No petrol = creatures of habit

The one-week lapse in petrol shortage is officially over. Although I filled both our cars to the max (with no waiting!), it seems that many people did not. The lines around town today were back with a vengeance. I am safe for another couple of weeks. Jon's car is full too, and as he is in the States for the month, I have an excellent backup supply. He might even have fuel when he returns. Plus, I looked at our storage shed today, and no one has stolen our jerry can of fuel. I can breathe a short(lived) sigh of relief.

So, without much mobility, we've been hiking to the top of the same local mountain at least once a month. We usually go with our friends, Mike and Hillary -- two fellow hikers and cooks who make living here fun. Nkhoma is not so tall, but it is steep, involves a few hour return climb, and is just 40 minutes from Lilongwe, making it highly geographically desirable for a morning trip. We always pass tons of folks with anything and everything on their bicycles, including goats (sorry, goats!) and baskets. The mountain is currently up in smoke ('tis burning season), but before it was on fire, it was covered with lovely wild flowers. At the top, we always take a few minutes to picnic and take in the view. Not the most amazing place on earth, but a great way to spend the day with good friends. Again, it's the small things that you savor and that keep you sane.