Day Nine Sunday and a bit of Saturday Night Convoy Meal, Convoy Idiot Winner and Presents for Home

Saturday night is convoy meal night, it is an opportunity for all the convoy drivers and sometimes some guests to get together and chill out. We are on our day off and will not be in the saddle behind the wheel all day, it is a welcome relief not to have to drive or think about driving. We all sit down and get to swap stories in a little more detail; it is our first opportunity not only to hear about the places and the people that everyone has visited but to also hear about some of the exploits that our convoy drivers got up to. This meal has been paid for by the charity to thank the convoy drivers for all the hard work and effort that they have put in, also as Peter Watson from Simpson Millar was there he generously agreed to pick up the drinks tab. Thanks to both organisations for this.

Tonight the night that Convoy Idiot is announced, at the beginning of the meal all the names and acts of stupidity are read out and medals awarded, it eventually comes down to a two horse race Sean and Myself. Convoy leaders decide that as the medal count is that close they will delay announcing the winner until after the meal, so giving them time to award some more medals. And the winner is……….

It’s a tie, this year for the first time we have joint winners with 13 medals apiece they could not separate Sean and I. Apparently Sean made a late bid for the title on Friday night but I rallied during convoy meal and gained another three medals to even up the score. Everyone agrees that it was a tight and hard fought race but that we were worthy winners. Pictures to follow of the award ceremony with all of our bling on (there is a rumour of a hat being bought for convoy idiot, we’ll have to see)

I make an early start to build on my convoy idiot status outright that night, as we are walking back to the hotel we are stopped by the police. He asks us some questions and I try to explain to him that we are on a humanitarian aid convoy using hand gesture language. I draw a big circle in the air for humanitarian and pat my hand at waist height for aid (somehow he didn’t understand what this meant). Steve (Convoy Leaders), Simon (Bulldogs) and myself (Boppers) , who were all quite merry at this point continued to try to explain to the police officer (who has now been joined by another) who we were and what we were doing. It was only when I invited him back to the hotel for a sleep (again using hand gestures, this time two hands to the side of my head whilst tilting it in mock sleep) that he got really worried and let us go.

We all get the opportunity on Sunday to have a lie in as it is our day off, most are up at about 10ish and off into the city of Chisinau to see what they can find (we hear rumours of a huge market). Throughout the day as we stroll around we all seem to bump into each other in the markets or the cafes, everyone shows off the gifts that they have bought for loved ones back home as well as the people that have donated aid, the favourites are Russian hats and Russian stacking dolls (babushka dolls).

And finally a special note for Ricki’s mum Lyn, Ricki’s has not vanished, she is alive and well. She has been spotted in the local market with four brooms under her arm(we needed someone to carry our brooms for us through the market as we were loaded up with hats and dolls). I think she has been keeping her head down in case some of Seans stupidity rubs off on her and that’s why she hasn’t been mentioned in the blog for a while. Sorry if it caused you to worry.

Speak to you all soon and see ya later

Paul (one half of the big boppers)