Day 21; 2 hours sleep & a run away dog!

I woke up at 7.02, 2 hours after falling in to bed, and 2 minutes late for my shift, I was in the kitchen ready to start work by 7.03... Impressive!

We fed and watered all of the animals, put the dogs outside and started to scrub the kennels.  One of the volunteers was walking one of the dogs, Pumpkin... He got away from her and ran away.  A  couple of people went after him, one on foot and one on a bike. We continued to scrub the kennels. After 30 minutes or so, Pumpkin was still no where to be seen so Anna and I joined the search on her bike, we made it half way around the island, still no sign of the run away pup!   We must of walked up and down the lane that leads to the welfare centre 10 times, we split up and went through the bushes and rubber plantations that are either side of the road, we walked around a quarry, looked under houses and cars, asked locals if they had see Pumpkin...still no sign. After 4 hours of searching we had to come back to the centre for water. The afternoon shift took over the search for pumpkin...

Anna, Lindsey and I went to Saladan to do some food shopping... I am almost totally out of money so will be living off of musli, bananas, rice and eggs (not all at the same time!), until I leave this island!

Tonight is my sleep in, Anna, Lindsey and Juliane are staying at the centre with me, we are having cheap food and Thai wine (also cheap!).

My favourite dog, Barley, is leaving for his new home in London on Wednesday... I have just finished sewing a Union Jack onto the bandanna that he wears around his neck!

There is still no sign of Pumpkin, I will keep checking outside throughout the night, hopefully he will find his own way home.

The atmosphere at the centre has changed allot in the last few days, in my opinion it's all down to one individual, it's surprising how one person can change an environment. It's takes a certain type of person to be volunteer, there is no room, or time for selfishness, there is no reason for rudeness, and no need for drama...  We all have our reasons for been here but at the end of the day, we are all here to work for charity and help the animals... It's all about priorities, you have to get them in the right order. When priorities get muddled and manners and common courtesy are forgotten, or don't exist in a person in the first place, people can be very hard to be around... That is the situation this week.

Barley isn't the only one leaving Koh Lanta this week...For Juliane, Lindsey and I, this is our last week at the welfare centre... I refuse to let the attitude and immature behaviour of one person ruin it... The rest of the week will be about enjoying our work, watching the stars from the beach, (I'll keep checking in on the moon), laughing at each others accents and making the most of this extraordinary situation we find ourselves in... We are on a paradise island, the sun is shining, the beer is cheap, what's not to enjoy?!