Sharky is fine

Sharky says this was the worst bomb she's experienced in Kabul (and she's already experienced some bad ones) but she's 'fine'. I wish I hadn't left her there alone.

Bombs in Kabul

It feels worse waiting for news from Kabul when I'm not there.

This was the office for the OCHA mapping team in Port-au-Prince until a couple of days ago. We are now in prefabricated offices - but not yet our ultimate 'permanent' ones.

The first business of every day was to pump up the frame - the front (not shown) tended to droop during the night.

My organization

This link shows how I am deployed here in Port-au-Prince.

First few days in Haiti

I think I’ve been in Haiti for four days now. The days seem so long and the nights so short. We have meetings at 7am and meetings at 7:30pm. I have literally not left the UN LogBase compound since I arrived – as it within the Port-au-Prince airport compound walls. But if I were to have time to go out I would be safe because this is a much nicer place to be than Kabul.

I am working with the Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Haiti and my role is the development, maintenance, and dissemination of geographic databases related to the earthquake response. I have splendid colleagues and I cannot remember the last time I felt this much camaraderie.

I live in a tent which is a few cm shorter than I am but if I lied diagonally I fit. On the first night I was allocated to a large communal tent but I prefer my own (small) space and the freedom to snore.

There are two showers for 90 people but by waking up early I have never had to wait for long.

Where I live

Arrived in Port-au-Prince, Haiti

After five flights and four nights (Frankfurt, Ottawa, and two nights in Santo Domingo) I have arrived in Port-au-Prince.

More tomorrow.