So, it's back to Simeulue.

...back to the 5:30am call to prayer. Back to my squat toilet and cold water mandi. Back to “hello mister!” from everyone on the street. Back to the electricity cutting out all the time and intermittent internet connection at the office. But do you know what? It’s nice to be “home”.

I got a few nice little presents on arrival. The ARC driver, Sumardi, was there waiting for me at the airport. My fancy-pants new front yard was complete, all plants installed, the tacky concrete fake-tree-trunk garden borders, the gorgeous little white stones laid in the concrete driveway and the gaudy orange and pink bars of the fence glistening in the sun (in fact it’s more like a beacon of light you can see for miles around, like the Batman symbol).

I had a large monitor lizard scurry away into the trees when I opened the door to my backyard, and a gorgeous, huge, black and brilliant blue butterfly sauntered past. My housekeeper had stayed back a little late especially to welcome me back and my fruit and vegie man was excited to see me (although he asked me where his present was). And, I had a Christmas card from my grandma waiting for me. All these little things made it easy to come back!

I thought it might be difficult; the last three weeks at home have been nothing but damn good fun. I will have to go on a serious alcohol detox though! I don’t know how many alcohol-free days I had, but there weren’t many.

My holiday was extended by almost a week due to some admin mistakes by ARC, which meant that my passport containing the new Indonesian working visa didn’t arrive from the consulate until Thursday morning (14th Feb). It was supposed to arrive the previous week. I had a few changes of flights, phone calls to and from ARC, and running around to get on the internet and visit airline offices to get it all sorted. In the end, I didn’t mind – it meant I got to stay longer! So I had more time to have coffees, beers, and food with more mates before heading back to Indo. Finally.

So, back to the grind. But I’m looking forward to it. Already I’m a bit disappointed because things haven’t progressed half as much as I would have liked. Our country manager hasn’t signed off on our big bulk order of WatSan materials due to the recent discovery of corruption in our organisation on behalf of one of the Logistics officers, which means all our construction is totally held up. And our new Indo Red Cross volunteers haven’t been interviewed nor training for them properly organised.

At least the new warehouse for all the (apparently) incoming WatSan materials is complete, and the corrupt Logistics officer has resigned. And I will be the most popular person in the office because I have presents for everyone!