Blogs from Malawi, Africa - page 22

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Africa » Malawi » Southern » Zomba November 27th 2012

Geo: -15.3891, 35.32C'est moins affriolants que de plus grands primates (quoi que ça dépend lesquels…), mais ça correspond assez à une visite des montagnes de Zomba ! Cinq minutes de marche dans le brouillard, puis une heure sous la pluie (et en Afrique, quand il pleut, il pleut) avant de retrouver un temps plus clément.Toujours est-il que les superbes points de vue du petit et du grand pic se sont limités à une vaste grisaille humide à 360°. L'Afrique restant ce quelle est, ce fut aussi l'occasion de s'immerger dans sa flore et sa faune si riche. Les cris d'oiseaux se mêlant à ceux des singes, les deux se laissant accessoirement apercevoir. A un niveau plus terre à terre, seules les scolopendres pullulaient. Pas trace de mambas de divers coloris qui, semble-t-il, restent dans un... read more
Point de vue
Après l'incendie
Premier babouin

Africa » Malawi » Southern » Zomba November 26th 2012

Geo: -15.3891, 35.32... read more

Africa » Malawi » Central » Kasungu November 25th 2012

SMILE: I've had a much needed rest this weekend! I was clearly suffering heat exhaustion and now I've started to eat again thank fully. I reckon I've lost at least half a stone as my trousers are just hanging in there! CRY: the hotel contact me to tell me I can't stay after Thursday as the hotel is fully booked. They didn't tell me this when I checked in and told them which dates I wanted. So back to square one. Rather than focussing just on work tomorrow, yet again I have to go hotel hunting. Plus I have to withdraw my daily allowance from the bank machine to pay for this hotel before they chuck me out. I PRAY the machines are working! I'm going to remain positive though. This weekend I've spent typing up ... read more
My bathroom

Africa » Malawi » Central » Lilongwe November 25th 2012

Geo: -13.9808, 33.7721... read more

Africa » Malawi » Central » Kasungu November 23rd 2012

Anybody who knows me well knows I wear my heart on my sleeve…. What a week! I haven’t written anything since Tuesday because I’ve not had Internet access of course but also because I’ve been really quite ill. I’ve been suffering heat exhaustion and also I’m sure I’m having a reaction to my Malaria medication. I’ve been extremely weak and unable to eat and sleep. The heat has been unbearable and there has been no relief from it. Generally they don’t use fans anywhere here let alone air conditioning. When I shower (water depending) I get out and within 5 minutes my skin is clammy again. Getting dressed is such an effort. If I manage to get to sleep I am woken with sweat dripping off me. When I’ve been working my clothes are wet which ... read more

Africa » Malawi » Central » Kasungu November 19th 2012

It’s unfortunate that I’ve not been able to get a dongle so you’re going to get these blogs all in one go! Woke this morning to no electricity and water! Surprise! Also gasping for a drink as they ran out of bottled water last night. I hear the tap water is fine (if there is any) if not get get it from a bore hole, so I don’t want to take any chances. I was served breakfast, cornflakes and milk. Errrmmm I don’t think I’ll be taking the milk as I know there has been no electricity in town since Saturday and I haven’t seen any cows around here. I arrived at work at 8.30am with the anticipation of a bottle of water waiting for me as I’d asked Gentry to bring me one. Charles, who ... read more
Charles locking up

Africa » Malawi » Central » Kasungu November 18th 2012

I’m writing in the evening, we still have no electricity and haven’t had water all day. Thankfully they’ve put on a generator for a couple of hours which allows us some charging of devices and cooking! I’m not the only one wanting to charge devices, Erin has 3 mobile phones! I did ask why but didn’t really get a response! Still no water though L Today I was going to wash clothes so that stumped me. I don’t really know what I spent the morning doing – oh yes – plucking up the courage to go out. I did venture out. As soon as I stepped out of the guest house a group of men were calling me over. Oh great, deep breath Sonya. As I passed they said ‘come here’ I said ‘no thank you’ ... read more

Africa » Malawi » Central » Kasungu November 17th 2012

Gentry and Blessings found me the best resthouse to stay in. When I said I really liked it I heard Blessings breath a sigh of relief. It’s an example of how hospitable and caring they really are. It’s very clean and well presented. Erin the guest house lady is so very welcoming and kind. Although, I’ve learnt not to trust anything that’s attached to a wall! Oh and having power is a privilege too! Tonight the power has been off for 3 hours already. Thankfully my laptop is charged! During my chat with Erin she asked me ‘How’s Kate Middleton and do I like Mr Cameron’. We chatted for a while about life in Malawi and made some comparisons to the UK. I asked Erin what wild animals she’d seen in Malawi and I was astonished ... read more
Walk to work
The first guest house
Blessings and Gentry

Africa » Malawi » Central » Kasungu November 16th 2012

I truly believed I’d have nothing interesting to write about until I settled in and perhaps started working. I couldn’t have been more wrong, after 3 very long boring, cold and very uncomfortable flights I’m plunged into the ways of Malawi! I have to say I didn’t enjoy my journey here because it was my first time travelling alone so I was extremely anxious. I didn’t realise how much until I met Gentry, who I will be working, and his big friendly smile and warm welcome made me breath a huge sigh of relief. He said that we were to travel by private vehicle to the bus depot to catch public transport. The bus depot is a where buses stop on the side of a sandy road. Clapped out mini buses (approx the size of a ... read more
Bus breaks down

Africa » Malawi » Southern November 14th 2012

Following the "flash mob" craze of 2009/2010, I always secretly dreamed of being part of a flash mob myself. There was one flash mob in particular that inspired me the most, which was organized by a volunteer in Haiti following the 2010 earthquake: http://youtu.be/1Bm2UBQQdX0. This past week, I was finally able to accomplish this life-goal, thanks to the help of a few other PIH volunteers/staff members and a whole hoard of Malawian children. With World AIDS Day only a few weeks away, a group of fellow PIH-ers and I decided to create a flash mob here in Neno as a 'challenge' to other global health groups working around the world. The song, we decided, would be Taio Cruz's "Dynamite." After a few days of choreographing and practicing, we finally decided to institute our flash mob during ... read more
Dance-off 'challenge' sign
...more dancing :)




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