Updates

NOTE - JUST REALIZED THIS NEVER POSTED...WAS SUPPOSED TO POST DEC 2

Just wanted to post somethig quickly since it has been a while...



I have been travelling a lot in the last month and will continue to do so for a bit more time...I am doing follow up training for all of the staff that attended my first M&E workshop back in August in Zomba. First up was Mzuzu, way back in the first week of November. After that, I was in Kasungu, not for the follow up training but for my second workshop, this one on Participatory M&E. During the third week of November, I went to Dedza and last week I ended up going to Blantyre and Zomba. So this week I will be travelling to Mangochi Thursday and Friday and Jules and Regan and some friends will be joining me there on Friday evening for a much needed weekend of relaxation on the beach.



Our car is still not fixed...the saga continues! First the story was that it was just the engine...the engine was fixed while we were in Cape Town. Then it was the gear box...and noone in Lilongwe (or Malawi actually) had the part. We had part suppliers looking in South Africa and Mozambique for the stupid thing....eventually (two weeks ago) someone found the part, so we agreed that the mechanic should come to our place and look at the car. Apparently we have engaged the services of the famous dissappearing mechanic. He does occasionally answer his phone (maybe once a week) and when he does, he promises to come and then doesn't show. Eventually he did come and take the part - now we are trying to see how he is doing....anyways, eventually we hope it may work again...my initial optimism definately suffered a setback.



On the 20th and 21st of November we went away for the weekend without a car...it was a fun-filled trip featuring HOURS on the minibus and a 4k walk in the heat, but eventually we arrived at Nkhotakota Pottery and Lodge. I can highly recommend the food and the accommodation was nice, the beach gorgeous, but DO NOT go there without a car! It is 4km off the road and then they charge extortionate prices just to get to the road (not even the closest town!).



Thats all for now...will try to keep posting - lately things have just been crazy. Even though we won't be back to Canada until February, our last day of work will be more like Jan 22, so we are both working at a crazy pace to try and finish up work from our mandates.