Muli Bwanji

Muli Bwanji from Frangipani Tree House – Friday 13^th Sept

 

So we are here. It is our second day, but I feel like I am seeing the red African dust and the hazy blue sky for the first time as yesterday afternoon was a bit of a blur due to complete lack of sleep on the overnight flight.  Fairly uneventful except Heathrow security staff losing my shoes for quarter of an hour!

We had a whistle stop tour of Blantyre, which involved the road from the airport and the local ATM. Both tarmac. Then up to Mtsidi, and more specifically Frangipani Tree House which will be our home for the year. Definitely not tarmac, could be interesting in the rain.

So here we are. In our little two bed house, with a lounge, a kitchen, a shower and a toilet. What more do you want.

And it is hot. Really hot, about 32 degrees and I have yet to see a cloud. They tell me it is going to get hotter as well.

 

 

Sunday 15^th September

 

 We are finally connected back to the world. It was a struggle but through a local dongle and some scratch card telephone credit we are back. I have decided that I will write more accounts than post due to cost and time, so you all get to read two accounts today.  Aren’t you lucky.

So most of yesterday was spent trying to sort out the internet so we could email home, and collect my phone than needed unlocking.  It has also been wiped clean so don’t be expecting any texts!

We then picked up our little car. Which wouldn’t start having been sat for 6 weeks. So jump leads and Pam’s boss got us going.  Then as we were about to cook tea the power went out. Our friendly neighbours provided sausages, we provided eggs and over a camp fire we cooked. I could pretend I was a real African, at least for a few hours anyway.

Today we are going to the local mall (car starting dependant) to pick up some shopping, and we both start work tomorrow. Pam in the main hospital here, I have a ten minute walk to the construction site.  The charity is called Krizevac (and Pam’s hospital is Queen Elizabeth Hospital Blantyre,) if you would care to Google them. The idea is to create companies in Malawi to support the local population rather than give monetary handouts.  It should be an interesting time.

We live in a compound of around 12 houses, with the hills in the back ground and the garden spread out below us. All the houses are on high ground due to the rainy season, which judging by the road in, is going to be interesting.

 

We have also managed to carry out our first skype! It was very short due to us being on dial up with a dongle – broadband has not made it this far but it was still nice to see a little slice of home with Lisa and the boys.

 

That’s all for now, by the next post I’ll be a working man......it’s been a while!