Tuesday, December 25, 2012


It is now 2.5 weeks and the weather here is very hot and humid as we are situated in the tropics we have very muggy days and nights with relentless rain when it arrives, sometimes it feels like it is the English/ Northern France summer....but I need not complain as I am aware that it is very cold and bitter up there.....

I am certainly loving the opportunity to play golf that is right on the door step, and always hope that we are not right in the middle of the course when the lightening siren sounds as trees and umbrella's are certainly no covers, deemed to be dangerous. so it is normally a dash for an anthill...I have the pleasure of having a caddie who's name is Lovemore, how appropriate.

I have certainly slotted into this lifestyle quite quickly, today I spotted some wood to do a braai and I was just about to go and collect it on the other side of the fence and for a moment the thought crossed my mind that the gardener can do it....OMG....I shall collect it myself later when he has gone... as it would certainly be assigned to him by the Madame Shayne.

As I have kept you updated, last week I had Putsi fly, which successfully all 9 were removed and I am now Putsi free ....but I am just getting over a spout of Malaria .... I spent Friday night in a clinical hospital where they looked after me so well, I am still not quite sure whether it was because I was friendly and very accommodating or whether it was because "I am White" after being on a drip and having various injections, Saturday morning I was 85% great.... my sister has been given a resonator (machine that sends electric impulses) to adhere the parasite and help my spleen...so this I am on daily...

Saturday afternoon we travelled 2 hrs on the most traitorous roads to a lodge called "Nabona" in Chingola (love the names)  to a 50th Birthday Party, it took a while before I got my African legs, but the G&T's are doing their wonders, obviously for medicinal purposes. Another night spent till dawn...I did my usual and never went to bed. I was also determined to go down to the Kafui river and see the sun rise...so I proceeded to trek down to the river (on a 70% declining slope) in bare feet as it was quite muddy, I reached the river and as one would do in Europe dipped my both feet in the river to test the temperature...the river and scenery breath taking and a wonder that Africa truly has....I then climb up this Gormo (Hill) and reach the lodge for the owners (a young couple) greeting me and asking if I saw any crocodiles ..mmm..I replied no none at all, to my ignorance the Kafui river is riddled with crocs ...they then told me that they were down at the river last week and a damned croc shot out the water a took their Jack Russel.... sorry!!!!! WTF!!!! Oh casually, "Karen, it happen's all the time"...I won't be going down with any dog, I can assure you.

Nothing much happening, but I am organising to visit an orphanage on Friday.... I am busy organising a job for my sister's maid 's husband as he has not worked for 12 years, he is a brick layer and plasterer ...WOW , I wish I could take him back to France... I am still waiting to visit some development projects that are going on in the compound, which will be interesting,but, as we are nearing Christmas everyone has returned to their countries of habitation (SA, Australia, Zimbabwe and Belgium). I have also started my sister's maid (Miriam) crocheting covers with beads (for jugs etc) as she has never seen this craft in her life, and she is so chuffed that she can do this, so I may get her started in a little sideline industry too.





Excuse the sight but this is the "Putsi" at first one thinks it is a bite from a mosquito 
but the bite got bigger and also one can feel movement...of course the maggot is eating and returning to the top for breath and then continuing their feast...

02/12/2012

After a long flight from London Heathrow, as i was too afraid to fall asleep after a quick nap waking with my snoring and scaring the African gentleman beside me ... his whites of his eyes showed me how shocked he was when rudely awoken by some voluptuous women almost swallowed him whole...bless, served breakfast at 1am UK time but 3am Kenyan time..mmmm...strange but hey I ate .. arrived in Kenya, Nairobi, and waited 3hrs hrs for my connecting flight to the Congo...air crew were so amazing, stayed on the plane to continue onto my destination Ndola Zambia, where I had a very emotional welcome by My sister Shayne and her husband Ant who I have not seen in 19 years...all looked well, and the stifling heat was such a joy.... we decided to take the road and return to home which is in Solwezi  4.5hrs drive away, well, people in the UK have problems with traffic and being stuck in traffic jams for hrs ...this is a new experience as All eyes on the road, if there are not POT holes, speed bumps the size of hills, Africans with no road sense, over crowded buses & cars....so the trip really takes 6hrs ....

This is the good part... we arrive home to a wonderful greeting from Jade their Lab dog 15 months old (just like Baxter boy) and straight onto the veranda with a G&T and Eland biltong as much as one could consume....after a fresh farm lamb was packed and put into the freezer..it was time for some fresh lamb chops fresh veg and nosh was had...

shayne and I stayed up until 2am chewing the fat....well one has to!!!


03/12/2012


Woke early this morning 7am ready for what Africa has to offer me!!!!

Set up everything to play golf, well only a few holes as I haven't played for 2yrs...

I was incredibly tired and maybe it will get better after the massive blisters too.