Kande Beach
Trip Start
Jun 08, 2008
1
9
28
Trip End
Aug 15, 2008
Kande Beach,
Malawi
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
This was our first day since leaving Zanzibar that we don't have to get up early to drive all day. In fact, we didn't even have to wake up at all because we will stay here for three nights. But since I'm used to waking up early now, I woke up at 7 this morning and had breakfast and washed my clothes (again with pleasure!). After that I went for a walk in the local village with my Korean tent-mate Jace. He proved to be a good counterpart in dealing with the local pests. There are guys who make a living out of preying on tourists, and I have very little patience for these people. As soon as we left the campsite, one of these people "found" us and started walking with us. (I later learned from my guidebook that another place on Lake Malawi used to be very popular with tourists but that they eventually stopped going there because of being excessively bothered by these pests. I can see the same thing happening here someday as well.) Anyway, I immediately told this guy that we were not interested in buying anything from him or in any other way interacting with him. Upon hearing this he became rather aggressive and Jace stepped in to calm him down. Jace cleverly turned the tables on him by asking him lots of questions about Malawi (and its friendly people!) and such - thereby negating his opportunity to make a sales pitch to us. With our "good cop - bad cop" routine, this guy eventually left us alone.
We then made our way down narrow, winding village paths and came upon some huts near which a young woman was walking towards her home. She spoke English and told us that she was a 15-year old school girl (although Jace and I guessed her age to be closer to 25). She brought us to her grandmother's house, where she lives, since both of her parents are dead - her mother of malaria, and her father of some unknown (to her) disease. She gave me her address and asked me to keep in touch with her. Just what I need - an African village wife!
On our way back to the campsite we were once again accosted by the local pests - and once again Jace defused them by asking them lots of questions. Thanks for teaching me that technique, Jace.
Back at the camp, I had a chat with a Swiss school teaching couple on a 6-month, trans-Africa journey before having a nap and lunch. It was really good talking to these Swissies as it reminded me that there are civilized people out there with which one can have a proper conversation. They (the Swiss couple) also commented on the fact that they had seen members from our group playing (alcohol) drinking games in the bar last night until all hours. I am honored to be a part of such a group!
24 June
Well well well - guess who was the first one in line to eat dinner last night? No, not me. It was the woman who is always commenting on the fact that I'm often at the front of the line. So now we know why it bothers her so much that I get there first: it's because she wants to be first. From now on, then, I'll make it a point to be the first one.
I spent this day hanging around the camp washing more clothes and charging batteries, both literally (for my camera, MP3 player, PDA and bluetooth keyboard), as well as figuratively (my own body).
25 June
Another day just hanging out on the beach. I had yet another opportunity to not fit in with my group when one of the members, a very nice guy named Tim, celebrated his 33rd birthday and a "fancy dress" party was held in his honor. Everybody dressed in banana palm leaves - except me, of course. And everybody thought that I was being a jerk for not playing along. Maybe that's the difference between being 25 and 48 years old, but I just didn't see the point. The party ended with most of the group in the bar staying up late and getting drunk while I went to bed at about 22:00.
It actually was meant to be my team's night for cooking - and I was really looking forward to preparing my delicious chicken - but because of Tim's birthday, the group decided to grill steaks instead, something with which I have no expertise whatsoever, and something that I don't even like to eat. So it was a bit of a disappointment all around. On the other hand, I guess I can take some satisfaction from the fact that my fellow group members, most of whom I despise, didn't get a chance to eat my chicken. They'll never know what they missed. Ha! "Som nam na", as they say in Thai, or, as we say in English, "It serves them right."
Comments
K B M
You make a mean looking pumper.
I think you would look good in bananna leaves. Party pooper.