During my fly in, fly out days, my roster was 8 weeks on and 2 weeks off. Dud deal I know, but that’s the roster you get when you work in Africa with my company.
So having just arrived back on site for my 2nd contract in Zambia, I got told that there was a new construction manager on site. Ok, first surprise after stepping off the plane. I then got told I needed to work through Christmas to cover some people who already had their tickets booked, although my condition of signing the new contract was to go home for Christmas. Hmm, ok, not happy but I’ll talk to the project manager about this. My parents then put their 2 cents worth in and told me that “it would be preferable if you came home for Chinese New Years” instead of (Western) New Years. Parents. Sigh.
By then (taking into account of all surprises and “comments”), my first stint back would amount to 15 weeks on and 2 weeks off. Raw deal but I fought back with my own condition. They must let me have a break in between, around my birthday preferably. And so it was agreed by all parties, and Mozambique was suddenly on the cards as a mini break as part of my birthday week celebrations!
Two months wait and a few thousand dollars poorer…
— 08 Dec 2011 —
I was bound for South Africa! *S was awfully jealous because he missed out on going to Mozambique with his friends. Not my problem. He had spent the previous week whining to me about it. I did put an open invitation for him to join me. Cheeky I know.
So the plans were, stay overnight in Joburg with *D and her mother, then hop on the morning flight to Inhambane for 4 days, head back to Joburg for a night with *D, then fly back to site.
I was super excited.
sc versus the world 