Lake Malawi!

I woke up this early Saturday morning as I had a long weekend for myself planned!

I was headed to Lake Malawi!  I was originally planning on going myself but soon realized the other MicroLoan folk from the UK were planning a trip to the lake region as well!  They were staying at a different lodge but I figured I could hitch a ride with them rather than sitting on the back of a truck!

I had Hlupe call the Nkhotakota Pottery and Lodge on Friday to book me in for a single room with bed and breakfast included for Saturday and Sunday!  I left early morning Saturday with the others from MicroLoan UK.  We went through the Nkhotakota National Park but only saw baboons  :(  I knew there were recent sightings of elephants and lions but because of the thick brush they were too hard to spot!  The road was all dirt so you can imagine the dusty and bumpy ride we had!

Road Through the Wildlife Reserve!

I found some nice information on Nkhotakota prior to leaving.  I though I would share!  During much of the 19th century Nkhotakota was the largest slave market on Lake Malawi!  As many as 20,000 slaves were shipped every year across the lake to Kilwa Kivinje on the Tanzanian Coast.  The slave trade in Nkhotakota was stopped in the 1890's!

Upon arrival I planned on walking the beach to my final destination, the Nkhotakota Pottery & Lodge.  I knew it was only 800 yards from the place those from MicroLoan were staying, so it wasn't going to be a bad walk with my backpack and travel bag! 

When we arrived, I wondered if we aware actually at the ocean rather than a lake!  The waves were huge!  I instantly fell in love with Eagle Rock Bay Lodge!  It was nothing I expected so I decided to spend the night with the MicroLoan crew there!  Instead of renting small single rooms, we rented a house for a lot cheeper at Eagle Rock and it was awesome!  We had our own private beach with a kitchen, three rooms, and a private bath. 

We decided to walk to the pottery lodge for lunch and I was able to cancel my reservation for Saturday night.  They didn't mind as I told them I worked for "MicroLoan Foundation!"  MicroLoan's first branch in Malawi was located in Nkhotakota so they are very well known out here!

We had a great lunch!  I had been craving fish since I arrived, and the piece of fish I had, chambo, was so good!  I was excited for the following day when I would be able to try more varieties for lunch and dinner!

Chambo for Lunch!

After a great lunch we headed back to Fish Eagle where we all took a nice dip in the lake.  It was so warm!  The water was so clear and the ground so sandy!  Following, we went up to one of the gazebos for some beers and reading before dinner.  When it was time, we headed into the cafe area where fish and rice awaited.  We also met a lady from Switzerland, Sarah, who joined us for dinner.  She had been traveling in Mozambique, Malawi, and Zambia for the past six weeks!  She had been to Malawi last year for six months staying at an orphanage and researching the integration of those into the community once they were of age to go out on their own!  She was so interesting and had stories of all of her adventures across the world!

After, we all went back to the gazebo to play cards.  We played this game, "shit head."  Cannot wait to show all you how to play when I return.  It was so much fun!  After about 20 rounds we called it a night and hit the sack. 

I woke up at 6:00 AM to see the sun rise!  It rises over Mozambique, which lies across the lake, so you are able to see it and the pink clouds as it lights up the sky early in the morning.  It was beautiful! 

Everyone left at 10:00 AM as they had work to do and Priya was heading to Zambia to see MicroLoan's new offices there!  I was on my own for the day!  I headed down the beach to the Pottery Lodge where I was able to sun bathe and catch some waves!  After, I walked the grounds, admiring the organic garden and the pottery classes being taken by local villagers.  The rooms and pottery center were Harry Potter themed so it made me think of friends back home.  I stayed in Hufflepuff Room 4!

Hogwarts Pottery Training Workshop

View From My Room

I had a great lunch on the beach with a few MGT's and following, set out on an exploration.  I walked along the beach around a cove where I came upon a fishing village.  I followed a young girl and her father into the village where I introduced myself and asked if I could see their agriculture!  A young lad came over and instantly shook my hand and offered to tour the fields with me.  His name was Bubaka!  He was 15 years old and spoke really good english, so much better than the villagers living in Kasungu and Jenda!  After about a 20 minute walk inland he showed me the village plots of rice, bananas, maize, mustard, and tomatoes.  Such healthy crops, I presume from the water the lake provides for irrigation!  After, I took some snaps of the children and headed back to catch a few more rays!

Bubaka and Villagers

Rice Fields

Mustard and Banana Plants 

I felt a shadow over me and soon opened to see Sarah hovering above me.  She had walked down to the pottery for the day to do some painting.  She sat with me in the sand and we talked for awhile!  After, she asked if I would be up for climbing Sun Mountain with her at 6:00 AM!  I was down!

At dinner,  I met a small group of Americans from Michigan State University who had just taken a three week class here in Malawi and were continuing their travels with individual non-governmental organization internships!  What a cool summer abroad experience!  Afterwards I went to my room and grabbed a warm blanket and spent the night under a cabana on the beach waiting for the moon rise.  I don't think I have seen anything more spectacular than this.  It was amazing!

Butter Fish for Dinner

I woke up at 5:30 AM and ran down the beach to meet Sarah at Fish Eagle!  Along the way I took some really nice pictures of the sun rise!  We were both so excited for our climb!  I soon learned Sarah was a professional athlete in Switzerland before starting her own mountain guide business there!  She loved rock climbing, skiing, rowing, running, hiking, and was so adventurous!  When we got to the peak, we sat on a large rock and just admired the scenery.  We both shared snacks and then headed back down to grab breakfast!  The way down was not planned, we decided to scale the mountain rather then taking the path we traveled up on.  It was so much fun!  We trekked through the brush and clung to rocks as we shimmied down one of the steep cliffs!  At the base we had ended up in villages around Nkhotakota so we stopped and took pictures with the children and spoke with some of the adults.  Everyone was so nice.  They said they had not seen any "mzungu" in more than a month because the fuel shortage had prevented travelers from taking the ride out!

Sun Rise! Mozambique in the Distance!

Mt. Sun, Pre Summit

Summit!

After breakfast I packed up my things and called Richard, the Branch Manager for the Nkhotakota MicroLoan Branch!  The Pottery and Lodge is about an hours walk from the main road and with my things, it would be too much!  Richard came on his motor bike and I hopped on the back!  After a fun ride through the villages and a short distance on the main road I had arrived at the location where the trucks leave for Kasungu!  Richard managed to get me a seat in the front of the truck so I was not crammed in the back seat or sitting in the bed of it!

About an hour into the ride and more than halfway through the Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve the truck got a flat.  Could this really be happening!  Rather than panic with the thought of game roaming the grounds, I just waited patiently.  Everyone was speaking chichewa so I had no idea what was going on till I met a lady who spoke some English and was able to answer my questions regarding the situation.  After about an hours wait with restless passengers, a car finally came along that was headed to Nkhotakota.  Our driver hitched a ride back to get a new tire.  Well after two long hours of waiting, and still no driver, and flies attacking every part of my body I decided I had to take some control.  When the next car passed I got out and asked if I could get a ride to Kasungu!  The driver was so nice, as he was a mini bus driver, and wanted all the business he could get.  Some stayed and waited and the rest joined me on an adventure back to Kasungu!  I had planned on getting into the office before the close of the day to read email but that plan was quickly squashed with the flat tire.  Now outside the Wildlife Reserve, I began worrying about arriving in Kasungu before sunset.  The driver stopped at every village and group of people we passed along the way picking up and dropping off passengers.  He was trying to make as much money as possible!  I don't blame him, but I really wanted to get back to Kasungu to shower, eat dinner, and avoid being attacked by dogs at all costs!

Nkhotakota Reserve Enterance!

The Truck I Traveled On!

Flat Tire!

I made it home safely!  Walked into my room at 7:45 PM!  What a journey!  One I will never forget!  I look forward to going back to the lake in two weeks to do some work with Hlupe!

Wish You All Well

Jimmy