another week...

13^th January 2014

Well well well. Another week has flown by. We were both back to work after the Christmas holidays and I would like to say new year and new challenges but it’s more chimodsiemodsie (same same).

But fear not good reader we have some updates and new experiences to share with you. You’ll be glad to hear that the rains are here and relatively constant. Each afternoon the heavens open to various degrees. And the maize is growing.

Wednesday we ventured out to a ‘Jazz Bar’. It was not so much jazz as reggae but it was a nice air conditioned venue with tables and chairs where you could sit down at. Although the 12.30 finish on a school night was less advised and tiredness was an issue on Thursday.

Friday I met Pam for lunch and we decided to visit a little café round the corner from the hospital. Nothing very exciting until over Pam’s head I spotted a spider. Now this was no ordinary spider, this was an African spider – that means it’s bloody big. Although the legs were long they were spindly but the body was about the size of a ping pong ball. Naturally I calmly pointed out to the women folk, ‘stand clear ladies there is an arachnid afoot’…..and I would never say anything along the lines of…’@#$%^$# crap look at the size of that spider,’ making them all jump and scream. J We also concluded by the biohazard black and yellow markings that it was extremely poisonous.

Anyway the owner came over and had a look and screamed and went and got a Malawian. When asked the question (and they do this all the time!) what’s that he said with a straight face ‘a spider!’.

Anyway they got a trust broom and knocked it down where he could pick it up and show it to us (don’t worry he had his protective latex gloves on because they will easily stop a spider bite.) He even put it down for a photo shoot before picking it up again and placing it in the incinerator.

After carefully combing Google we have concluded it was one of the black widow family.

Saturday was mostly spent at the airport waiting for Pam’s admin woman who is checking up on her, although Danni is now my new best friend after she brought me some Port from South Africa!

And Sunday we walked up Mount Mulanje to a rock pool. With lots of ants and orchids. It was extremely humid but we made it. The sad thing was that the water level was very high and the guide looked a little worried but we stayed in the shallows until it began to rain again at which point the guide told us there may be a flash flood so we all got out.

Us with the waterfall behind

 

Monday I spent my time between my new favorite café La Caverna and the Malawi Blantyre library (above the café!) and I have now well and truly started my third novel.

 

Also I have had a little taste of home. So we have had two new volunteers came out and so I have just drunk a cup of tea with a CAdbury's brunch bar. And we have 43% of our bundle for the internet left over so I am sitting here writing and posting this whilst listening to Simon Mayo Drivetime. Three word Tuesday - Sweating in Malawi!

 

STATMAN

Hours to take to die if bitten by Brown Button Spider – 24

Most entertaining reggae song – Tina Turners ‘What’s love got to do with it’

A bottle of Port – 195 Rand

Flights from Jo’burg to Blantyre – 200pounds

Being able to drink Port with my cheese – PRICELESS!

Cost of coffee in La Caverna – 400 Kwacha (50p)

Amount of Coffee – 4 cup cafetiere