Having been too scared to go to a footy match back in the UK for fear of being glassed, I jumped at the opportunity to go to an international level game in Malawi and sit on concrete bleachers that had been condemned by FIFA several years ago, where we were supposed to be relieved that there were personnel watching over us with their rifles slung over their shoulders. I would have been more reassured if they hadn’t been drunk. And wearing bandannas. I didn’t think bandannas were standard issue? 

We sat in a row of peachy whiteness and the sun promptly came out. The boy selling straw hats had clocked us when we came in and knew we wouldn’t be able to survive without him and just waited patiently until we wilted. And wilt we did, we would have paid whatever price he named but he was merciful with us. 

The first half was a bit disappointing with Guinea scoring a goal from a corner without about 90% of the crowd even noticing; we just wondered why they were walking back to the centre. The second half was much more exciting and Malawi equalised within the first 5 minutes and then went 2-1 ahead with 15 minutes to go. So, I mentioned that the stands had been condemned by FIFA. That didn’t stop the back 20 rows doing a victory dance right where they were. You could see the concrete sway. Maybe that was my imagination.

We walked back home with homemade knitted sweatbands and headbands in the Malawi colours (Green red and black) which had cost us 20p, pressing fists with other jubilant Malawi supporters. They have one more match which decides whether they go through to the All Africa Football Championships but that one is against Ivory Coast. For those who know (which now includes me) that will be a tough game, but Malawi is nothing if not an optimistic country.

Perseid meteor shower Wednesday 12th August

This is a bit of a postscript for the Perseid meteor shower. In honour of the best display of shooting stars for the whole year, I organised a trip up to Zomba where we could watch the night sky unhindered by city lights. What better place on earth than the big African sky to watch a shooting star extravaganza? So we were all a bit keen to leave work early on Wednesday the 12th of August to drive the hour up to Zomba to catch the sunset on top of the plateau and then to stay overnight at the house of one of the Hash members which very conveniently is situated about half way up the plateau. We had a very pleasant meal and then decamped outside with our sleeping bags to watch the sky. Well, some lasted longer than others but there was a steady dribble back inside and a few grumbles that folk had seen more shooting stars on any other night of the year. I saw one, which was about average - the width of the normal distribution being 0 -4; very much skewed towards the 0 mark. I felt responsible for dragging everyone up the mountain and making promises I was in no position to deliver.

I mentioned it to someone at work and he asked where we were watching it from, and then very insensitively burst into an incontrollable cackle when I told him. Needless to say, we were facing the wrong way. We were on the south facing slope of the plateau and all the stars were probably doing loop-the-loop behind us for all we know. Apparently the Northern hemisphere was the place to be that night. Or at least on the other side of Zomba.