Trip to Loki

Dear Family and Friends,
I will driving up to Lokichogio today (and tomorrow) with the AIM Pilot that lives there. He and his family just came back from the US and his wife and son have already flown home. He has been working on his truck and doing paperwork so he can fly here again. He asked if I wanted to drive with him since it is a long trip and it is nice to have someone else with you. I eagerly agreed and we leave in an hour or so. I will check out Loki and analyze what work needs to be done to the pilot house (where the visiting pilots stay when they fly through to Sudan). I will probably fly back late Friday or Saturday on one of the AIM AIR flights coming back to Wilson (the airport we operate at in Nairobi).

You can pray for a good trip with no mechanical breakdowns or accidents. There has been a lot or rain and the roads are poor in many areas. I will take my camera along and share the pictures when I get back.

Thanks for your prayers,
Caleb

Weekly log for Feb 26-Mar 2

• Monday Feb 26, 07: First day at the hangar. Got a tour of maintenance offices and where stuff is. Spent most of the workday sorting and organizing tools. Around 17:00, a 206 came in that needed an oil cooler changed. Tested oil temp sensor, good, reinstalled with new oil cooler. Finished around 21:00 went to Ryan’s house for supper, got home a little after 22:00.

• Tuesday Feb 27, 07: Continued orientation at Hangar. Detailed orientation of tool room and parts rooms and computer parts locating system. Finished work a little after 17:00 (about normal).

• Wednesday Feb 28, 07: Reassembled an alternator that we cannibalized for parts. I was mugged on my way home from Rose Ave (SIM compound) at 19:00. 8-10 guys jumped me, first guy got me in a head lock started to struggle but was struck on the temple causing the lights to go out. Took my watch, phone, leatherman and maglite, hat and sunglasses. When I regained consciousness, they were gone. There were less people than normal for that time of night. A car stopped near a gate about 20 meters from me and they were getting out when I got back up. I told them I had been robbed but was fine and continued to Mayfield. Took a shower and found I had a cut near my eye, probably from the hit to my head. Also a slight bump on the back of my head probably from hitting the ground. Neck was a little sore as well. Had supper and slept fine that night.

• Thursday March 1, 07: Was supposed to be picked up by Ryan at 7:20 on Ngong road. Didn’t have a watch or cell phone so went to Mayfield and waited to go out on time. Waited for quite a while but could not call since didn’t have a phone. Finally asked a passing person with a watch what time it was, 7:55. Decided to go back to Mayfield, and call. Couldn’t call from the front desk but a van was leaving to take someone to the airport so hopped in. Should have gotten out at the roundabout near Wilson and just walked but didn’t so went all the way out to Jomo Kenyatta (the International airport) and then back to Wilson. Traffic was bad so arrived a little after 9:00. Only did one hour of language since supposed to be from 8-10. Matt Olson wanted me to do a debrief at Tumaini so scheduled that for 15:00. Went with Jay Mundy to get his Landcruiser but paperwork not done so dealership gave him a loaner till Tuesday(when it should be done). Had lunch with Jay but didn’t have much time after since I had the debrief so didn’t get much work done.

• Friday March 2, 07: Jay picked me up at 7:25, and headed to hangar. Worked till tea time and Chapel. After chapel continued work on float plane. Looks like this will be one of my projects for the next couple of weeks, off and on. Got the exhaust off before lunch but Paul and I could not get it all apart. Went next door to the Desert Locust restaurant for lunch around 13:00. The line was barely moving and so Jay and I decided to go back to his place since I was going to help him move in the afternoon. Had hot dogs at Mundys, picked up the mission moving pickup and followed Jay to the SIL family that was leaving. Loaded up pickup, Pajero (Jay’s loaner car) and a hiace van with seats out and took all the stuff to the storage containers. Unloaded van and pickup in storage, Pajero was stuff to use immediately. Went back and loaded pickup with the rest and brought it to Mundy’s house. Unloaded some and and loaded up other stuff and went to container. Brought Pajero full of stuff and a few things in pick up back to Mundy’s house. Had supper and Jay brought me back to Mayfield.

Well that was longer than I thought but I hope you made it through. I hope you all have a good week and thanks again for your prayers.
Caleb