Stories from Christmas holidays

20/12/08
I am sitting in the light of a paraffin lamp and my head torch, listening to a hippo grunting and moaning loudly close by, and a hyena howling. There are fireflies zipping around, circadas making a constant sound, and a few croaking frogs too. This place is alive with non-human life, but I can’t see it because it is dark!
We are in Liwonde Nature Reserve, south of the southern tip of Lake Malawi. We drove here today from Lilongwe:250kms of highlands – rocky peaks covered in trees and bushy shrubs, collections of neatly arranged thatch-covered mud huts, rows and rows of green and healthy looking maize plants, countless towns and villages bustling with people buying and selling vegetables and slopping around in mud from the recent rains. Our journey was slightly delayed when I decided it was a good idea to check the tyre pressures of our car. The man who did it for us at a garage discovered the front two tyres did not have valves, resulting in a couple of flat tyres when he unscrewed the caps! Luckily we were still in the outskirts of Lilongwe when we called our car hire man Wilfred and he happened to be close by. He took us to a car mechanic whose business resided under a large tree, and within half an hour we were all set to go with new valves.
After the drive through the highlands we dropped down to the warmer flat plains as we neared the Shire river delta coming out of the lake, lush with green like the higher ground. We ended our journey with a 6km drive down a sandy road and eventually entered the nature reserve. The next bit of road to the camp (Chinguni Hill Camp) where we had booked a place for our tent was only 2km but during that time we saw several birds, including a helmeted guineafowl (Dad’s bird book coming in handy), lots of antelope (impala, kudu), and a warthog. Lots of elephant poo too (but no elephants). We were shown our campsite, under a thatched roof alongside 5 other tents, in the middle of the bush. The kitchen is a different thatched roof, with an open fire and no kitchen utensils (we didn’t think about that!). Armed with the faithful swiss army knife we butter some bread. I heat up the veg dish I prepared this morning in Lilongwe over the open fire. My concern that we should stock up on food before we left Lilongwe was right. Anyway, we will just make do! It will be fun and a challenge to see how long we can last with three gem squash I bought form the side of the road, a loaf of bread, chocolate, and warm beer. We also have some spaghetti and a tin of beans that I threw in in desperation prior to leaving. We are surrounded by two South African families who are equipped to the hilt, with 4x4’s packed with 3 course meals and everything else who ever need. Its a bit embarrassing that we have nothing!
The hippo is still being very noisy, and no one really knows why. Hope we can fins some tomorrow to ask...... Being nibbled by insects that are attracted to the light from the lamp and torch. Tent time.....

21/12/08
Wow, who would have thought Africa could produce so much rain! It poured all night and well into this morning. A short break followed then more rain, before a warm and very muggy afternoon with some sunshine. We woke early with the other campers and managed to borrow a cup or two for breakfast tea. One South African family have left, the other made banana cake in a cast iron pot on the open fire, amazing! We spent the morning wandering down some tracks, apparently safe on foot but when we saw hippo footprints we decided it was best to turn around! We saw impala, waterbuck, several birds, warthog, lots of water lying on the ground, interesting tress twisted around each other, and lots of insects that were for some reason attracted to us.
After a tasty fresh pineapple for lunch, we were invited by the South African family to go for a drive in their 4x4. They have a fridge freezer (run on batteries, generator on the roof if these fail), the roof has fuel tanks, and there is a water tank in the back. These guys know how to be self-sufficient. They have enough food supplies to last forever, and think our ‘limited’ food supply is a bit strange! The drive is quite short. It isn’t possible to drive many of the roads because of all the rain. Yesterday these guys got their 4x4 stuck and took 2 ½ hours to get out! We see the same as this morning but kudu as well, and many more birds including fish eagles. Kate cleverly managed to spot some hippos in the far distance. We watched them through the binoculars. Lots of life, everywhere you look.
Back at camp we fill in the time before dinner with badminton with the South African family, wandering along the road, chasing baboons, etc. Delicious gem squash on the fire for tea. A Belgian boy has arrived by bicycle. He might join us for a safari drive tomorrow. Hippos are much quieter tonight. Hopefully they are preparing for our canoe safari in the morning! Saw two scorpions on the way back from teethbrushing. Must remember to look in shoes tomorrow before putting them on!

22/12/08
Again I am in the tent listening to hippos grunting on the river plains below our campsite. The highlight of today was a 2 ½ hour sunset drive through the southern end of Liwonde Nature Reserve. We saw lots of beautiful kudu, impala, and waterbuck, warthogs with their babies are plentiful, as well as lots of birds including several types of kingfisher, geese, and fish eagles. We saw huge iguanas (monitor lizards), and ground hornbills, large birds with black feathers and red beaks. We were very lucky to come across two elephants near the end of our drive, and got out of the roofless jeep to get closer to them. Amazingly large and yet so gentle-looking creatures. Beautiful sunset on the way back to camp.
This morning we took a ‘canoe safari’. Three of us (Kate and I and Jasper, the Belgian on a bike), plus a guide in a Canadian canoe, pole-ing through reeds, and paddling up the river. We saw a group of about 15 hippos floating in the deep river, and lots of bird life (herons, egrets, kingfishers). It was very hot today, I nice change after the torrential rain but a bit too much for 2 hours in a canoe with no swimming allowed! I needed a nap on the outdoor sofa afterwards.
We spent the afternoon learning new cards games from each other and getting one of the camp workers to teach us the Malawian game Bao. It’s a funny game with rules I think I now understand. You have to move pebbles between holes in a wooded board.
After the evening drive we made a fire in the grate in the kitchen, and cooked knorr soup from a packet, then spaghetti and baked beans! I was starving! Our food sources boosted by Jasper, thank you! Tomorrow we will leave this small paradise of wildlife-packed nature and head north to the lake.

23/12/08
We left Chinguni Hill about 9am and began our drive north to Cape Maclear. A very flat route, with plenty of potholes. Beautiful huts and fields of maize either side of the road. Rather too warm, and a smell of melting tar comes through the car window. We stop in Mangotchi for the bank, food shopping, and a delicious lunch of vegetable curry (there seems to be an Indian contingent here, alot of mixed-race looking people). When we have almost reached Monkey Bay we turn left to Cape Maclear. 18km down a dirt road, like driving on corrugated iron, our little car doesn’t like it much! It turns out the place we have booked to stay for Christmas is at one end of the bay, away from all the ‘backpacker’ lodges and at one end of a very pretty fishing village. Its very posh. Beautiful private beach, lovely camping ground (away from all the chalets costing 60USD/person/night), a catamaran moored in the bay, deck chairs in pairs sheltered by thatched parasols, and beautifully manicured sand. It feels like paradise. We pitch the tent, take a welcome dip in the blue lake, then drink MGTs (Malawi gin and tonic) on the deck chairs and order our dinner for later on. We play a game of Bao before dinner, then sit at our designated table when instructed to do so by the ‘dinner drums’! The place is full of Africaaners , and its a bit of a strange atmosphere. No English, lots of smoking, funny people! There will be no socialising here, which all of a sudden feels like the wrong thing. Kate to bed early. I wait up playing patience until a phone call from Mum and Dad.

24/12/08
Christmas Eve – never before have I sunbathed on the trampoline of a catamaran and snorkelled amongst multicoloured fish on this day! It is now evening and the sun is still as persistent. There are thunder-clouds hovering menacingly towards the north-west and the breeze has picked up. The fisherman has just been to deliver a catch for tonight’s dinner – I had the fish (kampango) yesterday, very good. Its almost MGT time, which will be very nice after such a lovely, satisfying day.
After feeling somewhat down by where I was last night, I awoke this morning and swam in the lake, then ate bread and chocolate on top of a large granite rock that frames one end of the sandy beach. We decided to risk the weather (it was cloudy but hot) and bought the catamaran for the day. What luxury, just the two of us and the captain (Harrison), sailing to a nearby island. So peaceful, with the sound of the water lapping the hulls and the awnings tapping in the wind. On arrival at the island we dived into the blue and fed the fish with bread. So many, all different colours. We spent the next 2 hours snorkelling and jumping off the boat, then sailed back along the shore drinking beer and looking at all the other lodges full of Christmas celebrators.
I dived off the boat before she came into the bay, and swam to the beach. Someone greeted me, and I returned the gesture, then we looked at each other more closely, and realised we knew each other! It was Sue, a friend I had in Swaziland! With her now-husband (boyfriend when I knew him) Mike and two children (Kelly 5, Aidan 2). How small this world is! It never ceases to amaze me how people get thrown together. Good chat and a drink. They now live in Lilongwe so we will do a lot more catching up. Lovely kids. They were with a friend who lives near Mount Mulanje, and invited us to go there. It all reminds me of how friendly people were in Swaziland and South Africa.
Steak for supper tonight then to the tent for what looks like will be a wild night weather-wise.

25/12/08 – Christmas Day
What a night. The thunder and lightning started a while before the rain. Flashes lighting up the tent and thunder so loud it made me jump. When the rain finally came it was heavy and persistent. With each extra cloudful I wondered if the tent could hold any more. I must have fallen asleep in the end but it was well into the early hours. We awoke at 6.30am on Christmas morning and were greeted by our Afrikaaner camping neighbours with a cup of freshly brewed real coffee, what a treat. After another chocolate sandwich and with red flowers in our hair, we boarded the catamaran again and this time sailed under the blue sky to the other end of yesterday’s island. Fish eagles perched on the trees, and I remember that last year on Christmas day I also watched fish eagles but over the Corrie Vrechan on the Isle of Jura. The water is quite choppy but the snorkelling is as good as yesterday. This time the fish follow us, our captain says this is because the fish at this end of the island are less used to tourists and are looking for food. It is so nice to be followed through the turquoise blue water by shoals of blue, white, yellow, orange, and black fish.
The sail back was quick because of the wind, and we arrived back on the sandy beach to the sound of the lunch drums. What timing! We sat down to a delicious buffet of cold meats and salads and a beer then a glass of red. Crackers on the tables too. Very festive. I ate too much delicious food so lay in the shade for the afternoon resting. We spent the evening sitting with our Afrikaaner fellow campers and they showed us their underwater photos from their snorkelling trip. Then to the bar to learn how to play backgammon.

26/12/08 – Boxing Day
Up early to depart this surreal paradise and head back into the real world. Harrison helped us inflate our front tyre which has a slow puncture, then we took an hour to drive very slowly down the rough 18km track to get to the road. The tyre luckily lasted until Monkey Bay where we got out puncture repaired by a nice man under a tree.
We made our way to the ferry (MV Ilala) dock, purchasing edible provisions on the way. The ferry only left 50 minutes late – which is apparently very good timing! So, here we are, on board a large passenger ferry, chugging our way North to Likoma Island. We can see lots of swarms of lake flies which look like columns of smoke coming out of the water in the far distance. We’ll see if the novelty of the turquoise blue lake and the royal blue sky wear off after 30 hours!
Luckily, we met some fellow backpackers who made our time on the boat go a lot faster. Lots of games of backgammon, scrabble, and Chinese poker, with beer to wash them all down of course! So glad we decided to splash out and travel on the first class deck. Second class is in a stuffy room downstairs with no view. I slept well, out on deck under a sky crammed with stars.

27/12/08
I woke at 5am to find that we were still in the port we had stopped in at 2.30am (Nkotakota)! They spend ages ferrying passengers between the ferry and the shore using small motor boats. These small boats are attached to the side of the large ferry and are winched up out of the water when the ferry is in motion. We chug at a slow 10knots/hour towards Mozambique and make three stops along the Western coast before getting to Likoma island at 5pm (a day and a half after getting on the ferry at Monkey Bay). We are dropped by the motor boat into the shallow water after a hairy ride from the ferry, purely because of the quantity of people and baggage they cram into one boat! After climbing up the beach we soon meet someone who is walking to our campsite, ‘Mango Drift’, on the other side of the island, and she will show us the way. We walk on a sandy road/path for about 3km, passing houses, bars with music spilling outside, children running after us, and almost everyone sharing a greeting (Muli buanje – how are you? – Tine bueno, ka-i-uno – I’m fine, and you?). We walk with Danielle (Aussie volunteer working in South Africa) and Pauline ( Swiss girl also working in SA). After a scramble down to the lake shore on a steep, rocky path, we arrive. We pitch the tents on a sandy beach, sheltered by mango trees, and within a few yards of the water’s edge. We eat good chicken curry with other travellers and share stories until bedtime.

28/12/08
We awoke to the sound of a storm. Rain not so heavy but lots of thunder and lightning. Luckily the wind wasn’t strong enough to shift the tent which was difficult to pitch securely in the sand. After real coffee and omelette for breakfast (a treat, after too much stale bread on the ferry), the rain stopped and I went to explore the island with Danielle and Pauline. We went on foot, heading North along the west coast. The island is only 3km x 8km (longest North-South). The path was very rocky, with either side full of bushes, mango, and boabab trees. Fish eagles close by in the treetops, and other birds including ?tawny eagles/?black kites, and a paradise fly catcher. Very hot walking, dripping with sweat weather!
We walk through a collection of houses, a fishing village by the look of it, with fish drying and nets in piles. Everyone very friendly and offering greetings. The kids are very keen to hold hands with us, run along beside us, and shout ‘what is my name?’! A pick-up comes past and gives us a ride eastwards towards St. Peter’s Cathedral. Built at the beginning of this century, this building seems to dominate the island, and the tourist guide book. Its Sunday today, and the service is still going on. We enter the cathedral and sit at the back, and listen to the beautiful singing. A toddler comes and sits on my knee for a cuddle – no child has done that since I’ve been in Malawi, in the hospital they are usually scared of me! Outside, another wee one comes to look at me and plays with my necklace.
Pauline (Swiss) and I leave Danielle (Aussie) in the small town and walk North, heading for the forest marked on the map at the north-eastern tip of the island. Lots more children join us on our way. We play a game with a group of them, I don’t understand the rules but you use a big stick to flick and hit a smaller stick from the ground. They thought it was hilarious how hopeless I was! We watched women hoeing their beautiful green and straight rows of maize, and saw a few small rise paddies.
At the end of the road we came to a beautiful beach. Couldn’t resist a swim so managed to change in front of about 10 staring children and dived into the warm blue water. We walked back to the village the smae way and stopped at a cafe called the ‘Hungry Clinic’! Great Malawian guy running it who quickly brought me a large plate of nsima and beans (nsima is the Malawian staple food, made of ground maize, bean are just red kidney bean in a sauce). Very, very tasty, I was so hungry! We walked back to Mango Drift the way we walked the first evening. Back on the beach for another swim. Excellent kampango fish and chips for tea, then a game of Pictionary before bed.

29/12/08
Awoke to a blazing sun and perfect blue sky. After more coffee and omelette we set out walking again, the same way as yesterday, towards the cathedral. Much hotter than yesterday, really too hot to be out in the sun. But we need to explore. We spend a long time sitting in the cathedral, enjoying the relative cool and peacefulness. It is a beautiful building, with delicate stonework, small but intricate stained glass windows, and when you look more closely, faded but beautiful pictures on the walls telling the story of the 12 stages of the crucifixion.
We go to the village market, a series of small open-fronted stalls, mostly selling the same thing – materials, batteries, soap, etc. Then to Hungry Clinic for cold drinks and ‘fat cakes’ (I remember eating these in Swaziland – deep fried bread dough basically!). Then we start to walk the 3km back to Mango Drift and hitch a ride on the way (there are hardly any vehicles here, we are lucky). We are told it is too hot to be out at this time of day, I agree!
Back at our beach we snorkel, swim, and read away the rest of the afternoon. Too hot even in the shade. At about 5pm when we think it is a bit cooler, we head back out to Hungry Clinic for more nsima and beans, and try the Malawian beer ‘Kuche Kuche’. I prefer greens (green is the name used for Carlsberg lager that is drunk like water in Malawi). Skinny dipping in the dark in the lake when we get back as very sweaty.

30/12/08
Up at 5am to pack up and climb the hill by 6am. Apparently the ferry arrived at 4.30am – this makes us panic a bit. If we missed it then we’d be a bit screwed. The MV Ilala goes up the lake and back again only once a week. It’s all very vague about when the ferry will arrive and leave. However, there is no rush. By 11am we are still sat on the ferry, and there is no sign of any departure. There are bags and bags of maize being unloaded from the hold – food supply for the island so very important. By 12pm we are eventually on our way, after 4 hours of sitting on the motionless boat!
This time we are sitting in second class, as we don’t have enough money (there are no ATMs on the island) to go first class deck again. We find a table and comfy cushioned benches in second class, and figure this isn’t too bad at all. For one third of the price its great! We write, play cards, chat, and picnic. We pay regular visits to Danielle and Pauline on the upper deck. There are many fewer people on this trip than the last one, so I think second class will be bearable. There are lots of interesting things and people to look at. They like looking at us too. We see a man transporting tropical fish to be used in private aquariums, enough dried fish to feed an army, lying in the sun on the fron of the boat, and a young chicken making the journey with its foot tied to a heavy bundle to keep it from flying away. For dinner we find a canteen at the back of the ship, which only has nsima and beef stew left. It’s pretty horrific, so we give it away. Towards the night it becomes too hot, and I escape unseen to a corner on the top deck to sleep under the stars.

31/12/08
We awoke at 5am covered in lake flies from a recent swarm that must have hit the boat. There is the most beautiful sunrise and we still in Nkotakota where we said goodbye to Danielle and Pauline at 1am this morning! Apparently its take this long to unload all the dried fish that is distributed for selling from this town. We find a place to sit on the middle deck as it is still to hot in second class and we don’t fancy our chances upstairs too much as there are so few people we are likely to be noticed. It takes nine hours to the next stop (Chipoka), during which time we read, teach cards to some ferry workers, eat, and make friends with the ticket man by buying him beer and so move up to the top deck for a breeze, beers, and comfort. At Chipoka, we are assured that this stop will be very brief. There is only one boat-load of passengers who disembark. We should be in Monkey Bay by 6pm, in time to drive to Cape Maclear in time for dinner and New Year’s celebrations. However, the captain then goes ashore, and we are told that there is to be some short-notice survey of the ferry, as there are member of parliament, including the President of Malawi, in Monkey Bay who need to have a look at the ferry. The rumour is that the surveyors will take 4 hours to arrive! We prepare ourselves for new years on the deck of a boat! Luckily, the surveyors arrive within an hour, and we are underway again. We arrive in Monkey Bay in the dary at 7.30pm, find the car has been well looked after, and drive the bumpy road back to Cape Maclear. Once there, we find our campsite, and settled down to large pizzas, which are very welcome after another two days of ferry snacking. There are lots of people already enjoying the evening, with loud music and lots of booze. After washing off the ferry-ness, we wander along the beach until we find Gecko Lounge, the place renowned for parties. After feeling very tired and a little bit lost amongst all the drunk people, things look up after we meet a friend from Lilongwe who is lots of fun. Things get even better when we meet some brothers from Wales, a plasterer and a plumber (Gareth and Richie), who were brought up in Malawi, and come back for holidays. Their brother (Nick) works in Lilongwe and I think we have seen him about (he will come to Cape Maclear tomorrow). They speak fluent Chichewa (the Malawian language) with Welsh accents, and make my evening one of the most memorable ever! Excellent banter until bed at 4.30am. Happy New Year everyone!

01/01/09
2009 may be quite a big year. I’m feeling somewhat prepared (I think), and at least refreshed after these two weeks of not working, most welcome. Awoke late this morning after last night, to find the boys from last night plus others drinking beer for breakfast! I didn’t join in, but we spent the day with them, swimming, chatting, laughing at their hilarious behaviour, and generally enjoying the fun (and getting through an impressive amount of beer). We eventually managed to leave on a boat trip in the late afternoon, prepared with a large cooler box of beer (this must be their 3rd or 4th crate). We motored to the island and swam, or they floated with their beers and cooler box. After a few hours of this it was getting dark, and the behaviour was getting more interesting! Headed back to shore for showers and an attempt to cook meat and fish on a fire (but by this time they can hardly see, so most food ends up in the fire or with the dog). I drive them to a local bar when they run out of beer and we are drowned by a swarm of lake flies. Another fun late night with great people.

02/01/09
Back to Lilongwe today, after a leisurely breakfast with our new Welsh/Malawian friends. We picked up some hitch-hikers and drove up into the highlands (amazing views en route) to Dedza to visit a lovely pottery with an amazing (and pricey) cafe with famously good cheesecake. We arrived back in Lilongwe early evening to pick up Danielle and Pauline, the girls we met on Likoma island who will come and stay with us for the weekend. It’s been so refreshing to do no medicine for two weeks. I really needed this time away, and Malawi is a beautiful country. I’m quite looking forward to sleeping in a bed after two weeks in a tent without a mattress though!