Hot Day

Fortunately after our visit to Katawa Primary, the rain disappeared and the earth dried up very quickly, leaving red dust on our shoes.  It was very warm in the hot sun. We were setting off to go further north to Rumphi which is always much hotter than Mzuzu.  Down town we took a people taxi.  We had to wait around 10 minutes before departing because the taxi will only go when the car is full of passengers.  Tom sat in the back then a man joined him with loads of plastic shoes. There was easily 50 pairs bundled in.  Two men sat beside me in the middle seat with their bags and Paul had the best seat in the front although some cases were squashed in also.  The boot was weighted down with sacks of flour. 

 

We had a very smooth journey to Rumphi lasting one hour.  It was great to see the green landscape changing to drier and dusty one as we passed through the various villages. It was wonderful to see everyone going about their daily chores; women washing clothes at the well, men and ladies digging in the fields also children playing at school. Thankfully it is a tarmac road all the way. Driving is the same side as Scotland.  The speed limit around settlements is 50Km but no restriction elsewhere.  As you travel further north the temperature increases.  By the time we arrived at Rumphi it was extremely hot, dry and dusty.  It felt our skin was being baked by the blistering sun.  The temperature was around 36 degrees Celsius  but I am told it can rise to 41 degrees Celsius.  Plenty of sun cream applied and lots of water swallowed.