Into the second week of the parents visit to the current
motherland of Malawi.
When we were wondering where we would (7 word alliteration) take
Mum and Dad for their day trips we thought what could be a better example of
the untamed rugged landscape of Africa that than afternoon tea on a tea estate.
Okay so it is more colonial African than untamed Africa but it was jolly nice
anyway. We stopped off at Game Haven on the way, a nice game park and country
club (we know how Mum and Dad roll!) for a spot of morning coffee. Had a nice
chat with owner ( I play rugby with him) and had a stroll around the estate
seeing what animals we could see – Impala, Eland and a few birds.
Then we arrived at Satemwa – we had been here previously but
thought it was so nice we would return. And so we indulged in an afternoon of
sitting down drinking tea, eating triangular sandwiches, truffles, tarts, cake
and of course the seasonal hot cross bun.
Could Dad be any more laid back?
But to maintain a healthy lifestyle
we did embark on some light exercise in the form of none other than croquet. I
tell you all we needed was some union jack bunting and a bit of morris dancing
and we could have been in a village in the English countryside….apart from the
weather.
Men watching balls.
It was an absorbing encounter with momentum swinging first
one way then the other and eventually after a hard fought, and not always
legal, battle I am glad to announce that the team of Dawson\Dawson won. Second
place were Dawson\Dawson.
There may also have been some strolling around the garden!
But, and in a massive improvement from last time, the staff also provided us
with some anti-bug spray and we came in trousers (well I did) and so, while we
ate to our hearts content, the Thylo flies did not!
Suitably rested and relaxed Wednesday we embarked on the
trip oop north to the Lakeside resort of Makokola Retreat.
Our little cottage at the beach.
Well what can one say. I have been to Brighton, I have been
to Scarborough, but this, this was way up there.
No caption needed.
We arrived in time for lunch and then the first afternoon
was terrible. We sat on the beach with nothing to do but relax and read our books
and enjoy the food and drink. This was disturbed only by the occasional dip in
the pool, a crystal clear 30m pool.
Beach - check. Pool - check. Bar - check. Sun -check!
Not content with our punishment we decided to repeat the
routine on Thursday as well, only this time we watched the fish eagles feeding,
and the Kingfishers fishing.
Me in the foreground, Dad in the background.
Each night the bar staff moved the restaurant to different
areas of the lodge, the veranda, the beach, and we would sit and eat our food
and count the number of fishing boats with their lights on in the darkness.
The lights behind the palm leaf are fishing boats out on the lake.
Friday Mum, Dad and I decided to be extremely energetic and
play golf! A little nine hole course round the corner. We were met at the
office by the manager and were offered a range of clubs to use – some were even
recognisable as golf clubs! It was not the best selection but they were serviceable.
Purchasing balls and tees was our next hurdle – we only had
around 10 balls to choose from and about 5 tees. 5 balls and 2 tees were
purchased – it was a par 3 course what could possible go wrong!
Well one we hadn’t factored into the equation Dad’s ability
to hit ball and tee. First tee shot – first tee lost.
Note the large pond behind.
The course itself had challenges as well – mostly in the
form of fairways that would count as deep rough on most other courses and a lot
of water. Our caddies earned their fee just by combing through the undergrowth
find our scattered balls and we were fine until the 7th where I delicately
laid up into a pond and Dad aggressively drove for the green only to fall short…into
the pond.
The 8th was even more hazardous. With so much
water around it was inevitable.
He lived in it!
Crocodile negotiated and hole boggied we finished up and
returned to the safety of the Lodge.
Not content with golf I decided that I would take advantage
of the water equipment on offer. Pam and I went out in a giant pedalo tricycle
thing – which looked way more fun than it actually was, our knees banged on the
steering bar so we opted for a little sea canoe thing – or should that be lake
canoe!
A damn sight easier than the pedalo!
The following day Pam decided she wanted to have a go at
golf and so we returned to the scene of the crime and she played a full round –
except the water bits where I may have helped out. BUT, but, on the 8th,
there was no croc this time, she decided to go for it. Tee shot straight across
the water, bounced off a drain cover. Second shot lovely little run up onto the
green for a two putt – 4 on a par 3 for her first ever game of golf – not bad!
You only live once and when I saw this on the available things
to do, well you just have to don’t you.
Just like in the movies.....
Water skiing. It took me a while to get the hang of standing
up but once up I was away. Up and down the beach – that was until my arms and
back began to burn with the strain – at which point I decided to start trying
stuff out on the basis that if I fell off at least I would get a break. Waving
and jumping over the wash was the highlights! And it is another one off the
list of things done.
Hiya!
Sunday was a day of driving – first we cruised up to Mua
Mission for a quick look at the carvings and masks and had a quick drink. Then
we continued up (first time up) the good ol’ S127 to Dedza pottery to have
lunch and to a bit more shopping before the long drag back to Blantyre.
Yesterday was a bit of a spare day so Dad and I decided to
continue the theme and play a round of golf at Blantyre sports club. It is
known locally (at least to the bloke in the coffee shop) as the goat track and
you can see why. Up and down, down and up. A lot of the holes play across the
pretty rank stream that runs through the course. So much so that some of the
holes you are driving blind over huge trees to a sloping fairway on the other
side that you cannot see. But it was a good way to spend the morning and we only had to avoid monkeys on this course!
A few more shopping trips completed in the afternoon and that pretty much rounds of the parents trip. We are taking them out for a last meal tonight before they continue their hols tomorrow with the onward journey to Zimbabwe and Victoria Falls. We drop back into the mundane living and working in Africa! J
STATMAN
Number of balls lost – 7 (3 in Makokola, 4 Blantyre)
Best score – I managed three pars on BT course. Pam’s bogey
on the 8th was by far the best of any of us (considering it was her
first game!)
Crocodiles on Mak Course – 5 (only 1 seen)
Kingfishers seen – well over 10
Fish Eagles seen – 5
Photos Mum took before getting one of a woman with a pot on
her head – at least 30
Times Dad said ‘there’s one’ as we drove past said woman with
pot on her head, too late for Mum to photograph – at least 30
Times it took me to stand up skiing – 3 (up on the 3rd)
Subsequent times I fell in – 1
Muscles that ached on Monday – more than I knew I had!!! My
back was almost frozen.
Kuche Kuche’s Dad drank – enough – so much so that the
waiter offered him one at breakfast!
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