WhereTheMalawiAreWe?
Trip Start
Mar 30, 2008
1
137
144
Trip End
Mar 31, 2009
Malawi,
Malawi
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Tuesday 3rd March - Day 13 Malawi, Chipata to Lilongwe/Livingstonia Beach Steps Campsite in Senga Bay (400km)
On route we stopped at Lilongwe for shoping and money. The huge queues meant it was a while before we could get our Malawi Kwotcha's out of the ATM. At 150K to the US$ and 240K to the £ we needed a few, but were surprised just how many. It was immediately obvious that food in the supermarket was very expensive with a small block of cheese costing 700K. With it being too expensive to make our own lunch we used our 1400K allowance to buy some fruit and then shared an 750K (£3.12) burger chips and coke, which was just above low grade dog food!
We arrived at our campsite on the shores of the massive Lake Malawi in beautiful calm still weather and all dashed straight in for a swim after being reassured that, contrary to Lonely Planet guidance, there is no bilharzhia (microscopic snail blood parasite) in the water
11
. Snorkelling didnt show much fish despite some operators running diving tours in the lake.After a great vors soup we were all ready for our beds only to find that we were overidden with uninvited guests. The hundreds of ants responded well to bug spray until a different species of ant started to find the bodies and all came to carry them away. In the end we all had to move onto the beach to escape. Rich tried without luck to abandon his tent for a nearby hotel. During the night it rained, but luckily had stopped by the morning.
Wednesday 4th March - Day 14 Senga Bay to Kande Beach (200km)
On the way we stopped at a craft market just outside Senga Bay. I bought a chain of the outline of Africa and a wooden leopard door wedge to put in my fire kit. Clare bought some bangles and to close a deal we also got a letter opener. All that for 750K, but as we left all we could see was the imminent threat that beholds dark clouds across all the sky, torrential tropical rain was on the way.
However we arrived at Kande Beach campsite in the dry and were all very impressed with a well presented site
12
. We pithced our tents overlooking the beach and the small island that lay just offshore in the clean water of the lake. After a quick swim we booked our activities and then Zak commandeered me. We sat around a huge wooden table in the outline of Africa with all the countries carved into it. Four routes were marked from the north of Africa to Cape Town. This was the 'Overland Game'. For a couple of hours we attempted to roll dice and avoid the pitfalls of borders, dysentry, malaria, fines and bog holes as we made our way to Cape Town. The penalty for any of these mishaps involved drinking and so as you would expect by the time the winner, Peter arrived in Cape Town we were all a little merry.Along the beach here were lots of Makoram, wooden canoes carved from a tree trunk. They were used to fish in the lake and some of the guys were offering fishing trips. We had opted though to do the one thing in Africa that Clare couldnt wait for and that was horse riding on the lake shores. Before that though there was the first truck party to organise. KB had bought a load of booze with which she had made a punch and in order to be in the right dress we were all given two dustbin bags to be creative with. We started the punch with supper of Boobootie mince and then sat around playing ' I have never...' Not many of us could remember what happened for much of the rest of the night, but are sure we had a damn good time
13
.Thursday 5th March - Day 15 Kande Beach
I woke up to find I had yet again won the competition for the worst hangover, although thankfully not as bad as many in the past! Some of the guys went to the nearby childrens shelter to show support, Clare and I thought it unfair to subject our poisonous breath on them. So the rest of us lay on the beach and recovered ready for the horseriding.
At 2.30pm KB, Peter, Nishma, Erika, Clare and I loaded into a buckie and were driven to the riding stables. The stables were in lovely surroundings, the horses looked healthy and well looked after. The six of us were introduced to our guide, Maizy and mounted our horses. Clare was riding Jo and I was on Free Passage. As we rode along the public accessible paths we passed through lots of small villages. In each we were greeted by lots of happy smiling children running over to say hello and watch the horses. At one point we had to pass through a deep flood plain and it was funny watching everyone hooking their legs up as high as we could to keep our shoes dry. There was plenty of opportunity for Clare and I to have a few canters and the other to practice their trotting
14
.We emerged from the ride back at the campsite on the beach. Whilst the horses were untacked we changed into swimmers then came the best bit. We mounted again, bareback this time, which was a happy experience for some in the group, but very uncomfortable for me. Then we rode the horses back onto the beach and into the lake, they loved it. We could ride or swim with them as they cooled off after the 2 hour ride in the warm waters of Lake Malawi. What an awesome experience.
Taking into account the needs of the overhung group, Zak and Amy had cooked up a real treat. We sat around and tucked into roast chicken cooked over the hot coals. It was stuffed with cous cous and spinach and served with roast potatoes and carrots and hit the spot like you wouldnt believe.
Friday 6th March - Day 16 Kande to Chitimba (240km)
It started raining at 2am this morning like a possessed thing and when it was time to get up an pack it was still torrential. Clare and I like many others decided the only way to cope with this was to wear our swimming stuff while we packed away our sopping wet tent, had breakfast and then loaded up the truck
15
.The whole drive to Chitimba was in this rain and because of this we missed out on a trip to the market. Fortunately when we arrived at the campsite the rain had stopped and been replaced by a stiff warm breeze allowing us to dry everything out. This was a godsend and also meant we could go outside the gate to look at the carved wooden goods in the market there. We had seen some Noahs Ark sets and were looking for some. Fantastic Steve seemed to have the best and invited us to his house to choose our favourite from 15 he had there. We bought two and were really chuffed with our purchases.
Later we sat around in the bar playing non alcoholic drinking games after a delicious tomato South African stew. These guys really know how to cook good stuff.
