Malawi 2

 

 

We are lost in the moment of seeing this beauty from an incredible natural, and itself magnificent viewpoint. Once we are back to ourselves we find a hostel, a very basic affair, but large and friendly. It is one of the original buildings dating back to when the mission was founded in the early 1900s. After pleadings to the Presbyterian Church by Scot, Dr. David Livingstone, they finally sent out enough money and missionaries to Malawi (then the British Protectorate of Nyasaland) to start their missionary work. The mission still does a lot of work for the community and provides schooling and hospital care for some of the thousands of people in the area that would otherwise have to go without.

We spend the next few days relaxing and exploring the area. We visit the beautiful old church and the small museum with original letters and memorabilia from Dr. Livingstone himself. One morning we take a hike to the nearby Manchewe waterfall. As we get close we can see the full splendour of this waterfall as it cascades 300 meters down from the escarpment through a clearing in the tree lined, near vertical cliff into the gorge below. With all the surrounding beauty we are awed and amazed. There are many waterfalls here and a lot have caves behind the falls. It is said that the local Africans used to hide there when the Europeans came hunting for people to put to work on their colonies...if they survived the long, cramped and arduous journey across the ocean. The caves are amazing and to crawl in behind the waterfall and look out down the gorge is a truly spectacular sight. It's like you see on TV adverts for seemingly tropical products, the waterfall crashing down into an otherwise tranquil pool, dense vegetation covering the steep sides - a taste of paradise maybe?

There are a few other travellers staying at the hostel and in the evenings we eat one of the two choices of food up here; rice, veggies and beef, or mostly, after finding out the beef is actually goat, and not particularly tender to say the least, just rice and veggies. We sit around the table or on the veranda and chatting, laughing and philosophising about the world. This is the perfect environment for reflecting too. One night we are sitting chatting after our meal, relaxed and happy with a beer in hand. Suddenly someone calls out: "Fire! There is a huge fire, it's coming right towards us!"

We all rush out onto the veranda and sure enough half the mountain seems to be ablaze. We can hear the crackle, the spit, the roar of the fire as it approaches us. We are, to say the least a little apprehensive! We have nowhere to run to, nowhere to hide. We rush in and tell the owner. He comes out calmly and tells us that it is no problem really; they have cleared an area around the lodge so that in a case like this the fire won't reach us. He wanders back inside. I see the clearing; it is a few meters wide. I can also see that, yes, it will stop the main fire, but sparks and burning grass are in the air all around us. We are right at the end of the dry season and in this dryness and heat, it wouldn't take much to catch the building aflame. As it closes in on us we feel the heat, see the flames lick high casting strange moving shadows all around us. The night is orange and red, our faces illuminated in hellish colours.

There not being much we can do we sit and wait, helpless, watching as eventually the fire does go past us safely. The owner tells us that the locals often start fires if the rainy season is late, as it is this year. They believe that it will make the rains come. The relief is evident when it has gone past us, sadly to terrorise other homes in the area. It hasn't actually done a lot of damage, just quickly burnt away the dead, dry grass. In the morning the scene looks very different, it is a shame, but seemingly, just part of the cycle up here on this mountain.

It comes to the time to leave Livinstonia; we have had a great time here, met some interesting people and seen a part of the world that I never realised existed. The scenery also has been incredible. I've sat in front of the TV at home, watched documentaries and seen the pictures, but to be here is a different thing altogether, suddenly it is all real, the views, the smells, the sounds, the tastes the feelings. The realisation of what a diverse and incredible planet we live on begins to formulate in my mind. If this is just one tiny spot, what else is out there? How much more beauty and diversity is still left for me to discover? We will head back down the mountain and then south onto another part the lake's shore. We learn that there is a 'beach bar' on the shore directly down from us and an overland truck will be leaving tomorrow at 8am, hopefully we can hitch a lift with them for a few hours south. We try in vain to find a lift down the mountain and in the end the realisation dawns that we will have to hike it, backpacks and all. The opinion is that it will take us about four hours to get down so we will have to leave early. We walk to the local pineapple plantation, pick and pay for a couple of the sweetest, tastiest pineapples I've ever known and tomorrow's breakfast is ready!

The next morning we are up at 3:30, we eat our delicious pineapples & set off down the mountain. After walking down the road for a while we come to the hairpins and find that there are a lot of short cuts between the zigzags of the road. They are quicker, but a lot steeper and with approaching 20kgs on my back, it is very hard work. Tracy has a sore ankle so cannot go too quickly. She and Tassie walk down together while I go on as quickly as I can to see if I can catch the overland truck and somehow persuade the driver to wait for us all. On the way, the path splits and splits, I have no idea which way to go, so I leave a trail of stick arrows and writing in the dust for the girls to follow so we at least go the same way. I find out later that they don't see any of these - so much for my great idea!

I walk and walk and walk, the sun has come up, a beautiful sunrise over the lake, but I'm not able to appreciate it fully as it is already starting to get hot. I am sweating, aching and tired. I continue on, there are some locals up and around now and they look at me and wave as I pass. The children run up to me and ask me to take their photo. I oblige a couple of times and they seem extremely happy and excited that I will now be taking them with me to whatever far-off land I come from.

Eventually I reach the road, it is ten to eight, I can still make it. Pausing quickly to catch my breath I set off down the track opposite, it is about a 10 minute walk, but obviously this is the only way in or out so I am confident of catching the truck. I get to the gates of the beach bar and walk through; there is not a vehicle in sight! I'm pretty exhausted and so disappointed to have missed it. What now?

I take very little notice of my surroundings, but do see a very attractive girl behind the bar. I walk up to her, sit down on a stool and ask her about the truck....it left 20 minutes ago! I thank the girl and say I should head back to the road to meet Tracy and Tassie, but she insists that I sit down first and have a drink. I need it so I order a Fanta. She won't let me pay yet, she makes up a tab for me - a good salesperson, I have another one!

The girl introduces herself to me as Melissa (Mel) from Melbourne, Australia. She is lovely and we chat away for a while. As we talk I look around. The place is called Des's place, owned by ex-overland driver, Des who quit driving and set up a bar on this incredibly beautiful beach on the shore of this incredibly beautiful lake. Not a bad way to earn a living! The bar itself is a stretched oval, open at the sides with a high thatched roof. Comfy cushions on concrete benches line the low walls and wooden tables are set around inside. There are a few hammocks hung between palm trees, it is a very inviting place.

After a couple of refreshing Fantas I am really starting to like the place, I am the only one here, it is peaceful, relaxed and a great hideaway from the now scorching African sun. However, I must go & meet the girls so I pay my tab, say goodbye and get up to walk back to the road. Before I go Mel gives me her address in Melbourne and insists that I look her up if and when I get there.

 

As I turn I see Tassie walking down the track. I explain about the truck and she says that in that case we should get a bus south as soon as we can. Mel instantly asks her if she wants a drink and I show her how beautiful the place is, how I think it would not be a bad idea to stay here a day or two. She is not convinced but says she will ask Tracy and if they aren't back in 20 minutes, to meet them at the road. No problem. I sit back down and chat again to Mel, she has done some serious travelling all the way down Africa from Europe! I'm impressed! She backpacked here just like me, she liked the place, was offered a job by Des and decided to stay a while. I can understand that! After 20 minutes there is no sign of the girls so again I say goodbye & start back to the road. This time I get as far as the gate when I see Tracy and Tassie walking down the path.

I am happy; I like this place. We don't have tents and there are no huts, but we can sleep in the bar at night - it's not exactly cold, the only problem is the malaria bearing mosquitoes. Still, we have mossie nets, are taking anti-malarials and have lots of anti-mossie lotion; we will be fine. Famous last words!

We stay for a few days and chill out completely, enjoying the sun, the crystal clear water and the beach. As I lie in the hammock, reading a good book, beer to hand, I know why I have quit the rat race for a while. I am happy lazing, swinging gently, looking through the palm trees, my view ranging from the green, lush mountain, across this perfect white beach to the inviting, refreshing waters of Lake Malawi. I am as relaxed as I think it is possible to be and I am going to make the most of this before we have to head back and take our lives in our hands on those smelly, uncomfortable, crowded buses.

This really is the life!

 

©Ian Picken 2004