Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Livingstonia (Wednesday)
We awoke to find the view from our tent at the edge of a cliff (we were warned when we were shown our site and setting the tent up in the dark). 2 steps out the door was ok but 3 and you’d have a bit of a free fall. Amazing vista of the lake and the valley and mountains to the north. Leisurely awakening before walking in the historic village of Livingstonia. It is a mission station like Nkhoma (also with a hospital) that was started at Cape Maclear (very south of the lake) but was moved to higher altitude due to malaria. A nice walk through fields and gardens to the very top (5k from where we were staying). We saw the Stone House where Dr Robert Laws lived when starting/running the mission, the church with its stained glass of Dr Livingstone (complete with medicine box at his feet). On the walk back down we stopped at Manchewe waterfall (125m high into the Rift Valey Escarpment) that also has great views of the valley and lake. There are caves behind the falls where people used to hide from slavers as that was a large problem in Malawi as chiefs would even sell their own people into slavery. (a major reason the missions were started—to bring in commerce of a different commodity and stop slavery). Spent the afternoon recovering from our holiday in hammocks on the cliff edge. After dinner we sat around a campfire with 4 french people, 3 south Africans, 1 canadian and 1 australian telling stories, making friends, and listening to the guitar—one of the French guys has been playing for 12 years and is amazing at classical and gypsy jazz…
Sunday, August 29, 2010
movie scene #2 (tuesday)
(movie scene #1 was crashing through the police block: and then the adventure began)
Over to the lumber camp to see if we could hitch a ride out. (remember that public transport in Nyika is non-existant). They were more than willing for us to ride on the backs of the lumber trucks (this time not empty) so I’m not sure where we would be sitting or riding but I did know it would be dusty. We got a ride easily but they had to pump up the tires and then they were leaving. It then turned into having to change the tire…or four…or ??? so we went to another truck. Yes, we’re leaving now, just tightening the straps and then we’ll come by and pick you up (we were near the exit)…Then a pick up was driving out and told us to get in. Two oil barrels (empty tho the back was covered in oil/tar), 3 boys and 3 men in the back…we put down some cardboard, our bags on that and us on our bags and we left. Dropped 2 of the men not far out of camp and continued on. About 7k out of camp (the hill that we last walked up before getting our ride yesterday) the truck was going down and we felt a bump and then saw a tire go bouncing off to the left and front of the truck…yes, the tire had come off the back left and just like the movies bounced away as we rolled to a stop on the rim. One of the boys had leapt out of the back and I thought he was going after the tire though he was too small to be able to bring it back and in fact he didn’t go after the tire. I think he was afraid the truck was going to roll. He got a major yelling at by the man in the back. The driver got out of the truck just chuckling.
At least 2 hours and lots of banging on the rim to refit the tire and we were on our way again. (a truck coming in stopped and the guys on the back lifted our truck to get a log underneath it as we didn’t have a jack) (the truck that was having its tires changed came with some tools and stayed until we were up and running again but didn’t actually follow us out or pass us—good thing we didn’t wait for that one to leave). We then stopped every 30-45 minutes to check the tire and retightened the nuts. No other problems though so that was nice.
From Rumphi (6 hours after we left Chilenda) we continued on to Chitimba…got let off there at 6pm (dark) 10k from where we wanted to stay that night…the 10k is, of course, up a mountain and there were no cars around…but we waited and luck held one did go up and stop to give us a ride (well, rhona had to run after it to ask for the lift)…20 hairpin turns up the mountain…I’m not sure whether I would have preferred to see the steep drop on the side of the road or if going up in the dark was the way to do it…but we did make it to the surprise of everyone we have since told and who know how far we travelled. (yeah us—I think we’re crazy)
Over to the lumber camp to see if we could hitch a ride out. (remember that public transport in Nyika is non-existant). They were more than willing for us to ride on the backs of the lumber trucks (this time not empty) so I’m not sure where we would be sitting or riding but I did know it would be dusty. We got a ride easily but they had to pump up the tires and then they were leaving. It then turned into having to change the tire…or four…or ??? so we went to another truck. Yes, we’re leaving now, just tightening the straps and then we’ll come by and pick you up (we were near the exit)…Then a pick up was driving out and told us to get in. Two oil barrels (empty tho the back was covered in oil/tar), 3 boys and 3 men in the back…we put down some cardboard, our bags on that and us on our bags and we left. Dropped 2 of the men not far out of camp and continued on. About 7k out of camp (the hill that we last walked up before getting our ride yesterday) the truck was going down and we felt a bump and then saw a tire go bouncing off to the left and front of the truck…yes, the tire had come off the back left and just like the movies bounced away as we rolled to a stop on the rim. One of the boys had leapt out of the back and I thought he was going after the tire though he was too small to be able to bring it back and in fact he didn’t go after the tire. I think he was afraid the truck was going to roll. He got a major yelling at by the man in the back. The driver got out of the truck just chuckling.
At least 2 hours and lots of banging on the rim to refit the tire and we were on our way again. (a truck coming in stopped and the guys on the back lifted our truck to get a log underneath it as we didn’t have a jack) (the truck that was having its tires changed came with some tools and stayed until we were up and running again but didn’t actually follow us out or pass us—good thing we didn’t wait for that one to leave). We then stopped every 30-45 minutes to check the tire and retightened the nuts. No other problems though so that was nice.
From Rumphi (6 hours after we left Chilenda) we continued on to Chitimba…got let off there at 6pm (dark) 10k from where we wanted to stay that night…the 10k is, of course, up a mountain and there were no cars around…but we waited and luck held one did go up and stop to give us a ride (well, rhona had to run after it to ask for the lift)…20 hairpin turns up the mountain…I’m not sure whether I would have preferred to see the steep drop on the side of the road or if going up in the dark was the way to do it…but we did make it to the surprise of everyone we have since told and who know how far we travelled. (yeah us—I think we’re crazy)
TRUE or FALSE: A plateau is flat. (Monday)
From Webster’s Dictionary: plateau—a level land area considerably raised above adjoining land. While I didn’t have this definition exactly worded in my head it is what I believed about plateaus…of course had a paid more attention on our ride in we would have realized that at least this plateau is not flat…
So after thawing some and having some bread as breakfast we decided to hire (rent) the mountain bikes and bike to Chisanga Falls. When we told them what we wanted to do they said it would take all day but should be good. We imagined we could do it in 4 hours and get a ride back out with Gilbert (man who brought us in). (they told us our walk yesterday would be an all day affair and it took about 4 hours at a nice leisurely pace)…so off we went with lunch and water and ready to warm up. We could have even taken a hint from the first part of the “ride” it was uphill and we had to walk most of it. but we are optimists (really?) and continued on. It was hot (when the sun is out—daytime—it is quite hot) and dusty. We reached the junction (16k from camp) and had 7k still to go to get to the falls. This ride is going to take much longer than we imagined but still doable though not with a ride out from Gilbert. And on we go. The downhills while fun, in the back of my mind I realize we’re going to have to come back up them on the return trip—don’t think about that too much…and it is dirt roads and sometimes softer sand so you have to stay vigilant about guiding the bike around the rocks and getting through the deeper parts…exhausting. We reach a sign that says Chisanga Bridge-3k. so off the bikes and down down down the side of a mountain. We reach a bridge and no falls…maybe they are a little further but no luck. We try to follow the river a little to find the falls but the undergrowth is too high so it is back up the 3k…we decide to go a little farther (500m) on the road where we find the sign for Chisanga Falls-3k. we take stock and realize that we’ve come this far we might as well go for it because it would be really sad to get this close and not see them. However, after 500m downhill the path splits into many goat trails and disappears…so try as we might we couldn’t find the falls. Found some shade to have our lunch and then it was past time to head back.
The way back was even harder as we were already exhausted and I think the uphills might have been longer than in the other direction. Get to the junction and just want the guys at camp to come in their truck looking for us…or to wait for another truck to come into camp but realize we can’t count on either option so we keep going. Get up a hill about 7k from camp and have to take a break…while sitting we hear a truck coming from “outside.” Hoping and praying and almost in tears we flag it down and it stops! It is an empty lumber truck so we lift our bikes on the back and climb on with the 6 people already on the back. We stop to pick up some other Malawians and you can hear the people telling about how they found the azungu on the side of the road…I don’t even mind being laughed at at this point—as long as they don’t make me get off the truck.
Rhona asked if I was ok as I was closer to the edge than she was. I’m fine. Just don’t fall off—that would hurt. Actually falling off and breaking all my bones would hut less than having to get back on that bike…we got a laugh out of that (but I think it might have been true)
Camp staff were quite impressed when we rode up to the office (the truck went to the lumber camp so we did have to ride the last part but knowing the end was close made it bearable). We must have looked a sight—and we couldn’t imagine trying to camp again…so we asked about their cheapest room--$150! There is no way we can do that. They talked to the manager and got us the room with dinner for half price and we decided we’d have to because we wouldn’t make it through another night of frozen camping (turned out there was no frost the next morning). Then being in the pitiful state we were in we asked if they would drive us the 1k (uphill) to the campsite to get our stuff. They agreed and came with us…they even took our tent down for us. got us to our room, built us a fire in the fireplace and all was good for the rest of the night…
So after thawing some and having some bread as breakfast we decided to hire (rent) the mountain bikes and bike to Chisanga Falls. When we told them what we wanted to do they said it would take all day but should be good. We imagined we could do it in 4 hours and get a ride back out with Gilbert (man who brought us in). (they told us our walk yesterday would be an all day affair and it took about 4 hours at a nice leisurely pace)…so off we went with lunch and water and ready to warm up. We could have even taken a hint from the first part of the “ride” it was uphill and we had to walk most of it. but we are optimists (really?) and continued on. It was hot (when the sun is out—daytime—it is quite hot) and dusty. We reached the junction (16k from camp) and had 7k still to go to get to the falls. This ride is going to take much longer than we imagined but still doable though not with a ride out from Gilbert. And on we go. The downhills while fun, in the back of my mind I realize we’re going to have to come back up them on the return trip—don’t think about that too much…and it is dirt roads and sometimes softer sand so you have to stay vigilant about guiding the bike around the rocks and getting through the deeper parts…exhausting. We reach a sign that says Chisanga Bridge-3k. so off the bikes and down down down the side of a mountain. We reach a bridge and no falls…maybe they are a little further but no luck. We try to follow the river a little to find the falls but the undergrowth is too high so it is back up the 3k…we decide to go a little farther (500m) on the road where we find the sign for Chisanga Falls-3k. we take stock and realize that we’ve come this far we might as well go for it because it would be really sad to get this close and not see them. However, after 500m downhill the path splits into many goat trails and disappears…so try as we might we couldn’t find the falls. Found some shade to have our lunch and then it was past time to head back.
The way back was even harder as we were already exhausted and I think the uphills might have been longer than in the other direction. Get to the junction and just want the guys at camp to come in their truck looking for us…or to wait for another truck to come into camp but realize we can’t count on either option so we keep going. Get up a hill about 7k from camp and have to take a break…while sitting we hear a truck coming from “outside.” Hoping and praying and almost in tears we flag it down and it stops! It is an empty lumber truck so we lift our bikes on the back and climb on with the 6 people already on the back. We stop to pick up some other Malawians and you can hear the people telling about how they found the azungu on the side of the road…I don’t even mind being laughed at at this point—as long as they don’t make me get off the truck.
Rhona asked if I was ok as I was closer to the edge than she was. I’m fine. Just don’t fall off—that would hurt. Actually falling off and breaking all my bones would hut less than having to get back on that bike…we got a laugh out of that (but I think it might have been true)
Camp staff were quite impressed when we rode up to the office (the truck went to the lumber camp so we did have to ride the last part but knowing the end was close made it bearable). We must have looked a sight—and we couldn’t imagine trying to camp again…so we asked about their cheapest room--$150! There is no way we can do that. They talked to the manager and got us the room with dinner for half price and we decided we’d have to because we wouldn’t make it through another night of frozen camping (turned out there was no frost the next morning). Then being in the pitiful state we were in we asked if they would drive us the 1k (uphill) to the campsite to get our stuff. They agreed and came with us…they even took our tent down for us. got us to our room, built us a fire in the fireplace and all was good for the rest of the night…
Saturday, August 28, 2010
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