of love, freedom and spanners in the works

I certainly didn't imagine life in africa the way it has turned out - I am still trying to get to grips with the fact that I am living in a big house, have a dog, can afford a car, have people working for me and all that as a volunteer... but that's the way it is and most days I love my life.

I love my dog - she is the most incredible creature ever - so kind and tender, full of beans and mischievous and now my companion until death do us part.

I love my car - it has given me freedom and mobility; allows me to plan even less and up until a week ago was very reliable and enduring. but as happens with 20 year old cars, there comes a point at which things start going wrong. the last 3 weeks my little lady - 'bertinchen' - has been a bit sick and spent most of her waking hours in the garage - it all started with her not having much power when going uphill and as I am a greenhorn in engines I took her to the garage and told them to look into it. as I was going to pick her up I was told she needed a new clutch - another 4 days without a means of transport... oh well - I guess it just needed to be done.
when I finally got her back I just couldn't get her to start without pushing - luckily there are lots of hills in kigali.

I had the drivers of the office look at her and after I'd tried for ages to start her up one of them got in the car, turned the key and she sprung to life like there had never been a problem - this seems to happen a lot to me these days; things don't work and as soon as the expert comes along they behave as though nothing had happened... is the world against me? ;-))
low and behold the next morning my poor guards had to push the car again - I park face up the hill, so can't do the rolling down the hill directly... after the second time my guard kindly drew my attention to the fact that I should park her the other way round. I went to work again and in the evening couldn't get her to budge and had to leave her over night.
the following morning I asked another driver to help me - and he opened the bonnet, and started looking around and suggested lending me his battery - we connected it - still nothing. ok - so it's not the battery. then he sucked some petrol out of the tube and spat it onto the motor (a mouthful of petrol at 8am - I can't think of anything I'd rather do at that time of the morning!) I tried and she sprung to life for 3 seconds - ok - so it's to do with the amount of petrol that gets into the engine when starting - he turned the little container that holds some petrol for starting upside down and diagnosed that it was due to the petrol not reaching the tube that it didn't get to the motor. wicked - my car was fixed with a simple turning of a container - I was happy.
in the afternoon I got off work and decided to go for a little cruise before my hairdressers appointment - put the key in the starter, turned it and all that came out was a lame stuttering which died off altogether after a short while... f***!
I went to find more drivers who again opened the bonnet and looked and pondered and discussed, tried to start the car and ended up doing it by pushing her. off to the garage again - too late to do anything before the weekend... b****r.
back to garage on monday - monday evening pick up the car - it seems to work now - yay. tuesday morning - nothing again... more pushing by the guards but everytime I broke the motor died - so instead of going to work I went to the garage - again.
I complained that they had screwed it up - I'd never had these kinds of problems before they changed the clutch. I got her back last night - and managed to start her this morning although after a few stutters.... fingers crossed I'll be able to take off tonight!