Profile
Blog
Photos
Videos
Hi All,
After we packed up camp in Chipata we drove to the Malawi border - the warm heart of Africa. We had been well warned that begging is a culture here and to not be offended by it and our tour guide Biggie also had malaria here so we were to be very careful. In Zambia I had taken out 1.5 million kwacha (currency), probably the only time I will be able to take out 1.5m anywhere lol and as the exchange place had been shut Biggie got us a good rate at the border with one of the hawkers and a few of us changed money. It was very intimidating as they all crowded round to try and sell us at the best rate and Biggie set the rate and then helped someone else so I was a bit paranoid that we would get conned and when we got back on the bus we thought we had but it was just separated in my bag so it was all good. We drove to Lilongwe the capital of Malawi and stopped for a couple of hours. WE had some lunch and a go on the net and a bit wander around and changed some money. Its really confusing as you change currency every few days so you never really know what you are doing and you just get the hang of it and then move countries again. It was quite scary here as the hawkers were very persistent and there was a bit of begging going on. I did mange to get more flip flops though and also found a Fruit Cadbury bar, I have been saying that for years they do fruit and nut and just nut so why don’t they do just fruit, I never thought I would find it in Malawi lol!! After we drove to our first camp site on Lake Malawi which is huge and takes up most of the land mass of the country. There were ants in the grass so we got to camp on the sand. We had a swim in the water which was lovely and warm. We had been well warned about going in here at home but the guides said there is a snail thing called Bilharzias where snails use your intestine to repopulate or something but you would notice it and its more likely to happen in areas where locals wash etc not tourist sites and that they hadn’t had one incident in the time they had worked there so we decided it would be ok. We sat on the beach and watched the lightning over the other side of the lake then had tea and went to bed, we had another power cut tonight so had to go to the loo in pitch darkness not knowing what was in there. I think that is what I find most difficult here, it’s the feeling that there is always a bug on you lol!!
The next morning we heard loads of thunder and when we got up we were the last ones and had to rush to get our tent down before the rain started but Mark helped so we made it. We had breakfast and set off for Kande Beach. Malawi is one of the poorer countries in Africa and you can really tell, its quite like on the TV, hardly anyone has shoes, a taxi is the back of a bike and you can see all the people taking their buckets to the water pumps. Our guide was telling us its so poor because of corruption, the more money is given to the country the worse it gets. Its such a shame, these people don’t have a chance and they are known as some of the friendliest in Africa. Kande Beach is quite the hot spot and there are a few groups here, one is a Swedish bus where you sleep on top of it, no thanks lol!! You can do water sports and horse riding and stuff here too. We couldn’t be bothered with the wet so treated ourselves to an upgrade which cost is £15 for both of us for 2 nights, not bad and we are so glad as it rained a lot of the first day. At night it was my groups turn to make dinner so we made beef stew and then had a couple of drinks in the bar and went to bed. We have been being so careful with malaria here as there is a guy next to Mark and Jarrod who has Malaria!!!
The next day we were meant to get up and go on a bush walk to a village to see the local clinic and school and things but it chucked it down the whole morning so we made use of the time to read and sort out blogs and photos. Again so glad of the upgrade, the weather is meant to get better in Tanzania and Kenya though as it is not rainy season there. In the afternoon we had just set up a game of Kerplunk when they announced they were going on the bush walk but it was late and we knew the small kids would be finished school so we didn’t bother going, we just had a swim in the lake and then we went and collected our washing and there were two things missing, one of our pillowcases and Craig’s new Africa tour t-shirt that we just paid $25 for. He asked around and they kept saying they would look about and then they came and checked our washing in the room and said they would be back in the morning. We went for sinner which was meant to be at 7.30pm and when we got there everyone was nearly finished and ours had been plated for us - oops! I fed half my steak to a cute stray dog as it looked starving. After we just had an early night as we don’t have any Malawi currency left and don’t want to pay for more. All our washing came back wet as it has rained constantly so we hung it all up in zigzag lines in our room and it looks like a Chinese laundry, we are so glad we got the upgrade, best £15 I ever spent lol!
This a few people on our bus were quite rough, which I thought they would be as we heard a lot of noise about 2am. It is a thing I have been quite surprised about in Africa, people drink most nights, I thought the days would have been full of things to do and see and people would go to their beds tired and early. Craig and I have had a couple a few nights but don’t want t spend our money on drink, although if you like beer its cheaper than water at bars lol, shame I don’t. We stopped at Mzulu to stop off for supplies and bought bananas from a woman with a baby on her back and a huge tray of bananas on her head, I never get over how they do it even although I see it constantly. Craig got a maize drink thing and drank half of it and then realised it was 3 weeks out of date but he is ok though lol! On the way to camp Mark (not toff) needed a pee and Lettaloy our driver couldn’t find a spot to stop so he peed out the window, lucky there was not kids at the side lol!! We are now at camp and we have got an upgrade again as its so cheap and we need to dry our washing although the walls don’t meet the ceiling so who knows what kind of insects or reptiles we will be sharing with tonight lol!! We went to a market right outside out camp where you can trade stuff like clothes with them fr crafts etc but there was one thing we wanted and he was taking us for a ride he wanted Craig’s t-shirt and $23 we were like “no way” some guy also wanted $10 for a painting and all our bundle of clothes. They did want Craig’s Hearts top but there was nothing on that guy’s stall we wanted. I would rather give my clothes to the people at the orphanage when we get there as they don’t have anything. I went running with Craig today and lasted about 100m as the sand was so soft it still hurts on the ankle I hurt at my staff summer do so I went back. When he came back he had 3 kids in tow who had raced him along the beach and well and truly bet him lol! They wanted some beds so I gave them a biro and one from the camp and some paper from the pad Chloe left me and a box of custard creams, the older boys were there and they made sure they shared them all out. One of the wee boys had like a horn on his belly button, it must have been chopped wrong, they were all so cute. You can really tell how poor it is here all he kids have no shoes and really dingy clothes and all the time they are smiling and waving enthusiastically at you, not like all the fat kids at home on Playstations swearing at you in the street lol! When Craig was running he said he saw loads of big black naked men so I was kind of disappointed I hadn’t lasted the whole hog lol! Nat you know where to book your next holiday to haha!! There is a guy who keeps asking if I am married as well and is a bit of a creep so I made Craig wait on me in the showers as there are no locks, turns out I was mega quick due to the gecko running about mental in there. We are just about to have dinner of cottage pie and it is Biggie, our tour guides birthday today so we might have a couple of drinks.
Tomorrow we cross the border to Tanzania, our second last country in Africa, the main highlights being Zanzibar (no tents) and the Serengeti National Park (lots of animals)!!
Hope all is well at home!
Lots of Love
Eva and Craig xxx
PS Having major difficulties getting photos on, sorry!!
- comments