Rainstorms and Rampant Schoolteachers

Monday, 24th February

I woke up at 4.45am to a terrific rainstorm! Finally the great, parched lake was getting its thirst at least somewhat quenched. It is hard to describe an African rainstorm if you haven't experienced one. Suddenly it seems that the sky is opening and whoever resides up there has pulled out the plug to his bath and let it drench everyone and everything beneath. Everyone, humans and animals alike, run for cover as if the rainwater is some poison to be avoided. Life just stops for a moment, a much needed pause and break from the relentless sun. An hour or two of liquid peace granted for the busy, bustling day to day lives. Afterwards, it seems like all the world's creatures are poking their heads up and seeing if the danger is gone. Slowly, bit by bit, life whirs into motion again and dogs come out of their shelters first, sniffing the damp soil, followed by people who slowly return to work. The pause is over; time for the day to resume.

Thanks to the storm, the temperature plummeted (probably still considered a heatwave in England) and it seemed suddenly much cooler so we resorted to having mugs of warming soup for lunch, another thing I didn't expect to have in Zambia!

After some work on the outside wall, I wandered into the village to join Sammy, only to find that he had been slapped by a supposed school teacher! He had been playing with some younger kids who had allegedly skipped school when suddenly this man turned up and started chasing them and slapping whoever he could get near. Not something you'd find in the UK when teenagers skive their GCSE classes...