Malawi and the Lake of Stars Festival

 After many hours on many crazy African buses I have arrived at Lake Malawi and it is beautiful. The internet here is not so great so my blogs will be limited for the next few weeks.

We have been to a number of schools where the class sizes are well over 100 children per teacher which seems crazy!!! We are giving out books to a number of children this week as part of the Lake of Stars Festival. The kids who have been given books so far have loved it and the project is also providing many books for school libraries in the area.

This weekend is the Lake of Stars Festival which runs every year and aims to raise money for projects in the local area. A whole range of bands and artists are playing and I can't wait for it to start.

Sorry for no photos but I promise to add them later.
xxx

many decades on the book bus and more challenges

The volunteers on the book bus Zambia last week ranged in age from teens to seventies with every decade represented, the book bus really is for everyone x
Some more of my challenges
Outdoor learning for Sue xx

Going on a Bear Hunt for Lesley xx

Thanks again to everyone who sponsored me, after spending 7 weeks in Livingstone, Zambia I can truly see the difference The Book Bus is making to the children we teach.

I now move onto Malawi for 2 weeks of visiting schools near the lake x

My weekend in Botswana

This is the last week of Book bus in Livingstone Zambia so I went this weekend to Choebe in Botswana on Safari as its only about an hours drive. I saw the most amazing animals and slept in a tent in the bush with a hole for a toilet, it was AWESOME!!!!

xxxxxx

Some of my challenges

Some of the challenges I have completed so far.
For Jo
After reading Elmer we also made Elmer headbands xx

For Dad
All ready for a game of cricket

For Hilary
15 books in one day

More challenges will follow shortly xxx

School fun

Its been another creative and crazy week at school, its been full of fun!

Drumming fun!!

More puppets!

T-Shirt Making from paper!

Skipping in the sun

xxxx

Livingstone Island, Zebras and Puppets

What a busy weekend with just 2 weeks before I leave for Malawi I thought I should see some sights so Kelly (the book bus leader) and I went to Livingstone Island which is right in the middle of Victoria Falls. From there we swam across part of the top of the falls, very scary and sat right on the edge in a place called Devils Pool. I was terrified but it was an amazing feeling after we were safely back on dry land.

To recover from almost killing ourselves at the top of the falls we went to the Royal Livingstone Hotel and had High Tea, we then saw many Zebras that live around the grounds. They were amazing and all had slightly different stripes.

This week we have also had a great time putting on puppet shows for the children in a number of schools, they loved it and I don't think they had ever seen anything like it before.



Cowboy Cliffs Pre School and a Helicopter Ride

The last 2 days have just been the best ever!!
Yesterday we went to a preschool called Cowboy Cliffs where the children were just amazing. They sang songs to us, had an awesome time giving the children balloons to play with and then we even had a disco courtsey of our taxi before we left.

This morning I went on a helicopter ride over Victoria falls. The view was just breathtaking and I know it will be one of those days I will never forget.

Life is good!!

Some great photos.....

xxxx







The orphanage

This week has been a great one so far, like in England this is the last week of the summer holidays so we are spending our time at an Orphanage, where the children just love the visits from the book bus we have made all sorts of interesting things, its amazing what you can do with a piece of paper when you try. Although every idea we had seemed to be improved by the amazing creative children.

Lubasi Orphanage

My hair do, Zambian style
We also spent a long time waiting for the bus on Tuesday before our trip to the falls so the children decided Kelly and I needed some new hairdos....