Malawi to Mozambique

Arrived at Bernadette in Mozambique last night – 4th country, on day 79 of our trip.



Our last blog was of Cape Maclear, from where we went a bit further south, near Mangochi, bottom end of lake.

Met a sweet couple, Henry & Maggie,

who had planted a church a few weeks prior, who invited us to teach at their Sunday meeting.

This was held in a nearby welding shop, with the metal, gears & bits of scrap swept aside for the few hours of the meeting. After a vibrant time of worship – accompanied by a single small homemade drum, I taught on prayer & faith using examples of seeds from a large local Nsango tree. It was a good time & great fun too.

...Then moved to Liwonde National Park, which is really beautiful – rocky hills, mopane forests and grassland, swamps and a river runs through it (the Shire, which is the only river draining Lake Malawi.)

At the Chinguni Campsite, managed by Mariska & Pieter, who is restoring Land Rovers out a ‘graveyard’ these vehicles in the camp. Pieter is currently driving the 100th Landy he has owned. Look out for article on him & Landys in the latest ‘Drive Out’ and SA 4x4.

Watching the sunset from a ‘the tree house’ platform overlooking the Shire

Bridge being rebuilt at Liwonde.

One of several homebuilt welding machines seen in Malawi- and it’s connection.

Seen in Blantyre.

Stopped in to Blantyre to stock up with supplies, camped at the NCMI church base overlooking the city, then left yesterday, crossed the border at Milange, and here we are….

Next instalment…. What’s potting here at Bernadetteville.

Clear lake at Cape Maclear

After the blustery weather and windblown waters of the northern lake, driving south to Cape Maclear – the typical road scenes of Malawi.

At last – no wind, a beautiful clear lake – hot weather. Last night 29˚ at 8pm.

Found the popular spots ( Fat Monkeys, Eagles Nest etc) at Maclear very cramped, noisy with very restricted frontage to lake. Being told by some that there was no camping at Golden Sands inside the National Park area nearby, we checked it out and found it is indeed possible to camp there. After Park entry fee 5$ US pppn, the camping fee was only an extra $1 each, so still ok. The downside – a bit scruffy, no running water, 1 toilet which you fill the cistern from the lake – but, plently of space, hiking trails, good snorkeling with little fishies all around. Bliss.

Sharon taking evening bath in the lake.

The only disturbances were constant vendors of fish, firewood, boat trips & curios popping in say “hello, how are you?- what is your name?- where are you from?, and making much conversation before stating their purpose , only to be disappointed by our low budget approach…. followed by monkeys & baboons waiting for you to let down your guard for a moment.

Score -

Monkeys: 1 loaf bread, 1 packet chips

Les: 3 monkey’s bum hits with catapult, 6 rubber-snake shocked baboons!

The usual suspects

Also had some kids spend time hanging around our camp, learning & practicing engrish, and sponging food & rubber snakes off us.

What did we do in the 5 days we stayed there?

Swam a lot, looked at multi-coloured fishies underwater, fed them bits of bread, took a kayak and rowed around the nearest island. Took several hours, and looked at more fishies along the way.

Paddled my surfboard for excercise ( no swell, it was as flat as a lake)

Chatted to locals and befriended the only other party camping there, hiked and found our own private beach

A parting shot from Cape Maclear this morning was being stung on my finger by a scorpion as I was packing our camp chairs. Wasn’t fatal; I suppose a scorpion sting is preferable to a bite from a hippo.

Now a bit further south, near Mangochi, bottom end of lake for a few days, then plan to visit Liwonde National Park, (on the Shire river which is the only outlet of the lake) stock up with supplies in Blantyre, then on to Mozambique, Bernadette …

But that’s another story....

Nothern Malawi Muzungus

Hey Mzungus !*

Malawi is full of people.
The lake doesn’t always look like the brochures.
Nyika plateau is cold
Lake Malawi is warm
Road up to Livingstonia is not to be missed



We are at the most northerly point of our planned trip. At a spot called Sangilo on NE shore of Lake Malawi, next town up is the border to Tanzania, and we can see it’s mountains on the distant shore.

Malawi is full of people. – Most densely populated country in Africa. Wherever we’ve driven, there are always people in view – bustling villages & towns, and between villages, huts with veggie gardens, bicycles and pedestrians always in view.

Taxi rank in Selima

Very friendly, always greeting pleasantly – apart from some kids who delight in shouting ‘hey mzungu’, or ‘hello mzungu’ (*African word for white people) sometimes followed by ‘gimme pen’ , ‘gimme sweets’ or ‘gimme your money’. Mzungus are seen to be endlessly wealthy and the solution to poverty and all their need.
Being here, surrounded by such need, gives a new perspective to our possessions and diet. When we sometimes make a breakfast of bacon & eggs, it’s more animal protein than many see in a month. They do have fish & occasional pork or beef, but the daily staple (and for many, the only) is cassava, beans, tomatoes and other veg.
We are learning not to respond purely to need, but as we sense the Holy Spirit would lead us to, usually more in the direction of friendship, and treating people with dignity – as many are overly deferential & acquiescent =meek, for those who haven’t been playing Scrabble as often as Shalon & Res. Malawians have the odd habit of transposing l’s and r’s, even in signage. We’ve seen professionally painted signs such as’The Good Samalitan’ and heard that in Senga Bay during elections, some signs indicated directions to Erections or Erection Point !
Back to responding to need… I think this is a lesson for Shalon & I as we consider the future, not to be need-driven, but led by His Spirit.

The lake doesn’t always look like the brochures. During June/July the wind blows SE most days up the lake, making the central and north western shore choppy with poor water clarity, and not as pretty as the usual travel photos. We arrived from Zambia at Senga Bay via Lilongwe, to be greeted by a stormy sea (2ft choppy waves) and gloomy sky. Moved up the coast to a beautiful spot, but after more wind started, decided to divert to Nyika National Park for a while.

Nyika plateau is cold. You mzungus in the Cape were warm, compared to us. It was 6˚in he morning with a freezing wind blowing. Some game, we mainly saw roan antelope & bushbuck, but breathtaking views over Zambia and the start of the Great Rift Valley. Met two great new friends, Jim & Adam from UK, intrepid ‘skrik vir niks’ hikers, and explored Nyika with them in the Colt.

Lake Malawi is warm. Returning to thaw downstairs at the lake, where we are now, had some great swims in the lake – really pleasant, and a bit of snorkeling – but no great visibility. May hire the lodge owner’s catamaran and have a sail on the lake today, dependant on the wind strength, Shalon & Res not being expert sailors. (oops – just started raining, maybe only sail if weather clears- but at least it’s washing the thick dust off car & caravan)

Road up to Livingstonia is not to be missed. Yesterday we went up an amazing rough track, 20 hairpin bends, up 700m in about 10km, to the historically significant mission settlement of Livingstonia, with awesome views over the lake. There is a museum of Livingstone and the guys who started the churches, built schools, translated the bible into Chichewe and fought against slavery.

Tomorrow we’re probably off back south, heading for Cape Maclear area at bottom of the of lake (southern end, not underwater, you wiseguys) where, as any surfer would know, the wind will be offshore, so less chop and probably better diving conditions.

Catch up with you later, mzungus!
Love,
Res & Shalon