Another long day walkingFRIDAY THE 18TH Went to the tea plantation, spent an hour in the market having had to purchase some fresh food to eat, only seem to eat grilled over a fire chicken and fruit, nothing else appeals. Decided I will head for Zambia Sunday as there is a local soccer match tomorrow night, a must see. Got to the Raster shop for 10 after the internet and posting postcards to family and Luton, read an email from Luton staff and started missing everyone, so I hope Mr MacCann is making all of you lot work hard, missing Kim and Benny as well but would not fit in my case. Having a great time in Tanzania, worked out why I prefer the company of younger people, they do not moan as they take it as an experience, to young to know about hardship. The girls were saying they have a mental suitcase and every night they put their worst experience away in it after explaining it to someone else, great suddenly forgotten and the best experience on their mental notice board to share and remember, no moans.
So my worst experience today, met an old person who did nothing but moan, after my answer about if you want England please go back do not think we will ever talk again. Best experience was sitting half way up a hill in the bush, eating and sharing what we had, sitting quietly, then making fire rubbing two sticks, after an hour the Rasterman decided we really should make a move so we all sat there for another hour in the dirt wasting the day away. Can't even tell you what we did other than make fire and have a laugh with locals walking by who I did not even understand.
Anyway the day out, on one of the suicide 12 seater buses that actually caries 30 or more I think at suicide speeds to a bus stop where we got onto the big 25 seater that carries how ever many. Two hours later and half way to Malawi we climbed off. Can not describe an African bus station, it is actually a mobile market place. Found a place to eat, star rating minus 20 but food as good as wwere dirt and flies, love eating with your fingers out here. They come round with soap and water to wash your hands, you ddo not dry them and then you tuck in. Pumkin leaves are brilliant boiled with rice and chicken and chilli sauce. Went off down a dirt track saying Jambo or haribari to everyone, nearly all replied, children laugh and say hello. After about 30 minutes talking about banana, mango, guava, passion fruit, advocado trees on the track we came out of a banana plantation to hillsides covered in tea plants. We walked through them and were told how they only pick the three top, fresh leaves off each branch. Some of the trunks are Cm in diameter where they pollard I suppose we would call it to keep them down to about a metre. The workers have enormous baskets they have to fill in these temperatures and they are still happy.Then we stopped for our break and headed up the hill to the road, 100 metres away and flagged down the bus for the trip back. Another fantastic day and such a pity I meet these fantastic people and then move on never seeing them again.