Bringing in 2012 at Nkhata Bay, Malawi

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Mayoka Village from the Lake

Arriving back in Nkhata Bay, we tried to find the place where our friends were supposed to be staying.  Luckily, Nkhata Bay is a small place and we ran into Charrie in the street, who then took us to meet Arek at the local pub.  We celebrated the reunion with a beer in the stifling hot local pub, with Premier League games playing.
They were all staying at a lovely place called Mayoka Village, which had some cool cabins built on a hillside, right above the lake, and tent sites interspersed between.  We managed to set up a great camp right on the water.  The restaurant served up some delicious food, including a home-made thick, juicy beef burger which I couldn't get enough of!!  It even had CHEESE on it!!  Wow, talk about things you miss!

Our Tent at Mayoka Village by Lake Malawi

We had been in touch with friends Nick and Zulfaa, whom we met in Livingstone, Zambia 2 months prior.  They had planned to be in Malawi, but not sure where.  So after getting back in cell phone coverage, we texted them to find out.  As I was walking down the steps to Mayoka, we received a text back saying that they were at Mayoka Village in Nkhata Bay, and we looked up to see them walking along in front of us.  A complete surprise to both parties, and a small world.  So all of a sudden we had quite a little group of friends formed, which made the prospects of the New Year's party even more enticing!
Mayoka Village offered some good free perks including a boat trip/snorkel/cliff jump.  We all piled in the boat and had a good afternoon out, including a close up view of the fish eagle's swooping in for a

Swim Platform with some Mayoka Friends - Zulfaa on right

fish thrown from the boat.  All was going well, until we got called to get back in the boat.  Apparently, the driver had started the engine when a swimmer was behind the boat and actually cut her leg with the prop!!  Really scary stuff, and very lucky that her injuries were not serious!!  WOW - makes you realize how easy things happen, and how lax they are here on safety!!
Our daily routines would include a walk into town for lunch at a local cheap restaurant, that would inevitably take way longer than it should for the food to be served;  a very cheap and cold Coke at our little Sharobala Restaurant to escape the heat temporarily; just walking through town and feeling more like a local, recognizing and being recognized by some of the residents both Malawian and ex-pats.  It seems that Nkhata Bay is a focal point for the good backpacker trail through

Downtown Nkhata Bay - Sharobala Restaurant on left

Malawi, and is a hub since it services the islands by ferry.  Malawi has been a nice change from us being on our own most of the time.
Back at Mayoka, they had a challenge….  If two of you could paddle the local dug-out canoe out around the swim platform and back, without falling in, you would stay one night for free.  Charrie and I gave it a go, but it is easier than it sounds.  The dug-outs are very round and super tippy.  We made a valiant attempt to 2/3's of the way there, but splashed down embarrassingly and disappointed.  All good fun though.
Another interesting note for Mayoka was the ex-chief of the land.  He would appear every night to set up his chocolate bar stand, and sit in the same chair, often falling asleep.  He was an elderly, but jovial man and had a variety of outfits to make our "tickle trunk"

With Georgia, Arek, Charrie and the Chief in his Checker Outfit

(dress-up clothes closet) jealous.  My personal favourites were the full purple outfit including purple socks, and the checkered trousers and shirt complete with Christmas tie.
Along with new brother/sister friends Will and Sophie, we partied the New Year's Eve away at Mayoka, then made our way down to the bigger local party at a bar called Kaya Papaya.  Lots of locals and travellers made for a fun night of dancing, drinking and shooting of New Year's fireworks.  We rung in the New Year there, and wandered home around 4AM, only to find out the next day, that a British guy that we knew had actually been stabbed on the same path about an hour earlier.  He was alone unfortunately, but we were a group, so strength in numbers…..  But a real black eye to the community, as apparently an American girl had been stabbed

New Year's with Zulfaa, Nick, Charrie, Sophie and Arek

too earlier in the night.  Very odd for Nkhata Bay, and everyone was in a bit of shock.  I would assume it was a local with some kind of mental disability, as there didn't appear to be any theft.  Scary stuff, but we take care of each other and friends, and try not to walk alone at night!!
After a day of recovery, we were escorted by Georgia, Arek and Charrie, to the Ilala ferry where, along with Will and Sophie, we were headed for some beach time at the small Malawian islands of Likoma and Chizumulu, out in Lake Malawi, but close to the Mozambique mainland!  *Stub