Back to Synyati Group - 19th

We are told the tracks are dry enough to travel on. So we set off, stopping at Cabernet for water.

It takes us an hour to get to the 'end of the tarmac' and then another 90mins driving along badly rutted mud tracks.Samuel does a fantastic job of driving safely. We arrive at the village about 1pm and are greeted by Helen and Christina.

We start by going to see the group's field. It is full of crops, beans, melons and maize. There has been a drought here for the last 3 years and, via John and Mary, a group has provided seeds to get these crops growing again. It is good to see the results of this help.

We have lunch of boiled maize corn and millet soup sitting on stones in the shade of a tree.

We then go with the ladies looking for a site for a training apiary. The bees here can be quite defensive so the beekeeping is done in the dark, not much good for training. So we want a site further away from houses and tracks so hives can be opened in the day for teaching. We find a place and agree it with the group.

We now head to the apiary to bait some empty hives. As we get close we hear the sound of large numbers of bees flying, sure enough a swarm is emerging from one of the hives. It settles on a branch high in a tree, too high to collect. This is a pity as it is huge. John and I try to get close and I get stung on the face. A strategic withdrawal is called for.

To be continued.