The African Queen

From Deans Lodge we travelled to Flatdogs Camp in South Luangwa and then to Livingstone and Victoria Falls.

On the way to Flatdogs the taxi had a broken fanbelt. We waited near a local shop while the driver was assisted by local people to modify the adjuster and fit a new (LONGER) fanbelt. After 2 hours, all was well and we arrived late in the afternoon.

The Safaris in the South Luangwa reserve were amazing; we saw 4 of the big 5, and loads of other animals and a couple of hundred bird species. Amazing! We had a tent by the river, 50 metres form crocodiles, in the evening Elephant and Hippos came into the camp to graze, very cool peering out at a Hippo a few feet from the tent door while he’s chomping on a pile of dry leaves under a tree.

After the 5 days on Safari (total of 40 hours) we left and caught a bus to Lusaka and the next day to Livingstone. The Zigzag B&B was very nice and friendly. The day after we arrived we went to the falls; the Zambians had taken most of the water for hydro electric so there was little water in the falls. But we had great views of the gorge and could see the scale of the whole thing.

We even walked 500 metres across the top of the dry cataract, amazing really, in the wet season you can’t go near the falls without a raincoat, and cameras get soaked.

Afterwards we walked into the hotel complex, Zambesi Sun and Royal Livingstone, a different world, 5 star tourist luxury! We found a deck with a bar by the Zambesi and took a beer, 3 times the price compared to in town. We chatted to the barman; he was very friendly and talkative. I asked him about life in Africa and why people are so happy. He said that life there was not easy and people were very aware that every day might be the last so they make the most of it.

As we left the hotel a group of local tribesmen were posing with guests in local dress, so we took Peggy’s “African Queen “picture.

That evening we took a sunset cruise on the Zambesi, magic.

We travelled by bus back to Lusaka and then to Lilongwe, arriving at 2.30 am. We were advised to stay in the bus until dawn at 5.00 because of the risk of mugging. (All the locals stayed as well.) And we eventually got to the Mufasa backpackers lodge at about 6, for a sleep and recovery.

We were there a couple of days and then left for the airport and London via Johannesburg. The flight was bumpy and as we approached Johannesburg there was a big flash and a bang, the left hand engine had been hit by lightning, with no problems fortunately. In the airport it was cold and draughty and we had a miserable 4 hours wait for the London flight.

Now we have been to the Isle of Man for 12 days, have spent some time in Cambridge seeing friends and Family and are spending 10 days in Belgium. We have tickets back to Africa and visas until the 30 July, so the adventure will continue.

Being in the UK and Belgium has been a shock to the system. Especially in the run up to Christmas!

There is so much consumerism, and obvious waste. The shops are selling all sorts of stuff, much at half price, Tesco’s has Chinese plastic toys and goods stacked up even by the front door.  We were at  the Huntingdon garden centre and the plants were gone, it was full of Christmas stuff, all sorts of ornaments, chocolate Santa’s, stuffed reindeer with woolly hats, speciality foods, you do not believe there is a credit crunch.

But people do not look happy, but we found that many looked tired, stressed, grey faced, and not at all happy. This is such a contrast to our African friends, smiling and cheerful, positive and happy looking every day.

It is very strange, when we are in Africa, there is very little to buy and we don’t miss shops.

In the UK, because the shops are there we feel that we “ought “to be buying this stuff.

 My reaction the UK has been very negative. We don’t want to be there to shop, the big cars and obvious expense is almost obscene. The weather is grey and the houses look small and unattractive.

Seeing all our family has been great, friends are still there, and pleased to see us. We are never sure what they really think but all appear to be positive to our adventures.

For my part, I have lost about 18 pounds weight, blood pressure is down and in good shape; I slept like a baby and felt relaxed and at ease with life. We have objectives now when we get back and are looking forward to life on the lakeshore

I am taking time and not being “impatient”, a new approach for me. We are both looking forward to going back to Mozambique in January; we have visas until 30 July.

To The Land of the Cloud Cuckoo!

We are back in the UK, we have travelled in Africa with limited internet access. Here in the UK we have been busy with family and friends. Eventually here is the last blog entry I wrote back in early November. More will Follow ......

Saturday we left Nkwichi Lodge. A surreal day. We woke and heard the waves at 5:30 and realised it would be a rough boat journey; the wind was blowing onshore on the lake. We didn’t realise what the day would bring.

We were up, dressed, and down to harbour for 6:30, I even stopped by the kitchen for a roll and some coffee which I had in the office. We left on time, and arrived in Cobue, to find there was no one at the immigration office to sign us out. After some time and discussion with Malawi immigration by phone it was agreed that if we had a letter from the local police, then we could enter Malawi. And so off we went again, about an hour and a half later. Alexis who was travelling with us called Kaya Mawa, (lodge on Likoma Island) to let them know we would be late collecting the guests who were going to Nkwichi, only to find out we were a day early. Devon the office manager had the wrong day.

On Likoma we stamped in, and then we went to see Alexander Chitander, a local who is acting as a dealer for the farm made stoves and was going to try to sell farm produce. We had some for him. We finished business with him and then to the hunger clinic (local restaurant at the harbour side) and had 2 eggs on toast and coffee, much welcome by this time. And we only had about another 4 hours to go before the Ilala would arrive. After some time Alexis went for a wander, he came back and said all the produce was gone. I went to look and then spoke to Alexander, he hadn’t sold the vegetables, (it was in his fridge).

When I got back Alexis said “David from the farm is dead, drowned!” What a shock. The whole story was that he had been found floating in the lodge harbour (a sheltered inlet between rocks where the boat jetty is and the boats are kept) with the farm boat. He had been paddling over from the farm to collect the lodge kitchen bins for compost and on entering the harbour the boat must have been caught by a bad wave and flipped over. We later heard that he couldn’t swim, even though he was a fisherman by trade and was used to being on the lake on a dugout. I knew him better than Peggy and Alexis, Peggy had taught him a couple of times, but I used to sit with him every day and have out 10:00 tea at the farm. He would insist I had some of his cassava. He used to roast the root on the fire like toast and then eat it. (Bread of Africa they call it, almost pure starch, tasteless like eating flour!) We couldn’t speak much but we had a bit of a joke now and then and he was a nice guy, uneducated, no English, but a strong back and a pair of hands on the farm. I still don’t believe it!

Eventually the Ilala arrived and we boarded, found a space on deck and hired our mattresses. Then we settled down for the departure, we had beef stew and rice for dinner at $4 each, washed down by a few beers, and an unsettled night, under the stars.

Arrival in Nkhata bay was at about 2.00 am, but we slept until about 5, we didn’t have to be off the boat until 7 when it was to sail. Fortunately there is a jetty in Nkhata bay so getting off was easy, we carried the bags to the quayside and then Alexis and I set about fetching the 3 gas canisters he was having filled for Nkwichi lodge. (There is no gas in the north of Mozambique so the gas for the kitchen is fetched from Mzuzu.) Then we found space on the back of a flatbed truck, and set off for Mzuzu. I thought the truck was full, us, gas canisters, people, boxes of dried fish, a door, other random stuff. But twice it stopped, everything was shuffled and more people boarded.  From Nkhata bay the road climbs steeply, the lake is about 300 metres above sea level, Mzuzu is 1200 metres. Soon we were climbing up hills, green and fresh with a cool breeze. The last part of the journey we were in the clouds, definitely chilly. After an hour we arrived in Mzuzu, dropped everything off at the bus station, paid an extra 3 dollars for a ride to the hotel, the Mzoozoozoo.

Mzoozoozoo is a bungalow, made into a backpacker hostel by Gerard who is Swiss. He runs a laid back place; the central living area has a bar, a dining table, a lounging area and a veranda. The main feature is the pair of very large loud speakers and the excellent music. Lots of volunteers and expats come and go, staying for a night or two, camping, sleeping in the dorm, or in a single or double room.

We walked into Mzuzu, a very nice well laid out, clean town, toured the market, got tickets for the bus to Lilongwe, and went back for a couple of beers and a siesta. In the evening Alexis had found a nice Indian restaurant, so off we went with 2 Danish volunteers who were also staying at the Zoo. Excellent, Chicken Biriani, Dupazia, Mutton Jalfrezi, Rice Jeera, Lentil Dal and Garlic Naan, with a couple of beers, about £7 per head, excellent food, fresh, tasty, and not a trace of a bad stomach next day. Just like a night out in the UK apart from the price.

Then off next day to Lilongwe on the 6:30 am bus, through beautiful highlands, then down to the plains and the heat. Arrived about 1 in Lilongwe and a minibus to the hotel, Mafusa, nice, clean tidy, great shower. Then to Shoprite for the makings of a spaghetti Bolognese and a nice bottle of red wine.  At the hotel we made some G&T and the food, what a pleasure to cook, and then we slept for a few hours. In the evening there was a film in the bar, “Air Con” and a couple of beers, then we had the red wine and blue cheese with nice bread and biscuits. Heaven! Early sleep, we were to be up at 4.45 to catch the bus to Zambia.

Up 4.45, Peggy slightly hung over, the taxi didn’t arrive so we flagged down a minibus. At the bus station in time, on the bus, no problem, plenty of space and set o at 6 on time. Great we thought, until the bus pulled off ion a side street and stopped outside a church, where about 30 sisters (Choir) of the Presbyterian Church boarded, off for a church visit in Zambia. They had everything with them and loading took an hour. Well fed, they were too, no lack of food security there! We set off with a prayer for a safe journey, they sang all the way to Chipata in Zambia where we arrived at about 11.00 am. And then we found deans lodge, where we are now. Nice clean, friendly and not too hot in the room.

Likoma Island, PADI Diving and Dr Kumpulotta the Witch Doctor

5 days left and counting. We are just back from a Visa run to Likoma Island in Malawi; we took a few days and had a break.

I did a PADI Open water Scuba Diving course, wish I had done it 30 years ago! It is so cool, floating underwater. We did theory and shallow dives near the beach to familiarise and then 4 dives from a boat. Backward rolls off the edge, etc, James Bond style. The first one we went straight into a shoal of tiny silver nsipa fish. Amazing! Then later we were swimming along, you stop and look around and there were hundreds of the little black and purple cichlids following us. Curious little blighters!

One of the days we were there was too windy to dive so we hiked across the island to see Dr John William Kumpulotta. He is a famous witch doctor in Malawi and lives on Likoma Island. We went with Joe, a US med student we met at the Mango drift backpacker lodge.

Really interesting, he welcomed us in his “clinic”, a room where a lot of patients and relatives were sitting, done out a bit to look like a church, white cloth with red crosses, a sort of pulpit and a bible. He told us his story, (translated by an assistant) with lots of requests for donations, and the whole event took an hour and a half, pretty amazing, lots of Hallelujahs, and Amen’s. Some of the “audience” told their stories of how they had been cured by the doctor.

Afterwards we walked to Mbamba, the main township and looked around the Likoma “St Peters Cathedral” the largest cathedral in Sub Saharan Africa! Amazing, there was a prayer meeting going on and they nwere all prostrate on the floor chanting and praying , not like a good old Methodist prayer meeting!

All in all a relaxing and interesting break. Then yesterday back to Nkwichi, just like coming home.

This morning I saw a Nyasa Seedbill, very nice, a little bonus in the last week.

It will be strange to leave on Saturday!.................

Time to reflect

I heard this week that we are on the path from Nairobi to Johannesburg, one of the longest FOOTPATHS in Africa. The nearest village is a one hour walk north and two hours south. Tanzania is a 3 day walk! There are no roads or cars here. The nearest town with cars is a 2 hour walk north, and there they have 3 cars. It’s a very different experience from the A14 every day.

My reflection is on what we have done and if we had made a difference in the last 3 months or so?

My answer so far is yes and no.  We have gotten to know quite a few local people, we have interacted with them, shown them some stuff, taught them some stuff. Did it make a difference, well maybe a small one. 3 months is too short a time. I feel that I am only just getting to the stage where I am beginning to understand how we can help in some small way. So coming back will be good!

We met Gerhard yesterday. He has built a house here, near the lodge and comes to stay for a long period twice a year. He is a retired Dutch guy, who has worked for the UN food programme for 35 years in Africa, really interesting. He said “ We used to make a bunch of miserable people a little less miserable”

We are in a remote corner of a country where more than 50% of the population of the whole country earn less than $1 per day. The lodge and farm provide employment for some 60 people and also a market for some produce and crafts. I wonder what people here think when they see us. If I reach any conclusions I will let you know.

They have been digging a new long drop to replace the one that burnt down, and they found this big mother of a scorpion! Mean looking guy!

Also in the office this week was this attractive green insect. Not sure what he is?

As we have been walking on the beach we have seen Egrets closer up, they don’t seem to want to fly off in the heat of the day, and swallows taking time out next to the water line.

Next week I am off to do a PADI deep water course and have a break, we need to check out of Mozambique for a couple of days and then back for visa reasons anyway. More in a while.

Eeeek! I was walking on the beach today on the way to the farm, as I went round this rock there was a BIG snake, I think a Cobra, about 4 feet long and as thick as my arm. Luckily he was in as much of a hurry to get away as I was. When I saw him I was about 3 feet away, but I jumped back and he disappeared between some rocks. The biggest adrenaline burst since I have been here!

The Baobab Knows…

The trees seem to know the rains are coming in about 6 weeks. Many have new leave sprouting, including the big Baobabs’. Everything is bone dry, and burnt to a cinder, but suddenly many tree have started to develop leaves and new shoots, I guess in anticipation of the rains, and spending energy and valuable stored water to get a head start for the coming wet season.

Mango trees have been green all the time and these now have much fruit developing, almost ready. I had picked some green ones to make chutney and left them for 2 days, they had ripened a lot and some of them were edible as fruit. So I took the opportunity to pick some more. We are now waiting for these to be ripe enough to enjoy as mangoes, not chutney.

The monkeys and baboons are also taking full advantage of the developing mangoes. At the lodge the monkeys are really forward now and in the kitchen or on the office table stealing a bread roll or whatever they can find. We keep a good supply of pebbles for the catapult.

How can you have a cold when its sooo hot here! My nose hurts.

Yesterday we had just finished lunch when there was a call, Moto in Mzungu Village! Fire in the Expat village. Everyone grabbed a watering can and ran to the beach and then into the site. There was a big fire, the long drop hut was well on fire and a hut roof was going up in flames. And the bush was well alight! 15 minutes later the panic was over, the hut roof fire was out, the bush fire was out and the long drop hut was just the hole in the ground. It seems that the fire for heating the water for the shower had been left with a long stick burning, which somehow moved and set fire to the bush. It was a scary few minutes, if we hadn’t been so fast or if there had been a wind we could have lost all the huts and some chalets as well. Fire inside the firebreak is BAD news!!!

Been doing some work at the farm but am a bit out of order with a bad cold, sore throat and chest. So I’m not pushing it.

We will welcome the wet season.

I cant imagine how we will feel when we see the UK, cold I think, night time here is about 24 degrees, daytime is 34 in the shade at least. While we feel the heat the sunsets are spectacular and the evenings relaxed and refreshing.

Peggy is getting on relaly well with her teaching, all the staff love it, even those who thin k that they speak well love the reading lessons and the varied topics. They feel encouraged to read more and learn about the world away from the lake.

More soon.

Wasps like Helicopter Gunships

It’s warming up nicely now, 34 degrees in the shade. The daily swim is a real PLEASURE!

There seems to be more birds and general wildlife activity, I saw a Paradise Flycatcher yesterday, a Black Faced Bulbul and a Black Sunbird today, as well as fire finches and Blue Waxbills and some of the others we have seen before.

Baboons and Vervet Monkeys are in the mango and fig trees which are quite plentiful in the bush here. I have another batch of Green Mangoes and plan to make more Achar today.

I think the mangoes will be ready soon for consumption as fruit. The last lot I picked were kept 3 or 4 days and they were almost sweet enough to eat as fruit.

There are lots of insects as well. There are big wasps, some blue and some grey brown. They hover around now and then. They are big and look just like helicopter gunships, hovering and moving around in the sleepy air.

There are fires on the mountainside beyond the villages to the south, amazing that they have been burning 3 nights. It seems that the hillsides are burnt to get rid of old grass and scrub and make room for new growth. It’s amazing to see the line of the fire moving slowly across the hillside in the dark.

We have had local villagers here today, with more than 100 Kilos of tomatoes. Once trained the lodge promises to buy the tomatoes, so we end up with a glut it seems.

The lake has been wild and lots of white foam the last week or so, then yesterday, it became still like a mirror. Yesterday evening, as the sun went down it turned into a pool of molten metal, copper and fiery red. Today is flat calm as well and a beautiful blue colour, I feel there may be some snorkelling later today.

We had new guests arrive yesterday and they came from South Luangwa reserve with amazing stories about the wild life, that’s where we will be in four weeks from now, so we start to feel some anticipation. Elephant, Lion Hippo, Wildebeest, it will be very special and different.

We just had lunch and there we saw the sunbird that has its nest by the office, we have seen Mrs Sunbird, a dull brown colour but now we saw Mr, he’s a white bellied sunbird, all purple and green.

Now the fire is approaching the area of the lodge, the firebreak will be tested, this afternoon I will go to the firebreak with the team of builders and carpenters to make sure the fire doesn’t jump the firebreak. And it’s hot out there, man it’s hot, so I will be melting today! Moto, Kwam Bili, means fire, very much in Chi Nyanja! No Achar made this afternoon.

The internet is down; we suspect the fire smoke is interfering with the satellite signals? Not sure that can happen but clouds and rain do interfere so it seems reasonable. Hopefully it’ll be back tomorrow so I can post this.

Now its Friday, on Tuesday night we slept and at 3 am I woke and heard crackling of a fire.

I got up and looked around outside, nothing, then when I tried to sleep I heard it again. Up again and looked out the other side of the hut. There was the fire, up high and crackling loudly. Panic, up and dressed both me and Peggy, we dashed over to where the night watchman stayed. He was there, nothing g to worry about the fire is outside the firebreak, and is being watched and controlled. So off to bed again feeling sheepish, but it is REALLY hard to go to sleep in a grass hut when you can hear a fire burning!

Time is passing, the internet is intermittent, not sure why. I saw some new birds this week, a Chinspot Batis, Isabelline Wheatear. At night now we hear a nightjar, sounds like a French ambulance. You don’t see them though. And the Bush babies, so called because they sound like a baby crying in the night. They found one drowned in one of the chalet water tanks yesterday, nice shower!

Monkeys with Blue Balls and Red Arses

We have discovered the local gin, Lord Gin. It comes in 500 ml cartons, like a milk carton. We bought some when we were in Cobue last week.

It’s actually rather OK, and at £1.50 it’s a snip. We usually have a G&T in the evening at 5:30 on our veranda! It’s the perfect way to recoup the day and watch the sun go down.

We were there yesterday evening and a monkey came and sat in a tree about 20 feet away having a snack on the leaves. He pondered us a while ate a bit more and then wandered off, with his blue balls and red arse shining in the sun!

There are a lot of monkeys and baboons around now, it’s getting hotter and the lake is getting lower.

Just now the sun is directly in front of me as it dips below the trees, glowing like hot copper in a deepening purple sky.

We are planning to come back in January, we have just gotten to the stage where we feel we are beginning to make a difference, we are accepted, Peggy’s lesson are going well, in the Monday meetings most staff are now more confident and willing to speak up in English.

Tomorrow the company who installed the new accounts system is coming and will finalise all the issues and training, Peggy will be the expert, she will be the one who has used it most.

For myself, I am getting there on the farm; we have a plan in preparation for new crop types, more vegetables, rather than just green salad type crops and herbs. Also we will expand the Banana and Passion fruit plants.

Another day today. Yesterday was cloudy so there was very little electricity (solar powered here) and therefore I wasn’t online. It actually rained a little for about 5 minutes, what joy standing out in a shower!

Walking to the farm this morning, there were four big baboons hanging out on the roof of our hut. I picked up a stone to throw and they just got down behind the ridge and peeped over, cheeky blighters.

First of October today, time is moving on, the mangoes are getting there, on the tree by the farm they are fist sizes and firm, so I picked about 7 and brought them back. Made some green mango pickle, with chilli! First you have to chop the Mangoes, then salt them and leave for 30 minutes. At this stage even the pickle is tasty. Then I fried species, chilli and onion in some oil, and when onions soft, mixed the whole thing, Delicious!