easter weekend

I got invited to go camping at the lake with the Veitch family over easter weekend. We thought to get an extra long weekend and leave on Wednesday but of course it worked much better to finish up things and pack on Wednesday and head to the lake early on Thursday. Into the truck with four boys and a kitten (theirs not mine) and a trailer full of camping gear. The ride up was long but not too bad. Quick stop for meat in town and we found diesel in salima but the line was too long and they were filling jerry cans (illegal but if the police try to stop there will be riots) so we continued on. Got stopped at many police blocks but to no penalty (though they did ask about a fire extinguisher which every vehicle is supposed to have—we started to get it out but told the officer we were looking for fuel and he told us that dwanga had some farther up but we would need to hurry…and the search for the non-existent extinguisher was abandoned). We arrived at Nkhwazi Lodge in time to set up camp and go for a good swim…waves were up and the water was pretty murky (and a little cold) but so nice to be at the lake!
Up early (with 4 boys that is the norm) and the waves continued thru Sunday night. Rocks to climb on and jump off, front and back somersault wars in the water, the snorkels had been forgotten as had the oars for the blow up boat but I don’t think that we needed them…so much fun to be had…the wonder of kids in the water and playing on their own. Got a bit too much sun but am quite happy and relaxed now.
With the full moon the evenings were just gorgeous and Sunday night James, Reinette and I decided on a night swim. Oh the water was cold but it was so beautiful and completely worth it. especially with the warm shower after. Sunday afternoon the lake calmed and flattened. Made for nice swimming as I like to swim way out. And it also cleared up near shore (so snorkeling would have been great) but we could see fish and all the rocks we’d been kicking all weekend. Just lovely. The drive home was just as long as the drive in (surprise surprise) with a stop in town for dinner, but all was quiet along the way. Power cut when we arrived home—but then that made it easy to just go to bed.