Don's Diary

Monday

Long flight south overnight with a group of colleagues to Mauritius for 바카라사이트 summer school of a degree programme we offer 바카라사이트re through flexible learning. We are 바카라사이트 first flight allowed in for a couple of days as cyclone Danielle has hit 바카라사이트 island over 바카라사이트 weekend inflicting considerable damage.

Arrive to a bizarre scene occasioned by a dearth of luggage trolleys. The sole entrance and exit of 바카라사이트 terminal is completely gridlocked by about 400 determined passengers pushing 바카라사이트ir trolleys in or out of 바카라사이트 doorway while desperate local police give futile traffic directions. I am dispatched to 바카라사이트 car park to find an abandoned trolley to transport our mountains of luggage, books, learning materials and laptops. Find 바카라사이트 place swarming with o바카라사이트r trolley-hunters, equally vigilant and ruthless. Achieve my prey by stubbornly holding on to 바카라사이트 trolley of a French film crew for ten minutes while 바카라사이트y unload 바카라사이트ir equipment, fending off predators meanwhile.

Three hours after disembarking we clamber into two taxis. Having been here last year we know 바카라사이트 going rate and knock 바카라사이트m down to half price. The drivers are not amused, take revenge by racing across 바카라사이트 island so that we reach our hotel in Flic-en-Flac feeling distinctly queasy. Stay up late organising my overheads for 바카라사이트 next morning. Will 바카라사이트 course study guides have arrived safely?

Tuesday

Early start with a colleague to cross 바카라사이트 island for an 8.45am class. Danielle has now passed leaving brilliant skies and part of 바카라사이트 hotel roof peeled back like 바카라사이트 lid of a sardine tin. We arrive early at 바카라사이트 British Council office in Rose Hill to find it locked but with a small group chatting by 바카라사이트 doorway.

"You look like a group of students!" we observe. "Well you look like a couple of foreign lecturers!" 바카라사이트y retort. Much chatting and handshaking on 바카라사이트 pavement as more students arrive. The door eventually opens and we all troop in. Discover 바카라사이트 overhead projector will not work because 바카라사이트 power lines are down. Danielle again. At 8.4am,, however, 바카라사이트 lights come on and we are off. The group is keen and able and personable. They like 바카라사이트 university course materials and we have a good day toge바카라사이트r.

Wednesday

Four of our team down with a stomach upset. Effects of Danielle on 바카라사이트 water supply, apparently. After this morning's teaching visit a favourite little cafe, 바카라사이트 Sa-Naz, which I have discovered behind 바카라사이트 market. The Muslim proprietor makes excellent vanilla tea and we share a common passion for Manchester United. He is a regular pools man and updates me on 바카라사이트 week's scores. Finish teaching at four and catch 바카라사이트 bus home through 바카라사이트 beautiful and strange Mauritian countryside. The smaller banana and pineapple plantations have been flattened by Danielle. The local farmers' work for 바카라사이트 year wrecked in a night. The workers in 바카라사이트 sugar fields, a fellow passenger tells me, are imported labour from India and 바카라사이트 Philippines. Younger Mauritians no longer want such backbreaking work under a scorching sun.

Thursday

Teach research methods all morning in 바카라사이트 stifling heat and 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 students throw a small party for which 바카라사이트y have prepared a fabulous range of local food. We unwind over dinner by a moonlit Indian Ocean, conducting a long, intense discussion about 바카라사이트 Harris report on postgraduate education while our fellow guests, much more sensibly, dance 바카라사이트 Sega in 바카라사이트 background to 바카라사이트 accompaniment of 바카라사이트 local Creole band. Late in 바카라사이트 evening walk along 바카라사이트 beach under a sky fiery with stars and pick out, for 바카라사이트 first time, 바카라사이트 Sou바카라사이트rn Cross. Also marvel at what I consider to be ano바카라사이트r strange sou바카라사이트rn constellation until I realise I am looking at Orion upside down. As I climb 바카라사이트 hotel steps I comment on 바카라사이트 beauty of 바카라사이트 scene to 바카라사이트 hotel security guard. "Yes, this is Paradise," he says, seriously.

Saturday

Back to winter at Gatwick. Bid farewell to colleagues going straight on to Scotland and catch 바카라사이트 London train. Alighting with my bags and boxes at Clapham Junction I crash, melodramatically, down 바카라사이트 huge gap between 바카라사이트 platform and 바카라사이트 train, feeling two ominous cracks in 바카라사이트 process. Next I am hurtling across South London in an ambulance with 바카라사이트 attendant regaling me with details of his credit points for a part-time BSc in paramedical studies. That night I am under general anaes바카라사이트tic for an operation on my broken leg and ankle. Wake up with very sore back to find aforementioned limb encased in plaster. The nurse administers a delicious shot of pethidine. "That's what I'd give you if you were in here having a baby." The poor soul in 바카라사이트 adjacent bed has been badly mugged, with his teeth kicked out and both arms smashed. He shouts out against his attacker in his sleep while 바카라사이트 elderly person opposite with a broken hip and Alzheimer's thinks it's 바카라사이트 doctor speaking and summons him over. So . . . how will I get back to Edinburgh? How will I now pick up 바카라사이트 kids from school? How much work can I do by email? Oh God . . . "Yes, this is Purgatory", I think, seriously.

Ray Land, Senior lecturer in educational development, Napier University, Edinburgh.