a bit like mad max

It’s not so much panic buying (the great 2020 toilet roll scandal) as get it whilst you can, we can go weeks without easy access to stuff.  I say easy access meaning reasonably priced.  You can always get most things down town in the market, but you invariably get the ‘blanc price’ as they call us, not necessarily a racial insult, more a literal statement.  Either way we still need to be careful with money, to ensure we maximise the value of any donations to healthcare, rather than volunteer-care.  So when the store does get stuff, its best to go big.  Though my fellow volunteers keep buying $4 wine, which is of course our own money, as it’s a luxury.  But I’d rather abstain than drink that stuff (as I am sure would you).  So it’s a great thing that Haiti used to be a French Colony, you can always (for a price) buy decent wine.

We have regular fuel shortages, mainly a worry for our hospital generators – I think I said we are off-grid, like most of Haiti.  Thankfully diesel is normally more available, as there are less users.  There absolutely fleets of motorbikes and tuk-tuks.  However diesel is a bit of an issue too at the moment.  Thankfully we have plenty in reserve at the hospital – the 900 litre liquid soap container has been repurposed!  But the roads are noticeably quieter and when a gas station does get supplies it s a complete free for all, absolutely no queuing or system (something like mad max).  And not for the faint hearted (or short of creole)!