16th - 25th July
16th - 17th July
Hakuna Matata camp - Lake Malawi
A four hour drive through Tanzania (and a caution for speeding) took us to the border with Malawi.
The crossing into Malawi was a breeze compared to Tanzania and we got to the campsite by mid afternoon which was right on the lake. Fabulous beach and warm waters.
It is run by a south african guy called Willie who is now 72. He was a font of knowledge and great to spend a few hours with talking over beers in the eveving. We also met with Marco, a german guy and Maggie a Malawian lady who both have homes just along the beach - and were inspired to settle there by Willie.
We were again the only people at the campsite.
17th July
Whilst lazing on the beach in the morning we met Dakar who was with a group of a dozen children picking up plastic off the beach.
We got chatting and he said that he looked after the children who were either orphans or vulnerables and invited us to go to see them that afternoon to get to know the children and what he did better.
We spent the afternoon with them where the children introduced themselves, did drawings, sang songs and then of course played football.
We had made flatbreads that lunchtime and so took these, together with a jar of marmalade, as a treat for the kids.
Given that they had so little, the children all seemed happy and were great company to be with.
Dakar is doing an amazing job with so little money and has plans to build a proper kitchen and shelter for the kids to sleep in.
18th July
Lukwe eco camp - Livingstonia
We spent the morning visiting Livingstonia which was built by the Scottish missionaries in the late 1880s up in the mountains 900m above the lake. The road up was only 15km but took over an hour with over 20 hairpin bends and lots of rocks! Unfortunately we were underwhelmed with the town itself but the views from the top were amazing and we felt it was definitely worth spending the night up in the mountains.
Lukwe is currently being managed by Ellie a young Swiss lady who has been in Malawi since last August.
The camp is fully self sufficient with solar power and compost toilets. It also has an amazing bar and restaurant looking over and down the mountains.
Again we were the only people camping but there was a Belgian couple who were staying in one of the chalets; they were nearing the end of a three week trip from Zanzibar to Lilongwe.
19th - 20th July
Senga Moyo camp - Lake Malawi
Having nearly run out of provisions and cash we headed towards Mzuzu, the nearest big town, to stock up. We decided to take a different road down the mountains which didn't involve rocks only to find it was under construction! In Malawi that doesnt stop you using it though and we made our way down, weaving in and around trucks and diggers and men working. It will be an amazing road when completed.
Ellie had been told that there might be demonstrations in Mzuzu against the recent election rigging on the 19th but when we left camp she said that they had been called off.
However when we got to Mzuzu, the people were demonstrating and so as a precaution all the shops had been closed. It was all very peaceful but it did mean we werent able to stock up on food (it was going to have to been egg, beans & chips for the next couple of days!)
Ellie had recommended Senga Moyo to us as a great place to stay by the lake; so having stopped at Nhkata Bay for lunch - a lovely place also right on the lake but nowhere to camp as its all built on rocks - we made our way to Senga Moyo.
We were not disappointed as it was a great camp run by a lady called Stella who had some fabulous stories to tell of the previous owner.
She also very kindly cooked dinner for us on the Saturday night.
Lazy days spent reading and sunbathing.
21st July
Nkhotakota Pottery Lodge - Lake Malawi
During our first visit to Malawi 20 years ago we visited the Pottery and so wanted to see if it still existed. It does and now also has chalets and camping facilities. We purchased a dinner service on that first visit and to our surprise they still produce pottery with that design.
We got to sample one of the lake’s fish for dinner - Chombo - which was delicious but which we almost didnt get to eat due to an intermittent power cut while they were cooking!
We shared the campsite with a German family who are currently living in Malawi.
It was really windy that evening so much so that the car shook during the night and Colin had to get up and move us to a more sheltered spot with me still up in the sleeping compartment!
22nd July
Korea Garden Lodge - Lilongwe
We headed into the capital to get now much needed petrol, food & cash and catch up with family and friends via Wifi - unless you are in major towns connection in Malawi isnt great.
23rd - 24th July
Cool Runnings camp - Senga Bay, Lake Malawi
Last two days by the lake before we make our way up to the border and into Mozambique.
The camp is run by an amazing lady called Sam who has been here 17 years. She is a trained nurse and runs all kinds of projects to help educate and make life better for the people in the local villages. She also has a clinic which the locals can come to for free when they need basic treatment.
We shared the camp with a group of people from Sweden who are on a 10 day trip to Malawi. They support a charity which provides African school children enriched porridge to eat so they at least get one decent meal a day and also drill bore holes so that villages can have clean water and were here to see how things worked and the impact it is having.
25th July
Dedza Pottery Lodge
An overnight stay just at the border before heading off to Mozambique in the morning.
The pottery is the parent of Nkhotakota and we were able to order a bespoke plate to commemorate this trip in the same design as we bought 20 years ago.