Golf, Charlie and Pumpkin Eater

With this post I believe I am caught up in my delayed posts. Congratulations to me.

Life in Malawi continues to be a success. After crossing the border I spent the night unexpectedly in Monkey Bay, a picturesque spot on Lake Malawi (and apparently not even close to the most beautiful place in Malawi). I had the entire hostel to myself except for an ex-mercenary and his wife. The coincidence was creepy especially after we named some mutual acquaintances. But he was an interesting chap and got utterly plastered before I even showered up and he revealed his great dream of owning a crocodile farm.

He would then wade into the water (which you are not supposed to do at night because there are crocodiles that attack, more than 20 attacks in this spot each year), and shout for his little "croc breus" to come to him. Delightful.

I continued on to the capital city of Lilongwe where I had business and got to explore this sprawling green city. The city is surprisingly developed into a suburban stripmall in some places, beautiful armored ex-pat houses in other places, a deadening commercial center and then vast African marketplaces and lean-to housing. The combination is bewildering.

But I made the most of it, I made a friend at the US embassy who is helping me out in a major way to gather information on who is doing what in the industries I am most interested in. We capped off a day there by playing 18 holes of GOLF! at the Lilongwe Golf Club, which is basically a country club for the expats and rich Lilongweans complete with squash courts, tennis and a pool. I had a fantastic caddy named Charlie who has improved my game and the whole experience cost $28. Gotta love it.

I have now headed north and arrived in Mzuzu where I met a silly little artist who legally changed his name to Pumpkin Eater (he showed me his ID card). And I have met up with a geologist. He and I are off into the bush tomorrow to look at some hot springs and geothermal activity, but I'm also hoping to get in at least an afternoon at a nearby national park.

Pumpkin Eater is asking if I want him to make a wicker basket in the shape of my whole body,
Steven