Obviously I've not had a totally normal week, but something interesting happened on Wednesday that I'll make the theme of this week's slightly more upbeat concluding entry.

For those of you who have been following events I don't need to remind you that, by and large, Monday wasn't a good day. Actually, Tuesday wasn't great either but you get the point. Anyway, come Wednesday I was still feeling a tad down to put it mildly but I had a plan to counter this i.e. send you all an e-mail and get some sympathy! I had planned on doing this late morning / early afternoon then spend the rest of my time researching possible destinations for a wee break this Christmas. (Suggestions around south east Asia are welcome, especially if you have drinking contacts to share...)

At 10.30 am there was a power cut. Nothing unusual there I hear you cry as they are quite common in this country. True I reply, but this one affected the entire city and lasted until 5pm. No power means no Internet so no e-mail. Not to be put off by this incident I had a well earned siesta. Around about mid-afternoon I decided I'd slept enough and what I really wanted was a refreshing shower. I advance manfully (work with me here) to the bathroom, turn on the taps and discover that the water is off too. So, no power, no Internet, no e-mail and no water. Arse.

A variety of reactions were available to me, many of them involving expletives or general ranting. I, however, started to smile, then chuckled a little to myself, and then said to no one and everyone in this country "You're really not going to make this easy for me are you? OK, I can live with that." That was it, not a declaration of war but an acceptance of the terms of engagement. And that was when I realised I was going to be OK.

So what does all have to do with the title? Well, back home you never give a second thought to the fact that clean water always comes out of taps and a steady supply of electricity is always just a socket away. Here in Bangladesh you can't rely on either of those being true, and as a result we have a small battery that kicks in for the fridges during power cuts and we keep dustbins filled with water in the bathroom. Just in case, as the cases happen enough to warrant such measures.

In the same way, until I was having a very tough time I didn't realise how important you all are to me. I'd always thought I was strong enough to get through anything pretty much unaided, but that was me not recognising the support and encouragement that my nearest and dearest provide without being asked to. This week I realised what I was missing, and sent you an e-mail to ask for it as otherwise you wouldn't have known I needed you. Your responses were just what I needed, they filled the gap I didn't know was there until now, and I'll always remember that.

Star people update: Wednesday night my future boss (who happened to be in Dhaka) came round to see if I was OK. We had a wee chat, he said how shocked he was, and also admitted through a sheepish little smile that he wasn't fasting for Ramadan. Thursday lunchtime after the clinic I went to the VSO office, and who should turn up but my friend Rana! He came to see if we were OK, and invited me to come and play with his volleyball team. I now have his e-mail address so will definitely sort something out. Somehow he seems to think I've played beach volleyball...

Medical update: I went to the British clinic Thursday morning to change the dressing and so was able to look at the wound. It's healing really well, and it's neither as long nor as far down my forehead as I'd feared. They even mentioned a cream I can use to improve the cosmetic aspect of the scar which I admit, without fear of being called vain, was bothering me. The next step is having the stitches out on Sunday morning. In the meantime the swelling on my forehead (i.e. fluid, but don't ask me what exactly and where it comes from) is draining away nicely, and as I type is half way past my right eye. This morning my eye was completely shut but after an hour or so upright the fluid had bowed to gravity and was gathering in bags under my eyes. Not fetching I grant you but it'll only last a few more days.