Animal hazards 4

I say!

More cuttings from Mrs Milngavie's scrapbook:







































Here is one of my favourites:




















MM III

Animal Hazards 3

I say!

Here are some more cuttings about animal hazards hearabouts.












































MM III

Animal Hazards 2

Well I say!

We returned earlier today from our 'safari' to Mulanje, and I will post full details in due course, but first I must continue with the series of animal hazard cuttings from Margaret's scrapbook.











The above appeared, I kid you not, in the same edition as the first of the following.




















Other cuttings include:




















and:


I do hope they are clear enough to read.

MM III

Animal hazards 1

Well, I say!

I spent yonks posting a soupscon, and it has disappeared into the virtual hinterland, so here goes again. My word...I shall give up shortly! And without a sundowner in sight! So it cannot be my fault.

What is one to do whilst waiting for more mvula (none today)? Perchance, think about past times, and in this vein Mrs Milngavie retrieved an old scrapbook, which we enjoyed looking through once more, and from which I have, I hope, reproduced some tidbits below, with more to follow, after our impending trip to Mulanje.












































Your faithful servant,

MM III

Some snaps of hereabouts

I say!

The gentleman shades his head from the sun, whilst the woman carries the katundu plus a baby.

Generation gap.

A typical nyumba, with a good crop of pawpaw.

MM III

African creativity

I say!




















I'd like to show examples of how wonderfully creative they can be hereabouts. Above is a snap of the chest carvers at Chilimoni.

We liked that box so much, we bought it, and it is now in our dining room. I'm not sure what the UFO in the foreground is.

Below is a snap of the preparation process.














MM III

Give a guy a green

I say!

By popular demand, or to be more specific, because Hotboy requested more information, here are details about the beer hereabouts.

I am rather of the opinion that Hotboy, having decided to forgo such pleasures, is rather fixated on these matters.

As can be seen from the advert gleaned from the local rag, which I trust can be seen to the left, beer hereabouts can be ordered according to colour of the label.

Green, Black or Gold are the choices. Who needs more?

The caption which comes with the above advert, which was unfortunately over-large to scan, says "Give a guy a green!"

Of couse, there is also Chibuku, made from sorgum, which is drunk at room temperature, and which tastes rather like soup. And there is kachasu, about which I previously posted. My advice - avoid both at all costs!



I hope you may be able to read this. It is advice, written many years ago, but fortunately retained by Mrs Milngavie, given to expats on arrival hereabouts. My own experience confirms that it is solid advice, and I would go further - if at all possible, employ someone of the Muslim faith as watchman. Mr Abdul has served us very well. And yes, of course, it is very important that the watchman can challenge any culprits!

I do hope that those of the fairer sex will not take offense.

MM III

Domasi Valley

I say!

There are various modern cities in Africa, of course, however the vast majority of people live in rural areas in fairly basic accommodation (nyumba - the same Swahili word is used hereabouts for 'house'). Although more modern construction methods are being used all the time, many people still live in mud and wattle houses.

I took the following snaps more than two years ago. The same views would show far dryer conditions today.












These snaps were all taken in the Domasi Valley, around the north west side of Zomba Plateau.














The above shows a typical khonde tailor at work. They may not be able to follow a pattern, but give them something to reproduce and some cloth, and they can produce a perfect copy. Notice the njingalimoto wing-mirror in foreground.




















All the fields shown have been tilled by hand. In the middle distance are the nyumba. The 'phiri' (hill) in the background is part of Zomba Plateau.

MM III

Kachasu

Well I say!

More rain here, and quite humid, with a solid cloud cover.

I gave one of the staff (I will not say which one, for obvious reasons) a lift back to his village with some katundu. Katundu is a delightful word which means bags, or baggage or luggage.

Its always interesting to see what goes on in the villages, and by accompanying the staff member I was not immediately surrounded by strangers.














One has a chance to investigate things, and see examples of village life, for example the maize-stores, such as that shown above.

Anyway, I digress. There was an outhouse and an unusual aroma. I asked to look inside. Some embarrassed looks. I entered the outhouse and found this...



A kachasu still! I was offered a glass of the produce, and sipped a very small amount. Upon my word - it was strong!



MM III

Cricket

Well I say!

We didn't get much done today. Instead, I encouraged Doviko to sit and watch the highlights from the Gabba, where Warney was on song. My goodness - he was going through his complete repertoire and took five wickets. If only Doviko could develop a flipper, it would add a litle more sport.

I quite like the look of the young Ramdin, the Windies new stumper, as a batsman at any rate. He dropped a sitter, though.

A joy to watch Hayden once more going down the wicket to the fast bowlers - and to think that three months ago he was reduced to a nervous wreck by the England bowlers.

Sad news from Pakistan about Michael Vaughan's knee.

MM III

More mvula

Well, I say!

I've been rather busy entertaining my good friend M over the last few days. He's been up in Hargeisa in northern Somalia, and it was excellent to catch up on news from that part of the world. There is an abundant trade in sheep, cattle and camels from that part of the world to Saudi, and its very important that the animals are in good condition before they are shipped out.

Things have settled down considerably up there, in the north at least, with a lot of current investment by the UK in the infrastructure, and they are making considerable progress. Its still tricky further south.

M was based in Nairobi, and on the way home to Blighty called in hereabouts where he had some other business. What a globe-trotter!














On another matter, here is a picture of the back garden. It was taken before we properly prepared the wicket.














And here is a picture of the staff quarters. They are situated outside the long on boundary, so to speak.

There has been a little more rain, with more forecast. The is a very worrying time for the villagers - should they sow their precious seeds, and if the rains cease, they will lose their crop - or should they wait a bit longer, and perhaps delay too long?

MM III

Jali

Here is another picture I took in Jali.



Most of the people hereabouts live in villages, and for them, Jali will be a reasonably-sized commercial centre which they might visit occasionally. The majority of people are extremely poor. For many, it is not a money economy, in that they really don't have any money most of the time, and they rely on their gardens for produce and food. That is why mvula (rain) is important.

There has been no more mvula, but hopefully it is on the way.

I may be flippant about needing rain for the cricket pitch, but for many here it is a much more important.

(a sombre) MM III

Rather quiet now

Well, I say!

Its rather quiet here, now that Prince has gone. I was hoping that he might stay a bit longer, as I reckon he had potential as a slow left-armer.














Had some business down at Chitakale today, and noticed this rather interestingly named establishment on the journey home.

More mvula is on the way, which is excellent news.

MM III