Malawi - raw Africa
It seems the Africa Gods wanted to acclimatise me for
Blighty as it’s rained virtually non-stop in Malawi. I knew it would be the
start of rainy season but hadn’t quite prepared for just how constant the sogginess
and dark skies would be!! BUT, I very much can’t complain - with its red soils,
maize fields and happy smiley people (despite being some of the poorest in the
world), Malawi is captivating.
I’ve mainly been based along Lake Malawi (tropical sandy beaches but some grottiness during rainy season sanitation-wise), followed by a 2-day safari at Nyika National Park (4x4 got stuck both ways, spinning 360 but finally being dug out by virtually an entire village of helpful volunteers!). I then took a surprisingly luxury coach back south to Lilongwe, complete with blasting gospel music and prayers from the driver at every stop.
A few random observations: it’s far more mountainous and forested than I had imagined; coffin shops seem to do a roaring trade (wish I’d been able to photograph the casket ‘bling’); some of the baobab trees are 4,000 years old; Malawi Gold is reportedly the finest cannabis in the world.
The pictures below tell a better story than I can in writing – I must be getting old as I’ve been feeling a little Africa-weary in the last 2 weeks. I love the freedom of travelling solo but there have been times where it’s been hard work, exasperating even. And always sweaty (most of my clothes are chucked as they’ve been continually damp in my bag as I’ve moved around). Perhaps also the sensory bombardment of 2 months backpacking in Africa has caught up with me as I found myself loving the familiarity of a supermarket in Lilongwe today!
I have it on good authority though (from an Australian medic I shared a journey with) that the many new experiences gained through travel are proven to create new neural pathways in the brain – I knew there had to be a scientific explanation for my travel addiction! So I’m sure that even before the first load of washing is done in Cambridge, I will be planning the next Write to Roam adventure – I know I am very, very lucky to be able to do so.
I’ve mainly been based along Lake Malawi (tropical sandy beaches but some grottiness during rainy season sanitation-wise), followed by a 2-day safari at Nyika National Park (4x4 got stuck both ways, spinning 360 but finally being dug out by virtually an entire village of helpful volunteers!). I then took a surprisingly luxury coach back south to Lilongwe, complete with blasting gospel music and prayers from the driver at every stop.
A few random observations: it’s far more mountainous and forested than I had imagined; coffin shops seem to do a roaring trade (wish I’d been able to photograph the casket ‘bling’); some of the baobab trees are 4,000 years old; Malawi Gold is reportedly the finest cannabis in the world.
The pictures below tell a better story than I can in writing – I must be getting old as I’ve been feeling a little Africa-weary in the last 2 weeks. I love the freedom of travelling solo but there have been times where it’s been hard work, exasperating even. And always sweaty (most of my clothes are chucked as they’ve been continually damp in my bag as I’ve moved around). Perhaps also the sensory bombardment of 2 months backpacking in Africa has caught up with me as I found myself loving the familiarity of a supermarket in Lilongwe today!
I have it on good authority though (from an Australian medic I shared a journey with) that the many new experiences gained through travel are proven to create new neural pathways in the brain – I knew there had to be a scientific explanation for my travel addiction! So I’m sure that even before the first load of washing is done in Cambridge, I will be planning the next Write to Roam adventure – I know I am very, very lucky to be able to do so.
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| Drying fish Cape Mclear |
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| Hot and wet Cape Mclear! |
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| The local band: 'Who let the Dogs Out?' was their signature song, hilarious! |
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| Rains certainly create good sunsets! |
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| Haircut by the village tailor (the barber had no scissors) - far less sweaty with short hair! |
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| Celebratory passion juice as the sun came out! |
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| Long-drop with a view - Nkhata Bay |
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| Nkhata Bay fishing town |
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| Chilling with a game |
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| Popped my head into the nursery - now trying to organise toys to send them! |
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| Don't mess with a sweaty Mzungu! |
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| Taking a dip in a window of sun |
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| The 'road' to Nyika National Park - we got stuck getting round this one |
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| But worth the journey - stunning grasslands like nothing I've ever seen before |
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| Very colonial! A roaring fire with a roaring lion outside |
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| A very Scottish cosy camp |
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| Drive to Nyika |
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| Waiting for 4x4 to be pulled out of the mud I did some singing with these happy youngsters |
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| Another cutie I wanted to sneak into the rucksack! |
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