Water, water,

Everywhere but not a drop to drink. Never a truer word spoken. Through a combination of Blantyre Water Board and our own bore hole pump breaking down we have had no water now for five days. That is apart from the swimming pool. We are using the hot water as sparingly as possible but it is proving exceptionally annoying as we are not really set up for not having water. No large containers and no real place to go and collect any from. It is a good job we are going on holiday tomorrow. 

Tuesday and Wednesday were spent trying to resolve the canopy saga. We are getting there albeit slowly, but I am hoping to have the solar system up and running before I leave. Wow how arrogant am I – in four months time I will have created a new solar system – no what I actually meant is the 120 solar panels we are trying to install, but I am sure you all knew that. 

Wednesday arrived and so did Mum and Dad! Woo Hoo and they were laden with cheese, chocolate, wine and British newspapers!! Even if they are a week old it is so nice reading a proper paper. Everyone in our volunteer village is very excited and some are already doing the rounds (paper rounds geddit!). 

Settled into the lodge with the somewhat eccentric French bloke we began their adventure.

Thursday was work and Blantyre, although I had forgotten that the childrens centre were on a training day and was therefore shut. Not to worry, we investigated the construction side of everything, which let’s be honest is much more exciting. Then we went for a walk round the shops of Blantyre – both of them ha ha. No, we did do quite a bit of the city then on to one of my favourite haunts – La Caverna – for a well-deserved coffee. Thursday was rounded off with rugby and a few drinks – just me, Mum and Dad don’t play rugby, they are more spectators. 

Friday came along with Jack. So Jack is the dog that we rescued from deaths door and her owner was travelling with the most of Blantyre and the rest of our little compound to Cape McClear for the weekend. So we dog proofed the house and then Majete was next on the list and after dropping Pam off in work we set off down the Chilaka road. But it being Good Friday hadn’t taken into account the number of churches and church processions that would be blocking the road. We were ushered passed them by the police. It then got worst when we came across a police block. The officer stood in the middle of the road and stopped us and the car in front. He then, using the aid of his arms waved us towards the hills in the far distance, indicating we needed to go all the way round. Either it was an accident or another church thing had shut the only road. So the car in front, and us, turned off up this dodgy dirt track. The car in front thought better of it, but I with my Jeremy Clarkson hat on carried out as it got narrower and steeper and steeper and narrower. Eventually, with no clear idea of where we were going, we valiantly gave up and turned round. 

 

The road that defeated us (Note Dad did not get out)

 

Where, upon returning to the tarmac road some forty minutes later watched a car drive past us up to the road block and then got waved through. Eh? I then drove up to the waiting policeman where the conversation went something like;

‘There you are, I wondered where you were going.’

‘What? I thought you shut the road and were diverting us round?’

‘No I just wanted to check your license.’

‘CENSORED’

 

Our 'diversion'. The tarmac is by the blue house.

 

So Mum and Dad got to see a little more of the wilderness that is rural Malawi. And when we did get to Majete we saw Kudu, Impala, Waterbuck, Bush buck, warthogs, hippos and an elephant that I very nearly drove into. Don’t ask how you manage to not see an elephant, they can be deceptively quiet and stealthy when they want to be.

 

Butter wouldn't melt my arse! note the long lead where she was tied to next doors window.

 

On returning to the house I discovered it was not as ‘Jack Proof’ as I thought. I had forgotten to remove the DVD collection. Luckily the boxes, for the most part, held up to the abuse. Sadly one disc did fall victim to puncture wounds and is now in the DVD player in the sky – but we had already watched it. Saturday we spent around our compound trying to tire the dog out. It didn’t really work – being a 6 month old puppy means you have a lot of energy. The locals also think it is hilarious when a white person takes a dog on a lead for a run – almost as funny as when you turn a corner to find some local stray dogs there and prepared to defend their territory causing the said dog to bolt dragging its unfortunate keeper along with it.

Saturday night we went out and painted the town with a trip to the local jazz bar. It’s not really jazz and it’s not just a bar but we got the best of both worlds with the live local band on stage at one end and match of the day on the tv screen just by us. Happy days. I even recognised some of the Malawi songs they were playing!

 

Easter display of Guliwamkulu at Zomba - nice weather

 

Sunday came and the weather, which up until then had been good, went. Fourth time to Zomba and the fourth time it rained and we saw nothing. Well we saw my boss and his family but that wasn’t really what we were after. But once more mum and dad got to see a little bit more of Malawi life and the countryside. And the road system! Sunday they also moved hotels into the very posh and nice Mount Soche where we left them on Monday to relax and sit by the pool watching all the Malawian weddings come passed for their photos, then we were supposed to take them to our favourite restaurant in Blantyre – L’Hostaria – but either because it was bank holiday Monday or just every Monday it was shut. But we have possible found our new favourite restaurant in Blantyre in the form of Casa Mia. Very very nice steaks.

Shortly Pam and I will be testing out how nice the Mount Soche is when we go and use the shower, unless the water miraculously comes back on in the next half an hour. Can’t see it personally but you never know.

This week will be mostly spent sitting on a beach, playing golf and trying my hand at water skiing.

Tune in next week to hear how badly I smashed my face into the water at a pathetic 15 mph!

STATMAN

 

How silly I felt having found out the diversion was anything but – 8/10

Number of restaurants visited since M&D have arrived – 6

Papers I have read – 3

Crosswords completed – 0

Crosswords attempted – 2 (one is cryptic to be fair)

Magazines received – 8 (Mum’s bag was definitely over the weight limit)

Road trips taken – 2

Number of bands seen – 2 (one at the jazz bar and the Harry Krishnas(sp) at the airport on arrival. Very weird)