peter wrote:I believe if you look on 'YouTube' under the right heading.....
I think this was before YouTube was even around, but had it been at the time I'm sure the video would have made it onto there.
I remember playing Cardinal Puff too, and a few other similar games. One I particularly remember was at college when we played that kind of game at the Students Union on a friend's birthday. I mostly got away with it other than downing a pint and not being able to retain about the last quarter and just spraying it out of my mouth, but the worst one was the guy whose birthday it was - he downed a pint and then leaned back in the seat, only to lose the entire pint (and more) from chest to feet. Didn't stop him in his tracks though - a few paper towels later and he was drinking again...
What really killed everyone that night was after we were done drinking we went back to someone's place and proceeded some smoke something akin to a 'Camberwell Carrot'. No one lasted more than a few minutes before shutting down for the night.
We went to a village called Rimi in Kaduna state in northern Nigeria a few years ago. As we were setting up a screen and sound system to show Gospel films, some Fulani gathered around to watch. One group of women and girls caught my eye, so I brought out my camera. I approached them, gesturing toward my camera to ask if I could photograph them. They shied away so I immediately put the camera down. But they were looking toward an older man, who spoke loudly to them, gesturing-- he was telling them to pose for a picture! The women immediately began primping themselves, tucking and smoothing and perching those sunglasses on their heads. This was BBC's photo of the day sometime in 2009, I think.
Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a great battle. -Philo of Alexandria
ahhhh... if only all our creativity in wickedness could be fixed by "Corrupt a Wish." - Linna Heartlistener
I'm guessing these girls would be from an area seriously impacted by Boko Haram activities [isn't that much worse in the North of the country?] - this stuff should not, should not, should not be!
The truth is a Lion and does not need protection. Once free it will look after itself.
....and the glory of the world becomes less than it was....
'Have we not served you well'
'Of course - you know you have.'
'Then let it end.'
Boko Haram has not yet reached Kaduna State, but the Fulani are highly nomadic and yes, these people could have roamed as far as Niger and the states bordering Cameroon and Chad but I doubt it; they were not Woodabe (the real Sahara Fulani) by their dress. I should post a picture of the boys whose dress was quite flamboyant as well. Mostly they wore capri pants, with a square blouse like two floral scarves sewn together, large beaded-tassel earrings, and pirate hats. If I was told what branch of Fulani they were, I have forgotten.
Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a great battle. -Philo of Alexandria
ahhhh... if only all our creativity in wickedness could be fixed by "Corrupt a Wish." - Linna Heartlistener
By what means do they secure thier existance? Do they 'farm and graze' [which would limit their movement to a degree] or is it strictly nomadic in the sense of moving with their stock and obtaining their vegetable protien by either barter or foraging. Or indeed do they persue other forms of income generation? Whatever the case they are a strong looking people. Yes - if you have photo's of the boys/men I'd love to see them Deer; seeing the people 'doing their stuff' has always been the greatest thing for me anywhere I have been.
The truth is a Lion and does not need protection. Once free it will look after itself.
....and the glory of the world becomes less than it was....
'Have we not served you well'
'Of course - you know you have.'
'Then let it end.'
Primarily they follow their herds around, they eat and sell their milk and milk products and some animals for meat. They produce some woven mats, and some traditional crafts like touareg-style silver jewelry, blankets, embroideries, sandals, leather purses and shoes, beadwork... the unrest has made these things difficult for them to trade, and it's really hard to find. It also has a chilling effect on their culture; for example in areas where there is conflict between Fulani and other tribes the Fulani give up their flamboyant dress and cute hairstyle and wear caftans, and the women wear hijab, just to blend in.
I'm supposed to be working, so the pics will have to come later.
Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a great battle. -Philo of Alexandria
ahhhh... if only all our creativity in wickedness could be fixed by "Corrupt a Wish." - Linna Heartlistener
Look forward to them. Alas travel to these regions is beyond 'the tourist trail' to which the average westerner can aspire to; It's great to hear from someone who has really 'got in amongst it'. Can't always by any means be easy. Respect.
The truth is a Lion and does not need protection. Once free it will look after itself.
....and the glory of the world becomes less than it was....
'Have we not served you well'
'Of course - you know you have.'
'Then let it end.'
I was down in Mazouga on the Erg-Chebi [the nothernmost sand-sea of the sahara dessert] with some friends in four-wheel drives, and one of our vehicles had [unsuprisingly] become bogged in the sand. Some local bedouin guys came and gave us a push and as we were about to drive away one of the attendant kids who had gathered to watch started tapping on the window and pointing at an empty water bottle in the car. I wound down the window and handed him the bottle at which point he scurried off to the side of the vehhicle. He scooped some sand into the bottle with a few deft flicks of his hand, then sped back to the window and offered it to me with his other hand outstretched saying "Genuine Saharan sand - only 15 dhirams!"
The truth is a Lion and does not need protection. Once free it will look after itself.
....and the glory of the world becomes less than it was....
'Have we not served you well'
'Of course - you know you have.'
'Then let it end.'
Dug up this old thread since Sorus' comments about spiders in another one recalled this story to me again. I've mentioned it in passing over the years, but never actually told it in full.
Some years back, my uncle invited me to accompany himself, his partner at the time, and my cousins on an extended, all expenses paid, trip visiting a selection of seriously luxury game lodges. (He was a member of some conservation consortium and as such was entitled to a certain number of yearly nights at any of their partner destinations.)
At one of these, (near St Lucia on the KZN coast), we'd been on an afternoon game drive that, due to us finding a pride of lions, had turned into an extended night drive, resulting in us entirely missing dinner in the dining room.
However, returning to our chalets, we found a couple of the catering staff and guards in attendance, ready and waiting to arrange us a private dinner on our patio.
(As an open camp, it was regulation for all movement inside camp after dark to be done in the company of an armed guard. Indeed, a couple of years before our visit, a tourist came to a sticky end when she dashed from the dining room to her chalet to get a jacket, and met a lioness en route.)
Very impressed with the service, and glad to be getting a meal, we sank a few bottles of wine with dinner, then, just as we were wrapping up, the lodge manager dropped by with another bottle (which turned into a few bottles) and we ended the night rather inebriated at quite a late hour.
Knowing that I was facing a 6am game drive in the morning, I took the precaution of requesting an earlier than usual wake-up call.
Wake-up call duly arrived at 5am, and hungover me promptly sank back into slumber, until a hammering at my door at 06h00 informed me that everybody was waiting on me and would I hurry the hell up.
I dragged myself across the flagstone floor, and lay curled on the bottom of the shower for a few minutes, as the water beat down on me.
Barely revived, I managed to snag my jeans from where I had dropped them the previous night and pulled them on. As I did so, I was annoyed by a prickling sensation at my hip, which, without looking, I attempted to scratch with my elbow.
A sharp and sudden pain in my inside forearm instantly focused my attention on the area, and it was with something like horror that I saw a very irate looking scorpion crawling out of the waistband of my jeans.
Moving very carefully, I managed to grab a denuded grape stalk from the remnants of the last dinner course on the table and use it to lift away the scorpion.
After a quick assessment of its likely venom capabilities, (claw to poison sac size ratio) and determining it probably wasn't dangerously venomous, I flicked away the offended arthropod, finished dressing, notified the guide in case I collapsed, and went on the game drive.
The combination of hangover and scorpion venom felt sorta like a low grade LSD experience, but the sting itself felt exactly as if somebody had pressed a lit cigarette into my flesh.
Since then, I've never failed to check clothes and shoes for unwelcome squatters whenever I'm in the bush. No matter how hungover I am.
Ceylon was a place for insects; stayed in an eco-hotel out in the Forrest and at dinner one night realised the reason I couldn't see out of the window very well was due to millions of small flies (midge's?) on the window pane outside. Our rooms led out onto passages open to the outside and in the morning as we emerged a man with a broom was sweeping up the nights accumulation of the dead ones with a broom. His pile when we passed, was three-quarters as high as me, and he still had a ways to go!
(We were also warned to lock our windows firmly and I soon discovered why; emerging from the shower shortly after arriving I found a number of large rhesus monkeys (or similar) trying to physically prize their fingers into the cracks in between the sliding panes!)
The truth is a Lion and does not need protection. Once free it will look after itself.
....and the glory of the world becomes less than it was....
'Have we not served you well'
'Of course - you know you have.'
'Then let it end.'
Hearing a pretty out of tune singer on TV the other night reminded me that there are occasions when the imperfections of a performance can actually increase its absolute 'rightness' for the venue it is happening in. Staying in the Annapurna Hotel, Katmandu they had a beautifully of key piano being gamely played by an enthusiastic maestro in the lobby. Another feature of this wonderful if slightly creaky establishment was the bar, which on the customer side was as to be expected with stools, beermats and ashtrays, but on the other was sunk so low that the serving staff were seen almost in a performing pit and could never, never, be higher than the guests they were serving. If I recall correctly (which is highly doubtful) the cocktails served therefrom were of a strength that two would render you nearly insensible and three would probably have necessitated an ambulance to be summoned to recusitate you.
The truth is a Lion and does not need protection. Once free it will look after itself.
....and the glory of the world becomes less than it was....
'Have we not served you well'
'Of course - you know you have.'
'Then let it end.'
The place where I work has been newly built on a single decker bus route, which means there is standing room only by the time the bus reaches my stop. It's a real drag getting home again because the crush to get on the bus can be too much for me and I'll generally walk the mile or so to the nearest altenative bus route.
Anyway, the company has hired a luxury coach that will run until around Christmas time. That is, when all the Agency staff are no longer needed.
So it has been pretty cool travelling to work these days.
Most of the workers have weekly/monthly passes and can't use them on the coach, so in the morning there are mabye six or seven of us in total with a whole coach to ourselves. Same on the return trip.
I can get in quite an intense meditation in the half hour or so it takes to get to work. Real bliss that sets me up for a stress free day. And, it seems, carries me on through the weekend as well.
My wife went to renew our passports and took the necessary photos with her for the new documents to incorporate. The attendant at the post office counter took out a small measuring instrument to ensure the images therein were in compliance with the regulations on the matter, and making a few swift motions over mine he looked up with a frown on his face. "This is no good - his eyes aren't level!" he said indignantly.
"Well, he can't help that - his head's at an angle" she replied, to which the man looked doubtful. "I'll submit it......but don't expect it to be accepted" he said, exhibiting the natural pesimism of the (ex in his case) state functionary when actually asked to do any work, and stamped the document before tossing it to one side like yesterday's news. Needless to say my new passport arrived without a hitch and I wondered what it it would be like to be able, as a matter of your position, to insult people on their physical peculiarities with impunity and as your mood dictated.
(For the record my eyes, when I look at them in the mirror with my chin resting on my left shoulder, look perfectly level to me. )
The truth is a Lion and does not need protection. Once free it will look after itself.
....and the glory of the world becomes less than it was....
'Have we not served you well'
'Of course - you know you have.'
'Then let it end.'
)