back to school

I was really dreading school starting again. in the pit of my stomach I flat out didn’t want to go back. I could really get used to travelling and not teaching while in Malawi. Then Monday morning came. And it went so well. We’d added some centers (had blocks made over break so now we can build). And the kids were very good. I did only have 7 of them…not sure what the other 3 were up to. But it went great. Left feeling like I could handle this and make it through.

Tuesday was similar. Still not completely sure that I wanted to be teaching. 8 kids arrived and the day went as well as Monday. Patrick- a sweetheart but sometimes gets into trouble- was very clingy and lethargic. Didn’t want to sit on his mat during group time and ended up on my lap through most of it. I also carried him around for much of the morning. During break he sat in my lap or lay down on the porch. I don’t know whether he just didn’t sleep the night before or what. He’s small so it wasn’t a problem for me.

The rest of the week was ok. The days got long toward the end of the week but I think that is normal for all working people…always looking forward to the weekends. The kids have started talking to me about sharing their things with me. Or coming to my house to visit (scary prospect). Or cutting my finger nails. (really?). nice that they are taking an interest but not sure that I want them at my house or helping with my hygiene.

Note: the kids here can cry and wail at the drop of a hat. No pain is necessary for crocodile tears and the loudest wailing you can imagine. Seriously I’ve never heard anything like it from someone really not hurt. It also turns off as easily after an apology (from the offender). Amazing. And done totally for effect I think…and it does seem to get results as I can’t handle the wailing for any amount of time. Something I’ll have to work on.

Saw my first hedgehog. Prickly little suckers! Rolled in a ball for the longest time and when he finally started to open I thought he was pretty ugly. But then when he was uncurled and wandering around he really was quite cute.

Also tried termites…sold in the market here and Rhona wanted a picture and felt she had to buy some to get the picture. Then we figured we had to try them since we had bought them. Got a Malawian to fix them (figured that was the way to go) I did try them as did Dorothy but the mental issue of eating insects meant I didn’t make it past 2 bites and I felt queasy the rest of the afternoon. Just thinking about them now still makes me squirm.

bison


hippos


elephant

in case you couldn't tell

the blown out tire

eating nsima at the lake (before the tire fiasco)

day 6

Time to head back. Up way too early (bus at 6) but it did actually leave on time and empty which none of us had seen before. Actually made it all the way to Lilongwe on the one bus. We took the coastal road again but were assured that the bridge had been fixed. We weren’t completely convinced but figured it was the best option as the other was to try mini-buses and the headaches that come from that. Piled off at the police stop where they thoroughly checked the bus and lots of the luggage. Not sure what they were looking for but I don’t think they found it. And into Lilongwe at 2:30. the older missionary kids go to Lilongwe for school and they get picked up at 2:30 on Thursdays so we called to see if we could get a ride back with them. We just made it. They were crossing the bridge we were coming to as we called. So we piled in…12 people in the 10 person bus. Of course it is very similar to being on an actual school bus. 8 kids all hyper after school…wow. We got to the police stop on the way to Nkhoma and got waved through. Sadly we didn’t move over quite far enough and side swiped the gate. Really. I just looked at James—twice in two weeks. No real damage done but it took a while of the police talking and then letting us go. Really two close calls and off—I can’t believe it. James and I were in the back trying to explain to the kids appropriate subjects of discussion while at a police stop and that one of them was not the fact that this happened last week. Luckily we did get that point across. One of the officers came and joked with the kids some. As we drove away the kids asked if they could talk about it now. As we were leaving that was fine and they thought it was hilarious. Rebecca told me that the woman officer told her (before letting her go) that as women we need to be extra careful driving and not to do it again…you may go and God bless you.

day 5

With the rain going we’d almost decided to stay another night at Nkwazi but it stopped around 11 so we kept moving. Up to Nkata Bay. Another place where many tourists come through. The hostel was much more like where I’ve stayed in other countries. The water was not as inviting probably due to all the rain but it was a nice area. They had just installed wifi in the hostel…and us without our computers. (oh darn). Small market in town that we walked through and ran into the trio we’d met at Kande Beach up for some shopping as these were the closest shops.

day 4

Walked in to Makuzi Lodge just to look around. Very posh and very gorgeous. The water was clear and blue and just this picturesque little bay. The buildings had actually been kept up pretty well. Very nice (and expensive) so we walked back out and grabbed a truck to Nkwazi Lodge. Not much farther than Makuzi and when the truck picked us up it charged too much but we didn’t know that. At the turn off we got out and then they said get in we’ll take you to the next crossroads. Very nice and a little out of their way we then only had 2km to walk. Into the wilderness. No gate, no fences just forest. Another little bay—lots of rocks and seclusion. Set up camp and then ran into the owner who said that it was supposed to rain and we should move into one of the rooms…it was a good call as it started raining at about 6 pm and didn’t stop until 11 the next morning… camp would have been washed away and soaking wet. Got in a swim, some checkers and the clouds were definitely menacing. Had to order dinner before 4 so that meant that we ate about 5:30. Jim (owner) came and had a drink with us and told us his views on Africa, and working there and helping without any gratitude and being taken advantage of. It sounded a lot like he’s burned out and ready to sell but then this is and has been his life and what would he do next as his health isn’t the best. He figures that the people who come to help in Africa would do better helping in their own country but personally they wouldn’t make as much money. because who comes to check up on how the money is spent here and if it is actually helping when it is in Africa as opposed to home where it is easy to check on. Something to think about at least.

day 3

Followed by small children who parrot “give me money, give me money, give me _______” (fill in the blank with anything you might have—pen, candy, umbrella, etc). they even asked for my small umbrella when they were walking with a large nice golf umbrella…really!? To Kande Beach which turns out to be where many, many, many overlanders stop. (overlanders-big trucks that drive the length of Africa on tours, aka loud mzungus just passing through) as we walked in we saw a big group of them being taken on a village tour- a cultural experience that is scripted and paid for. We met Cheeseontoast (not sure on the spelling but that is what he said). When you tell them that you live in Nkhoma they usually don’t try to sell you whatever it is they are selling quite as hard. When you say you’re from _______(overseas) they will tell you “their story” and try to get you on the village tour or to buy the crafts, etc. it works very well being from Nkhoma. walking in we also met a girl who talked until her turn off and then asked when we would come to her home to see how she lived. You don’t have to pay to have cultural experiences…you just have to get off the bus really. (sorry if that sounds kind of jaded and down on tours that I’m sure are good for the people who are on them). Tent city when we got there. 4 overlanders already there and 2 more arrived after we did. Each truck holds about 15 people I think. Set up camp, went for a swim, sat in a hammock, fought the urge to yell mzungu when a white person walked by (which the kids around here didn’t do as they are so used to all the people coming through-unlike the rest of the country). A walk on the beach before dinner where I started talking to a fisherman who was pulling in a net (I think). They boat out way far, drop the net and then come back to shore and pull in hand over hand the net full of small fish. He asked if we wanted to see and I told him we’d be back. Kept walking for a bit and then turned around. It still wasn’t in but he said it would only take a few minutes…I forgot about African minutes. We waited and waited and had a nice chat with the man and his son and another man and his three kids. Good conversation until the second man then asked for money because he does no work. We had to get back so we could get dinner before the restaurant closed so we left without seeing the elusive net full of fish. Had dinner with 3 people who had been on an overland tour and were back working at an orphanage in the area for a month. Very nice mom, daughter and husband. We got to swap travel and transport horror stories. (we then ran into them again in Nkhata Bay)

day 2

Walked back to the main road as our bicycle taxis weren’t waiting to collect us and jumped on a matola. Pretty sure we paid way too much and then got transferred into another who claimed to have been paid but then said not enough by the last driver. That puts you in a kind of bad mood for a trip but what are you going to do? The people in the truck were quite nice though and explained all sorts of things—the fields we were passing, what different things were, trying to test our Chichewa…then we got to a police stop. The conductor went to do something (pay someone off?) and we waited, and waited, and waited. The police came to talk to the driver…and then it was told to us that the police didn’t like our driver (something happened the day before) and that we had to wait for another driver to continue on. So we waited. Then the guy sitting next to James asked him if he had a drivers license. He answered yes and the guy said “you can drive”. Whoa! There was then a big discussion in the truck as to whether that would help and we’d go on or if the police would then just add more problems. Luckily the other driver arrived before they came to a decision. And on we continued. One more transfer of matola (fully paid this time) and we arrived at Ngala Beach. I got a round of applause for my descent off the truck (jumped off the side) from the bar across the street. Walked to the lodge where I don’t think they normally have camping but they agreed to let us camp but would show us later where to set up camp. Went for a swim—lovely water, clear and cool. Then couldn’t find the guy to know about the camping. When we did find him and set up we were told (about 3 hours later) that that spot would be too wet and we were moved to camping on the beach—much nicer to sleep on when you don’t have camping pads. Other than the watchman talking right outside at around 4 in the morning it was a good night…a little rain but we were waterproof.

day 1

Modes of transport- 6
Time of travel- 7 hours
From Nkhoma to Nkhotakota Pottery and Lodge

Mini-bus #1 from Nkhoma to Lilongwe was full but not too jam packed when we started. We then filled to 21 people before the end but of course this number fluctuates as you drive down the road and pick up and drop off. There was also a goat behind the back seat (where we were sitting) that for the most part was quiet but every once in a while would bleat the loudest I have every heard and I jumped. No one else seemed to notice but it scared me every time it happened. BAAAAH!! In Lilongwe we got on a bigger bus that said it would take us to Nkhotakota…all set and only 2 buses…oh too good to be true. We didn’t have to wait long when the bus tried to leave Lilongwe…and it succeeded but it did sound like it was not a very healthy vehicle. About 30 minutes out of town something happened and we slowed to 10km/hr…the other passengers kept asking to be dropped so they could get different transport but the driver wouldn’t stop until we made it to the next little town and he arranged a matola (truck) to take us to Salima. Changed to mini-bus #3 that said it would get us to Nkhotakota. Drove north to a broken bridge that we had to get out and walk across and once again had to find different transport…even some kind of forewarning would have been nice…of course we were dropped right at the bridge but on the other side the buses were 1.5km away from the bridge (job opportunity for bicycle taxis). We opted to walk as we’d been sitting all day. Another matola to the turn off for the lodge which was 4km off the main road. There we did get the bicycle taxis as we weren’t sure we’d make it before it got dark. With our bags the bike was fun to balance…and when we went uphill we had to get off and walk (behind our transport!) but we did make it to a nice camping area, restaurant right on the beach and were the only guests there (at least camping and eating—not entirely sure about the rooms or chalets).

holiday overview

Left early (ish) on Saturday for parts unknown (also known as farther north on the lake). Travelling with james who has been here for almost 6 months, doing maintenance and construction on the guest house and who leaves at the end of the month. He’s been all over the south of Malawi but wanted to see what is up north. It is less populated, more nature. We borrowed tents, sleeping bags and camped our way up the lake. 6 days, 5 nights in different lodges at different parts of the lake, untold number of transport (6 on day 1), lots of meeting different people (walking to one lodge we met someone who introduced himself as Cheeseontoast), lots of rain, also plenty of sun for sunburns and many police blocks (2 that were of particular interest)…it was interesting to find that we fit in or at least felt much more comfortable in the places where there were less mzungus as opposed to the couple of places where the lodge was overrun with them. Not too surprising really as the places with lots of mzungus were mostly for passers-through. (for those who’ve been to New Zealand it felt like staying in a hostel where the Kiwi Experience stopped). Luckily that was only two nights. The other three we were pretty much the only guests at the lodges.

ewa, alistair, and bob the chicken (made into curry dinner)
group at monkey bay--lizzy, bertus, jessi, germ, alistair