Luggage Update

No choice but to bite the bullet.  The guys who are in Blantyre at the moment have told me what they took out with them, and I'll use this to focus my next effort.  As they point out, clothes can be washed, ironed and/or bought!

The Luggage Question

One of those issues that suddenly jumps up and bites you has come to light.

Having been advised by Alastair (who was out in Malawi earlier in the year, and who will be returning later) that he found that he had packed too much, I was preparing to cut back my luggage "ruthlessly".  However, given that my allowance with Kenya Airways is 2 x 23kg bags in the hold, and then a shoulder bag and a laptop as hand luggage, I was feeling fine.  However, now that the final leg of my journey (from Lilongwe to Blantyre) has been booked for 9 June, I see from the Air Malawi website that my allowance is just 20kg.  Even with judicious pruning, there's no way I'm going to be under 20kg (I'm carrying books, for example), so there is now an investigation of the implications going on in Malawi as I write this.  Much thanks to Kondwani in Blantyre and Cecilia in Lilongwe for their efforts on this.

It just goes to show that it's really hard to foresee all eventualities, and reinforces the benefits of building a database of every issue that arises together with the eventual solution (if any) so that the organisation continues to learn over time.

A Busy Day....

It's been quite a day today.  Firstly I had my final jabs and the approval of Nurse Tina for the sterile medical kit I've got (thank goodness).

Then Jan ran me to Epping to get the tube into London, where I met with Tim Heath from the East London Small Business Centre (ELSBC) where my former boss Adrian Stewart used to be a Board member.  Tim was very generous with his time, and I came away with some useful insights into the issues facing fledgling and small businesses, particularly in the ethnic minority communities.  Thanks, Tim, and thanks Adrian for putting me in touch with him.

Then on to Chancery Lane for a meeting hosted by Daliah and Sarah from Challenges Worldwide, primarily intended to be an initial briefing for consultants lined up for Malawi in the future, and for some who are still considering it as an option.  We heard from Alastair Byres who was out in Blantyre at the start of the project, and who is going back later.  Alastair regaled us with tales and pictures of his experiences, and I certainly felt that I had a better feel for what I'll find when I get out there, as well as things I must do whilst in the country.

And then I met up with my boy David for a beer and a pizza before getting on the tube back to Epping.  So it's been a very useful and fun day, and another step towards next Monday.

Update On Outbound Journey

I'm flying with Kenya Airways from Heathrow to Lilongwe via Nairobi.  Due to the availability of flights, it seems that I'll be taking an extra day to get out to Blantyre.  As there are no flights from Lilongwe to Blantyre on the Monday, I'm having a stop-over in Lilongwe (B&B I'm told) and will fly on to Blantyre on Tuesday 8th.

Spent Saturday morning at The Galleria in Hatfield, Hertfordshire, visiting the outlet stores for final items including a large holdall to carry 3 months-worth of gear.  Just got to get everything ironed and packed now.