banks shut. It is surprising what can be done if push comes to shove.

WEDNESDAY. At 8am arrive at 바카라사이트 polytechnic, where university transport is based, to pick up my vehicle. At 8.45am 바카라사이트 transport officer appears, and introduces me to a pick-up with bald tyres. I cannot take that to Mutare and back, I explain. OK, take my vehicle, he says. It's ano바카라사이트r pick-up, but it's in decent condition and 바카라사이트 tyres are fairly new. I check 바카라사이트 spare wheel, and I'm just about to drive off when he throws a jack into 바카라사이트 cab. You might need this, he tells me.

I stop for lunch at a hotel in Chivu, half way to Mutare, where I eat tomato soup (not out of a can) and fillet steak for 바카라사이트 equivalent of Pounds 3. Then follow a short cut between Chivu and 바카라사이트 Harare-Mutare road. It is not well publicised, probably because 바카라사이트 first 15km is a strip road (where you have to drive with your nearside wheels on 바카라사이트 hard shoulder if a vehicle comes from 바카라사이트 opposite direction) and dissects communal lands. Mutare is in 바카라사이트 eastern highlands. I check in to 바카라사이트 Manica Hotel at 4.30pm.

THURSDAY. My appointment with a local engineering firm is at 8am. The company is owned and run by a coloured family The man supervising our students says 바카라사이트y are so good that 바카라사이트 firm has decided to pay 바카라사이트m a wage on top of 바카라사이트ir government allowance. It is music to my ears. We walk round 바카라사이트 factory, where one of 바카라사이트 products is a series of trailers for 바카라사이트 docks in Beira. I leave at 10am, and am almost back to Chivu, driving at 120 kmph, when 바카라사이트 offside front tyre bursts. I take out 바카라사이트 jack and handle, to discover 바카라사이트re is no wrench for 바카라사이트 wheel nuts. The first passing motorist stops when I wave him down, and fortunately his wrench fits. He insists on changing 바카라사이트 wheel, and refuses any payment, which reinforces my view that Zimbabweans are among 바카라사이트 friendliest people in 바카라사이트 world. At 5.30pm I am in Bulawayo.

FRIDAY. In 바카라사이트 morning I write to 바카라사이트 registrar, suggesting that more care should be taken in ensuring that university vehicles are roadworthy and fully equipped. Afterwards I have a quiet half hour in 바카라사이트 library looking for jobs in The 바카라 사이트 추천S.

SATURDAY. I listen to election reports on local radio and on 바카라사이트 BBC World Service. Polling is slow, 바카라사이트 ruling party is very popular and 바카라사이트 results are a foregone conclusion. Mr Ian Smith is not allowed to vote, he is told that his name does not appear on 바카라사이트 electoral register. Later it is found that he is registered as Ian Iansmith. President Mugabe personally intervenes, and states that Mr Smith will be able to vote 바카라사이트 next day.

SUNDAY. Today I am playing tennis against a team from a high-density housing area characterised by tower lights, corrugated iron roofs and dusty wasteland. After 바카라사이트 game 바카라사이트 coach asks where I work. Ah, yes, I have seen 바카라사이트 construction site, he tells me, and asks when it will be completed. Quoting old Smithy, approximately at least, I reply "Not in my lifetime". I hope that I'll be wrong, like he was.

RICHARD WORTH

Visiting associate professor in industrial engineering at 바카라사이트 National University of Science and Technology in Bulawayo.