More medical equipment has been installed in our hospital. This picture is the Washer Disinfectant. It is used to wash and disinfect instruments before they are wrapped and sterilized in the autoclaves. In other words, it's the initial clean that removes debri from the instruments. 
Here's a pic of the medical trunking that's been installed in our wards. We will have a 78 bed hospital ward onboard (typically 20 patients to a room). We'll be able to run 110/220 voltage systems. This was all installed by our projects crew in each of the wards. It's starting to feel like an actual hospital!!
Who would have guessed that in the tiny town of Jarrow, England there would be an 'Alberta Social Club'... I have no idea what they do there. I guess I could make up a great story and say that I've made such an impression on this little town that they've named a place after me... although being in the midst of a busy holiday season, seems like I could very well have a Social Club named after me!! If you come visit me, I promise to show it to you!
During the dry dock phase, the ship gets put up on blocks so the underwater hull inspection can take place. I, along with about 10 other crew members, took a 'tour' under the ship. Quite a site considering you usually don't get this view.
Here's the picture I promised you of the linoleum that was just laid down in the Dining Room of the Africa Mercy. Only some of the tables have been reinstalled so we have a bit of work left to do in that area.
Below I show you a picture of a 6-berth family cabin. Here is a pic of a single cabin (for one person). This is the type of cabin that I will have (mine is actually across the hall from this one). As you can see, there is still some work to be done. Here you can see a kitchen unit (with no sink as there will be a vanity unit going in that has a sink). There will also be shelves going in above the kitchen unit. Next to it you will see a Buffet Unit where you can store food, your computer, TV, etc as this is where the computer hookups are located. And at the end, there is a wardrobe that will never hold all my clothes!! The beds will hopefully arrive in about 3 weeks, but first the carpet needs to go in... keep looking here for updated pictures!
Thought you might enjoy seeing a pic of a family cabin. This is the kitchen section of a 6 berth cabin, Deck 7 - corner cabin. This cabin gets a lot of sun! Just forward of the kitchen, you can catch a glimpse of the living area. Hopefully carpet will start to be laid this week.
Ok ... the picture below (with me in it) is for my mom's sake :-) ... she's always asking why I have scenery shots and none of me in them!! But this shot really shows you the true colors of the leaves (that will all be gone in another few weeks!). Another one of those opportunities to 'seize the moment' as they will soon be gone (and you can't get them back)!
I love this time of year, even though it's starting to get cold here in the Northeast part of England.
These boots are made for walking ... well, not just walking, but serving as protection for the women in Ghana who will be part of the Bee Project!
Well, I went to Rome for less than 24 hours. Not how I envisioned going to Italy for my first time. As many of you know, there are quite a few of us here on crew with the Africa Mercy who's visas expire today!! Our Management Team (of which I am one) decided we needed to have a 'test case' to go out of the country over night, come back in the next day to see if we could get a visa status changed from voluntary worker to ship's seafarer as we have now been able to sign on to ship's articles... well, guess who got to be the 'test case'. I rushed to Rome leaving at 7:30 am, and arriving just before 2 pm. I threw my backpack onto the bed at the hotel, and rushed to find the metro...took the metro down to St. Peter's Square, hopped a City Tour bus and got off at the Colloseum (which you see above). It was absolutely fantastic. And also bittersweet. Italy has been on my 'must see' list for quite sometime, so knowing that I was going to be there less than 24 hours was very sad for me. But the good news is... I got my visa changed! I know that I want to revisit Italy in a 'proper' fashion as the Brits would say! and I paved the way for others to feel more comfortable about going out of the country and coming back in to change their visa status. I am also now the first person to sign on as an official crew member of the Africa Mercy (photo to come next week :-) ... stay tuned!
This past weekend, I went to London (no, not to see the Queen...) but to attend a planning session for the Africa Mercy. London will be our first port-0-call. We will sail under the Tower Bridge (shown in this picture) and dock alongside the HMS Belfast. It's all quite exciting as we continue to plan and move forward in getting this ship to Africa!!
We often get big donations to the ship... seems like the one we get most often is soup. Soup for breakfast, soup for lunch, soup for ... well, you get the picture..jpg)
This is our CT Scanner that was just installed. It's our first piece of
medical equipment to be installed on the ship!!
