Another Fab Holiday

I'm still recovering from nearly 3 weeks with my nephews, Joe, Allan and Kevin. We had a superb holiday and I think we were all knackered at the end of it. If saying goodbye to friends is bad its worse saying goodbye to family, that is the downside of having visitors. However my next visitors arrive in 4 weeks and I'm really looking forward to seeing them. I'm planning that trip at present and hope to spend all the time in Malawi.

When the boys arrived we went to the Lake to one of the more lively places, although it was only us and a VSO friend and her Dad and his friend that were there. Meeting the others was unplanned but great fun. We went snorkeling, watched the fish eagles and the boys jumped off the boulders at Otter Point into the water. It was Kate's birthday so we had cocktails, I had to tell the barman how to make them, and birthday cake. The place we stayed was Cape McClear which was where Livingstone set up his first mission in Malawi. They had to move from there because of the malaria.

We went to my home after the Lake where we had a BBQ with other friends and the boys sampled the delights of a Malawian night club "G String". I acted as chauffeur that night. We returned to Lilongwe, our departure point for a trip to Zambia. David, a fellow VSO, and his sister came on the trip. Although I did almost the same trip 6 weeks before it was a totally different experience. We were camping or staying in basic chalets this time and the food was not as good but it was 35% of the cost of the other trip so no complaints. The road journey is long and hard but worth it. We saw most of the animals that we wanted to see and had an action packed time a Victoria Falls. 2 of the boys did a free fall jump from 6,000 feet, 2 of us did a microlite flight and we all nearly died rafting down the Zambezi. Of course we were not rafting at the point we nearly drowned we had been thrown from our raft and were being pulled down into the whirlpools, even being caught under the raft was preferable to the whirlpools. We had booked a helicopter to take us back which flew inside the gorge and zig zagged above the river. That night we went on a boat safari that was a bit more sedate.

On our return to Malawi we spent another night in Lilongwe then returned to Malosa before the boys had to leave. It was all over too quickly. I've been back at work for a week, I thought that the students were going to the mental hospital last week but it has been delayed for a week, so I'll be working there for the next 3 months.

The flights to CapeTown from the UK over the festive period are crazy. I think Jean and I can make other holiday plans when I get back at less than half the price. That will also have the advantage of including my other school mates. So I'm re thinking Christmas and the New Year, the sales are very tempting, I dream of a real shopathon.

The kittens are over 6 weeks now and absolutely gorgeous. They are making for the door every time it opens. They can now climb up onto the chairs and may be able to get out of the window. I have become part of the apparatus in the playground that my living room has become. They scatter any paper that they find, that includes clearing shelves, the paper is great for playing with, they play fight all the time then all crash out simultaneously.

My poultry farming is not so good, how could it be when I initially bought cockerels as opposed to layer? Some of the eggs have hatched but the cockerel has been damaging the eggs by standing on them and killing the chicks by standing on them. I don't think he means to he is just trying to shag the chickens. I have tried to separate them. I had 4 live chick yesterday but only 1 this morning hopefully there will be more.

I received 3 boxes from home, 1 had taken 10 months and 2 had taken 9 months. There is still one missing from last July. There were seeds in one of the boxes so there is a lot more planting going on. I am very happy to share my harvests with people but recently most of the veg has been taken before I get a chance to sample it, hopefully that will change.

I'm still working on the Internet project in the college. It would help if I was not so retarded in that area but it would appear that I am best informed in the college. I keep trying and the college keep hoping. All the letters and cards from home keep me going. I really appreciate all the contact. I hope everyone is well, keep in touch.