Vicky & Paul's Comments Page
General comments on this site are published here. Comments on a specific diary entry will be published with that entry. Add your comments via the link below.
General Comments 2009:
22.12.09
Victoria (Vicky I guess I should use) - I heard that you were doing voluntary work but I had no idea just how much of an impact you have both had. You should be both very proud and satisfied of what you have achieved. I am extremely proud to say that you were my friend and would love to make a donation to your charitable work. It's really quite amazing what a little lass from a small northern comprehensive school can achieve.
Regards
Justyn General Comments 2007:
07.01.07
I'm not having to look very far in my search for pygmies who are trying to get high. This pregnant lady is on the ward with malaria, and is standing next to Evelyn the midwife (who is much shorter than me). Look carefully at her t-shirt.
Paul Williams
20.12.06
paul and vicky
wow what a fantastic christmas message. i was moved. it had social context, it illustrated the hypocracy of the western world, it had michael, abba and all those little little african elves you went to help
the more times you watch it the more you notice the little details. For example, the third time i looked at it i noticed that it wasn't the queen at all - there was no pearl necklace (pardon the double entendre)
when your not driving around with corpses in the back of a jeep you look like your having a fantastic time.the people obviously love you ( have you told them your skint yet?)
keep chopping those foreskins
and merry xmas
tony
Great video. Ho, ho, ho! If only one could slip into Broadcasting House and swap this one for the 'real' Queen's Speech. Now that'd be a reason to stand and raise a glass. Happy Christmas.
Edward
Paul & Vicky
I've been a bit busy lately, and I've just seen your website. This is some sort of spoof, right? Are you both really in Africa? It had dawned on me that I'd not heard from you for a while....
So, where is this Uganda place then? I should know, cos I watch comic relief. But when all of that "starving kids" stuff comes on, I generally pop out and get a latte. Not my scene really.
A bit of an update from London. I've got a new job, and a new house. I think the parents are ok. Come to think of it, I owe them a call too. Dad isn't managing the health centre there is he?
Have you put a mail redirection on? I've sent you a Christmas present (the Hollyoaks babes calendar), so hopefully you'll get it. If you want a tip for me, perhaps you can send me one of those pygmies? I could do with a "Nick Nack" James Bond type for my new house. It would be cool if you could dress him up in a little suit with a bowler hat that kills people who mess with me.
Anyway, hope "Africa" is ok. Say hi to Bob Geldof. And Desmond Tutu.
Div
Great video especially the cameo's from Kingy and Levi. Have a great x-mas you pair and please send my love to all in Buhoma especially Levi and Richard.
have a good one,
Chris General comments 2006:
04.12.06
Someone sent me this, and I thought it might appeal:
At a U2 concert in Ireland Bono asks the audience for some quiet.
Then in the silence, he starts to slowly clap his hands.
Holding the audience in total silence, he says into the microphone...
"Every time I clap my hands, a child in Africa dies."
A voice from near the front of the audience pierces the silence...
"Fookin stop doing it then!"
Chris.
22.11.06
Hi Paul,
I know how irate and angered I got from visiting Uganda’s own slice of America when I came through to Buhoma for trips so I can only imagine how you must feel having to manage the crowds. If only Americans could understand that they can’t solve the world’s problems with god and money then we would be half way there to having them understand they actually cause half the bloody problems.
My biggest concern, which you latched onto pretty quickly, is that very little of what is being done in Buhoma is being done sustainably. Every single dollar is wasted if it is given without thinking about the usefulness of that money to sustainability. All gifts have two fatal flaws, if they are not used correctly they are unsustainable but also no gift is free and all carry obligations leading most ‘gifts’ to actually disempower communities. You know what it is like when someone gives you an expensive present you feel you have some kind of obligation to return a gift to them of equal value at a later date. For people in ‘Developing’ countries who have no way to repay these gifts from ‘us’ they are left in a very vulnerable and disempowered position. When the gifts are so large and carelessly spent as they are in Buhoma then I think someone is paddling up a certain creek imminently about to chuck their paddles away and only a bible for a contingency plan!
Anyway sorry for the rant but even from here it still irks me especially when the potential for these people to determine and manage their own futures is so vast yet we only come along and fuck it up for them.
Anyway the good news is that you have a great deal of responsibility on your hands! As two of the only sane people surrounded by madness your concern and thoughts are more vital to the people of Buhoma than anyone I know.
If it is of any support I feel similar to you every day I spend in Uganda when I try to fight the discrimination and am faced by the up hill challenge of people who think the Batwa are wild animals who should be culled (especially when it is from government ministers!).
The good news is that whilst the problems seem to improve at a snail's pace my comprehension of them gets better and I smile more regularly than when I first started coming out.
Please keep up the good and hard work for your own sanity, the Batwa’s sanity and the sanity of the rest of us who actually care about sustainable and empowering efforts to help these people get to a stage where they can tell us to fuck off and stop meddling with their lives.
Best wishes and send my love to Vicky
anon.
30.07.06
Hi Paul and Vicky,
As you know we are avidly reading your journal, printing it out each time and it does a round robin of Wisbech. Everyone has been anxious to do something to help so we came up with the SMARTIE project. All our friends (65 at the last count) have been given a tube of Smarties, asked to enjoy the sweets and fill the tube with coins and return it to us. Well they are starting to return and some are stuffed with notes! Your friends here, the people who knew your Mum and Dad, and complete strangers to you have been more than willing to dig deep into their pockets to enable you to have some spare cash for the things you need to make people's lives a bit easier (such as petrol for transporting someone back to their village). We are soon going to start depositing some into the account you gave us so please feel free to use it as you think is appropriate.
Lots of love
Sue and Jane and all your friends in Wisbech.
28.07.06
Dear Paul and Vicky,
I hope you are well and that you had a wonderful time on Lake Bunyoni and
appreciated your time away from the clinic.
I am so sorry it has taken me so long to write a comment from your
website, but I have eventually done it. Unfortunately I couldn't upload it
from this computer, so have added it to this email instead (its very
long)!
Today is my final day in Kisoro. Ihave mixed feelings about leaving. Part
of me is excited about seeing a bit more of Uganda and of course meeting
Mum in Kenya, but I am sorry to leave the wonderful people here, and think
I could have continued to gain from being here longer- oh well!
I'm heading up to Kampala on Sunday and from their I'm intending to visit
Mt Elgon and Sipi falls, but we will see what happens.
I hope that things are ok at the clinic,
all the best
alice
13.07.06
Dear Wonderful People,
I hope the little Brownies were excited to have you back saving them again and not too many were lost whilst you were away.
Lovely to see you both in Alsace.
I've just returned returned from my own spot of exploring the World-Less-Fortunate-Than-Our-Own. Being a naturist at heart I went to see some of the furry, scaley and venomous things of Costa Rica. One night this involved going Turtle watching. A hallowed trip to a remote beach (in some uncouth vehicle) a silent stumbling up and down the water's edge in pitch blackness and then the rare and special site of a huge turtle having dragged herself up the beach, dig out a pit into which she laid around 100 (rather tasty looking) eggs. One of the great sites - I kept telling myself as we crouched around in awed silence. ROGER MELLIE'S CELEBRITY-SHIT-IN-A-BUCKET and voice in the back of mind kept shouting.....
How's the Gorilla training going?
Love Martin
11.06.06
Congratulations on the football, although having a top scorer called Carlos is probably not what most England fans would have hoped for!
John Cameron Buchan
There's not much chance of having a top scorer called Ferguson, MacLean, or Cameron at the World Cup though, is there? And how much ginger hair have you seen there?
Paul Williams
05.06.06
Bonjour dr paul and Vicky i hoppe you are enjoying your time in Africa
and you have appreciate the contact with the pure nature....
take care and I speak sometime ....
do you have a telephone line or mobile phone then i'll like have your
contact number, because sometime i cantact you direct on phone ....
NB: everything you are doing are fantastic and mazing so good luck paul
bye for now
Dr camara Yl
02.06.06
Dear Paul and Vicky,
I have been reading your journal entries with interest as I am soon
leaving for Uganda to do my medical elective at the hospital in Kisoro. It
has been really useful to read of your experiences in Bwindi as it has
given me a small insight into medicine in rural Uganda.
I have just finished my fourth year at Newcastle University, and am
leaving for Uganda on 18th June. I will be a the hospital in Kisoro from
Mid June until early August. I would be really grateful if you could find
time to write a few words about essential things to bring, and any tips
you might have. I am aware that four years of medical school will not have
in any way prepared me for work in Uganda, but I am hoping to be able to
use some of my very basic skills and learn a lot!
I wish you the best of luck with your future work in Bwindi,
Many thanks
Alice Deasy
(University of Newcastle Upon Tyne)
05.05.06
Hi Paul & Vicky,
I am keeping abreast of your exploits and enjoying the guilty
pleasures of sanitation and meals that don't include goat.
Recently visitted Prague and shared a hotel with a large quantity of
ants, and a vomiting eight-year-old; but reading this certainly gave
me some perspective on it!
I hope you are both well and I know you will be making a momentous
difference in all the big and small things you both do there, just as you did here.
Claire
(Paul - Hamza asked me to pass on his regards - he said you were a man of great heart & that he wishes you well)
02.05.06
Hello Paul and Vicky
This may be the second time you get this email - or may be the first. I tried a few minutes ago but I think messed up so if this is just a repeat - my apologies.
Mark at football said that you have been ill Vicky- i just wanted to add my best wishes and hope the worst is over and you are resting to recovery.
Hope you both have settled in well (illness apart) and are enjoying the experience, although it must be a tremendously difficult thing to do in every way.
If this e mail doesnt reach you - you will never know. The computer is relatively new and I've never used the email so hope it gets through
Have you heard about Rooney's mettertartsull (no doubt the spelling of that is wrong) - anyway, it means he will almost certainly miss the big event. Owen is back but not fit and not on top of his game. All quiet on the UK front,
best wishes from
mal
over and out
28.04.06
Hi paul,vic
thanx for the good work and commitment you have always shown.Hope you are both in good health and enjoing urselves.Good luck
stella.
Paul/Vicky,
just think how much better you feel for doing what you're doing now than having to put up with banners from 'Boro fans saying that they hope Newcastle followers are enjoying watching The Bill on TV when they are playing in an UEFA Cup Final.
Seriously, thanks for letting me see your journal - it puts everything here in context.
Good Luck Bill
PS Just completed London Marathon in a new pb of 3 hr 35 mins so ready to take you on again at squash
24.04.06
Hi Paul
We got an email around your old PCT (about to be ex-PCT!) giving the link for this site, so rather than doing what I'm supposed to be doing I've had a quick browse! Amazing, well done!
best wishes
Tony
22.04.06
Hi Guys
Have just spent the last hour catching up on your trip so far,sounds amazing and such great fun to read,some of your comments remind me very much of my travels across Asmara and Kenya,especially the locals reactions to seeing new visitors.Take care and I'll be keeping updated on your progress on the site.
Clare and Noah x
18.04.06
You may know by now that the Toon won in Sunderland 4-1 after going behind. Shearer got a penalty and then crocked his knee and it looks like scoring that penalty was his last significant bit as a player for the Toon. Alan.
11.04.06
Please stop underestimating what you are both doing. Sometimes people appreciate a friendly face and kindness which shows that you care, you dont always need words. I'm sure that the families of these people who have died are not expecting you to prevent this as we would expect a medical team in A&E here to do. I know this will not help in your frustrations. Love to you both, Stay safe. Love K
Hello,
great result for the toons at the weekend, unfortunatly!! my house was the house of doom with boro supporters. Very emotional week at work with dr guy leaving but the party went well, and the practice has now been taken over by the magnificant four!! Building work galore however i can cope now after reading your enteries.Very interesting! Keep up the good work and Vicky to keep you going just think of the little accident i had with the epipen that time!!!!
nicolexx
09.04.06
Hi to you both, really enjoyed reading your journal, sounds like 'never a dull moment!' and lots of challenges. keep up the good work and I look forward to future instalments.
Love from us all, Karen, Jake and Niamh x
07.04.06
Just a little hello from france to say glad you arrived safely and that all is going ok. Mum has filled me in on where you are and what you've been up to. Any progress with the language? Thinking of you both, Lots of love Clare xx
06.04.06
Hi Guys
Hope it's going well, this is the 1st time I've been able to access the site sorry we missed the party -car trouble and I was picking Clare up. I'm just back from New York so quickly flicking through emails, I'll read it all in depth later but for now take care
Love Rosie xx(and Clare-still on Maternity leave)
02.04.06
"Glad to hear your news and that all is going well..we had those tiny sweet bananas in trinidad where they were called 'figs'!! looking forward to hearing how your little hut is progressing and let us know if there is anything we can send you to make it cosy!
lots of love," Gran, Em and Petexx
01.04.06
"We beat Spurs 3-1 with Bowyer scoring in the 1st minute!! i couldn't believe it either..." Alan
31.03.06
"With many people making money by publishing their diaries these days, i suppose it's prudent to not put anything in the journal page to prevent someone ripping it off and publishing it... i am sure no news is good news however - hope all is going well there - if there's anything you forgot then let us know and we'll either mail it to you or just send you emails with photo's of us all enjoying that easily available thing here!
Love, John"
30.03.06
"Message for Nicole - in my experience Western women put on loads of weight in Africa due to vast quantities of beer and mountains of carbs which form the staple diet. There's still hope for you to get your hands on Vicky's clothes when she gets back cos she won't be able to fit in them then!"
Becs {see below)
"Your web site is fantastic - just spent ages browsing through the various links. My last memories of Africa are wading in Lake Victoria when the bottom of our boat fell out. I was on a medical student elective in community medicine in Kenya in 1979....the schistosomiasis never happened.
In between patients in my surgery in Newcastle I can now day dream by visiting your site.
thanks"
Christina
"Good to hear from youse! Today in Newcastle it's on the cool side and has been raining, but at least we're past the equinox and in BST so evenings getting lighter etc. The Toon is still in meltdown (sort of) and we play Spurs at home this Satruday - I fear the worst! Hope your journey 'up country' goes OK."
John Spencer (Newcastle)
"My brother is a Spurs fan, so I fear the worst too. Lots of people here follow the Premiership and wear old football tops - but it's all Arsenal, Liverpool, Man Utd and Chelsea. I'll take a picture of the first Toon top that I see."
Paul
"Great Party. When are you posting the pics on the site?" Phil
"Great party, fab food, great entertainment and vicky if that dress was a little bigger i would have borrowed it while you were away, shame it is a size 8!!! it was gorgeous!!" Nicole
"My head is killing me - post party." Tony
"Liked your totally blank Journal. Shows you must be having a fantastic tine in Ecuador." Ben Hopkinson
"I think your website is great" Ben Hopkinson
"Great site, loved the Kylie link (Anne was less keen)." John Buchan
"I preferred the NUFC link." Anne
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