No!

I made a comment on one of Anji's posts. Which leads me to make a post here.

Since I am back, I have been busy running around. First, I had to go to my mission debriefing at my agency. A week later I had to go back for a training (me, the retiree) for rapid response interventions (I mentioned this before).

And then a lot or private stuff to tend to. And go and visit my mother. Which I always did by car. But as you know, I made an accident in March. I decided not to repair the car and not to buy a new one. I wrote about this too.

So, I hit the road with public transport.

First, I took the bus in my town. There is one every 10 minutes. And I am living 100 meters from the bus stop. It is a 10 minutes ride to the railway station.

There I took the Intercity double decker train to Bern - Olten (where my mother lives). Of course, I travel first class. With the Railway Card. Giving me a 50 % reduction on the fare. Which amounted to 50 dollars. And included the bus ticket in my mother's town. And the trip takes 2 hours and 10 minutes. For close to 200 kilometers.

Reaching my destination, I am taking this bus (running every 30 minutes) to go to my mother's house. Bus station is 100 meters from her house. And, as said above, no need to buy a ticket. It is already included in my train ticket. And these busses are modern, running on earth gas.

Then, of course, a lot of bla bla with my mother and she wants to know every thing. So, the 4 days pass quickly and it is time to go home again,

And this time I take the ICN (Inter City Neigezug) on a different route Biel - Montreux. the "Neige" stands for inclination. Because the train inclines in the curves and can keep the speed. So, the travel time is 1 hour 56 minutes. And it is still close to 200 kilometers. And the train stop en route 4 times.

No!

I don't need a car anymore. Because they say that every inhabitant, statistically, lives 300 meters from a public transport station. Me, it is only 100 meters. And I don't have to spend 2'000 dollars a year just to have a car. Just to have it, not even running it.

For Anji and A Lady's Life (and others who might "complain")

Thank you for your comments on my post below.

I have to specify something: The missions I will make are not long ones. They will be 2 to 3 weeks in case something happens somewhere in this world. Like inundations or earthquakes or massive movement of people due to anything.

Then I will be called to go on the spot with a team to assess the needs and based on our findings, the agency will send one or more aircrafts with the necessary emergency aid equipment. Then, my mission will be completed and if need is, the agency will send the regular "troops".

So, there is a lot of time to profit from "free" life.

Resting?

For the time being, yes, I am resting. I came home 10 days ago and did take care of my family. And of some personal, pending issues. Like satisfying some requests from my income tax inspector. For once, not a complaint about me not having paid the taxes. Just a query about the travel expenses I had submitted with my last income tax return.

And then I had to go to my agency for the debriefing of my Sri Lanka mission. This was a whole day event and I had to meet and discuss with quite a few people. And three of them asked me if I was still ready to do missions. Well, I did not say no.

As a matter of fact, I arrived back home on Monday of last week and I had barely settled in when on Wednesday they called and asked if I could go for three weeks to Pakistan. But finally, there was no need to go.

But it could well be that I will go again on mission. Tomorrow? In three weeks? In two month?

Well, at anytime I might be again convoying like in the photo above.

Next week, I have to go to a training course to be a teamleader for the "Rapid Response Unit". Which definitely means that I will be called for action.

But why is ma agency so keen to send me on mission though I am retired? Well, it is because I have a huge experience in the humanitarian aid work. I have worked for my agency's own projects and I have been seconded to UN agencies who were in need of people.

But the major thing is that the Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit is like a militia corps. Many members are working. When they receive a request to go on mission, they have to talk to their employer if they can go for three weeks. Most of the time, the employers agree because they signed an agreement with my agency. But if one is called in spring to go to Haiti and then in autumn again to go to Pakistan, the empolyer has the right to refuse.

And so, the agency is depending a lot on freelancers (as I was) or retired people (as I am). But we, the retirees, are only a few. Because of one important thing: You have to be physically fit. And you mind has to be sharp. Which is absolutely no problem for me. As you know, I am only 35 years old.

And thus, you will in the future again read my stories about countries I will go to.

Jazz on the 5th, Nr. 27

Oye Como Va? One of Santana's top hits in the 70ties.


But it is a composition of Tito Puente, the great latin music man, the king of timbales. Tito was also a good latin jazz musician. Here is "Oye Como Va?" played by the composer and his band.

Well, come and gone!

I arrived home last Monday. Everybody was happy to see me. I relaxed a bit. I unpacked my suitcases and showed all the gifts my Sri Lankan friends have given me. But somehow, still having Adrenaline flowing through, I had to cool down. I did. But on Wednesday, I received a phone call. From my agency.

They asked how I was doing. And they said that they are happy for me to have come back. And they asked if I could go to Pakistan immediately. Immediately? Yes, they said, on Sunday. Which is today. Then they called again and said that it is postponed. Because my job would have been to distribute tents. But they have not arrived in Pakistan yet.

So, I am expecting a call any day.

Come and gone!