Muli bwanji!

Fittingly my final destination was Malawi, the land of the setting sun. Malawi, which means ‘flaming waters’, refers to the sunsets over Lake Malawi. The sunset is featured on the Malawian flag.

You can tell when you’re approaching Lake Malawi; fishermen and spruikers appeared by the roadside dangling strings of shimmering fish. It was a four-hour drive from the capital, Lilongwe, and I was chasing a sunset.

Lake Malawi breathes life into this small land-locked country. The fresh-water lake, Africa’s third largest lake, is home to more species of fish than any other lake in the world. It also forms a border between Tanzania, Mozambique and Malawi. When David Livingstone arrived here in 1858 he named it ‘the lake of stars’. After a stormy encounter he later named it ‘the lake of storms’.

Malawi has another name. It’s the ‘warm heart of Africa’, due to the welcoming nature of its people. A Malawian handshake is legendary. By the time you’ve finished shaking hands, you’re already old friends. I’m met at the airport by Willy, my taxi-driver. With his warmth and gentleness there could be no finer ambassador. Malawian life unfolded as we departed the airport. Rows of flowering jacarandas instantly make me feel at home. I’m in awe of is how clean everything is. Too many African countries have waste problems, but Malawi is a stand-out. The villages were tidy and pleasing to the eye. It’s the quintessential African landscape.

Splashes of colour dot the streetscape: women clad in vibrant African patterns, men in bright shirts. Despite being a poor country, there’s a sense of style about the Malawi people. Malawi is one of the world’s poorest countries. It’s agrarian culture is at the mercy of climate change. The country’s biggest export is tobacco, followed by tea.

We arrived at my lakeside lodge, I was directed to my thatched-roof bungalow and there awaiting me was the essential gecko welcome committee. At the bar I met a few Malawians; Sahiba the exuberant barmaid, Fanuel the park ranger, and Trouble. Trouble? Why not, I’d already met Problems, Silence, Innocent and Saturday. Why not Trouble? Trouble was overseeing the construction of his bar next door. He was probably well-named. In the course of the next few days I met Smart, Peace and Precious. And that receptionist, what was her name again? That’s right, Memory.

This leg of my travels I travelled on my own. It was great to spend most of my time with Malawians, however it also had its disadvantages. Many, too many, wished me to rescue them. Life is tough here, money is skint and the rains will soon be arriving, putting an end to the tourist season. Every time I emerged from my bungalow I was overwhelmed, invariably returning with yet another purchase.

Being at Lake Malawi, it’s essential to don a snorkel and check out the underworld. We motored out to nearby Thumbi Island and there I entered a world of suspended animation. Brilliant blue and golden fish swam before my eyes. I was enchanted. It was later I read about the Nile crocodiles and hippopotamus who also inhabited the lake.

Upon returning to the beach, it was on again. I was assailed by Kennedy. ‘You must make a purchase here, we’re part of a cooperative’. Then next door was Happy. I refrained from asking whether he had six brothers. He’s saving to go to school, so I had to buy a painting. Then of course there was someone else. There always is.

That evening a windstorm hit. Bamboo arced at 360 degrees, thatching was blown off roofs and power lines went down. The generator struggled and failed. The cook cooked dinner by candlelight. Once again my head-torch came into its own.

Too soon it was time to return to Lilongwe. As we drove along dusty roads, people carried bundles of sticks, sheafs of thatching, and bags of charcoal. Willy stocked up on charcoal, mangos, and bought a bag of Irish. Irish are the best potatoes, they make the best chips. Getting petrol was problematic. The dial was down to a quarter tank. Petrol stations had no fuel. Instantly a black market sprang up, selling fuel in jerry cans for double the price. The fuel comes from Tanzania and Mozambique.

Willy was lucky, he found one of the few remaining petrol stations still selling fuel. Once again the good roads were attributed to China. China had also built the Parliament House, the football stadium and had installed a scrap-metal, and a plastics recycling plant.

Malawi is yet another African county with a corrupt government. The current President, Lazarus Chakwera came to power with high expectations. He was previously a pastor.

Currently he is suspected of being involved in the death of the Vice President, who recently died in a plane crash. Chakwera told the search party not to bother searching until the next day. Demonstrations are planned in Lilongwe. People want answers.

Malawi caps off a fascinating journey to Seychelles, Kenya, Uganda, Comoros and Ethiopia. The trip was filled with highlights: seeing a tortoise enjoy a neck tickle, being licked by a raspy tongued giraffe, getting up close to a gorilla family, having a lemur jump into my arms, escorting a tiny turtle hatching as he made his long walk to the sea. The African landscape never fails to captivate me, however it’s the people who are remarkable; happy, positive and always with a tremendous zest for life.

Still travelling,

Ros