Day to day life

I think it's probably time I posted some thoughts on what life is like in Malawi as I will be departing in just under 2 weeks now.

From my observations I would suggest that there is, I guess obviously, a large divide between the standard of living in the towns and cities and the rural communities. I'm not sure I expected it to be so wide but the reality is that Blantyre feels and acts, in the main, like a western city. There is a definite daily commute although the majority commute on foot, but there are still enough cars to get traffic jams some mornings, although again it's all relevative, as the most we have ever been delayed in about 5 minutes!

Almost everyone appears smartly dressed as it's one way for the poorer in society to blend in by making sure they look smart. Talking to the locals it's common to see that. There is still a fairly large number of people who are dressed not too smartly but they tend to be working as street cleaners so don't need to be smart. The only evidence that is visible of different levels of society is a street market near the centre of Blantyre, but even this is fairly prosperous looking.

However, when you get just a short distance from the towns and get in to the rural areas and go through a trading centre, you start to see definite signs of poverty. There are normally street markets beside the main roads and these are very dusty and dirty affairs, selling everything from shoes and clothes to freshly butchered meat. The concept of food hygiene has not made it to rural Malawi yet!

I've always made sure that I ask for my steak well done, and I think this illustrates why!

So the trading centres are actually closer to what I had imagined 'real' Africa to be but are still quite prosperous in comparison to some of the small villages I've seen, but more of that later. The trading centres are basically larger settlements that have grown up around a particular part of the country, but with no discernible reason other than, perhaps they are at the centre of many smaller villages. The picture below illustrates just how busy they can be, especially as pictured, when a bus stops. 

All the vendors that can, rush to the vehicle that's stopped and tries their best to sell something to a captive audience.

Further down the chain are the smaller villages, a little off the beaten track, where most people seem to survive purely by subsistence farming on the poor land that they have available. They will grow crops, primarily of maize, normally trying to replant the land as soon as it's been harvested although I don't know how successful the second crop is. This maize is then cut, laid out on blankets to dry, and then ground at the local mill. This, however, could be several miles away and you often see bicycles laden with 3 or 4 large sacks of maize being taken either to the mill or possibly in a really good year, to market. The really affluent amongst these villagers will even have a grain store, constructed on blocks to keep it above the ground, of reed or rush walls and roof. This means they have sufficient to see them over the lean periods so they can spend money on other items, instead of food.

Unfortunately no shots of grain stores but this is of a fairly typical small settlement seen all over the areas of Malawi that I've seen. 

Something else that is a striking difference from the UK is the transport system. There is a railway system of sorts but has not run for many years so all you see are a couple of really rusty sections of overgrown track. The road network is very good in general, and far better than I had imagined before I came out here. The main roads between the major towns are generally tarmaced although to varying degrees of coverage. If drivers in the UK were to drive over here there would be a huge outcry as potholes are a fact of life, even on the main roads that seem to have the capability of breaking even the soundest of suspension. However, the side roads are mainly not tarmaced and most people have a 4 wheel drive to cope. The most noticeable difference is the side roads in Blantyre. They are tarmaced but very potholed, and repairs consist of cramming broken bricks in the holes without bothering to compact them. Why bother when the the traffic will break them down for you! However, it's not very efficient as the bricks only last about 3 weeks before the are completely disintegrated.

Road safety is another interesting concept in Malawi. Seat belts are compulsory and if you break down, which is fairly common, you must place a warning triangle in front and behind of your vehicle. However, that's probably as sophisticated as it gets because most days there is news of another road accident with multiple deaths. It's sobering for a westerner but seems to be tolerated over here. The other very different thing is the overloading of any vehicle if at all possible. This ranges from bicycles carrying 4 or 5 crates of beer, sacks of maize as mentioned before, huge bags of charcoal and even live animals. No photos but I've seen goats and chickens carried on bikes and have also seen a photo of a pig strapped to the back of a bike.  Not very comfortable for the pig but it's probably on the way to market anyway!

Because not everyone has transport you often see people sitting on the back of lorries, and clinging to the top of piles of whatever is on the lorry as a load. 

This was a lorry I followed back from one of my day trips and is typical of this mode of transport. Another common sight is for trucks to be overloaded and seemingly very dangerous. Here is another shot of a slightly overloaded timber lorry that I passed with extreme caution.

So  a view of many different aspects to life in Malawi but the thread that runs through everything is the friendliness of the people, and as the tourist brochures say, Malawi really is the 'Warm Heart of Africa'.

Working in Malawi

A good working week to report.

Busy all week preparing and then delivering a 2 day business planning workshop to local businesses, all of whom are involved in the grain trade in some way. Many were large companies with estates, some were smaller and buying and selling grain and others were small farmers. They were all members of a trade association, who engaged us to do the training, and seem to be very positive about helping the sector to progress. I had been co-opted on to the team as one of the local consultants was taking an external exam on the second day of the workshop.

It was a tiring 2 days, but the team, expertly led by fellow Brit Mike Mytton, did a good job of engaging the various types of businesses there. From a personal perspective it was good to be able to do some client facing sessions before the end of my time out here, which is now fast approaching.

Amazingly I have less than 4 weeks before I complete my Malawi Malarkey. It seems in many ways that I have been here far longer as the routine seems normal and, whilst certainly not at the stage of being 'old hat', the first excitement of being in a vastly different place has worn away a little.

In other ways the time has flown past and I seem to have been busy since I got here, with different types of ways to spend my free time than I have experienced anywhere else. I'm lucky in that I've managed to do all the things I set out to complete, with the exception of visiting a tea plantation, but I hope to rectify that on my last weekend here. However, if I don't manage to get to the tea area, I will not worry as Malawi has given me more than enough to remember it by already!

It's a small world!

So another holiday weekend here in Malawi, but plans for an overnight stay at Majete wildlife reserve were thwarted due the lodge undergoing maintenance work and being shut. Frustrating for us but I think they are concentrating on being ready for the high season for game watching which, I think starts about July when the grasses have died back and viewing is easier.

However, being typically English people my fellow consultants and I decided that we would not be deterred and planned a day trip. Inevitably it meant being out in the midday sun, and Noel Coward was absolutely right, as we were the only people out in Majete during the day.

We booked a game drive, in a 4 wheel drive vehicle with raised seating, complete with driver and scout, who was incidentally the same guy who had scouted for us one month earlier and set off to spot game. After a slow start to proceedings we started to come across the usual array of antelopes, although the Impala were fewer than when we visited before. We discussed whether the planned introduction of lions and leopards had been brought forward, causing this demise. However, we were assured it was just too hot.

We soon spotted a herd of Zebra in the bush, quite difficult to see as they are superbly camouflaged against the various branches and leaves of the bush. An excellent example of how something seemingly so striking just seems to vanish. Nature at it's finest! I was able to get a few photos to prove we had seen them but it was a challenge that the automatic focus on the lens was only just able to cope with.

 I think this illustrates the point fairly well!

One of the certainties at Majete is viewing hippos, as they tend to just lounge around in the river all day. We arrived at the viewing area on the river bank and there were, indeed, about 15- 20 hippos in the water. Much closer to the bank we were on, was a solitary hippo who had obviously been sent to Coventry, as most of the other's had turned their backs on him. He did not seem to worry, but did take a keen interest in a bunch of Mazungu, [white European] tourists interrupting his wallowing. After much blowing of bubbles and splashing of the water, by the hippo not me you understand, we decided to move off. Just as we turned away, I caught him starting to move, quickly turned back and was rewarded with this classic hippo shot.

Definitely one for the family album.

So we traveled onwards, and visited a viewpoint looking over the mountains of neighbouring Mozambique, and to the eponymous Mt. Majete. We then returned to the main gate, feeling we had already seen a pretty good variety of game considering the time of day. However, one last surprise was in store for us. John, our scout, suddenly spotted an elephant about 40 or 50 feet away, busy defoliating a tree. We stopped and watched for a while, and once full, the elephant turned, flapped an impressive set of ears and departed back in to the bush. A great way to end the trip and we then made our own departure having had a great day in the sun.

As you may have noted, the title of this blog has nothing to do with the content. However, I could not pass this sign, near Blantyre, without taking a picture.

So you see, it is a small world!

Another day another 'green'

Well, not having posted for a while I think an update is due.

Work has suddenly got busy as we have just got 3 contracts that are starting at the same time, and all with fairly short completion dates. Obviously better than being too slack but it would be easier on resources if there was a bit more time available. Oh well, having spent a fair part of this weekend working I guess that will be the norm for a few weeks.

The 2 new consultants have settled in quickly but it seems to have put too much strain on the house. First my air con unit packed up, then one of the loos filled with boiling water, destroying all the fittings and leaking all over the floor. That was 3 days ago but still no repair. Then this morning awoke to a power cut and not hot water as it's pumped. So off to work after a cold wash and a moan because the generator has not been fixed. We've been asking for the repair for as long as I've been here, although threatening to pack up and go to a hotel and then home if it was not fixed seemed to focus minds. Repaired but no petrol, but at least we’re a step closer.  It's frustrating because it's the small things that help keep the sanity intact.

Still that’s enough bitching from me.

We had a great get together last Friday with most of the people from work. It was good to meet in a social setting and to have a few drinks and get to know a little more about everyone. We used the braai, [bbq] that we had got from the local market which worked well, although we could have done with the meat being in the marinade for a while longer as some, especially the goat was too tough. Still there was a good supply of 'greens' the local term for a bottle of beer, as 90% of all beer here is brewed by Carlsberg, and comes in green bottles. Simple really.


More Malawi Malarkey sometime soon.

Back from Liwonde and The Cape.

A belated post but just updating the trip I took over the Easter break with Jim and Ian, the other 2 UK consultants our here at the moment, to Liwonde National Park and then on to Cape McClear. Well after a fairly long drive we arrived at Liwonde and found that the accommodation we had booked had actually closed about 1 year ago! As it was about 16:00 and miles from anywhere we were, to be honest, slightly concerned but in transpired that the telephone number had been taken over by somewhere called 'The Bushman's Boab' and once we found that, we did indeed have rooms. And very good they were too, a lodge in the middle of the bush which was extremely well appointed and comfortable. Excellent food provided and a great place to stay. Always dreamt of a night in the bush and this more than lived up to expectations!

Up early and on a game drive by about 07:30. Liwonde much bigger than Majete but actually seemed to more sparsely populated. We did however, see several troops of baboons, the obligatory antelope and a couple of large elephant herds, although only at a distance. To make up for the lack of mammals we saw a varied and quite large number of birds. The most striking one was what I think was a Little bee-eater and I have included a picture below.

 An interesting few hours but, on reflection, I think I preferred Majete. So from Liwonde another drive of a couple of hours on to Cape MacClear, on Lake Malawi and a much hotter and more humid climate. Arrived in the middle of the afternoon tired and dirty so appreciated the air conditioned rooms and the cool shower in our beach front hotel. We decided after a stroll along the beach for about an hour, that we would eat at the hotel, and as it had a very well stocked bar the evening started early. I will skip the details except to say that an excellent meal was rounded off with a few whiskeys and, speaking for myself, a good night's sleep!

Next day Jim and I had booked a boat trip to a nearby island to possibly do some snorkeling and then go and see the fish eagles, the symbol of Malawi, feeding. We had expected a large sedate boat, but for some reason the Dutchman who booked as well wanted to go alone. I'm sure I showered that morning!!

Not to be denied a speedboat suddenly appeared and we were invited aboard and told we were going to pick up 2 more people and then go to the island. Sounded good and it was until about 30 yards form the shore the outboard motor cut out, and despite the attentions of all 3 crew members failed to restart. It soon became apparent that the current was drifting towards the middle of this 300 mile long lake, so we suggested that someone should swim ashore to get help. Better than that all 3 jumped off, as if abandoning ship and thankfully towed us to shore. After about another 20 minutes normal service was restored and we were on the island in no time. A great place to relax and I spent the morning reading and finishing the book I had started when I came out here. Decided against going in the water after reading that swimming in the lake was a great way to contract bilharzia [look it up] so just had a scramble round the rocks until lunch. After a lunch prepared by the crew of b-b-q'd fish and enough rice for about 20 people. most of which was cleared up by the ghekkos, we got back on the boat and went off to the eagles.  By now it was well past lunch and to be honest the eagles were really too full to be bothered going after another small fish thrown by some tourist boat. However, one greedy individual decided to play ball and the result is here.

Another good evening, but minus the whiskeys as had booked an early start to go for a walk in to the hills behind the lake. Breakfast a 07:00 and walking by about 08;00 through the village and in to the wooded slopes of the hills. After about 2.5 hours decided I had gone far enough as it was extremely hot and humid but Ian pushed on to the top and down the other side for a round trip. I came back with one of the guides and got back to the hotel after about another hour or so. Very hot and sticky so the cool shower cam in handy again.

Ian did not appear for about another hour so I was glad I did not go with him. Anyway, after lunch we started the long drive back and got back to the house at about 17:30 exhausted but happy. A good weekend and Ian, who goes home next Wednesday had a good send off.

Just off for a break [written 22nd April]

So Easter is here and the trip to Liwonde and Cape McClear. Yesterday read in the paper that the water board would be cutting off supplies in Blantyre as there was to be maintenance work on the hydro plants over the holiday so there would be insufficient water. What we did not expect was that everything would be cut at 06:00! I'm glad we are travelling away from the region as hopefully the water and power will be unaffected where we are going. But more of that later.

Another, short, working week has finished and we completed the long awaited strategy meeting on Wednesday. Some good discussions but as yet no firm actions but we are expecting the write up next week to set out something.

My working week has been taken up with some client visits and proposal writing. Some interesting sounding projects and hopeful that one, small piece of work may come off, as it's based on franchising so would be perfect for me to get in to. It could also lead to further work which would be even better. E-Newsletter is coming on and had the initial meeting on Thursday to plan the 1^st edition so at least it feels like we have made a start.

So the weekend break is upon us and writing this whilst awaiting delivery of the 4 X 4 that we have hired for the trip. Managed to get quite a bargain price as it was arranged through our 'fixer' Arthur who seems to know everybody. Looking forward to 2 chances at game drives and then a couple of days relaxing around Lake Malawi, although I'm planning to do a walk on Sunday so that may not be at all relaxing. However, I'm told the views at the top are spectacular so it should be worth it! Hopefully some more photos to post on a later blog.  

Work and Majete

Well, another working week has finished and the presentation to the large bank could have been better. They picked on the one aspect of our local team that was hard to overcome, namely the lack of experience of doing the work required. Oh well, it's all a learning curve and next time there will be a  more planned effort to field this question. We have not heard back about this but it seems unlikely we will have won the work. Some progress on getting some forward planning done, with a workshop planned for the end of May and agreement to publish an e-Newsletter, due to go live in the middle of May. Hopefully these 2 things will help generate some presence for the company, and help with additional income as well.

So to the weekend, and a visit to Majete game park, quite local so possible to complete in a day. Went with Jim, another consultant out here and arrived in the middle of the morning which was really a bit late for proper game viewing. However, we went for a game drive with John one of the rangers, complete with his automatic rifle, and he managed to find us a fairly impressive haul of wildlife. As you can see from the snap elephants were there, along with many different types of antelope, including Impala, Eland and Waterbuck. [Not sure they are all antelope, will have to check!] Also saw a fairly large herd of Zebra in the distance but they spooked as soon as they got sight of us, so no snaps! Added to that we also saw Warthogs and Water Buffalo as well as many unidentified birds flitting about. Another good sight was some 8 or 10 hippos just lazing in the middle of the Shire river, soaking up the rays in the lee of a small island. It did look remarkably cool in the river. What a difference to see these animals in a 'wild' habitat, albeit protected to a degree from poaching etc, compared to the UK safari parks. Longleat will not be the same again.  It was a really impressive set up and there is a lodge inside the park with good accommodation so may consider another visit and an overnight stay. Could then do and evening and morning game drive and see more. However, as we are visiting Liwonde, another larger game park over Easter, I may not feel the urge again. Lunched at a really great place overlooking the Shire river with excellent views and facilities. They are planning to build some rooms but funding has dried up at the moment so that will have to wait. They have not yet been open a year but are seeing a steady improvement in trade.

More of that next week and more work updates as well.