tea estates, family holidays and birthday parties

Well the diesel arrived and off we set in Jurie's luxury mobile - it was a gorgeous time away. The tea estate was lush and lime green with new shoots and the tea fields stretched up the mountains all around as far as you could see. It was cold and misty and we wore our only pairs of jeans and jackets for three days in a row. Went for long walks on the roads through the tea fields and pockets of indigenous forests and ate like kings (again there were cooks on hand!) and had tea brought through to the sitting room on a trolley as we lounged about in front of a huge fire and read while the kids coloured in (still a favourite pastime) and played lego (essential travel companion - they even played it in the car). It was a real break and felt like another world.
(It is another world - the workers all but salute you as you pass and wear absolute rags and tatters while the owners live in gorgeous mansions and drive about in flash 4x4s and play golf at the country club. They have a glossy printed leaflet in the house telling you they do such a lot for their workers - like provide protective clothing in the factory(!) and a clinic, but really one wants to say "Oh put a sock in it and just pay your workers a bit more! Their houses don't even have doors and it's freezing there! - Felt very socialist, but still loved our time there - amazing how one can suspend one's morals!!)
Then went on a meandering route homeward via the magnificent Mulanje mountain and Polombe to Zomba Forest Lodge where we again ate the most magnificent fillet and veg and had roaring fires and hot water bottles in the bed. You can buy strawberries, raspberries, gooseberries, mulberries and grenadillas on the mountain road up Zomba - we got terribly excited. Have frozen them and intend to make delicious smoothies for breakfasts!
Today was Ben's birthday and party. Had all the local kids over and provided biscuits, orange chips and sweeties and a chocolate cake and they ate themselves silly and had a great time. Got James the carver to make Tintin and Captain Haddock and Snowy for Ben and I painted and varnished them yesterday - they look splendid and Ben has played with them all day. Shall affix a pic.
All exhausted now - Bush and Eddie have passed out but Ben and Buj are still jorling about with Tintin...
Toodle pip

biharzia pills and the aquisition of things

Hello all
Not much excitement here in the tropics at the moment - camps are all 100% full which is busy for us and so not much else can go on.
Our most adrenalin-pumping moment came when we had to dose all the children (and ourselves) for Bilharzia. I have no idea why it has never occurred to the pharmaceutical companies that children might need treatment (even more than adults as they spend more time swimming in the shallows) and that a huge, extremely bitter pill is completely impossible to force down their throats - surely a syrup could have been concocted?
Ben was a star and got it down when bribed with a chocolate (he has a rabid sweet tooth and finally even has some fat on him after all the treats and white bread kids get in these parts!), but Eddie was made of sterner stuff and clenched his teeth and screamed fit to explode and reduced me to tears (again - same last year!). Tried crushing it with honey, but he vomited it all over me in disgust.
Eventually I had wait a day, crush the tab and carefully put it into 3 emptied vitamin capsules, which I rolled in condensed milk and we forced him to swallow - better, but still a horror. But his pride when he got them down was palpable - he rushed about telling everyone in his glee.

Oh well it is now three days later and life got very very very busy (guests, guests guests!) - can only be good for the coffers! Every single kayak we own is rented out and on the water today (and yesterday) as it is a long weekend here in Malawi (today is Independence Day! - bye bye brits (though there are many still around!)

Gosh, well that was 5 days ago, so time has flown this week. We had two lovely families from Noordhoek on Domwe, which was fab as we went out there for lunch one day, took them to Monkey Bay market the next and to Mumbo for lunch the day after that. It was splendid to have such good company and so many things to do. Plus we have old family friends staying on Mumbo so have done lunch there twice in a row - feel very sociable!
Also, the truck finally arrived from CT bearing gifts from home - what a joy! I felt like it was my birthday and Christmas twice over. My stocks of dark chocolate are looking like a squirrels hoard as it settles in for the winter months - and my endorphins are now replenished. Feelin' good!

I have attached pics of our "mall" and the wares available for purchase so you will understand my joy at the arrival of the truck from home. But also how nice it is to shop in such a quaint place where the vendors are all friendly and life is simple. Also a pic of our ladies walking group - we go some afternoons at 4ish - hell, do those gals stride! I have to jiggle away behind them most of the time - and compare our walking shoes!!

Then I discovered a horrible old box under the stairs in Jurie's office and when I opened it it was full of gorgeous beauty industry samples: little vials of unguents and potions to rejuvenate the tired old mortal coil - what a thrill! He said they had been there more than a year and no-on knew how or why they had ever ended up with us - so needless to say, I have found them a home. I now have stocks of fab potions (albeit in 2ml tubes!) to last me the year - I shall be glowing when next you set an eye on me!

Now, this weekend we were supposed to go off on our long-awaited family hol, but events conspire against us in these things and so today there is no diesel left in Malawi. #$$*$!!*(&: - if you know what I mean.)
Am just hanging on to my last shred of optimism that it will arrive tonight as we sleep soundly to the strains of the only cd next door. I have actually forked out good money to buy my own copy of the thing so that I can always evoke this year. When we return I shall have a Malawi night at home where you can all come to dinner (I'll have to hire someone to cook in true Malawian colonial fashion - we don't go there) and I shall put the cd on repeat at volume 20 and you can all get a feel of things.

Ok you are probably sick of me by now so cheerio.