Tomorrow....I ride!

So, I am mostly packed...had my pasta, and am almost ready to rest for the night. I wanted to put out a quick last post for the day and ask any and all of you who read this to pray for my safety. I like to ask people to include drivers in their prayers...that they see me and don't hit me! Sometimes when I am riding in really narrow areas and roads, those are prayers I say...for the drivers!

Here is a picture of my half-packed stuff! My bags are packed on the back of the bike, and clothes in the back pack. I have various other items on the table that need to go somewhere.
We plan to camp when we can, so have some hot chocolate and coffee and oatmeal and all that gear we are bringing also.
So...I think I will go dream of the road, and try to sleep before the Big Day tomorrow!!
Thank you all who have supported me in all the ways you have, financially, morally, prayer-wise, and encouraging me in this endeavor. I do not know how I will fare, but will soon find out. I do know that without the support I have received I would not be doing this.
Thank you all!
Karen

COUNTDOWN

My last item that I wanted/needed!! Shoe covers! My mother asked if there was anything I needed, and I said, 'well, I don't really need them, but shoe covers would be nice for possibly

cold mornings, but they were really expensive, so I will make due without!'. So, she found these for me!!! I am so happy and they are perfect! Even better than the really expensive ones that I found online!! Thanks Mom!

So, I rode 31.39 miles this morning at an average speed of 14.4 miles an hour - 2 hours and 10 mins! Not bad...might be the last ride before Thursday...I may do a few little miles on Wed., but we'll see how I feel! I am really getting excited and trying to imagine the experience...got my bike mostly ready; I added a nice light that I bought to the handle bars...pretty full up there!

I got my odometer/tackometer (don't know if I made up that word), my GPS and a fabulos light that has several different settings...I put it on the outside so that cars would know I am there
for sure...on the left-er side of my handlbars. I put a nice blinky light on the back of my rack. I've started getting my clothes together and thinking about all the accessories we will need to bring along - we might be camping some, so I took out some Folder's singles...they are always good on cold mornings camping. The first time we had them we were camping on our bikes...that was one of my favorite weekends ever!!!

So....I am going to buy my gel packs today and we think we will be renting a car...it was not in our plan originally, but Stephen's car is a bit questionable, so we don't want to risk it! oh well...it's only green paper, as my friend says (money), and we really should have a reliable car.

Stay tuned...I may not write again until Thursday a.m. but...it'll be here quick!

p.s. We will have the laptop with us, therefore, have access to internet along the way...write or comment on photos or blogs...email is good too!

Best,

Karen

Irene arrives

Well, today is the hurricane day...the day we have been watching for and waiting for all week. It is 7 a.m. and we are watching the news thinking that it may not be much longer before we don't have electricity so thought I would drop a a quick post.

I am getting ready in my mind for the ride that starts Thursday. Stephen and I feel pretty comfortable with our plan for keeping in touch and knowing where each other is during the time I am riding. Maybe today I will start laying out my clothes and gear for the ride so that I'm ready. I need to bring my bike in for one last 'check-up.

So, because I will be riding around New England and along the coast in some areas, I am a little concerned about the condition of roads and the damage that I may find along the way. I suppose it's even possible that some roads may be impassable. I know I will figure it out when I get there!
I am considering a long-ish first day and riding straight through to Mystic...it would be about 80 miles; that would be a great start! We have talked about having a few long days in the beginning, then maybe even taking a day to not ride and rest a little bit.
So, as the week goes on I may post a few more reminders and thoughts as I get ready to go! If you have not already, please consider a donation; I am riding 500 miles and raising money for a cause I believe deeply in and wishing to complete our project that we have worked hard on for 2 years now! Stay tuned!
Best,
Karen

ONE WEEK TO GO!!

So, I got back from Malawi on Thursday afternoon, and then Saturday we went to the Easthampton Outdoor Market, with some of our new inventory to sell, and I took my bike out for a ride!
I rode 15 miles, and thought as I started that the saying is always appropriate…’it’s like riding a bike’…no matter how much time passes, I get on the bike and I am ‘one’…I love being on it and the feeling while I’m riding. In 12 days I will begin my big long ride…about 60 miles a day for 8 days!! And, as if that’s not all enough, in about a month we are moving!!! So, we are beginning to pack and clear out our house!!
I love riding because it gives me time to think…not that I don’t think at other times, because I spend a fair share of time thinking…this is different. It is a more passive type of thinking, where I just let my brain go where it wants and float, so to speak.

So, I have now been out on the bike 3 times in less than a week, and have just a week to go before the big ride. Stephen and I were talking about it and plan to stay as 'cheaply' as possible which might include camping along the way. I feel pretty good and pretty good about the ride!!

I have raised some good money, but would LOOVVVEE to raise some more, so if anyone hasn't donated, please consider even a small donation...even a lot of small donations add up to a lot!

TO DONATE VISIT THE WEBSITE: http://www.educate-malawi.org/ THANK YOU!

Hope to write some more later...

HOME AGAIN HOME AGAIN!!!

So....I stepped off the plane in Hartford yesterday (Thur.) at about 1:20 p.m. I began taveling on Wed. at about 1:09 p.m. Mind you, there is a 6 hour time difference, which makes the trip, for me, about 30 hours. That is better than my flight TO Malawi...which was seriously about 2 days!!

The airport I left from was really small...I don't know if you can make it out, but there are people just outside the airport, looking at the luggage. When you step into this airport, the conveyer belt is to your immediate right. Your luggage goes through a 'scanner', whick I'm not sure actually scans anything, and you collect it at the end. You then walk approximately 10 steps to the counter, where you get your ticket. They perform all the tasks any other airport does, it's just on a much smaller and a bit less sophisticated scale. I went through a security check point where they frisk you and look in your carry on luggage, then on to the waiting room. They ask you to check outside to identify your luggage before they load it on the plane. When it was time to board the plane, they make sure that you have identified your luggage; by the time I go on there was still a pile out on the tarmac unidentified. Some people don't know how to follow directions I have discovered! Oh, and the other 'funny' thing is...the plane we got on,, had just arrived and was the only plane out there...one plane at a time, is how this airport functions!

I flew for 2 hours to Johannesburg where I spent the next 7 and a half hours...It really went by rather quickly, thankfully! I had some coffee, a little food, and did some homework...getting ready to return to school. The next leg of the journey would be the longest...7-8 hours flying to Dakar, Senegal, then onto the U.S. We spent an hour on the ground in Senegal, and I was able to see outside because it was 6 a.m., and light out. We had landed there several times before and never seen what it looked like, it looks very nice and my 'seatmate' said that it is a very peaceful city and beautiful; anything right on the ocean is bound to have some beauty. oh, another noteworthy item about those last 7-8 hours...we ate 'dinner' at about 12 a.m., and the movies did not work!!! They said they were going to try to re-boot the system to get them working, which they tried and it did not work!! So, we left Dakar and onto our next stop 8 hours over the ocean to Washington!! Again, the movies did not work...I was able to sleep a bit on these flights, ate, did a little reading, which made me tired so I closed my eyes some more...

And the rest is history...I arrived at Bradley, met Stephen on my way to the luggage...and my bag came right out. I have had an opportunity to unpack and as far as I can tell, nothing is missing. All in all, a very successful travel experience and trip! I began working on a sight uploading photos and video, and will continue that, so stay tuned and check it out:

www.malawiphotos.shutterfly.com

My next adventure starts in about 11 days...riding my bike 500 miles around New England trying to raise funds for Educate Malawi! If you have not already done so, please support my effort and a donation of any size will be greatly appreciated. You can donate on the website or by check, made out to Educate Malawi, Inc. and all donations are tax deductible!

Stay tuned for more adventures!

See you all soon!

August 15, 2011


This might be the last entry I make as my trip is winding down…today is the second to last day here in Blantyre. Today is Monday, and I leave Wed. afternoon…so I will wind down my thoughts for this trip.

An observation that I have made on this trip was while Mathew and I were in the village, we were having lunch with his family. Several times during the meal, different people asked the young children to fetch more of something or to clear some dishes away. When I say young children, I am talking 4 or 5 years old. And they did as they were asked without a second thought. There seems to be a much stronger order and respect for elders than we experience in the U.S. In addition, the way the women carry their babies on their back and very close to them always, I think creates a much stronger bond…that closeness can’t help but increase the bond and trust between mother and child.

A last note that I have jotted down was from my meeting with Norma and Fortune, the two girls who received the scholarships. We met a couple of times and I asked them if they would have any interest in corresponding with college students in the U.S. or if any of their friends might want to. A couple of days passed and when we got together again they said that the response they received from the others was that they didn’t have time to write letters and would rather use facebook or twitter. I had supplied them with addressed envelopes and stamps. I was a little disappointed and surprised, but I realized that it makes sense, who doesn’t like technology and instant connection? So I asked if they wanted to see if they would be interested in passing that information along, maybe we could follow up some time in the future.
So, I think I will wrap this up, because I have written just about all the thoughts that I have right now. I have several days left before I return home, 1 more here and then essentially 30 hours of travelling over the 2 days after that.

The last thing I want to say is a huge Thank you to all who have taken the time to write to me and help me stay connected through this time. Some of you have also shared that you have read my blog, which was encouraging and helped me continue writing, thank you. I will see you all back on the other side of the pond!

Getting to the end!

I want to use some different font this morning to make me feel a little better. I did not complete what I wanted to last night on the blog because I ended up chatting with Shannon and Stephen on Facebook…I really enjoyed chatting with them both; it made me feel a bit more like home! So I was going to get up and spend the morning this morning working on the blog…I started uploading some videos first on Facebook, it said the video would take an hour to upload, so I decided I would go bathe while that was working. I came back, feeling refreshed and clean and the computer was frozen. So I made my way out of that and now the computer will not connect to the internet at all!!! It is just par for Malawi…nothing is quick, simple or as expected…I am hoping that a little rest and time, the internet will reappear! So I am typing this on my flash drive, so when the time comes, I can copy and paste it into the Blog…there’s more than one way to skin a cat!!
I started writing last night about some random thoughts, so I will continue that. The next note I had jotted down had to do with the education situation here. I went up to the office to meet our contact, Oster, and had to wait for a while. I noticed there were job postings on the boards in the front of the building…a lot of them. A young man came in and was reading them; I asked him if he was looking for a job, and he said he was just reading them. He said he is a teacher at a rural school in Zomba where there are 700 students with 6 qualified teachers. This is not an uncommon occurrence at all; in fact, it is the norm. This is why we started doing what we are doing, to help assist in some way with these conditions. I left the office for a few minutes to go to the post office and while I was on the back,
Oster stopped and picked me up on his motorcycle!! Later in the week we rode all the way out to the school on it…it was fun!


Ok, so some other observations…..music…I am not the music wiz, but I do know oldies! There is a lot of old music that gets played…in the car Mathew and I listened to and old Lionel Richie cd repeatedly…it is still stuck in my head! One day walking into town in Zomba, I passed a store playing the Backstreet Boys…and old one; actually I don’t know if there are any new ones!! One day we were listening to the radio and the announcer was talking about the late 60’s and all the hippies that were around then. It was just funny to hear that reference here; I don’t’ know if they had Malawian hippies?
On the way to the school, there is a section of the road that is paved and it looks like there is ongoing construction on it. On the sides of the roads are piles of rocks…being made into gravel. There were several people on the side using a hammer to smash the large rock into small gravel…by hand in the hot sun, for hours all day. They are not in prison working for penance or anything, and I doubt they get a lot of money at all for that hard work!!
People are very friendly here; sometimes I think they look at me suspiciously and almost….I don’t know the word…but I have found that if I say good morning or smile it usually gets returned. Many times people say hello to me first; walking into town one morning, I think the same morning as the Back Street Boys song, a man on a bicycle was coming around the corner and as he approached and passed me he said, ‘good morning sister, how are you?’ I responded in kind and it just put a smile on my face to be greeted that warmly by a stranger!
When I walk around with Mathew or Leah here in Malawi, we can hardly walk a block without them running into someone they know, and we stop and chat. Well, I felt like a Malawian the other day, twice! I met a man at the motel and we ate breakfast together; he was in Zomba doing some work related to HIV, and I passed him on the street and we greeted each other. It was nice to see someone I recognized on the street! Then another day, I was walking to the College, and ran into Bernard, a friend who we met through other friends of ours from Malawi. We greeted each other and he asked where I was going; I told him and he gave me a ride! It was very nice. That is the other thing; there is very much community and people helping each other here in a way that is different from the U.S. Maybe it is the Northeast; we do have a reputation, apparently, of being cold and unfriendly.

On that similar note; I was at Bernard’s office, he works in an insurance office, and a customer came in complaining about something. I later learned that he was a minibus driver and had gotten a ticket from the police for not having proper insurance coverage and he didn’t have the money to pay the ticket, and was saying it was a mistake by the insurance company. Bernard took him (and I went with them) to talk to the police about the matter. We first stopped at the police ‘department’ or headquarters and they directed us to where the police were, out of the road. The police sit on the road in numbers, several will sit in a particular location and randomly stop cars and check for license and insurance and just generally check on the direction of the vehicle and their purpose for the travel. We pulled off the side of the road at one of these stops and Bernard and the man got out to talk with the police. Bernard is the insurance agent, mind you. Actually he is a regional branch manager, so I think even higher than just an agent! He wanted to clear the matter up and make sure it was not a mistake on his office’s part and was willing to accompany this man to find out the pertinent information. I couldn’t believe the length he went to in order to find out the truth of the matter. In the end, I think the man was found to be in violation and his ticket was not cleared. He was angry when he got back in the car and was saying that the police ‘just take things personally and judge you before they know the facts. They don’t like to admit if they are wrong’. So, we headed back toward the office and to drop the man off at where his vehicle was, and Bernard wanted to show me his house he is building. The man just had to come along with us. I asked him if he would take a picture of us in front of the house, and he did, though he looked upset still about
his insurance situation.

On this trip, I saw two men, different times and places, peeing on the side of the road. They were right out in the open, without a second thought…one of them was an old man and he was right outside Bernard’s house! Not something you see like that in the U.S. People shake their heads about it, but you don’t get arrested for it!
A few more thoughts…I have kept track of my spending and money, and wanted to pass along some information of cost of items…people always ask if things are more or less expensive here, and I guess the best answer is that it depends on what the item is. For example, my hotel room in Zomba was the executive unit, it had 2 twin beds, a bathroom in the room, tile floor, and tv (which didn’t work) and a coffee station. The room was mostly comfortable, it had a great mosquito net with no holes in it, and a ceiling fan, which worked when there was electricity! The room cost me about $19 per night, so that is not bad at all especially considering that was the most expensive!! Oh yeah, and that included breakfast every day; tea, 1 egg, chips (fried potatoes) and bread…not bad!
Gas, on the other hand, is a different story…let me see if I can do the math:
It costs 290 kwacher per liter
There are 3.7 liters in gallon and 180 kwacha per dollar (that is the rate I got)
So…290 x 3.7 = 1073 / 180 = 5.96…if my math is right, that means that gas cost $5.96 per gallon here!!!
So, there is some difference for ya! We cannot complain when we pay, what, $3.70 per gallon? And we have money in the U.S.!!
I paid $4,000 kwacha a day for the car rental = $22 per day, plus 20 kwacha per mile, plus gas. I think it was the gas that killed the whole thing, really! So it was not cheap, but it was better than the minibus!
A coca cola cost about 100 kwacha = about .55.
I have paid 1,800 mk for a pizza, which is about comparable, about $10, it may even cost more here!

So.. that is it for today...I had pictures to accompany this entry, but i am now low on internet minutes...hard to explain. So I will have to bypass that for right now! More tomorrow!

Scholarships!

So, I haven't quite figured out all the ins and outs of Blogger and all this...but I had wanted this picture to be lower in the blog post...It is a poster of our current and last President's...the one of Bush is about all his...sayings, goof-ups of sayings; it was pretty funny! That was about the only thing on the walls in the dining area at the motel. I ordered an egg sandwich for breakfast, which turned out to be one 'fried' egg and 2 pieces of bread with butter. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining, but it's just that you don't always get what you expect here...

A photo from my room last night after the electricity went out. I was prepared, as this is not an uncommon occurence, and promptly pulled out my head lamp and proceeded with my evening. It was only out for a short time, maybe an hour, but you never know how long it will be out, or when it's going to go! I was able to connect with home last night; internet connection has been good, if I haven't already said so. I bought a external internet connection device called a Dong; it looks just like a flash drive and is used exactly the same way. It has been my best friend!!

Being by myself is mostly ok, and I do talk to myself because I love to talk!! Anyone who knows me I think will agree! I have been able to share pictures and type this without being concerned about how many units are left and how long it will take for photos to upload...a little luxurious!

I want to take a moment to add, right here, on this note, that there is not much that I would consider luxurious by American standards. I was really happy that the hot pot in my room worked and I was able to make a cup of coffee in my room using the Ricoffy that I bought at the store today...those things are the best! Let's see, what else, oh! I haven't had a hot shower since I left home about 10 days ago...but I don't think I really smell too bad. What else...well, there is a t.v. in the room I am in (it's considered an executive suite because it has a bathroom in it). An employee of the motel took the remote control because I told him it didn't work. When he brought it back this afternoon, he said that the tv. is controlled by the t.v. in the bar, so whtever they are watching is what shows up on the room t.v., so my remote control unit won't work no matter what! Plus, the volume doesn't work on my t.v.,so I can see the picture, but not hear anything!

So I am happy to have the luxury of my phone and the laptop and ability to maintain contact with home...it has been helpful to hear from people who write me and comment on photos, etc. I have to say, that although I have been here 3 times before this, it has been challenging for me, so especially important to hear from friends and family. Thank you to those of you who have stayed in touch, I really appreciate it a lot!

So after breakfast, i made my way down to the college, Chancellor College. The funny story of that trip, was that I wasn't entirely sure where I was going...I was in the area, but at one intersection I wasn't sure if I should turn left or right. I turned right, then after walking a ways, I thought it didn't look like the right way, and as I passed 2 women, I heard one say quietly, 'she was just walking that way and now she is going this way...' I turned around and said, 'that's because she's lost', in a funny way...so the woman kindly told me I had been going the right way afterall!

I met with the heads of the Education department and we talked about the scholarships for the next semester, whenever that is. There is a lot of unrest in the Country right now and all areas seem to be affected in some way. I then got to meet the women who received these last 2 scholarships we awarded and we talked for a little while and I took pictures and some video to share with people back home. I think they were as excited to meet me as I was to meet them! It was a special day for me...

Well, that is all for now; I have to go finish my dinner! Will write more later!

Zomba

So I have left Cape Maclear and am onto the next phase of this trip...Zomba.

We saw a lot of cows on this trip...I do not remember seeing so many cows before! They were either crossing the road or walking along the side of it! I have deemed them 'good luck'; I may have said it before but I'm saying it again!!

We stopped at the school on the way into Zomba and picked up some of the pen pal letters; the kids are really sweet when they are turning them in. I am taking pictures of them, so the kids back home can see who wrote to them. It is a fun exchange and seems to be special to them all.

I also plan to spend some time at the college learning a little more about the students and this particular college. I will take pictures of the women we awarded scholarships to the last semester and collect any applications for this upcoming semester.

More later!!

Vendors

Yup...Blogger was tired!! The top photo is Chicco and the bottom one is Stuart! In my previous post I spoke about who they are and what they do and then some of my thoughts about the process of sales here in Cape Maclear, Malawi!

Enjoy...and let me know your thoughts, if you like!!

Last day in Cape Maclear

Well, this has been a productive and quick trip to Cape Maclear. I have had an opportunity to get to know Mathew's family a little better than I did before. I was able to enjoy the sunsets and coffee by the Lake...nothing better than that! I did some 'shopping' here but also spent some time talking with some of the artisans to gain a better understanding of the process they go through in making and selling their crafts for a living. I spoke with Stuart and Chicco about what they do and how they work. They both said some of the same things but there were also some differences. They talked about where they get their supplies and that they have to travel to get materials to make the jewelry and carvings. They talked about the variation in pricing based on the availability of materials as well as the season. Cape Maclear very much depends on tourists and people from the outside to come here where the crafts can be purchased. They both talked about wishes they had for the future and they both included more money in that wish. School and a better life and job are things that they wished for. One difference I noticed is that one of the artisans felt that he mostly received a fair wage for his products and items he sells while the other did not feel that he received enough. We have participated recently in a Cultural Survival bazaar and the vendors that participate in that fair are expected to support fair trade in their purchasing and selling. We were able to participate in this fair with some expectation of learning more about fair trade and the vedors that we purchase items from. So after speaking with these artisans I continue to contemplate he concept of fair trade. A friend of mine recently returned to the U.S. from Malawi and she inquired some about wages and how artisans felt about the compensation they receive for their crafts, and she found that there was some confusion about that question and concept.

So I am wondering now about the whole fair trade concept and feel that it is, to some degree, a subjective thing. Because 'fair' my be different to every person. If you were to extend the definition to include abiltity to pay for living expenses, one could argue what that even means. I am not a sociologist, economist, or anthropoligist by any means, but my thought is that it may be difficult to truly determine what is fair. If one vendor feels that 100 kwacha is fair and he is able to support himself and/or family while another wants 1000 kwacha or the same item...which is truly fair?

The whole barter system is difficult for me anyway, because I don't like to haggle...I don't like to offend anyone, but I also like fairness...it is truly one of my least favorite things. The irony about that is that my friend from Malawi and I were talking about this one day and she said she prefers the barter system to the American system of set pricing. She doesn't feel it is fair for there not to be an opportunity to get a lower price.


So....I have just tried to upload a picture of each of the vendors but I guess Blogger does not want to upload anymoreright now...it's tired.

I will try to post more later today or tomorrow!

So long for now!!

I DID IT!!!!

August 6, 2011

So...I finally broke down and rented a car for the long trip from Blantyre to Cape Maclear...it took about 5 hours to drive! I did not do it all by myself, I am not quite that brave. Mathew has been an extrodinary host, friend, guide and all-around perfect gentleman this whole week. I am eternally grateful for his help and support, and I'm sure Stephen feels the same, since he is not here with me!

So, my headline has to do with the fact that I Drove in Malawi!!! A car...on the right side of the car on the left side of the road!!

We started out in Blantyre at 6:30 a.m. and drove to Zomba. While in Zomba, we met with the committee at the school who consisted of the village chiefs, education officials, some teachers, children and the building committee including the contractor. I took photos of the project, which is looking amazing, and also of the committe. I showed the whole committee the video that a fourth grader made and gave to us. He participated in the pen pal program from the Sunderland Elementary School. I thought I had posted it on our website, but I just looked and it is not there. BUT HERE IT IS!!! On YouTube, check it out if you get a chance!!

'Ben's malawi movie' - it's really good!!!


http:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06X1H16QkaU//


So, after that meeting, Mathew and I got in the car and set off for Cape Maclear. We had fuel, which is a big deal...Malawi has been struggling getting access to adequate amounts of fuel. At one point it was gas (petrol) that was scarce and currently it is diesel which is a problem. We have seen lines running down the street of people waiting for fuel, just on the rumor that it would be available that day. I wish I could adequately describe the experience of driving in these conditions. Well, I call them 'conditions'; what I mean is just driving her in Malawi, another country different from ours. Once I started, I just had to pay attention to staying on the left. That was not as difficult as navigating the left side of the car and road; it was difficult for me to judge the distance because usually I'm sitting on that side of the car next to the side of the road!! 2 things that were helpful to me; Mathew alerted me if I was getting close, and sometimes I knew it because I could hear the gravel or dirt when I was too close to that side.

There are people and animals walking or riding bicycles on both sides of the road, and they often swerve or jet out unexpectedly. While Stephen and I were here last year, the truck we were drving in hit a goat that ran across the road at an unfortunate time...I can still hear his little bleet as he was hit!! And while Mathew was driving the other day, the same happened with a chicken...yuck!! He kind of laughs at me, but I don't care!! I almost stopped the car a couple of times while I was driving because of the goats...fortunately there weren't any other cars around, so I was able to do that. In another circumstance I may have to make a different decision; I pray that doesn't happen. But I have to say, the goats are not the brightest and I am almost getting annoyed with them for not taking better care of themselves!! ha ha ha, I just heard that silliness!

So....we drove. And drove...the roads were paved and in pretty good condition, really. It was just a really long drive and a bit tedious. We were stopped at police checkpoints a couple of times, once while Mathew was driving and once for me. While I was stopped the policeman asked if I had a Fanta (soda) and I said no, I don't have any Fanta. I did have a Coke, but didn't want to offer it :) After we pulled away Mathew said he had wanted some money; I said he didn't ask and I had a feeling that's what he wanted. I was glad he didn't push it because I like my money to and don't like to give it away in that manner!!!

Three times during our trip, cows crossed the road in front of us and I deemed that our good luck signal; I dont' know why, it's just what I thought of! We were getting a little low on gas by the time we were approaching Cape Maclear and stopped at a couple of stations outside of the village to check and see if we could top it off. There was no gas and one stations said there my be some tomorrow...We have a 5 liter container in the trunk of the car as a back up...but I would rather not chance all that. The gas gauge does not work and there isn't a precise (sp?) km/gallon number for us to use to calculate, so we want to make sure we get back ok.

It has taken me several days to settle into the pace of Malawi again and the experience of being 'alone' here. A fortunate thing that differs this time is that we made arrangements and I have very good access to internet on this trip that is a huge difference from previos trips. I feel like it's 'cheating' in some way, and cheapening the experience of being in a third world comfort by having this luxury, but...well, I have had the other and did not want to do it again!


Thank you all for your support. Please pray for our continued safe travels!

Best,

Karen

August 4...day 2 in Malawi

So, I am back in Malawi and it is hard to believe. It is a different scenario, for sure, being here by myself. I am able to have contact with home, so that makes things a little better. I am beginning to formulate the days as far as what I will do and when. As with anything, anywhere, ‘you can plan, but don’t plan the outcome’!

I am staying with a friend for a few days in Blantyre and we spent some time talking last night. Every time I come to Malawi, I learn a little bit more about this country but I think most importantly, I learn more about myself and the world at large. I mean, I guess I sometimes forget that ‘people are people’ and that there are a lot of the same issues no matter where you go. We were talking about everything from politics to education to relationships….and I think I always want to generalize about the country’s people and I’m continually reminded that there is not one generalization about anyone!

Had a really bad night’s sleep; a bit of insomnia; I couldn’t get to sleep until after 2 a.m.! So, today will be a little relaxed and trying to rest up before I get this trip rolling into gear! I have a few things l want to accomplish while here, but think I will have plenty of down time as well.
So…I guess I will write more later; not much going on yet, but wanted to post a couple of updates for anyone who might be interested. Will write more when there is more to say!

Bye for now!

August 2 - still traveling!!

August 2, 2011

Stephen brought me to the airport on Monday afternoon; we were supposed to leave between 4 and 4:30, and left closer to 4:30. We got as far as exit 49 on I91, and I realized I did not have my camera charger; which would mean when my camera battery died, I couldn’t charge it!!
We turned around and got it and just as we started back out, the skies opened up; it rained a lot of the way to New York, then dried up some. It was some pretty crazy weather. The GPS saved us a lot…had we not had it to warn us of severe traffic ahead and re-routed us, I probably would not have made my flight!! But, we listened to it, and made it with a little time to spare. I got a bit teary leaving Stephen at the security check-point…it was a bit overwhelming and scary; it’s a BIG world!!
I made it on the plane without a hitch at security or anything; I am always concerned about the carry on luggage, but it wasn’t even a question apparently. I did have to pay for a second checked bag, which I have never had to do before and didn’t like. I didn’t have a choice, so paid the $50! I got to my seat and was on an isle and there was a woman on the opposite isle with 2 seats in between us. No one ended up sitting at any of those, and then she ended up moving somewhere so I had 4 seats all to myself!! Talk about spoiled!! I probably won’t get that lucky again, but I did enjoy it!
The flight was uneventful; I watched one good movie, and dinner was served at about 12:30, then I slept a bit; about 3 hours on and off. Then they were serving a small breakfast just before we landed!!! It went quite fast. And then time came to a stand still….I have now been in Frankfurt Germany for what feels like forever…it has only been…well, I don’t even know. My time schedule is so screwed up, I don’t know what time I got here or what time it is now!!! I guess we got here a little before noon, and it is now almost 5:30; the plane doesn’t board until 8:00!!! I had a little tour of the city and got myself a ‘frankfurter and a beer’ in Frankfurt…I can’t get enough of that; I even asked a lady to take a picture of me!! So…I saw some of the buildings and museums; I guess Franfurt is really more of a business city than a tourist city, but that’s ok, I have now been to Frankfurt!!
Well, next stop, Johannesburg for a 2 hour layover then on to Malawi; it will be tomorrow afternoon by the time I land there. I am glad the flight home isn’t this long; I will be ready to get home and would have a really hard time with that if I had to deal with it!!
More when I can!

Karen