Transit Town Mbeya, Tanzania

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Mbeya Crew Enjoying some Beers

It took seven legs for the journey from Livingstonia, Malawi to Mbeya, Tanzania.  First, we starting walking down the hill from Livingstonia, because you are never sure if there will be a vehicle.  Steep and windy, we walked about 7km down, and did 11 of the 19 switchback hairpin turns.  Then we heard a vehicle approaching from above, and sure enough, a large, flatbed truck came down.  We hopped in the muddy back with a group of other locals, and bounced our way to the bottom.  Next thing we knew, we were sitting on the side of the road in Chitimba.  While waiting in town, we hitched a ride in a nice SUV from a local who didn't want any money in return.  A shared taxi took us from Karonga to the border of Tanzania.  We walked from the border about 2km to the bus stop, and a medium sized bus took us to Mbeya.  But, not all the way, as we were shuffled from the bigger bus into a minibus for the last few km's because I think our guy was too lazy to head to the bus station.  It was dark, a new country, and it was a bit stressful as there were people dragging our stuff around and we didn't know what was going on because, as we discovered, there is not much English spoken here.  We would have to learn some Swahili!!

Excited Kids at the Train Station

Holed up in a little hotel, we met 2 Kiwi guys next door and planned to head to the train station in the morning to buy tickets for an 849km train to Dar es Salaam.  For whatever reason, males and females cannot sleep in the same compartment on the train unless they book the entire compartment.  So, it was lucky that we came across Jan and Hamish, as they reduced our price significantly.  And, we enjoyed hanging out with them, along with four Aussie girls they had hoped to catch up with in town.  The 8 of us went to the train station in time for our assumed departure, only to find out that the train was 20 HOURS late, and that we should just come back in the morning.  A little disappointing, as Mbeya is just really a transit town, with very little to do. We felt like we were wasting a day really, but what can you do.

Kids Playing Dice with us at Train Station

We made the most of it though, all hanging out at a local eatery, and then the local pub.  In the morning, it was back to the train station at 10AM, where we sat and waited, and waited and waited.  We passed the time with some games, which the local kids watched intensely.  One little guy was super pleased when I asked him to throw the dice for me, and he was GOOD.  I kept him as my substitute for the rest of the game.  We also played some hacky sack, and on one effort, Jan accidentally stepped on a box of biscuits and drinks that one of the kids was selling.  It was a excellent effort to stretch out for the hack, but he ended up getting guilted into buying a bunch of the things he accidentally stepped on!!!  Probably didn't break the bank though.
We had taken a sweepstake on when the train actually arrived, and 3:30 PM was the winner.  More than 24 hours late and we finally got moving at about 4PM or so.   Not sure how this kind of punctuality would go over in the Western world!!!   *Stub

Hamish, Jan and Us in our Cabin on the train

The Hills of Livingstonia, Malawi

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The View from the Deck of our Chalet

We were still pretty soggy when we arrived at the base of the hills at the junction to Livingstonia, and so we pondered our options.  To Lukwe Eco-Camp, it was 12 km up a steep, dirt road, switchbacking up the mountain.  Even though our stuff had been protected with waterproof bags, some of our stuff still got wet.  Did we really want to tackle the walk up there carrying all of our stuff......not really.  We could wait, and hope to get a ride up (which are few and far between).  We could haggle with, then hire a porter to carry some of our baggage whilst we carried the rest.  We could stay there in Chitimba, and tackle the problem in the morning when there may be a better chance of getting an easy way up.  Or we could just bite the bullet, and start walking - heck, I'm sure we could use the exercise.

So, let's see if you guessed right.......... we decided to wait for a ride, and thought our chances might be good as there was a collection of locals starting to accumulate at the intersection.  Sure enough, a pick-up truck came by after about 1 and a half hours, and we paid our 500 Kwacha ($2.50), to get up the steep road.  And what a bouncy, steep ride it was - a little scary I might add, with steep drops beside.  I kept hoping that the brakes didn't fail.

Restaurant and Bar on the Ledge at Lukwe EcoLodge

All good though, as we walked down the drive to Lukwe Eco-Camp, and saw the amazing paradise that we would call home for a couple of days (or four). This ingenious camp/chalets/bar/restaurant complex was perched right on the edge of a steep drop, with stunning views back towards the lake, and over the lush, green hills in between.  Wow, we could hardly take our eyes off of the view. We could see why Lukwe had been recommended to us.

After being soooooooo wet, we decided to take a chalet in order to dry ourselves out.  The chalet balcony was also perched right on the edge - it was quite the spot to relax in.  And our hut was really cool, all furniture and extras hand built by Auke, the Eco-Camp owner.  Way back when Auke was traveling for a few years, he fell in love with this area, and so stopped right there.  Then he started planting trees and a garden, and building his own camp.  The attention to detail in his carpentry was fabulous, and his gardens were sublime.  Ponds, paths, all types of veggies and crops. He's been here 11 years. And what a place!  Of course, since he grows all his own veggies, the food was fresh and delicious.

Michelle Swinging on the Edge at Lukwe

Auke also likes his steak, and had a special/expensive solar FREEZER to keep the meat.  Needless to say, I couldn't resist a great t-bone the first night..... and then a sirloin the third night.   MMMMmmmm, red meat fest!!!  Michelle was excited to eat salads every meal - and loved having a huge bowl of flavourful crispy veg each night all to herself.  Auke certainly had tried to think of everything and unlike most other places in Malawi that we'd been to recently, Lukwe had (solar) electricity and it took a bit of getting used to eating by LED lights and having cold drinks! Electricity was only in the bar though, and so we were able to spot bushbabies quite easily in the trees at night before dinner.


The story behind Livingstonia town is that it was first established after David Livingstone's death.  After a few failed attempts by missionaries in other locations, they finally settled on this spot.  From our lodge the town was a (hot) 5km walk up the winding road.  A one Dr. Robert Laws was instrumental in establishing the mission and hospital and his now famous residence, the Stone House -

Fields around Livingstonia

a bed and breakfast, and museum.  We enjoyed the people and the little fruit market, and a tasty lunch of nsima (maize meal) and chicken at the Stone House itself. Our favourite bit was actually the walk back which, instead of the road, we took scenic shortcuts through steep hills and terraced fields, waving to the locals as the tended to their row upon row of maize and cassava.

Our time seemed to fly by at Lukwe especially as sometimes we would spend about 2 hours making lunch which involved making a fire in the self catering kitchen to cook pasta, so that we could splash out on the amazing mouthwatering dinners. Sometimes we would just sit and read looking at the views. Apart from town, we did only a little exploring: the Manchewe Falls were very pretty but we didn't venture far as there was a drop-off viewpoint at the end of Auke's organic garden. Another afternoon we walked over to the 'adjacent'  Mushroom Farm Lodge - a very popular place with backpackers and campers. Like Lukwe, it also has a great perch with closer sweeping views of the lake. It seemed like a cool place with funky chill-out spots, but we were super happy with our Lukwe.  Knowing that we were moving on to our next country, Lukwe was a great note to leave Malawi on!  * Stub/Mush

Rainy Season Hits Us Hard at Vwaza Marsh National Park, Malawi

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We decided to head back South to Nkhata Bay, as there would be more info on getting to the parks there.  A good stop, because we were familiar with the place and people.  We got to see Zulfaa again, this time behind the bar at Mayoka Village, as she was working there for a month while Nick returned to Australia.  We also got to enjoy the awesome Mayoka burger one last time before we set off again.

Our Tent Location on the Lake at Vwaza Marsh

The day we left really felt like traveling again, because for the previous month, it seemed like we were just relaxing and not really working hard - a holiday from our travels so to speak!!   Back to the grind though of cramped Minibus frustration, bargaining for everything whilst trying not to get ripped off, and watching our backs in new places as we discover the intricacies of new towns and countries - always somewhat anxious moments.

After a brief stop in Mzuzu for supplies and changing money on the black market, we easily got up to Rumphi by minibus.  From here, it was a cramped matola ride hopefully to the gates of Vwaza Marsh National Park.  The matola was basically a pick-up truck/bakkie that they managed to cram 35 people in to.  As is true to form for African travel, there was not much forethought to the ride.  After all the people loaded up, they drove through town picking up all the supplies, so they had to load all the sacks of 'whatever' around all the people, as nobody wanted to give up their already cramped seats or standing room.  Stupid really, but they squeezed it all in somehow, much to the chagrin of all the passengers.  Next though, there was a flat tire, so they changed it, again with all the people staying in the back for the same reasons.

It was a bouncy, bumpy and somewhat miserable ride, but the good news was that we actually got to where we wanted to go….. and before dark!!  The nice park manager showed us to a campsite in the resort area, which we had to ourselves.  Our tent was parked about 15m from the lake with hippos snorting away.

Family of Hippos Running Back to the Lake

With rainy season now in full effect in Malawi, we weren't surprised to wake up damply after some heavy rains overnight.  So much for our guided walk in the morning - no sense going since all the animals will be hiding from the rain too.  Luckily, we had some shelter and were able to kill time until the skies cleared, and our armed guide returned.  It was weird walking with him and his GUN.  We felt comfortable though, and were able to get reasonably close to some animals with him.  The highlight of the day was seeing a family of 3 hippos out of the water, including a very small baby.  Once they finally saw us, they all ran quickly towards the water, charging in with quite a splash.

With rainy season, most of the animals have gone deeper into the park, so there was not a lot to see.  Still, the walking safari is a different experience, and the scenery was worth the walk.  We did have some hippos out of the water near our tent, and had a beautifully colourful sunset over the lake to

Stunning Sunset over the Lake at Vwaza Marsh

watch as we enjoyed dinner.  The night watchman was a nice little man - about 4 foot nothing tall - named Patsun, but very smiley, and helped us out with building a fire and such.  Not sure how much safer I felt with this diminutive man watching out for us though.

We were happy to wake up to 'no rain', so we packed up dryly and started walking back to the road.  The heavens opened up though, and heavy rains started to fall as we walked.  This was NOT going to be a fun ride though, but we had to take the first vehicle that passed by in case no others came.
We both shoe-horned our way into another FULL matola, and began the rough ride.  Michelle was sitting in back in a basket, with a bunch of the ladies, and I was standing up front behind the cab, wedged into a corner.  Michelle's backpack was on the roof of the cab, basically working as a rain guard for the other guys up front.  My daypack was hooked on my front, just trying to keep it from dragging me down.  The road was now slippery, to go along with bumpy, and when we would slide into some ruts, I had to hold the weight of about 8 men leaning on me, with the right side of my knee pressing hard against the rail of the truck bed.  It was a painful, and exhausting ride, compounded by the driving rain hitting my face all the way there.  After about 2 hours of this torture, we finally arrived and I had hoped that Michelle's journey was nowhere near as difficult as mine as I couldn't even see her or speak to her along the way.

In Rumphi, we met a nice shopkeeper called Happy, and relaxed under the shelter of his storefront while waiting for the next minibus to take us up to Chitimba.  Hopefully, this ride will be drier and less painful.   *Stub

Comparison of Martin and Baby Hippo Prints

Comparison of Martin and Adult Hippo Prints

Apres Wedding Festivities, Ruarwe, Malawi

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Bjorn, Philippa, Holly and Karen at Zulunkhuni Bar

The rest of the week in Ruarwe was spent socializing at the lodge, playing games, dancing chatting. and just chillin'. Most of the Mzungu guests who had come up from Nkhata Bay headed back on a boat two days after the wedding. There were still a number of people left behind with us - party animal Nick (from Chizumulu island who accompanied us up on the ferry), South African Bjorn from Nkhata Bay who liked seeing the sunrise after drinking all night, good friends of Charlie's from England, Jill (Sally's mum) and some nurses and teachers who were volunteering in the community.  The nurses and teacher, Holly, Natasha, Philipa and Karen, are from London and were very bubbly and super fun to hang out with.

Martin and 88 Year Old Chief Jeramani at his Australia House

On a couple of occasions we went into the village and visited the chief and also attended the community centre opening day which was a big occasion. More singing and dancing from the women's groups and children of the villages.

Every day there seemed to be a group swim, and different people (including Martin) would eventually tackle the big 9m platform jump into the lake.  It's a long drop.  Also, plenty of games and good times with the group, and many late nights often until the wee hours of the morning.

They also had an issue with food supplies, they were running out.  But each day they pulled through with flying colours, making something out of nothing almost.  The last 2 nights they managed to acquire some fish for a wonderful pasta, then bought a goat for a stew which was super tender and obviously very fresh!

Saying Goodbye to the Staff at Zulunkhuni Lodge

Suddenly it was time to move on as the Ilala ferry was keeping to it's weekly schedule and we had to decide what do next. We chose to go back Nkhata Bay to do some more research into a couple of National Parks, and where we thought we would have a better launching spot to access them. Quite surprisingly, the Ilala ferry was on time! We were amazed, and sad as we would have liked to have an excuse to stay longer. *Mush

Nice Day for a 'Mzungu' Wedding, Ruarwe, Malawi

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Michelle Dancing with 88 Year Old Chief Jeramani

A White Wedding was in store within our newly adopted family from Christmas time. Charlie and Sally, the owners of Zulukhuni Lodge, had invited us to their wedding on the 9th of Jan. But firstly - we had to get there! After spending a relatively sleepless night waiting for the ferry at Wakwenda Retreat on the island of Chizumulu, we boarded the Ilala Ferry 8 hours behind schedule. It was a fun journey with the other travellers we had met that week on the islands, but they left us t Nkhata Bay and we continued onwards to Ruarwe.

By this time it was well after noon and according to Nick (the owner of Wakwenda who was also going to Charlie's and Sally's wedding), it was Beer o'clock. We had taken it on ourselves to 'look after' Nick since he had promised Charlie that

Here Comes the Bride - A Welcoming Party

he wouldn't turn up drunk or hungover for his mate's wedding day. So starting after noon we thought would be safe. Between us we drank quite a number of beers as we hung out on the outside deck in third class. We also had fun with the locals as I had got a catchy Swahili (Tanzanian) song stuck in my head. "Sawaa Sawaa Sawaa Ley". By the time we had arrived, I had a number of them singing along to the song playing from one of their cell phones.

Although we'd been invited to the wedding, we hadn't been sure if we would make it, so it was a real surprise for Charlie and Sally when we came ashore at Zulunkhuni Lodge. It was also great to see Jill (Sally's mum) and to see the look on her face as we walked up into the bar. Nice to feel super welcome. We also recognised a number of faces from partying at New Year in Nkhata Bay so we knew it was going to be a fun wedding!

The Wedding Locale on Ruarwe Beach

Remembering our Christmas here, it was definitely going to be a different feel this time. Instead of the six people that we had at Christmas, there were more like 40 now, plus all the staff. So the day of the wedding was organised chaos at the lodge with breakfast and drinks all round. The staff had never seen the place so busy!

Seeing as the village of Ruarwe was organising the wedding - complete with organising committee!, we knew it was going to be an unusual and special African experience. A 10 minute ride by wooden shuttle boat took us all to the beach - the heart of the village - where the reception from the couple of hundred people or so, was colouful (everyone was in their best clothes), and noisy, waving branches and singing their hearts out in greeting. Thankfully the seasonal morning rain had given way to sunshine and everyone was in good spirits.

Michelle with other wedding onlookers

The Mzungu guests (white people) got stuck into the dancing with the locals before the
hullabaloo of Charlie's arrival. Charlie has been in Malawi for 15 years and was pretty much adopted by Ruarwe's Chief Jeramani and given the land to build Zulunkhuni River Lodge to bring tourism to the village. It was pretty obvious that the villagers are very fond of Charlie. Shortly after, Sally was greeted in the same way with much singing and dancing and celebration.

The wedding committee did a great job organizing the ceremony which filled with speeches from the local chiefs and headmen (of all the villages encompassed in Ruarwe's area), lots of dancing and
singing, and throwing of 20 kwacha (10cent) notes around. The MC would translate the speeches and vows, and because there was much activity and noise, it was all carried out using a mega phone!

The Local Chiefs Attending the Wedding - All in Their Best Suits

Unconventional, but entertaining! It was a very happy occasion with a guesstimate of about 400 locals in attendance

After the main proceedings, dinner was served, first to the Mzungu guests and then to all the villagers. As is local tradition, Charlie had bought a cow for the dinner celebrations which feeds not only his personal guests, but is expected to feed the whole village (which was several hundred strong). The committee had cooked up a massive cow stew - literally. It seemed they left nothing out as, unfortunately, I was served a plate of offal with stomach lining and various tubes and bits sticking out. I couldn't look at it let alone eat it! So
I felt really ungrateful for not being able to stomach it - this is Africa after all, and people are hungry. Thankfully, with prompting from a local guest savvy to western tastes, my plate was discreetly replaced with something a little more edible. What a relief! And it was tasty!

A first dance of sorts from Charlie and Sally

More dancing and then it was time to head back to the lodge. The send-off was just as memorable as the arrival that morning. The party continued back at the lodge - drinking and more dancing till the wee hours. The whole day was fantastic and we felt very honoured to be there, and we will definitely cherish the experience. I'm sure it is something that we will never experience again.  * Mush







Things Michelle will remember:
1. Dancing with Chief Jeramani who is 88 years old.
2. Watching in the audience sitting with the local children and them wanting to sit close to me, while others were scared and didn't want to sit close at all!
3. The other chiefs and headmen all wearing their best suits and ties for this very special occasion.
4. Families who were clearly in their best clothes all posing for photos on the beach taking family photos.
5. The generator going all the time in the background to support the sound system that would boom out music spontaneously for dancing and singing in-between speeches and serious stuff.
5. The unforgettable plate of 'beef' stew.

Beautiful Likoma and Chizumulu Islands in Lake Malawi, Malawi

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Flipping Kids on Likoma

We feel like we are becoming ferry regulars now, as this is the third, but not last journey on the infamous Ilala. We know the captain - Tom, Barman - Danson, and waiter - Francis. All very helpful people for us. The ferry left Nkhata Bay a few hours late, and therefor, we would be arriving at Likoma Island very early in the morning. There are two islands called Likoma and Chizumulu, that are Malawian, but in Mozambiquan waters of Lake Malawi, only 7km off the shore. We were due to spend 5 nights on these islands, as that is the next time the ferry would pass on it's way back North.

Robine and Sophie with Fingerloads of kids

We had some company in brother/sister Will and Sophie, and we all set up our tents on the top deck. Lucky, as there was some rain overnight. We arrived in Likoma even later than expected, as there was a delay at Chizumulu, so it worked out for us because it was now approx. 8AM and we could head over to the backpacker's place called Mango Drift on the other side of the island. It was a hot, sticky hour walk over the hills, lugging our big packs on our back, but also very scenic with loads of huge baobab trees around, and views across the water to Mozambique.

Mango Drift was located right on a nice beach, and we set up tent about 10m from the lake. Sporadic electrical power here, but no worries…. the name of the game here was relaxing.

Mango Drift also served up some delicious food, and had a big family dinner every night. For dinners we were joined by Dutch couple Jos and Robine, and Canadian mother and 12 year old son, Elizabeth and Max, who were all staying at the b/p.

Cathedral on Likoma Island



When we dragged ourselves away from swimming, paddle surfing, or just playing games, we did a big long walk around the island. First, summiting the highest point of the island at 605m, only about a 200m climb though. Then down through some of the villages, meeting plenty of friendly locals along the way. At one beach, the kids were showing off by doing flips off the beach into the water. In the same village, we started gathering a huge horde of kids, and we felt like the Pied Piper. At times, I would turn around and start chasing them like a monster, and that got a lot of laughs as they ran away, then snuck up behind me again. Both Sophie and Robine had a kid on every finger as we left town, all singing and skipping or jumping along. Such a pleasure to see the happy, smiling faces.

We thought the kids were going to follow us all around the island, but we had to send them home as to not alarm their families. By this time we had crossed all the way to the main village on the other side of the 8km by 3km island. It was time for lunch, and what better place than the aptly named Hunger Clinic. Good portions of local dishes, stationed right on the beach.

Sophie at Sunset with the Kids of Likoma



As our walk continued, we came across the cathedral. It's quite a surprise to see a cathedral of this size on such a small island, and other than the tin rood, it was an impressive structure. I forgot to mention earlier that we also had a chaperone in the form of Basil the Dog. He had faithfully followed us everywhere on the island, and now the cathedral was going to be no different. He trotted inside ahead of us, and we were a bit embarrassed by this. The caretaker seemed fine, as he said the dog could enter, and Basil continued on the tour of the cathedral, even climbing the balcony stairs for a bird's eye view of the pews.



The last stop on our day walk, was a locally famous 'Medicine Man'. He was an elderly gentleman, with dreadlocks and a loud, red outfit of shirt and shorts which bore a cross on them. After our offering of a branch, he invited us inside and put on a bit of a talk about how he became a healer. In his story, he explained that at one point in his life, he definitely had some mental problems and lived in the jungle with no clothes. He started to find herbs and plants that would heal, and then eventually returned to "civilization" where he cured his grandmother with some herbal remedies. From then on, word spread and people started coming from far and wide to find him. An interesting character to say the least.



Martin after Soccer with kids on Likoma

Unfortunately, we experienced quite a bit of rain on the island, so much so, that we changed our plans for taking a local boat over to Chizumulu. We did, however, hire a private boat for 13 of us on the last day, to at least see Wakwenda Retreat on the Chizi. Will, Sophie and I (along with Basil), walked up to the next village to find a boat. We eventually found someone who would give us a good price, and went with him to get the fuel. I managed to play football/soccer with the local kids while waiting for the fuel, and also had a young 2 year old on my lap for a while looking very stunned at my white hands and skin.



We hadn't realized it, but we had to walk to the opposite side of the island to get the boat, but that gave us an unexpected boat tour around the island. We just arrived much later at Mango Drift than expected. It was a quick trip over to Chizi, and we arrived to a startled Nick, who owned the lodge. When you are on a tiny island, and all of a sudden 13 people show up unannounced, probable expecting dinner, that puts you in a tough position. He came through with flying colours though, and we had a tasty chili con carne.



Wakwenda Retreat on Chizumulu Island

Nick was also in a bit of a tough spot, as earlier that morning, a dog that he was looking after actually got eaten by a crocodile. He had no means to tell the owner, and felt awful about the whole incident. This happened in an area where people often swim, so it was lucky that it wasn't worse, but there was now a big 3m croc around, and the police were there trying to shoot it since it will continue to be a problem.



Nick's place was an impressive spot with a bar built around a rocky outcrop. He had built different decks jutting out from various locations and it was fabulous. We wished we had come sooner. And, Nick was quite the host too… He seems to love having people around, and even when the heavy rains came later, we all ended up hanging out in Nick's house. The ferry was supposed to come at 8PM, but it didn't arrive until 7AM the next morning. Nick, generously let us sleep around the house, as no-one could unpack in case the boat arrived. Thanks Nick for being such a great host!! *Stub

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

Christmas with 'Family' at Zulunkhuni Lodge, Ruarwe, Malawi

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Our Cabin - the Stone House overlooking the lake

Greeted by Sally and Charlie from Zulunkhuni Lodge on the beach to calls of "Hello Rupert and Sabrinha", we were confused but I guess they didn't get the message that we were coming, but were expecting the other couple who were no shows.  Since it was already dark, Charlie suggested we take the Stone House room, that was set up for R&S, at camping prices.  His enticement worked like a charm, as we decided to stay in the lovely cabin on the rocks over the lake for the duration of our stay.  Time to pamper ourselves a little for Christmas!!  And, we had a bed!!!!
Waking up to the sunrise over Lake Malawi was beautiful, and we would fall asleep to lightning storms over the mountains in Tanzania across the lake.  What a wonderful spot!!

View from the Stone House at Sunrise

Since the lodge is very isolated, they have no power, and no phone service.  We had no communication with the outside world, and it was fab.  Rather invigorating actually.  One issue though, was with the fuel shortage, they had trouble getting gas, and were unable to use the stoves, and more importantly, were unable to use the fridge.  Therefore, NO cold drinks, and no meats, etc.  We were going to have to go veggie for the week, but no worries….it turned out that the food here was delicious.  I especially liked the veggie burgers!!
We did exactly what we planned to do here at the lodge - VERY LITTLE.  It was about relaxing and taking a nice break from the daily stresses and frustrations of travel.  Days were filled with plenty of games, occasional meals, warm drinks, and refreshing but not very cold swims in the turquoise waters of the lake.  The shore is quite rocky, and the snorkelling was actually quite good in the clear waters. 

Our Cabin at Sunrise over Lake Malawi

We often would have a morning snorkel, then head for breakfast.
Charlie had also built a jumping platform about 9m (30ft) above the rocks, and there was a great jumping rock in the lake about as high.  I tackled both these jumps in my time here.
Sally and Charlie are both English but Charlie has been in Malawi for 14 years or so.  Sally is more recent here, but they will be married in the very, very near future.  Sally's Mum Gill was also at the lodge, and was spending 6 weeks in Malawi to attend the upcoming nuptials.  She was on the other end of many games played.  There were only a couple of guests here and there, and a couple of local volunteers staying, including Georgina, a doctor from England who was working in Ruarwe. The staff were lovely too, always greeting you with big smiles.  And the dogs, one very friendly called Gondross the Destroyer, and one aptly named Chicken as he was scared of

Martin and Charlie 9m Rock Jump for Christmas

everything.  Also, the local wildlife and bugs were interesting, including giant snails, a bug they call "Thing" and a special Christmas appearance of a chameleon.
Michelle and I did visit the local village, approx. 20 minute walk away to see the new community centre there that the volunteers were at.  Cool spot and a very interesting a impressive library.  Of course, we got tied up playing with the local kids and meeting new people in town.
On Christmas Eve, we were busy making some snowflake decorations, whilst listening to my extensive Christmas Song collection, when a special delivery arrived……..STEAK.  Charlie's brother had sent it from Nkhata Bay, so we were very excited about the prospect of X-Mas eve steak sandwiches.  WOW, they were tasty!!
We all enjoyed our 'family' meals, and it was so nice to be included with them for their celebrations.  It was what we really needed for Christmas and we couldn't have picked a better place to be.
Christmas Day was no exception.  We had bought some little locals presents for Sally, Charlie, Gill and Georgina, and we woke to some stockings hung up.  We all had a good laugh opening small presses, and drinking some Amarula's.  In each of our stockings was a local thing they call sachets. 

Christmas Slip'n'Slide with Charlie, Georgina and Sally

Basically a shot of cane spirit in a little airtight package.  We all downed our sachets, but with a few gag reflexes!!
Since the staff had the day off, Charlie and I started cutting wood for the oven, and we all helped out with prepping and cooking the Christmas beef in the clay oven.  Whilst the food was cooking, we had a good swim and rock jumps, and also a go at Charlies Slip and Slide kids toy!!  All good laughs, then a sit down for a delicious dinner and chocolate cake for dessert.
Then, the Christmas songs came to an end and we put on some classic and spent the next few hours dancing on the bar and having a wonderful end to our Christmas.  It was off on the ferry the next day, but we were so happy to have a new family experience for such an important day.  We were treated so well, and also invited to the upcoming wedding on Jan 9th - we will see if we can make it or not!!!   *Stub

Christmas Dinner

Christmas Bar Dance - Georgina, Sally and Michelle

'First Class' Travellers (Eventually) on the Ilala Ferry, Lake Malawi, Malawi

To See Our Photos of Malawi, Click Here

Along with Georgia, Arek and Charlie (who we now affectionately called Charrie, since the local Malawians cannot say the 'RL'), we ventured on our way to Monkey Bay.  Somehow, on a brief stop in Mangochi to change minibus, Michelle managed to extend our Malawian visa for another 30 days, so now we had the time to get lost or stuck on the islands in Lake Malawi, if we choose, or if the only boat breaks down again.  Apparently, it was broken down for a couple of weeks, but there is word that it is fixed now, and hence our visit to Monkey Bay - the Ilala Ferry's starting port.
Monkey Bay is a pleasant little local town, but not a lot going for it.  We camped on the beach at Mufasa Lodge and enjoyed the time there, but also picked up another couple of friends - Jose and Andrea from Chile.

8 hour line with the gang

The now larger group, trudged over to the ferry ticket office at 8AM, in preparation for the 10AM departure.  But this was not to be.  We were told to wait 10 minutes, but after an hour or so, they came and pulled the curtain over the window and closed the ticket office.  NOT a good sign!!  And, so we waited and waited and waited, with occasional updates saying that there was a problem with the ferry.  It didn't end up leaving until 5PM, but we were happy to get going.  We had spent the last 8-9 hours sitting in line, drinking some beers with the gang and playing some poker.  Could be worse really, and it was nice to have good company for the wait.
The ferry was a nice change from traveling by minibus.  We had the upper deck/First Class ticket, and pretty much had free range of the boat.  We didn't have a cabin, and would just sleep up on deck, under the stars - but in the blustery wind.  The second night we decided to just set up our tent on the deck, and that worked well.  Especially after we had rats eat into some of our food bags the first night. 
They had a bar and restaurant on board, which was cheap, but limited selection, but Francis took care of us.  We also used the restaurant for our poker games, which we used a varied selection of bottle caps as poker chips, and listened to Lady Gaga's song Poker Face!!  It passed the time nicely.

Tents on board the Ilala Ferry

The trip itself was enjoyable and very scenic at times.  The lake is actually about 365 miles long, so the journey took us 51 hours, and that wasn't even the entire length of the trip.  We made stops along the way, then in Mozambique, and also on the islands of Likoma and Chizimulu.  Here we said goodbye to Charrie, Georgia and Arek.  Unfortunately, these stops always involved a lot of commotion and noise, even when in the middle of the night.  You couldn't get a good night's sleep, what with all the ruckus.  At each stop, the boat was too big to go to shore, and they would send the lifeboats in to drop off people and supplies, and pick them up on shore.  It was all a bit messy, and especially when the wind was blowing hard, and waves crashing against the boat.  It made for a dangerous situation.

Swarms of Lake Flies

Another bizarre sight we saw from the ferry were swarms of lake flies.  Apparently, this phenomenon only happens on Lake Malawi, and you see dark funnels of flies in the distance that look like mini tornadoes.  There must be millions, if not billions of the little flies to make these swarms so visible.  I want to see what it looks like on shore, when these swarms drift into town!!
We finally arrived in Ruarwe in the dark, and weren't sure where to go, or how to get there.  A boat appeared and we loaded on to the roof for a dark ride to shore, being waved in by flashlights.  So, we finally arrived at our Christmas destination, Zulunkhuni River Lodge in Ruarwe!   *Stub

A Victorian Style Safari in Liwonde National Park, Malawi

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Sunset Viewing Platform w/ Peiter, Ang, Arek, Georgia and Charlie

After yet another battle for price in a minibus, we arrived in Liwonde - gateway to the Liwonde National Park, and Malawi's best game park.  Luckily, we chose well on a guest house, and ended up at Liwonde Safari Camp, with a happy South African named Pieter.  Pieter and his business partner, Frederik from Holland, were excellent hosts, and very generous.  I will sing their praises to all heading that way.  It seems like a lot of places are out to make a buck…… fair enough.  But these guys seem to just want to share the park and wildlife with you.  They just loved being there.  It was very refreshing.  We came for one or two nights, but it was only after four nights that we finally managed to leave.  It was just too relaxing, and a fun place to be.

Tolkein's Tree - A Massive Baobab 3800 yrs

The place had only been open for 14 months, but seemed to have a following.  Where other camps have had very few clients over recent weeks, Liwonde Safari Camp seemed to have a steady stream coming their way.  One of the friendliest there was a German stuntwoman named Angela, and her large dog Paul.  A recent project of hers was working in the Quentin Tarantino film - Inglorious Basterds!!  Very cool.  We had a good laugh with her, and then an unlikely Spanish/Polish/Irish trio arrived.  Georgia, Arek and Charlie were also a fun crew, and the whole group gelled and had a good time together.  Part of the reason we stayed longer. 
With a free game walk in the mornings with Pieter, we got a small glimpse of the park.  One highlight was an approximately 3800 year old baobab tree.  Apparently, JRR Tolkein's father was a missionary in Malawi, and when JRR was a teen, his father would preach underneath this massive tree.  It is very easy to see that this tree could be his inspiration for the 'Living Trees (I forget their name)' in his Lord of the Rings trilogy.  We were also in an area called Shire, with the Shire River running through, and plenty of Misty Mountains around.  Coincidence, I think not!!
We would also take to drinks on the viewing platform for sunset nightly.  Unfortunately, only once did the elephants arrive, and didn't take too kindly to Paul's barking, as other guests arrived.  They charged towards the platform, trumpeting their presence known!!  Scary stuff.

Angie Dressed in White for the Safari

Even around camp, there was a bit of a mini safari.  There were tons of bug species, from scorpions, to giant grasshopper things, to scary centipedes, to swarming termites - you always had to watch where you walked.
While sitting around one night, Pieter decided that when we did our game drive in the morning, it was going to be Victorian style.  So, the girls had to dress up all fancy, with make-up, and the boys needed to shower, shave and wear their best.  Even Pieter was going to pull out his khakis, like a true guide.  It was pretty funny heading out in the morning, with the girls in white dresses, heading into the mud.  Just like the old days!!  If we got stuck, it would be a bit of a laugh! 
Thankfully, we didn't get stuck but had a fun time.  We didn't see any spectacular wildlife except for a running hippo, but the views of the park were great with the Shire River and some peaks in the distance.  It sure was good company though, with some great laughs!!  One freaky sight was a baobab that was hollow - it was used by local tribes to throw the lepars in to as a hollow grave.  Lots of bones in the bottom!!

Georgia, Angie, Charlie, Arek, M, and Kitty on the sunset boozy Safari

That evening, Pieter enticed us to stay another night with mention of a free game drive into the park for sunset.  They just wanted to head out and be social, so this was a real treat.  I would imagine other places charging a good price for an evening drive, but these guys just wanted to share!!  We all took some drinks for sunset and chilled out by the river.  We picked up a cool hippo skull for the lodge, and I managed to sit on the bumper seat, as spotter for the ride back.  I managed to find us a hyena, but was a little nervous at my location on the vehicle.  Unfortunately, the hyena looked like it had been caught in a snare, and was missing a front paw.  It still looked quite healthy though, and must have scavenged well. 
That was our last evening at Liwonde, and we enjoyed the time with our new friends.  Georgia, Arek, and Charlie would be joining us on the drive up to Monkey Bay in the morning, so we had good company for our next leg.  *Stub

Sunset in Liwonde with Frederik, Arek, Angie, Georgia, Charlie, Peiter and Kitty

A Ride in the Ambulance, Zomba Plateau, Malawi

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The evening after our 4 days of hiking, we found a good little local guest house called NdangoPuma, pleasant and dirt-cheap.  Finally, we have come to a country where our money goes much further!  A bed was only about $1.75 per person, and the guesthouse was filled with nice locals. 
Since we were planted in the middle of tea fields, we thought it might be interesting to visit a tea factory.  We had heard from Leason, that one called Esperanza, was actually owned by Prince Charles. 

Mr Fawlty, Bicycle Taxi in Mulanje Tea Plantations

We hired ourselves a bike-taxi each, Michelle's was named Mr Fawlty, which I thought quite funny.  Basil!!!!  They cruised us up to the plantation, but it was too late to enter.  That was fine though, because the journey through the plantations was really our destination.  There were plenty of locals about and the setting sun was beautiful casting some great light over the beautiful green plantations.
Around the corner from our little Guest House was a restaurant/bar called Rob Wills, and we had a decent local dinner out. 
The Malawian couple at the next table wanted to chat with us, and we invited them to join us.  Well, Amon and Esnut were having a weekend away, and at this point, Amon was quite drunk.  His wife Esnut, was the calming voice of reason, but he got increasingly more and more drunk.  They were very generous, buying us drink after drink, even after we declined, hoping to get away from what might be a bad situation.  But the drinks kept coming, and he got a lot more grabby which made us a little uncomfortable.  Eventually, we got away, but I think their intentions were genuine and friendly.  So much so, that we called them the next morning to accept their invitation of a ride back to Blantyre.  I was taken aback, when Amon asked if I could drive, thinking he was still drunk, or too hungover to drive.  Luckily, neither was the case and we enjoyed a free ride back to Blantyre, before continuing on to Zomba.  An interesting meeting, but I think all intentions were sincere.

Hitch-Hiking in the Ambulance

In Zomba, we were in town to try to head up the plateau behind it of the same name.  Again, the fuel shortage reared it's ugly head, and the taxi drivers were trying to charge 3000-5000 Kwacha ($15-$25) for a ride 8km up to the plateau.  We rejected all offers, and eventually found a surprise backpacker lodge (Pakachere) in town that had only been open 2 months.  We decided to cut our losses, and spend the night in town.  The manager Roos, was very helpful, and Michelle met a really nice German lady named Diana, and didn't stop talking with her for about 5 hours.  More about Diana later.
Morning came, and we attacked the drive up to Zomba Plateau again.  This time, our plan was to hitchhike, and offer some money for fuel.  We set a final time of 10:15, to start looking for a taxi, and after 2 hours of waiting, we were just about to find a taxi, when an ambulance drove by.  We had good luck with the ambulance in Mulanje, and once again in Zomba.  This time though, it was a mechanic, testing his repair job, and with 300 Kwacha, he took us almost to the top.  Lucky us again!!   We walked the rest of the way to Trout Farm, and set up camp just before a torrential downpour.  We were

With Our Guide Stanley, on Zomba Plateau

scheduled to go on a walk to the viewpoints, and were lucky when the weather broke, hiring a happy old gentleman, named Stanley, to show us the way.  It was relatively unspectacular, but the Emperor's View (named after Ethiopian king Hailie Selassie's visit) and Queen's View (named after Elizabeth 1st visit) gave us wide vistas over the lowlands, with pointy hills popping up all over the place.  Also, in view was Malawi's second largest lake.  I think the hike would have been more enjoyable had our legs not been soooooo tired from our Mulanje hiking.  I think both of us just wanted to be back in the tent laying down, and that's what we did as soon as we got back!  Not even enough energy to make dinner, and we crashed out early. The next morning, we packed up and went to visit the Ku Chawe Hotel.  I was expecting a rustic place on top of the mountain, but it was very modern and far too fancy for us.  It did provide us with some help though, because before we could even sit down for breakfast on the roadside, one of the hotel's guests drove by and answered our 'thumbs'.  A kind Zimbabwean couple gave us a ride back to town, and we celebrated with a delicious COLD Coke, which has become somewhat of an addiction for us here!!  It tastes SOOOOOO refreshing!!!   All in all, I think Zomba is very nice, but I don't think we did it justice by doing the small hike that we did on the plateau. I think to really enjoy Zomba's full beauty, we would need to spend a few days hiking and exploring. Also, it's hard to compare it after just hiking Mulanje which was just so amazing. *Stub