Last Year - a recap of 2014

I usually make a post at the end of each year that recaps the year's posts on my blog. Better late than never. Here is an overview of the posts from 2014.

January started the year with a plan to be optimistic and smile. February continued along the same lines.

March was rainy which made it difficult to drive, but later in the month there were signs of spring. I hit the milestone of 25 years living in Libya. 

In April there were general strikes in Tripoli that caused lots of traffic congestion and not much else. There were shortages of gasoline and the announcement that subsidized petrol would soon be limited (still hasn't happened). I spent time at home with the kids, our pets, the garden and doing some decorating.

May found the people of Tripoli still suffering from a shortage of gasoline. I had a rather scary adventure when I went to fill up my car - a crazy man with a machete next to the pumps. We managed to fill up the tank and get away.

In June there were more petrol shortages which made getting the kids back and forth to school for exams difficult. We began stocking up for Ramadan. Power cuts were a continual problem, but my garden was looking lovely!

July was hot with temperatures soaring to nearly 50 degrees Celsius. Ramadan was here and we tried our best to be patient with the continued power cuts and petrol shortages. By this time the security situation in Tripoli was so bad that my daughter was told not go to the office (more than 6 months later, she still can't go back). Fighting in the distance was so bad that our house constantly rattled and shook. Tripoli International Airport was destroyed in the fighting. Some positive news was that Nalut, a Libyan town in the western mountains was voted one of the most beautiful places in the world for mountain bikers. Some of my photographs of Nalut were used on the Mpora website.  To break up the monotony we spent time in the garden, playing with our pets and at night we started hunting scorpions aided by an ultraviolet flashlight and a pair of barbecue tongs - we caught hundreds of them!

In August Libya witnessed the mass exodus of foreign workers and Libyans as the fighting continued. Embassies (including my own) and companies closed as the situation continued to deteriorate. Thousands of people were crossing the borders on a daily basis. Petrol and electricity issues continued and the stocks dwindled in supermarkets. I posted an ominous looking photo I took of burning fuel tanks that damaged by the ongoing fighting. News reports started referring to the conflict as a civil war.  There was a guest post on my blog - an update to a previous post regarding inheritance rights and the rights of women married to Libyans.  

September marked my blogaversary - my blog turned 10 years old, I celebrated a decade of blogging. Power cuts continued and Libya remained unstable. I posted a fun story about Libyan logic.

In October things started to quiet down in Tripoli. We prepared for the upcoming Eid festivities. I posted about the continued clean up of unexploded ordnance that is at a site located near my home - some positive news for a change! I had another 'interesting' adventure at the gas station.

In November I had some work in Tunis so had a quick 3 day break from Libya. I counted my blessings and enjoyed Thanksgiving.

December - another year gone by. Libyans prayed for rain and then there was a deluge. Fighting continued in Libya although Tripoli was quiet and people went about their business. The usual power cuts were never ending. Libya had fallen into uncertainty - two (or more ) governments, the threat of ISIS, unemployment was high and the costs of goods and services was rising. The Central Bank announced that there was not enough money to pay salaries in 2015. Libyans live in a state of limbo. 

Phew.... what a year! Let's hope 2015 brings peace to Libya.