Walked accompanied back from dinner. Despite a 1/2 moon the sky was light by a million points of light. Managed to find the big dipper and Orion. Star gazing in Pader comes easily.

Have to admit that it was with some relief that I faced my last night in Pader. Decided to hang out at the local bar – an open area at the hotel where breakfast is served and where many of our trainings took place.

Several colleagues and trainers had gathered to sip a Nile (bottled at the source don’t you know) and to chew the fat into the wee hours. It was good fun just to sit and tell jokes and tall tales of far away people and places we’ve know.

Best story will remain untold here – but suffice it to say a gentler member of our group was able to make a soldier blush. What a kick!

The night ended with a mad dash back to my cottage through blinding rain. Packed…and apparently a cough slipped in when I wasn’t looking.