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Day 1
Being friends with the editor of FT Alphaville, the Financial Times’ award winning markets blog, has its benefits. Like for example, borrowing Kaya MJ – his ‘mud hut’ in Africa – in exchange for knocking up a quick marketing website for it, so he can rent it out. Mud hut may be how Paul describes it, but by the time we come to leave he has excitedly provided a 19-page essay on the house, the car, the staff (of which there turn out to be four), the beach, the local amenities and the restaurants around the area of Barra, on the southern coast of Mosambique.
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Day 1
summary:In transit
location:London
trip:sa02
day:1 -
One day prior to departure
Today started rather well. On friday I went to an interview at the National Air Traffic Service for an information systems job, and this morning the personnel lady called to tell me I’d got it. Obviously my new suit had the desired effect. That means I can leve knowing I have a job lined up when I return. After receiving this news I went to buy some presents for Basil, his wife, and his personal assistant Pam. I’ve got a pocket-watch style desk clock for Basil, and some fragranced soaps for the women. Hope they like them.
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Seven days prior to departure
Finally the mystery surrounding my trip to Zimbabwe has been cleared, at least partially, with the arrival of a travel itinerary and a brief email from Basil about what I’m to be expected to do. The story begins about three months ago (March 2001), when a business contact in Zimbabwe asked me if I would like to spend some time with his company. I had never met him, and our only connection was through my mother, so I thought it remarkably trusting of him to assume I would be of any use to his business.