"You are back from America - Why?"

OK so we probably need to get an atlas and show Phiri where Scotland is, but the point remains - as a Malawian he wonders why we westerners would come to Malawi.

Good question. As is why we are planning to return to the UK - a country so categorically failing to achieve its potential our friends have the "where in the world should we live and work?" conversation almost as often as the "is Tiger Woods wholly to blame?" "isn't is cute that our parents believe in pensions and insurance?" and, for the Londoners at least, "how can we afford private schooling?" ones.

Yup, we and our friends are oh so middle class and, since we've been away, seem to have made the shift from 20 somethings to 30 somethings (slightly prematurely in my case I would add!). You all probably know my views on the location location debate, but the first 24 hours back in Malawi give me some pretty clear answers to Phiri's enquiry:

- It is better to be a few degrees too hot than many degrees too cold (a slightly sticky 27 at the moment but nothing a fan doesn't fix);
- there is a sort of calm that comes from not having a TV, limited access to the internet and a choice between DVD or Kutche Kutche at local for evening's entertainment; and
- waking up to air that smells like a scout hut set inside Glasgow's Botantical Gardens (or that butterfly farm in Aviemore) and sounds of gorbling birds and rippeting frogs really does remove any fear that life may be passing you by!

Of course those all have to be balanced against the many downsides which I've often moaned about and still abound. But, happy to be back and even more delighted that, unlike Phiri, we can choose to return.

F x

Ps - In a nod to remaining 5 months of 20 somethingness I spent a lot of time listening to Radio 1 at home and would say: "'mon the Rage!". Excellent, I may never listen to my 2 copies again but reckon a bit of fire in the belly is exactly what we need right now!