Day 9 Trip to Rumphi January 25, 2011

      Today we made our way to Rumphi where we will be viisting our SACCO's. We checked into our Hotel and the look on our faces told a lot of stories. This would be our home for the next 8 days. When you leave a country like Canada, you get used to some many things that become expectations......and it's not fair to judge but the sheer fact that that is what we know, takes some getting used to. Scott's room doesn't have hot water, my shower head falls off on me, the towel is just bigger than a face cloth, we have no TV, Internet, Radio or other outside form of communication. (Note that is why Day 9 is being posted on Feb 2nd, so you all have lots to read or at least those who are checking if I'm still alive.).

   In the hallway outside my room I hear Scott trying to explainto the lady that he needs washing done and has 5 shirts, socks and underwear....and it is a struggle. He finally succeeds and asks when they would be done, as he has clothes for 2 more days and that's it.......that's when I break out histarically. We are getting to know way to much of what was a complete stranger a little over a week ago.

   We also met both boards (BOD) that we will be working with in this region. The expressed some of the concerns and problems they are facing which layed the pavement for our studies.

   We walked up town had dinner at the Chef's Pride Restaurant (which we would visit frequently during our stay), and then I picked up 3 beer for 375 Kwacha which is about $2.00 Cdn.

   In addition as we were walking around, we noticed several interesting shops, one of which was a local butcher (they have a few in town), and we talked to the butcher. We talked about how meat keeps in this heat along with what they do with the, for lack of better terms guts, and they said they use tham. As we are walking back to the room, Scott mentions that he thought the guts were referred to as Offals. Check what the specials were that night at the restaurant!!!

    That in a nutshell was our day and keep reading as I will have posted more entries.