Irwin's Blog

[Irwin]

If you buy the beers, you've got a deal.

[Irwin]

I am travelling in Malawi (formerly Nyasaland). I am here for almost 3 weeks.
Lake Malawi (it used to be called Lake Nyasa) runs the length of the country and is approx 450 miles long. From its southern end out flows the Shire river which further down in Mozambique joins up with the Zambezi. This is the area where David Livingstone trekked. He wanted to bring British settlers to the Shire to establish farms in the area.
Yesterday I was up in the north, and visited Livingstonia, a mission station up on the hills above the lake. In the late 1870's Scottish missionaries came to Nyasaland to engage in the classical missionary medical work. All were from the Free Church of Scotland. They first put up thir tents on the shore of the lake and quickly many of them fresh out from Scotland, were killed off by malaria and also occasional encounters with elephants and lions. To escape the malaria mosquitoes they then moved up the lake about 350 miles and set up their mission station on the high escarpment overlooking the lake. The mission station is still there.
Yesterday I went to visit the station. It is quite isolated, reached by a zigzag dirt and stone track that climbs up the face of the escarpment. At the top, there are the usual institutions associated with mission stations, church, school, clinic etc.
There is a very small museum in the house which was lived in by the Scottish head of the station for 25 years. In addition to all the historical documents on display, I found two Victorian clocks that had been gifted to the station head. Unfortunately, they were behind glass, so I couldn't get a decent photo. Also the room was dark and there was no electricity. There was also a display of the late Victorian medical equipment they brought out with them which I found of interest, the portable organ, slide projectors and other equipment items brought from the UK more than 100 years ago.

Lake Malawi (Nyasa)

Mission leader's house Livingstonia

Clock in the museum

[Irwin]

Three weeks in Malawi and now in a few days, I am going to California. It's a short trip and I'll be there for 7-8 days. It's a long way to go for only a week.
I'll get to pick up my Longines watch and see what I actually bought.
I'm looking at a marine clock on eBay - one of these brass cased ship bulkhead clocks - and this would be an opportunity to fetch one. I have been comparing eBay prices for these, between the US and the UK and my impression is that the US prices are signicantly lower than in the UK. Let's see what I can do...

[Irwin]

Got it.

A Schatz

marine clock.jpg (7.66 KiB) Viewed 264 times

[Irwin]

I am now in California and have seen the 2 x Longines and the marine clock. All are as good as I could have wished for. I am definitely satisfied.

[Lagodave]

Irwin,
well we've been back in Greenock again for about two weeks to celebrate my
father-in-laws 90th birthday. We're going for a seaplane ride on Friday, the plane leaves
from the clyde at the Science Museum in Glasgow and goes out over Oban. I think it
could be spectacular since Scotland is currently covered in snow.

I'll post some images when I get back home to sunny Texas next week.
Dave

[Irwin]

Dave,
Let's see the photos when you get back. I'll need to look at doing that sometime, though I think I'll start with a sail doon the watter on the Waverley paddle steamer. I prefer the old stuff...
This isn't far away. I have made a big decision in the last month. I have decided to start a new chapter and pull up my anchor here in Africa. My better half has arrived and is busy selling up everything she doesn't want in Bonnie Scotland and I have put my Landcruiser up for sale - Anybody want a fully loaded Toyota Landcruiser Prado with all the bells and whistles? At the end of the month we are out of here, and on 1st May I'll be watching the ships sailing past while I compare the qualities of malt whiskies.
The countdown has begun.
Have a good Easter weekend everybody.

[Glyn Meredith]

They say a change is as good as a rest, Irwin. Apart from steamer trips and some R and R, what are your plans?

[Irwin]

I'm open to suggestions.
Got any ideas?

[Glyn Meredith]

Take stock ... have a health check, keep active, take on new projects.

I've taken on some new teaching work recently, play chess regularly, meet my buddies for lunch or dinner, look after my lodge finances, do the shopping and cooking regularly .. and then there is GH to keep an eye on. This is all the opposite of what so many people do when they retire ... drift along in a work-free routine and then fade away.

Keep active and engaged in things that require brain work, and resist the temptation to just potter around. That's my suggestion, Irwin.

[Lagodave]

Irwin,
I'm back home in sunny Texas after our trip to Greenock. Here's
some pictures I thought you'd like to see.

By the way, I'd like to fully endorse Glyn's advice, keep active.

For the last four years I've been President of our Property Owners Association,
which by the way has approx. 30,000 total membership. This position is voluntary
and publicly elected. I'm also the Moderator of a non denominational church.

In my spare time I'm also a horology buff.

[Irwin]

Nice photos Dave. Looks like a nice part of the world to retire to.....
The first thing I plan to do is to join the local golf club and hopefully, weather permitting, start every day with a round. That should take care of the keeping active part.

And for visual entertainment, at the bottom of the garden this weekend, courtesy of my neighbour

[Glyn Meredith]

Lucky shot, Irwin. That's HMS Ark Royal, if I'm not mistaken - Invincible-class light aircraft carrier, and flag ship of the active Royal Navy.

[Irwin]

A weekend in the Masai Mara brings some wonderful sights..

[richiec]

How far would you be from Lanarkshire? That was where my wife's father was born before coming to America in 1923. His father owned a mine there, sold it and then his wife spent the money on clothing and shoes so they could come over 1st class to avoid Ellis Island. The family name was Hughes.