satemwa tea estate

Another productive week over and the project plans for the leadership seminar, small business workshop and a couple of other projects in the pipeline are coming together and gathering momentum.  On the 17th their had been plans for civil protests across Malawi so we had decided to work from home that day and not to venture onto the streets.  Similar protests back in July ended with 18 people dead.  As it turned out the protests were cancelled at the 11th hour with an intervention from the UN and the day passed off peacefully and we managed to get a lot done away from the disturbances of the office.  friday comes around quickly and with it the opportunity to get out and discover more of Malawi 'The warm heart of Africa'

Saturday.  Following breakfast we climbed aboard Daisy and drove south east out of Blantyre and through the street markets along the way (top pic) towards the Mozambique border and Mulanje.  Mulanje mountain is the highest mountain in south central Africa with its peak at 3002 m which towers over the undulating countryside of Mulanje, Phalombe and Thyolo districts.  the area between Mulanje and Blantyre is reputedly the oldest tea growing area in Africa and it was to Satemwa tea estate we were heading.  Satemwa was one of the first European land claims to be registered in Malawi in 1874 and has been in the same family since 1923.  the estate lies on the slopes of 1462 m high Thyolo mountain and tea plants spread out across the landscape as far as the eye can see.  Each field has a large rock at its corner and written in white paint is the year the field was planted, the tea variety and the number of hectares in that field.  The tea plants stand about waist high and have a very even and level hight as if trimmed by a huge hedge cutter.  Intersecting the fields run narrow tracks no more than two feet wide by witch the pickers can get to pick the crop, still by hand, before it is taken to the tea factory where it is processed and distributed around the world so that you and I can have our morning cuppa.

There are two lodges on satenwa estate and we headed to Huntingdon House (picture left)   to have a stroll around the grounds and lunch before exploring the estate. Huntingdon house lies probably a mile and a half from the tar road down a bumpy dirt road that must be almost impassable in the rainy season.  As we arrived we were confronted by a group of young Europeans playing cricket on the lawn.  How colonial!

Having been taken on a little tour of the house (the house has a toilet which reputedly was the first flushing toilet in Malawi.  it is a Shanks New Nisa!)  we sat under the veranda and had coffee whilst watching the cricket match! and then wandered around the well manicured gardens before returning to the veranda where we ordered lunch whilst sitting drinking wine from large goldfishbowl glasses.  When lunch was ready we were escorted to our table and served lunch.  My colleagues had tuna fishcakes with cous-cous and green salad whilst I opted for macadamia nut pesto spaghetti with roasted tomatoes and a side of fresh rocket salad (picture below).  Our main courses were followed by banana fritters with golden syrup, crushed nuts and home made cinnamon ice cream. accompanied of course by more South African red  wine.

Having finished lunch we drove off through the endless fields of tea along the bumpy, dusty and at times precarious dirt roads winding our way gradually up hill to a beautiful picnic spot with magnificent views out over the estate and the surrounding countryside.  we spent a little time atop this hill admiring the view and taking pictures.

The picture right is a view of the summit of the picnic area taken from a little way down the slopes.  The way back down took us along even bumpier roads than the ones we came up and and trying to locate the right track wasn't always easy.  on one occasion the track we were travelling down just became narrower and narrower until it turned into just a footpath leaving us just enough room to turn around and head back to find a more accesible route out.  we passed through a small village where the estate workers lived, little more than shacks amongst the surrounding vegetation.  The children ran out to see who these strange mzungu's (chechewa for European) were driving through their village.  The people are always very friendly and smile and wave as we pass by. Those we pass along the road smile and greet us and we return the greeting now in our practisd chechewa 'Muli bwanji' (how are you).

We eventually found our way down to the tea factory and back onto the road out of the estate through the entrance gate and onto the tar road west back to Blantyre heading to get home before darkness.  a really nice day out and after a quick shower (yehhhh!  we have water tonight) headed down to mustang Sally's where we were treated to a free braii by the owner.  a couple of glasses of wine and then home for a bit of relaxing and some sleep.

tomorrow i am going to join the Blantyre sports and social club and spend some time by the pool and have a chill day.