When I first arrived in Malawi in September, it was nearing the end of the dry season. There had been almost no rain for six months, and the ground was dusty and dry, hard and hot. I’ve written previously about the rains, and now as I approach the end of my time here, they are already on the wane. But they have transformed the landscape. Ground which I thought was hard and barren has proved its fecundity by shooting forth exuberant explosions of plant life. Brown roadsides are now wild and untamed with all shades of green, all shapes of leaf. The landscape from a distance looks soft and springy and inviting. Maize erupts from the ground with astonishing speed, and will feed the country for the next year. Ironically, despite all this fertility and life, January and February are the so-called “hungry months”, as last year’s stores are used up, and the current crop is not yet ready for harvesting. The country is green and beautiful, and below I’ve put some photos up which I hope will show this. There are lots of photos – don’t get bored. (If you click on the smaller photos I think you should see bigger versions of them.) Read the rest of this entry »
Posts Tagged rains
Weekend in Zomba
It’s not often that I spend a weekend in Zomba. I’m very pleased that I’ve been away almost every weekend, and feel that I’m seeing a good deal of Malawi in the short time I’m here. That said, it has been good to spend the weekend here for a change.
This was our backyard last week one evening after work. The rains had cleared the air, and the scene was as crisp as a stage set. The warm evening light is fantastic - and I promise that I haven't touched this photo up at all (though it is a panorama). The mangoes on the tree on the right are practically glowing!
Backyard muddy river
The rainy season is well under way. Almost each day there is a truly colossal downpour, preceded usually by gusts of wind and some impressive claps of thunder, as well as the traditional darkening of the sky. I will rely on these warning signs heavily when I’m biking, as it would be really stupid to be caught in such a downpour. Within a few minutes the roads flood, covered in muddy water which conceals all manner of treacherous potholes and cracks.
Saturday morning rains fill the gutters quickly
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Rains
The rainy season has started here. It has been anticipated for many weeks, as the time when the dry brown landscape will become green and lush, the maize will grow, the roads will flood, and it will cool down a bit. “The rains” have been alluded to by locals in casual conversation, with an implicit respect suggesting the approach of something tangible and unavoidable, like death and taxes. Rob warned us that any problems we have had with electricity and water would likely become more frequent during the rainy season, when much of Malawi is brought to a standstill. It has become a bit cooler sometimes and moister, and the sugar and salt have started to clump. But most of the time, despite the talk, it has been hard to imagine loads of rain while baking in the dry heat and walking on the dusty parched earth.
The first rain caught Sue and I unawares some time ago when walking back to the hospital one lunchtime. This was merely a taster of what was to come, I learnt.
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