African Honeymoon

Gordon Burridge left Scotland in 1957 to work as an Agricultural Supervisor in the small African country of Nyasaland. He was followed eight months later by his young fiancée, Marian, who left a Scottish winter for an unusual wedding and the adventures of Marian and Gordon in Africa, happy and otherwise, were well documented in regular letters to family in Scotland. Reading them fifty years later, they realised they had a wonderful story to tell and ‘African Honeymoon : When Malawi Was Nyasaland’ was born. Part two of the adventures of the Burridges start after leaving Africa and will be in stark contrast to 'African Honeymoon'. They have just as much to write about - and more.

Gordon Burridge left Scotland in July 1957 to take up a position as Agricultural Supervisor in the small African country of Nyasaland. He was followed eight months later by his young fiancée, Marian, who left behind a Scottish winter for an unusual wedding and safari honeymoon, camping in the African bush. They started married life in a remote but beautiful place, in the very north of the country. This is the story of their dramatic and sometimes dangerous years, adapting to life in Africa, getting to know the Africans, enduring basic living conditions and later political unrest among the local African population. They overcame the isolation, travelling to find friends in their bumpy, overworked Land Rover. The adventures of Marian and Gordon in Africa, happy and otherwise, were well documented in regular letters to family in Scotland. These were kept by Gordon's mother and reading them fifty years later, they realised they had a wonderful story to tell. They now look forward to a second book, about adjusting to Canadian winters after leaving the heat of Africa. Tentatively titled “Out of the Frying Pan into the Freezer” it is due to be published late 2012.

Gordon and Marian Burridge have lived and worked in Maryborough, Queensland, Australia for over forty years. Gordon commenced employment with the Queensland Department of Primary Industries as a Pig Production Officer and later as a Biosecurity Inspector in the fruit industry. Gordon was a professional cartoonist for 26 enjoyable years from 1978 to 2004 using his pen name Scotty, he drew a topical news cartoon in the Fraser Coast Chronicle six days a week. He is a member of the Australian Cartoonist Association and through KB Productions published a book of "Scotty" cartoons in 2010. For many years Marian worked as a Tourist Information Volunteer with the Maryborough Tourism Board. A very cultural couple, both Marian and Gordon have a strong interest in Theatre and are active members of the Maryborough Players Inc. theatre group. Gordon is keenly involved with art and is a Life Member of the Maryborough Art Society Inc. and a volunteer and adviser with Gatakers Artspace gallery in Maryborough. Marian's principle interest is computers and technology and she runs both Apple and PC formats at home, as well as her trusty iPad. She and Gordon are members of the Maryborough Computer Users Group. Keen photographers, Gordon and Marian work together on this hobby and Gordon specialises in photographic art, he takes the photographs and Marian prints them traditionally. They have enjoyed seeing Gordon's work showcased in local exhibitions. Marian and Gordon are passionate readers and belong to the 'Bookchat' club. Gordon has always been enthusiastic about all forms of writing and regularly corresponds with friends around the world. Luckily for the book world writing African Honeymoon was a new challenge that has triggered an interest in more life story writing in the near future.