The Essence of the Journey!

The Next Crossing

 By: Celeste

 Another border day ahead with all its unknowns and opportunities. Swapping SA beaded flags and Aussie koala bears and pencils, we bid farewell to Nic and Zulfaa, braving the rutted road ahead with some trepidation. Back at Chipata we re-fuelled and yes, you guessed it, had the trailer re-welded at Golf’s repair shop. He was a very pleasant elderly gentleman, well-spoken and his large yard was full of cars in various states of undress. A rounded man in a red t-shirt sauntered in wanting to know how we could do all these changes (roof-rack, bull-bar, etc.) to our vehicle which was ‘for ministers’. He said he worked at the office of the president but did not know what the new Zambian monetary notes would look like.

 We got only a few groceries at Spar as the prices were steep. A small container of plums was R60-00. Sorry Nicolai, we cannot get your ‘favouritist’ fruit. Two young ladies with a cheeky sense of humour at the in-house coffee shop boasted that they had the best coffee in all the area and only this morning they had in a pompous minister – their words, not mine. Could it have been the red-shirt?

 The easiest border crossing ever! Stamp, hand in TIP and voila. Chipata is now a 24 hour post and just as easy on entry into Malawi, signing the Carnet de Passage without fuss.

 Careful of changing – as ever.

 One very good tar road to Llilongwe, with lots of up-and-coming buildings and a new shopping centre with familiar SA brands: Spar, Game, Foschini. There were many petrol stations along the way – no fuel in any of them as we had heard. Except one with very long queues – waiting for an imminent re-fill perhaps. We had had to re-design our whole itinerary to Malawi due to the fuel shortage. Luckily it is a long, narrow country so by restricting ourselves to the South, we could rely on fuel at the border posts if needed. I do hope the new president will bring some good changes to this wonderful country – and soon!

 It was 8pm and we had already been through 8 roadblocks – all friendly and smiling, wearing impressive, new, shiny (important at night) jackets and uniforms. “Where are you coming from? Where are you going to?” No more questions, no papers or inspections. At one stop we were told it was customary for a tourist to give the police a Fanta – and so we did. Laughing, sort of, Marcelo questioned, “Is this not a bribe?” “No, no, it is not,” they laughed.

We turned, thanks to Charlie (our GPS lady), onto a sand road without a sign. A sharp tap on my window drew us to a halt. “Not this way, the next road.” We continued a few kilometres and indeed there was a tar, sign-posted road to Monkey Bay. Thank you, Angel!

Lake Malawi

Thumbi island and the said boat the kids swim to

 A beautiful lakeshore, spectacular sunrises and sunsets, relaxed atmosphere. We really needed this after the last few tough days of travelling long hours and trailer repairs. We had breakfast at the restaurant/ bar – all these are thatch and wide open with that island feeling: pancakes with honey for Danica; vegetable omelette for me; full house for Nicolai and pancakes with bacon for Marcelo. The hand-crafted wooden tray is laid on the table with the widest assortment of condiments I have ever seen!

Fountain displaying his wares

 To the side of each lodge is an area for the craftsmen and their wares together with the tour guides: bracelets, necklaces, little boats, bicycles, paintings, cloths and ‘Happy Pants’ which are certainly very cheerful. The children made their own purchases for their friends. We ordered some keyrings to be hand-crafted with names on and rhinos from Fountain (it is his name, really!). Later, we succumbed to purchasing a wooden game of Bowa or Boa. Apparently there is a male and a female game which was taught to the children and me at

pizzas, washing, motor boats - it all fits on top of each other on Lake Malawi

Gecko Lounge by the barman. We went there as we had heard their pizzas were excellent – which they were but they had tripled in price and then some since our guide book was published (April 2010). Nicolai has been the reigning champion ever since!

Peter, our tour guide took us by boat along the shore, showing us all the lodges towards Otter’s Point before we headed out towards Thumbi Island. He slipped some bread overboard as we rounded Mitande Point and the cichlid show was on.

cichlids galore

Colours and flashes of delight as we and the cichlids intermingled, sucking on our toes. Nicolai was remarkably confident in the clear, cool water, knowing there were no sharks or sea urchins or stinging bluebottles about! It was like being part of a magical netherworld. Danica, of course, was in her element, taking underwater photos and pointing and gazing to her hearts content. The sign painted on the large rocks: Welcome to Lake Malawi National Park. Do not toilet here – with an explicit depiction of a person doing just that – and a cross right through it. This was where we sat and enjoyed a snack, sharing with the large, striped island lizards.

majestic 'Cheri'

We rounded the west of Thumbi to see the fish eagles – about twenty resident, breeding pairs. Peter whistled, calling “Cheri”, before throwing in a small fish. “Mark that point,” he instructed, and we did – rewarded with huge talons and a dramatic fly-by, trophy clutched tight.

It is so rewarding to see the children growing day-by-day, just blossoming. Nicolai swimming out to the old boat anchored about 30m off-shore by himself and Danica being able to greet and chat and share with others. She formed a special relationship with neighbouring campers. A lady in every sense of the word, Carol, too, took to Danica and they looked at all her photos together, sharing wild and daring camping, wildlife and travelling stories. The children were enraptured by her tales of paragliding in Turkey, micro-lighting over the Victoria Falls, swimming wild and free every morning at her home overlooking the Hermanus Lagoon. “Mommy, Carol is just wonderful. I am so inspired by her!” Danica whispered to me at bed-time. Thank you Carol for your interaction with our daughter and for sharing her wonderment of the world!

 Frikkie, a sheep farmer from De Aar, it was a pleasure making your acquaintance and many thanks for helping out with Staffie’s batteries. May all your inspirational life and business plans come to fruition!

 We met so many people here: Kristina, Herik, Moa and Oskar from Sweden, plucking a guitar gypsy-style; Des and Brenda Quin from Natal; Neill and Julie Bird from U.K. – each travelling and fulfilling their own dreams. Bon voyage to you all.

they sit on top and not in mokoros in Malawi

Walking on the inside Chembe village track passing babies sleeping on laps; men repairing nets; fish drying on racks; children playing a jumping game. We bypassed a ragged cemetery – the second in the immediate area – the other being known as “Mission Graves” 1km inland from Livingstone’s original mission established in 1875 but abandoned and relocated in 1896 due to the high incidence of malaria. Yes, we do still take our daily muti and the kids gulp down their yucky ‘Friday’ muti.

 Enjoying Danica’s photos around the fire, it is not difficult to see why Lake Malawi National Park was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1980. Set aside for its unique diversity of fish, the evolutionary significance of which has been compared to the finches of the Galapagos.

 The lakeshore, regardless of this status, is used for washing bodies, dishes and clothes, with leftover corn cobs washing up with toothpaste tubes and glass shards. Fishing boats go out within the designated borders. “Yes, they are not allowed,” said Peter, “but it is Sunday and all the officials at church.” Nightly fishing is an age-old tradition here, with small Usipa fish being attracted by the mokoro’s lanterns.

 The play of light upon the water is certainly inspirational. Cormorants dive and bob, spreading out their wings, sun-worshipping. She rises magnificently, scoring the wave tops with light and colour, bringing energy and a peace embued with vibrance, till setting behind the island quietly slipping away, withdrawing her soft dusk touches. A daily blessing of the Nankumba Peninsula, of everywhere on Earth.