We flew from Heathrow on Wed 29th July. A 12 hour flight, a change in Johannesburg and then about 3 hours to Lilongwe. Henry was there to meet us at the airport and then there was a 20 minute trip to the Kiboko Town Hotel.
By the side of the road there were loads of vendors sellin g “African Sausages” – basically mice that have been trapped and roasted. Mmmmm!
We settled into the hotel and then went to the restaurant downstairs – Don Brioni’s. The food was excellent and Stuart said it was the best curry he had ever had, might be stretching it a bit but overall very acceptable.
In the morning we were up and had breakfast, then a wander round town. The market area was full of local chancers selling wooden objects and necklaces, beads etc and paintings. Overpriced and just lots of copies of copies. So we didn’t buy anything. Then we met Henry and were off to the airport to collect some guests and then on to the Ilala Ferry.
The Ilala is everything it was promised to be, old, grimy, charming, and an opportunity to relax and rest for a day or so. Chipoka where we met the ferry has a dock so the stay was relatively short. There was a local choir singing on the quayside as we left. We saw our first “lake” sunset, magical, with local beers on the top deck. Then we had dinner in the saloon, amazingly good, chambo (local fish) and chips or steak and chips. A few more beers then an early night.. Some brave souls slept on the deck.
In the middle of the night we stopped somewhere and the boat unloaded and loaded passengers and freight, using the lifeboats, a chaotic process which they seem to have off to a T but which takes a few hours.
Next morning Peggy was up to see the sun rise, I took a more leisurely approach to the day. We breakfasted well and then watched the world go by. Lunch came and went and at about 2 we were in sight of Mozambique and another village where the exchange of passengers and freight continued. Then we were off again to Likoma Island.
There transfer from the Ilala Ferry to “Miss Nkwichi” boat took place, in a chaotic manner, but we all made it and no bags were lost, then a 1.5 hour trip to Nkwichi lodge.
Finally there, so dinner and to bed.
The next morning we had our first view of the lake and the beaches, amazing, even more beautiful than the web site. It was Sunday so we had a chilled day, meeting people and getting to know a bit about the lodge and our way around.
Monday morning I joined some of the lodge staff who were busy burning firebreaks ( the grass and scrub had been cut earlier ) in a controlled fashion, using watering cans to damp the edges of the path we were burning.
The firebreaks provide protection for the lodge and chalets from bush fires. (It has not rained for 2 months and will not for a further 3). This is tough and hot work, we started at 7 and broke for lunch at 12. Again in the afternoon but finished at 3, everyone was tired.
Aching and hot I lay in the lake for a good while then a rest I our hut and sundowners on the beach followed by dinner. A pattern is established.
Peggy is taking over some of the teaching and will be picking up when Trish another volunteer leaves.
Next day we burnt more firebreaks, and again finished by about 3. Wednesday was more of the same, and Thursday. BUT, we had burnt many kilometres and the team had a final 20 metres, to burn on a flat next to the lake, long dry grass, and a bit of a breeze. The fire was lit and then it happened, a gust of wind and suddenly the long grass next to the break had caught light, flames 20 feet high, fanned by the breeze took off at amazing speed, no one could get near it. The bush fire was burning. We ran with watering cans along the edges to try to control the path but it was fast and hot.
The alarm was raised and the lodge staff turned out. The fire ran into rocky areas and bit by bit it was controlled. Everyone was happy but exhausted. We went back to have lunch. After lunch I had planned a quiet afternoon to relax and rest, and then the call, the fire has re-caught, fanned by the breeze, we were off again. This time there was no chance, fortunately an earlier fire break was between the fire and the lodge site so a fire was lit along the edge of the firebreak on the side that the fire was on, this burns towards the bushfire and the 2 eventually meet and extinguish each other as fuel and oxygen is used up. A large area, many square hectares had burnt but the firebreaks had proved their worth.
Now it’s Friday and I’m resting have been looking at objectives for our stay.
We’ll have a weekend and then it’ll be a new week developing new plans and getting involved with the farm and training the local people in improved methods.
Amazing week but relaxed and looking forward to the future here. It’s great, cool at night and warm in the day. We have a double bed, hot shower (shared, about 15 m from our hut) near the long drop. The food is fresh, simple and good. Outdoor activity and exercise, no hangovers for more than a week. And we have only just started.
We have seen baboons, fish eagles, bee eaters, amazing fish, snakes, lizards, geckos, weird and wonderful insects, wasps, stick insects, butterflies, all sorts. And we haven’t even been looking.
We are looking forward to the weekend and time to catch up with ourselves and reflect a little, and maybe see some of the sights – Oh and swim a lot in the amazing water of Lake Niassa!!!!
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