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The very first diary entry...

So far, so good

Robinbye
2006-01-05 21:04:28

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The very first diary entry...

Dear friends, this is the very first post of the little world tour that Helene and myself is undertaking.

Facts about Blantyre and Malawi
As you may be aware, Helene and our friend Astrid, both medicine students, left Sydney (where we are studying) on 22 October 2005, destination Blantyre, Malawi, Africa. I left Sydney on 9 November, and caught up with the girls in Blantyre on the 10th.

Blantyre is a city of about 5-600 000 inhabitants and is the so-called commercial centre of Malawi. Named after the birth place of David Livingstone in Scotland, it used to be the capital, however, this changed, and the capital is now Lilongwe, which is also the biggest city.

Being one of the world's poorest countries, Malawi is about to experience a hunger crisis due to lack of rain both last year and now, which is supposed to be rain season.

In Blantyre, Helene and Astrid is undertaking a four week medical elective term at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. It has been quite an experience so far. There is a great lack of equipment. In the paediatric department (apparently to do with kids for those not familiar with medical terms), up to three kids are sharing each bed, while the mothers sleep on the stone floor. Some two or three kids die every day.

Safari in Lewonde national park

During the weekend, we left Blantyre for a safari in the Lewonde national park. Early on Saturday morning we were picked up from Doogles, the hostel where we are staying. Our driver took us safely through the busy streets crowded with people and stalls. The entire city of Blantyre appears as one gigantic market, with people selling fruit and vegetables, pieces of "art" made of wood or ceramics, shoes, clothes, old digital wrist watches probably made in the 80s, and so on.

Walking in the street is hazardous, not because ...