I’ve been here four months now and Jenny is arriving in a week. Sheppard one of the football boys is in Blantyre on business and has agreed to pick us from the airport. Jenny walks through immigration and we kiss. Shep arrives on time and we are soon in Mzuzu. We both seemed a bit nervous. We spend an awkward night trying to make ‘we haven’t seen each other for four months love’ on my short squeaky metal sprung bed. We get a bus to Rumphi and hitch a ride to Vwaza with the hope of seeing large herds of elephants at Kazuni Lake. The accommodation is ‘no star’ as we settle into our hut listening to hippos all night outside. There is no food at the camp so we scrounge rice and pilchards from the wardens. We walk in the huge footsteps of elephants and see some from a distance. It is pouring down as we get back to Mzuzu by the afternoon. We have a beer at the ‘Kool Spot. The ‘Apatseni’ boys are out in their suits to meet Jenny. Pixie introduces everyone to Jenny. Jenny makes a quick speech along the lines of thanks for looking after me and says they are ‘sweet boys’. Today is my 32nd birthday and we spend it in Nkhata Bay at Chikele Beach. The mood is a bit strange as we talk, drink and eat. In bed we fit well together but sometimes we are a bit apart. We walk into the town and eat Kondole and Kampango a local fish and maize dish. We are leaving for Chilumba on the Ilala Ferry tonight. We are waiting for the siren to leave. It has been delayed until 5 am so we book into the Yellow Submarine guest house near the dock.  The ferry leaves at 4.30 am and on board we try and get some sleep. We wake up pulling into Usisya. It is a great scene to wake up to. The lake shore coast is stunning and we sit and enjoy the trip. We dock in Chilumba after dark. We need to get to Karonga. There is no transport so we have to walk about 7 kilometres to the main road and find a bus. We get to Karonga late and in the dark but I know the place we are going. The Enikani comes to the rescue again. It is a bit grim but after a shower dancing with mosquitoes we settle in under our mosquito net and sleep well. The next day we upgrade and move to the Club Marina resort and relax. We are heading for Livingstonia high up on the escarpment. An ambulance from Livingstonia Hospital is heading up and it offers us a ride. The road is terrible and we are thrown around inside but not as much as the patient. We are staying at the ‘Stone House’ an old colonial building with loads of atmosphere. We eat with two priests and make polite conversation. The rooms are wooden paneled and have big windows. The bathroom is all porcelain with a big deep bath. We need to leave and I eventually find a lift back to Mzuzu with the Reverend Chavula. Our two weeks is almost over. I have found out that I enjoy Jenny’s company and we have confirmed our feelings are genuine. The day before she leaves she watches me play football versus Chilumba Garrison. We lost 3-2 in a bruising game. I come on as a second half sub as usual but make little impact on the game. Jenny says goodbye to Mzuzu and Apatseni and the next day I drop her at the airport. I was left with mixed feelings about our relationship but it wouldn’t end quite yet. I stay down south and attend a VSO conference where I am asked to deliver a session on football coaching to the other volunteers. After a few days I am eager to get back north.

The news is official Apatseni FC are the 1999 Oilcom Champions. We were due to play Taifa Stars at the stadium as a celebration game for us winning the league. Today it happened. We were presented the trophy and 7000 kwacha by Mr. Mithi and Mr Ziba the FAM representatives in Mzuzu. We played a twenty minute game and then paraded the trophy through the streets of Mzuzu in the back of Henzi’s Maxi Tyres pick up. We have been promoted to the Premier League of Malawi but nobody is seriously thinking of playing. There was a funny moment yesterday with Mr. Mithi in his suit at the stadium and later at the Casanova Bar drunk in his straw hat and shorts. ‘Apatseni Socials’ are crowned Oilcom Champions 1999 basically because we fulfilled our fixtures.