Back to Mt Mulanje and Satemwa

Malawi is coming towards the hottest part of the year and as the temperatues rise all around the city the beautiful Jacaranda trees are coming into full bloom and providing a colourful spectacle with their purple-blue flowers.  the picture right is one of the  Jacaranda around 'Big Brother House'.

well, this week will be the last full week of work for me in Malawi.  Apart from a trip to look over the venue for my seminar and a day working from home on wednesday due to the threatened demonstrations (which didn't transpire) I have been in the office tweeking the last details for my 'Management Excellence' seminar, getting the advertisement in the local paper and tying up loose ends ready to hand over when I leave next week.

I had been hoping to get down to Majete reserve on my final weekend but Daisy is currently impounded in the garage because of insurance disputes so I had no available transport.  I was looking at hiring a car or going by local transport but was begining to feel I was walking through treacle!  so when my houemate asked me if I wanted to join a group going down to do a bit of a walk around the Mulanje masif, I took the opportunity and said yes.

We were up and away just gone 6am and I took the wheel as we headed off out of Blantyre and to the mountain.  The drive took a little over one and a half hours and we arrived at Kara O Mula country lodge for coffee and breakfast just after 8am.
From Kara O Mula you can get guides (would be quite stupid to walk the mountain without one!) so I asked at reception and they said they would call one and he would be here soon.  The guy from reception came back and said the guide had asked if my name was Brian!!  on my last visit here I had spoken for about 5 minutes to a guide about the mountain and said I would like to climb it sometime.  Amazingly he had remembered my name.

Three hours later! (well, this is Malawi) our guide arrived on foot and sweating.  God knows how far he had come but I felt  a little sorry for him as he thought we were looking to do the summit which is a two day treck overnighting in a cabin on the plateau but we were only looking at around a two hour walk on the lower slopes as far as the first waterfalls. having made clear what we wanted and agreed a price we got back in the vehicle and drove back to Mulanje and then right onto the dirt track by the pizza house and headed across country, skirting around the mountain towards Kabula and a forest conservation parking spot from where we could treck to what our guide informed us is the mountains number one waterfall.
The picture right is taken from the dirt road as we skirted around the north side of the mountain to the start point for our walk.

The green in the foreground of the picture are tea plantations.

We arrived at our start point having wound our way up an increasingly rough track and parked the vehicle off the track in the bush.  Our guide tasked a local boy to sit and gaurd the vehicle, which is common procedure and would cost us about 50 kwacha, otherwise the lad as his friends may end up damaging the vehicle!  yes, its a bit of a protection racket but it keeps the car safe and puts a little money back in the local economy and after all 50 kw is around 20 pence sterling!

We started off along the trail through the bush and commenced a steady incline.  As the journey uphill continued in the mid-day heat I could feel the muscles in my legs tensing up and my heart rate increase as i took deep breaths and stopped intermitently to sip water.  My only consolation was the fact that my walking campanions who were all half my age were also feeling somewhat similar. The picture above was taken along a flat part of the trail which followed the course of an old road, now fallen into a state of disrepair, along which they used to bring out timber in years gone by.  After about an hour of walking (uphill) we came to the waterfall which was well worth the effort of getting there and even more so when (after checking my underwear was appropriate for revealing infront of my female compannions) i stripped down to my boxers and dived into the cold refreshing waters of the pool at the foot of the waterfall and swam along with our guide across to the rocks on the other side.
we took the opportunity to just enjoy the tranquility and beauty of the place in the heat of the mid-day sun before scrambling back over the rocks and climbing out of the river back up onto the trail.

Picture right is me enjoying a cool, refreshing swim in the waterpool beneath the waterfall following our hot climb through the African bush up the lower slopes of mulanje.
We headed back down on a different trail and me with my keen eye for anything historic noticed a pot sherd in the grass.  having shown our guide he took us a few steps and uncovered numerous large pieces of old cooking pots which he said were all from a time before europeans really habitated the area and that local tribes lived up here on the slopes.
back at the car we paid our 'security guard' and then drove a short distance to look at some more rock pools a little further down stream.  Then with the expert local knowledge of our guide we headed off over dirt tracks through several villages towards the tar road that leads from Mulanje through Tholo to Blantyre.
As we passed through one village a group of children came beside the road to see who these strange nzungu's were passing through their village.  They were so cute we took photos and then showed them their pictures which had them in hystirics.  we gave them a few kwacha each, took some more delightful, memorable pictures and headed off leaving the village and the kids in a cloud of dust.

Once we hit the tar road we dropped off our guide, paid him 2000 kw and thanked him for his work.  The tar road was a joy to drive after the rutted, bumpy, dusty tracks we had been on previous and we made good time heading north west arriving at the gates to Satemwa tea estate around 4pm.  Once through the barrier we passed through the plantation and its fields of many tea varieties until we arrived at Huntingdon house.  We sat on the porch of this beautiful one time tea plantation family home, and ordered drinks.  My chilled south african white wine arrived in the usual goldfish bowl glass and we sat chatting as we enjoyed our surroundings to the sound of the water sprinklers watering the lawns around the lovely garden of the house.  We stayed at Huntingdon having a wander around the gardens and a stroll out into the tea fields before having more drinks out in the rear courtyard.  as darkness fell the bats started returning to their roost above our heads as the manageress confirmed the myth that bats really do sometimes fly into your hair!
With darkness covering the landscape we said our farewells and left Satemwa and drove back to Blantyre.  being hungry we decided to end our day at a nice Italian style local restaurant where I had chambo fettucini and more wine.  As we dropped off our travelling companions at their various homes we headed back to 'Big Brother House' picking up colleagues from Mustang Sally's as we passed by (not safe to walk the streets at night here despite it being safe during the day). we arrived home some 15 hours after we had left having had a wonderful day out.  As my head hit the pillow I fell asleep.

Today (Sunday) i am taking it easy and maybe just going to the sports centre for a swim later.  monday and tuesday will be busy and wednesday morning I catch the coach to Lilongwe early for the start of my long journey back home to peterborough, family, friends and loved ones.

Take care all
Brian

A relaxing weekend in Blantyre

Partly because I was travelling last week and also because we havn't got 'daisy' the project vehicle this weekend, we have hung around Blantyre.  Friday afternoon I called a taxi to run me up to the blantyre sports club for a few lengths of the pool which although still cool is beggining to warm up a little with the hot days we have started to have lately.  As it got towards darkness I made my way to Mustang Sally's to have a few drinks and have a braii for my dinner.  The picture is me relaxing outside at Sally's with a bottle of Kuche Kuche whilst bwaiting for my braii...T bone steak and salad.

Saturday I was up and out by 9am and into town to Lambets textile shop to buy some fabric.  With 14 yards of material I went off to find a local tailor with the help of our head houskeeper.  he took me to a place near his home village and crossed the dirt track and climbed some stairs to a very small hut inside of which was a youn guy sat behind a sewing machine.  Having described what I wanted we agreed a price and leaving my pile of fabric I decided I deserved a nice cool dip at the sports club and a toasted cheese and tomato sandwich with Mzuzu coffee for breakfast beside the pool.   Around lunch time I took a walk back to the house down Victoria avenue, about a mile and a quarter but that was more than enough in the mid-day heat.  Evening found us once again in Sally's for a few drinks and something to eat before heading home for a couple of Malawi gin and tonics before bed.

Sunday I decided to have a lie in as with no transport it isn't easy just to shoot off.   Around 11 I walked up to the sports club, did some lengths in the nice cool pool and then lay in the sun reading for awhile before joining friends on the veranda where I had a nice lunch of rice, curried chicken wings, beef stroganof, roast beef and roast potato and vegetables!!

to walk off my 'light lunch' i walked up into town and Ryalls hotel where I nsat on a nice leather settee and drank a beautiful vanila milk shake whilst reading my book.  enough walking for one day I ordered a taxi from my local taxi man  Takamana who drove me back to 'Big Brother House' 

Going to chill this evening and probably have an early night ready for work tomorrow.  I only have this week left to tie up all loose ends, complete the preparation for my seminar on the 27th and put together some handover notes.  We are hoping to get to Majete wild life reserve next weekend and the following week I have a busy Monday followed by my seminar Tuesday and then wednesday I will start my journey home and be catching the coach back to lilongwe ready for my flight to South Africa Thursday and my connecting flight back to London.

Hope to get some pics up of Majete before i start my journey back.

Monkey Bay to Lilondwe National Park and Mvuu camp

As the Toyota pulled up in monkey bay i jumped down, grabbed my bag and having paid the driver 300 kwatcha was directed towards another waiting Toyota which they said would take me to mangochi for 400 kwatcha and I could sit in the front seat!  I shared the front with the driver and a young lad about 10 years old who said his name was shag.  Along the road I leaped out and bought a portion of chips for breakfast which I shared with the hungry looking shag who eagerly helped himself to several handfulls.
Arriving at Mangochi two hours later having jolted our way along with the engine constantly miss firing at any speed under about 60, I was piled into a waiting mini bus where I squashed amongst fellow passengers, a pile of plastic buckets and bundles of sugar cane.  About an hour later we pulled up at the side of a dirt track and the driver jestured towards me saying 'Mvuu, out here'  so I paid my fee and stepped from the bus.  As my previous transport sped away I was surrounded by a group of young men pushing and shouting and indicating I should get on their bike!  I put down my pack, raised my arms and said 'back off guys', 'right, how much to Mvuu?'  one guy stood right infront of me and said 1500 kwatcha to which I replied 'f...  off, what do you think my name is bloody Santa Claus'  i looked at them and said I will pay 500 kwatcha if someone wants to take me.  there was some moaning but one tall slim guy said 'yes, OK  you come' and to the moans of his rival bicycle taxi drivers I leaped on the back and off we went.

The picture right is my bicycle taxi with me dismounted because we had a flat tyre.  we managed to get pumped up and on our way again quickly though.  The ride from the road to the jetty on the Shire river was 16km along dirt tracks that wound through fields and villages and the guy peddling me weighed  about 10 stone against my 13 stone plus my pack and this on a bike with no gears!  he certainly earned his 500 Kwatcha.  I arrived at the jetty and paid my $10 park fee for a two day visit and then the warden radioed for the boat to come over from the camp to collect me.
I arrived on the eastern bank of the Shire and climbed up the jetty and walked to the main camp hut where i checked in before being led to chalet number 3 which would be home for the next two days.

Picture right is chalet number 3. The chalets have a solid base and a low stone wall but the walls  above that are just netting and the roof is canvas.  the rear has a higher stone wall which encloses the toilet and shower area and also would provide some protection against an angry elephant which would have no problem at all in demolishing the majority of the building.  Wild animals roam freely around the camp and at night you are strongly advised to remain in the chalet and movement between the chalet and the main hut where you dine has to be under the guidance of a warden.  On my first night elephants came through and uprooted a water standpipe about 20 feet from my door and i never heard a thing!  the second night I was awake when they came and was amazed at how silent these huge creatures move and how close they came to my chalet (about 6 feet!!).  Every morning I would be met by grazing warthogs, vervet monkeys swinging on my porch and the hippo's grunting in the river just 30 feet away.  Although I didn't see hippo's in the camp it is a common occurence. Mvuu is the chechewan name for hippo hence the name Mvuu camp.  It is estimated that the number of hippo in the national park equates to one every 20 metres of river....and crocodiles are even more prolific!

Once I had dropped my gear and had a shower I returned to the main hut for lunch and then back for a rest before meeting up at 3pm to head off on our first safari.
Seven of us, the driver and a warden headed out in the safari vehicle along the dirt tracks and north into the wilderness of the national park.  We saw a whole range of animals, too many to remember all the names of but as dusk started to spread over the landscape we parked up on a grassed area near to the river and as we dismounted from the vehicle to eat the snacks laid out on a little picnic table for us and drink double gin and tonics we were treated to the spectacle of elephants, hippo, warthog, crocodiles and numerous birds filling our view as they grazed and passed along the river bank.

The picture right was taken whilst having our gin and shows a herd of elephant passing by and a hippo going into the water whilst in the foreground warthogs get down on their knees to graze.  in the background along the waters edge lie crocodiles.
It was dark as we headed back to camp through the bush but that gave us the opportunity to spot some of the nocturnal inhabitants of the park like the bushbaby and owls.  We arrived back at Mvuu at 7pm just in time to sit down for dinner of butternut squash soup followed by beef curry and then a sweet with mzuzu coffee.  i sat and listened to the sounds of the African night under a clear star speckled sky drinking a couple of bottles of carlsberg green before being escorted back to my chalet for a good nights sleep.
I was awake early as the cool breeze of morning and the sounds of hippo from the river penetrated the mesh wall of my chalet so I showered and went over for breakfast as we were due out on safari again immediately after breakfast in search of the black rhino.  Despite two hours of driving and sighting many great animals the black rhino remained elusive.  apparently they are very difficult to see and even one of the wardens said that although he had heard them several times he had not actually sighted one this year.  Oh well, maybe next time!
for the rest of the day I wandered around camp and relaxed and then at 3pm gathered in the main hut for coffee before embarking on a river safari which would take us about 12k south down the Shire.  We boarded the small boat and put on our life jackets although i am not quite sure what good they would do.  If you fell in here you wouldn't swim far before a crocodile had you!  Fishing in the park is illegal but some local villagers go out in their dug out canoes to fish and apparently the crocs are learning that if they hit the boat they get their man!  the warden told us that 8 villagers had been taken this way this year.
Hippo and crocodiles really are prolific.  just yards from leaving the jetty we were looking in the eyes of our first crocs and seeing the ears and eyes of submerged hippo's staring at us.  about 10 minutes down stream we came across our first elephant who had come down to drink.

We saw many more elephants, hippo's and crocodiles on our journey down the river and as we were returning up stream we stopped the boat for a while to watch the sunset over the shire and listen to the sounds of the African wilderness as we sipped our gin and tonics (doubles of course) and enjoyed the moment.  as darknes fell and we moved up the river there came into view one solitary light in the distance amongst the all surrounding darkness.  it was the jetty light from Mvuu and we moved steadily towards it arriving back in camp just in time for dinner at 7pm.  tonight was mushroom pancake followed by portuguese chicken then a sweet and more delicious mzuzu coffee.  After a couple of greens I decided to get back to the chalet because i wanted to see the elephants tonight.  I would slightly regret that decission in the morning as for as much as I enjoyed seeing the elephants in camp again whilst i was in my chalet there was a report of a lion sighting and those still in the main hut climbed into the vehicle and headed out into the night to be treated to the sight of a magnificent young male lion.  This was rare.  the lions that were once in liwonde had left a few years ago after one of the pride was killed by poachers. In the last couple of years there have been a few sightings and the sighting tonight, although I did not see it, is a wonderful indication that the lion may be returning to liwonde.

Tuesday morning i was up and spent some time walking around camp before breakfast.  after breakfast i checked out and said goodbye to Mvuu and its staff and managed to get a lift with a scandinavian couple back out along the 30km road to liwonde which saved me the arse aching agony of another 16km ride on the back of a bicycle.  My friends dropped my off at the mini bus station just over the Shire bridge and for 800 Kwatcha I crammed into yet another mini bus for the three and a half hour journey back through Zomba and Limbe before getting dropped off outside our offices in Blantyre.
Great trip, great memories and some great photographs.
My final picture for this post was taken from our boat on the Shire as the sun set over the African landscape.

Lilongwe and Monkey Bay (Cape Maclear)

On the Monday following my last post i attended my first ever HASH meeting where I met up with fellow HASHers to run/walk around Blantyre for about 45 minutes before having a few bottles at chai maky and my initiation into the 'Drinking club with a running problem' which involved a bottle of beer going over my head!  Good way to get to know people and have a bit of exercise and fun though.

Tuesday we caught the 4pm coach (which arrived at 5:15) to Lilongwe where we were to conduct a strategy development workshop with the board and secretariat of the Grain Traders and Processors association.  the workshop went very well and it gave me the chance to meet members of the team in lilongwe and see our house up there which has a really nice garden unlike our bare patch at the Big Brother House.  Our ride to lilongwe seemed to be at break-neck speeds and i have seen better lights on many a pushbike than the ones we had on the coach.  Occasionally we would pass through small settlements with their glowing lights from charcoal or oil lamps and even sometimes an electric bulb but for most of the time we moved through sheer darkness with only the lights of the stars and our pitiful headlamps to guide us.

On Friday morning i was up at 5:30 and heading down to Lilongwe bus station (picture above)  the buses go when they are full so i had been informed that it was wise to leave early.  Having  stood for two hours my bus finally arrived and men started to syphon diesel from a 50 gallon drum into buckets and then from the buckets into the bus!  eventually the doors were opened and their was a free for all scrum to get onboard.  The driver indicated I should get onboard so I pushed and heaved my way through, paid my 1000 kwatcha and found a seat mid way up the bus by the window.  At 9;45 we finally departed.  The journey was horendous!  the bus was absolutely packed with people, goods and livestock and it was a really hot day.  we made numerous stops and on each occasion seemed to cram in more passengers.  Thye journey to Monkey Bay took six hours and after four hours i was feeling quite ill from the smell of diesel and human sweat and the sheer lack of air and the heat.  By the time I squeezed off the bus I had a pounding headache and was about to throw up.  It was great to get some fresh air and at least my next mode of transport would offer plenty of that. I climbed aboard the Toyota pick-up along with my 17 fellow passengers(including a baby) sacks of potato, rice and corn, suitcases, a bucket of fish and two goats hog tied and strapped onto the tailgate.  The journey took about 40 minutes along  a dirt road but it was nice to have some air around me.  At one hill there was too much weight for the vehicle to make it so we had to put stones under the rear wheels and get out and walk to the top before jumping back on(picture left).

Finally we arrived at chembwe village, Cape Maclear and I was dropped off at Gecko lounge where i booked into my dorm, had a nice shower and got changed before grabbing a carlsberg and taking a look around.  I had a wander down the beach and looked at the local fishermen preparing their dugout canoes for the nights fishing.  I was feeling hungry so went and sat in the open lounge area which struts out on stilts over the beach with fine views along the shore and out to sea.  i had a meal of Ncheni, a lake Malawi fish, fried in breadcrumbs and served with chips.  after my dinner I laid in a hammock under the full moon, looking up at the stars and listening to the sound of the water just 30 feet away.  I had a relaxing snooze before retiring to my dorm and taking a top bunk.  I was soon sound asleep.

I was awake early Saturday morning and by 6am walking out along the beach and seeing the villagers coming down to the shore to wash their pots and pans and their clothes, to bathe themselves and for the children to start fishing.  the picture above shows a women from the village bringing the household dishes to be washed and alongside her one of the canoes now beached after a night on the lake fishing. 

Saturday i spent the day walking around chembwe village, getting some clothes made from the local tailor, resting on the beach and swimming in the lake. evening time i met up with my companions from my dorm, a south african guy and four Canadians.  gecko lounge got quite lively and we drank, ate and chatted into the small hours.  My younger companions were still enjoying the evening when I headed to bed at aroun 1;30am as i had to be up at 5:30 to jump on the 6am Toyota back to Monkey Bay for my journey down to Liwonde national park.

i had really enjoyed my short stay at cape maclear but was also looking forward to the next part of my trip and the opportunity to see some of wilderness africa and the wildlife it has to offer.

The picture above is of children fishing in lake Malawi which provided local people with a rich source of protein.  They fish with a line that has a single hook attached and a 4 inch nail as a weight. they bait the hook with nsima and just about everytime they cast their line they bring in a fish.  their catch is mainly Uduka (not sure of spelling) which is a small goldfish size fish which they then dryin the sun and either consume themselves or sell.

Sunday morning I was up sharp and as I walked past the hammocks said goodbye to my Canadian friends who had decided to spend the night under the stars.  My Toyota arrived just gone 6am and I climbed on board as we headed off bumping our way along the road out of chembwe village and towards Monkey Bay.

Exploring around Blantyre

The raffle tickets paid off and I won a hamper containing a couple of mugs, a nice cloth bag full of tea from Satenwa and half a kilo of local coffee.  My room smells like starbucks! 

At the start of the week my SME seminar had to be postponed.  We couldnt understand why there was so little interest until we realised it was the end of Ramadam and if the moon could be seen on the Monday night then tuesday would be a holiday.  as it happened Monday was cloudy so we had the holiday on Wednesday instead!  Having some time to work from ther house during wednesday provided a great opportunity to catch up with all those little jobs and also relax a little.  I spent some time sat on my balcony with a cup of tea just taking in the sounds and the sights.  The picture above is the view from my balcony looking south.  Thursday we went ahead with the workshop for the private school and had a good day and I look forward to meeting them again to see how things are going for them.  Friday morning I received last minute confirmation of meetings with management from a bus and coach company so shot off to their offices to Interview the CEO and two of his management team.  Will consider the information I have gained and look at putting a proposal to them for how we can assist in moving the business forward.

Saturday.  I decided to go and take a wander around Blantyre's nearest conservation area, Michiru Mountain Conservation area.  Michiru is only 8km northeast of the city but 6km of the road that takes you there is just dirt track which must be difficult to pass along in the rainy season.  very soon out of Blantyre the track runs through villages with their ramshackle stalls and trading posts on either side and people, like everywhere else in Malawi, walking too and fro some laden with goods others just walking.  people with their suitcases on their heads heading towards the bus station at Doogles probably some 7 km away.

I arrived at the office of the conservation area and was met by one of the wardens (above)  and then set out for a walk.  There are three clear trails and I had wanted to do the 3 hour one which went to the peak but I wasn't feeling too great this morning (dehydrated i think)  so decided just to do the half hour one.  Michiru faces pressure from population expansion and the need of locals to collect firewood but it still protects an area which inludes open grassland as well as indigenous woodland and plantation.  It is also home to a number of naturally occuring species including serval, bushpig, vervet monkeys, baboon, spotted hyena and! which I thankfully found out after my lone walking expedition through the bush....leapard!

Having made my way along the track for a little over twenty minutes I found the way blocked by an area that had been burned so rather than backtracking I turned onto another track to take me back to the office.  You wouldn't want to wander off the tracks here.  i have a good sense of diretion but even 5 minutes out from the office it was difficult to get bearings and getting last here and in this heat could have serious consequences.  Taking the alternative track took me on a slight climb which provided great views out across the conservation area although it was a little longer and I ended up walking for about one and a quarter hours which was plenty for the half litre of water i was carrying.  The picture below left is me taking a water break along the trail.

Having got back to the office without getting lost, dying of dehydration or being eaten by a hungry leapard I went down to Blantyre market.  An amazing huddle of shacks and stalls that you wander between along rocky uneven walkways, turning left and right into little passages which someimes lead into more maze like walkways and sometimes open out into larger sheds full of fresh vegetables, fruits, nuts and spices.  I had come to find a small backpack for my trip to the lake next weekend and a ball for the kids next door as they had completely worn the last one out.  bargaining done and purchases made I headed home and then down to TJ's for a bottle of Carlsberg green and some chicken wings for dinner.

Sunday.  I was up and out by 9am and driving south out through Limbe and along the Thyolo (pronounced cholo) road for about 14km until I found the turn off for Game Haven.  Two kilometres down the dirt road and I arrived at the main gate of this 900 hectare private game reserve. The reserve contains zebra, wildebeest,sable, antelope, giraffe and other creatures.  I was escorted to the lodge where i was informed that the reserves truck had broken a half shaft but if I wanted to use my vehicle i could do.  Off i set as driver on my own safari with my game warden as passenger.   The picture is my warden leading me through the scrub to look at what I think was Sable?  which you can see if you look hard (honestly!)

The drive around took about 45 minutes and i did get to see all the wildlife.  some from the vehicle but also some from on foot.

Back at the lodge I sat under the veranda and had a cool beer.  the day was starting to get very hot and being the dry season it was dusty.  Driving around the dirt roads had kicked up a lot of dust and what wasn't in my clothes or my hair felt like it was down my throat and in my ears.  saying goodbye to Game Haven I drove back to Blantyre and did a bit of shopping at shoprite before going for a nice cool plunge at the sports centre pool to get the dust off me and cool my body down.

Next week I am off to lilongwe on Tuesday for a two day workshop then on friday going over to Cape Maclear on the southern end of lake Malawi for a two night stay before making my way south the Mvuu camp in the Liwonde national park where i will stay another two nights before travelling back to Blantyre.  I will not be online during my travels through thenational parks but hope to have some great wildlife and scenic pictures to blog on my return.  Until then, take care