We have been super busy with all the different projects going on at the moment! We have three student projects and our Straw colour fruit bat project all going on here as well as our normal office work, so no rest for the wicked. Lena and Eliane have been busy looking for urban roosts in buildings and conducting emergence surveys, we have also been doing the woodland graveyard surveys with Sophie and conducting weekly roost counts of the Straw colour fruit bats in addition to trying to capture them for tagging! We only have a small window left to catch these guys to so hopefully we manage before the rains are gone (and the bats too!). We have found quite a few interesting new finds though for night roosts and foraging sites for them!

Last week, we decided to go swimming for our day off which was fun however not long after we had been at the pool, a big old thunderstorm decided to come and rain on our parade… We did however go inside and still enjoy our day off by having some lunch and beers. Earlier in the morning I had gone out and bought lots of plants for my garden which is starting to take shape and looking super fabulous! The later in the evening, we headed to Jazz night, which I am super excited about as I have not been yet this year! Jazz night is one of my favourite events here in Lilongwe, I love listening to the live music in a chilled out atmosphere. Though the crew did laugh at me for laughing at them for bringing the camp chairs with us. Hobo chic galore… though not so sure on the chic! Sadly, Nathan the Research Assistant for the Carnivore Team is leaving us which will be a shame as he is a good party starter.

Over the last week, I have also taken people to a few good spots I know for present buying as we have decided to do Secret Santa this year for Christmas. I bought my present last week but Sophie is very kindly (and painstakingly) stitching something on it to customise it and make it the best present. Other crafty stuff we have been up to includes all the Christmas prep at camp refoogee* by the Christmas Queens! Dom and I even made a Christmas tree out of wood, which we painted with some left over paint we found. Lena and Sophie made some cute decorations for the tree and that we hung up in the veranda area. Of course we had a few cheeky drinks and tunes playing whilst making the area Christmasy and fabulous!

*you have to say it like Steve in American dad ?