Saved From Hell

My last African adventure, to Kenya, was a exceptional experience. I saw everything I wanted to, had excellent accommodation any my own private guide. The pinnacle of the trip was my hot air balloon ride over the Maasi Mara. We lifted off in time to see the sun rise over the savannah and eventually landed just before we crossed into Tanzania. We were then taken for a champagne bush breakfast, right up my street, I was half cut drinking champagne by 08.45 and had to start on the orange juice.

The trip started off at Lake Nakuru where the water looked pink from a distance. The pink was the flamingos. Although most people visit there to see the birds the animal wildlife is prolific too. I saw my first rhinos and colobus monkeys there. I also saw lions, buffalo, baboons, different antelopes and many more animals. When I went to bed that night I found a hot water bottle in my bed, clearly they didn't know I was Scottish and quite hardy, however it was appreciated, although I was less than 40 miles from the equator, I was high up and it was chilly at night.

I saw an archaeological site marked on the map close to Nakuru and asked the driver to make a detour there. It was an added bonus to visit this 5,000 year old site where evidence of a settlement, hill fort and burial site have been excavated. It was very similar to sites in the UK.

My next stop was Lake Naivasha where I had a boat trip, to see more wildlife and where "Out of Africa" was filmed. I had planned to got to Hell's Gate to see the amazing rocks and canyons, which made people think it was the gate to hell. However it began to rain quite heavily and I decided to give it a miss. I spoke to some people who went that afternoon and they were caught in flash floods and mud slides and had to scale the canyon walls to get out. Maybe spending too much time at the Naivasha Country Club drinking wine and eating was not such a bad idea.

The last part of the trip was to the Maasi Mara. My luxury cabin looked out over the plains of the Mara, I think I was up graded. When it has been dry the Maasi herdsmen are allowed to graze their cattle on the Mara. My first night there there were herds of cattle close to my cabin. The draw back was the hyenas howling in pursuit of the cattle and the Maasi herdsmen banging metal plate and yelling to chase the hyenas away. This happened several times overnight. The next night was a lot quieter but I don't think I would have heard anything after my balloon trip, champagne breakfast then my six hour safari followed by a massage, a shower then cocktails and dinner. Hot water bottles were also provided there.

The Maasi Mara was everything I hoped for. I saw where the wilderbeast cross the Maasi river to the Serengetti, the wilderbeast are already massing on the Mara. I saw cheetah, including one with her cub, a lion with his kill eating his fill before he would let the lionesses have a share, hyena, jackals, bat eared foxes, ostriches and many many more animals and birds. It was a fabulous trip. On the flight home, from 36,000 feet you could see Lake Natron in Tanzania with pink all round its shores from the flamingos.

On my return to Malawi there was more wildlife. My neighbour was having his garden cleared and 2 green mambas appeared and were killed outside my house. They are so deadly even the animal loving Rastas kill them. Shoes, the land crocodile, is also back.

I've just been on my last trip to the Lake for a VSO meeting. The Lake has risen so much, from the amount of rain, that it is threatening property. I could not swim because of the wind and the waves. I took the car to a garage on the way to the meeting because of a rattling back door only to be informed there was nothing wrong with the door but that I had "no shocks". They were wrong, I had a big shock when I was told how much it would cost to replace the shock absorbers. I had to leave the car for repair. The car was repaired but it also had added mileage and lack of fuel when I picked it up. At least the rattle has gone and the car is safe to drive.

I've now less than 3 weeks in Malawi. Although I'm really looking forward to coming home it will be a difficult time saying goodbye to so many people who have given friendship and support over the last 2 years. 2 new VSO are taking Harry. I know she will be well looked after but I will be very sad to give her away. I'm trying to give away all my belonging to the most appropriate people. It is very difficult because everyone wants everything. The chickens are laying so well now it would be pity to make a meal of them when others can benefit from the eggs after I have gone. I'm buying goats for local people who have helped me so they can have some sustainable form of income after I leave. I'm also continuing to support education for orphans after I leave.

Hopefully my 2 years here has done a little to help. For me it has been a fantastic professional personal experience. Although the role I thought I was coming here to do did not really exist I have been able to use my skills and knowledge to support the college and students and community in different ways. I never thought I would end up working in a mental hospital in Malawi and it is where I feel I have made the biggest impact. I have recently done some in service for the college tutors, I've worked on collating presentations, articles and guidelines to make an electronic package to support the teaching of the nursing curriculum. The diabetes project, which was funded by the Dunfermline and West Fife Diabetes UK group, has been a great success. My work with Children in the Wilderness was an added bonus that I had not envisaged. I've funded an internet project in the college and funded and secured resources for the college.

At times I've found it difficult to recognise my achievements here mainly because the pace of everything is so slow here. We are used to being very productive and working at a fast pace in the UK so when the pace slows we think we are doing nothing, in fact we are really fitting into the culture. I've seen people as lazy when they are just behaving in an acceptable manner in Malawi. So its nearly time to quicken the pace and get back to UK productivity and expectations.

I've had my exit interview, police check for my certificate of good conduct, reference and I'm waiting for my ticket home. I think the flight has been changed but in Malawi you are never quite sure until you have the ticket in your hand. I'll have a busy 2 weeks packing and partying, with most of my energy going into the latter. I hope everyone at home is well. I could not have survived my 2 years without all the support, letters, packages and phone calls from home. See you soon.

Running Out of Shoes

Its definitely time to come home. I'm down to my last pair of sandals, which have holes in them, a pair of flip flops and my wellies. All my clothes are dirty looking and have holes in them, because of the grit in the water, and I've nearly finished watching all my DVDs.

It looks like the college will be closing on Wednesday because we have not received any more government funding. Its an opportunity to have a last African Adventure before I come home. I'm off to Kenya for Easter week to visit Lake Nakuru, Hell's Gate Park (I hope they let me out) then on to the Maasai Mara and the Serengeti. If the weather is OK I hope to do a hot air balloon safari, its got to be the ultimate way to watch wildlife. I've had great difficulty getting dollars for my trip, none of the main banks have any. How can a country run out of dollars? Could someone be stashing them for their own use. As always my volunteer friends have helped out.

After my return from Kenya I'm meeting up with friends that came to Malawi with me. Some are extending their contracts, others are travelling or going home. It will be the last time we all meet up. At the end of that week we have a nurses meeting at the lake. I think there will be lots of swimming and sundowners. Then it will be tidying up and packing up for home. Its all coming to an end very quickly.

I'm getting lots of papaya from the garden and more eggs than I can cope with from the chickens. I had planned a few chicken curries before I left but I think I'll give the chickens away. I'm buying goats for the people who have helped in and around the house so that they have a sustainable form of income when I leave. I'll have to get someone else to buy them or I'll end up with barren females.

The diabetes project continues to meet obstacles but we have been awareness raising through drama which has been hysterical. We have been rained off, stuck in the mud, coincided with funerals and many other things that are beyond our control and an example of how difficult it can be to work in Africa.

I hope everyone is well at home. 6 weeks and counting down.