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Sunday 24 March 2013

Zambia, Zimbabwe & Botswana - again


Zambia

Day 1 – 7/3/13
The crossing into Zambia was straight forward. We purchased a dual entry visa to allow us to go into Zimbabwe at Victoria Falls and had to pay 200 new Kwacha (divide old Kwacha by 1,000) in CO2 tax. In addition there was a Council tax or such – all receipted.
The drive to Chipata was easy, on a good road through maize fields.
Chipata was a nice surprise, lots of veg, a little fruit and a couple of good supermarkets.
We went quickly to Mama Rulas campsite ~ 8 km from town.
Unfortunately there was an overland bus there and a second arrived after dark. The later bus carried elderly Dutch tourists and they proceeded to make a lot of noise until very late. After this experience, we prefer the younger group!


Avril  driving; 200 km; (inc airport run); S 130 34’ 57.7’’ E 0320 36’ 34.9’’

Day 2 – 8/3/13
We went into Chipata to do some shopping. In addition to the supermarket we needed to buy some drugs - malaria & statins. In Australia these would have needed a prescription, but in Zambia we got them OTC.
Ray asked the (Indian) Pharmacist if he knew where he could get a haircut. He got into his car and took us to where he got his hair cut – a friend’s house in a 2nd class shopping area. In this case Ray got very good value for money. He will not need another cut for a long time!
We then met Bob & Brigid who had driven from Luangwa Bridge that day. After a quick lunch, we went to the camp site and chatted the rest of the day away.
Another group of elderly Dutch tourists showed up, with a similar result to the night before. We should mention that these buses set off very early in the morning (05:00) and so the noise starts very early.
Since leaving Tanzania, we are well and truly on the Cape to Nairobi overland bus route.

Day 3 – 9/3/13
With Bob & Brigid, we set off at a reasonable time for Mfuwe and the South Luangwa National Park. Large sections of the road are being upgraded and so the trip had a lot of diversions and poor road conditions. On the way to the camp we spotted some elephants.
We set up camp at the Wildlife camp (note: Flatdogs no longer allows camping). The Wildlife camp has separate sections for buses and small vehicles.
We camped high on the bank of the Luangwa river and spotted some buffalo and impala going to the water to drink. The noisy hippos made sure they were also noticed.
Park entry is on a daily basis, not 24 hour, so we elected not to have a game drive in the afternoon.

Avril  driving; 145 km; 3 hrs; S 130 06’ 35.2’’ E 0310 45’ 13.5’’



 Day 4 – 10/3/13
We all got up early to get into the park soon after opening, 06:00. Unfortunately the paperwork at the entry took ~ 20 min. Normally in the wet season the game scatters, however we had a great game drive. Not too much unusual; elephants, giraffe, zebra, warthogs, bushbuck, puku, impala, water buck, reed buck, buffalo etc.
After lunch Ray & Bob went back to the game park and purchased entry for the following day  & beer. Then Bob & Brigid went and fetched Steve & Ing from the Mfuwe airport.
As you can imagine, there was a lot of chatter in the evening. To explain – the 3 boys (??!!) worked together on the Copperbelt in Zambia from 1976 till 1978 – so this was to be a trip down memory lane!



Day 5 – 11/3/13
Bob’s birthday! But, he still had to get up early. It was raining hard, however we decided to proceed with a game drive. Again, we did not see too much unusual but it was very different spotting game in the pelting rain.
We had a hearty brunch & some champagne after returning from the game drive. Then a relaxing afternoon. At 16:00 we started a night game drive, arranged by the folks at the Wildlife camp. This included some sundowners – which we supplemented with our own drinks. On the way to the sundowners, Avril excelled by spotting a dead hyena in a ditch beside a culvert.
The night drive turned out to be fantastic. We were fortunate to see a full leopard kill, from the initial spotting of the prey (herd of impala) by the leopard, through the stalking which took ~ 40 min, the final leap and then the kill. It took some time for the leopard to choke the impala and due to all the attention and the potential for a hyena to take the prey, the leopard dragged the kill into a dense bush. A once in a lifetime experience. Then on the way out of the park we were lucky enough to see 2 porcupines. Due to their actions at the side of the road, Bob speculated that they may have been mating. We also saw a huge crocodile crossing the road on the way back to the river.






Day 6 – 12/3/13
We managed to have a reasonably relaxed start to the day. Then we drove back over the awful road to Chipata – which had further deteriorated with the rain. After a small shop in the town we drove through to Luawanga Bridge and the camp site there.
The road was in pretty good condition, but the countryside not all that interesting. There were a lot less people than in most other countries, which meant less speed bumps and greater speed.

Avril driving; ~ 500 km; 8.5 hrs; S 130 06’ 18.2’’ E 0300 12’ 54.8’’

Day 7 – 13/3/13
We sat around and chatted a bit in the morning, then drove through to Lusaka on a reasonable tar road. The shopping mall we stopped at was a culture shock – it could have been in any 1st world country -  clothes shops (Avril managed to buy some shorts) and food outlets.
After lunch we drove to Fringilla farm, 50 km north of Lusaka.
Ing cooked up a superb Chinese meal.

Ray driving; 281 km; 7 hrs (inc shopping time!); S 150 00’ 15.6’’ E 0280 09’ 31.7’’





Day 8 – 14/3/13
After a very gentle start to the day, including one of the Fringilla’s famous pies for breakfast (boys only) our little convey started out for Chingola. The Great North Road as far as the Ndola turn off was in good condition, but after that deteriorated with sections of serious potholes. We stopped for a picnic at the side of the road and watched a truck deliver fresh maize beer to some of the local folks. This is delivered in bulk and poured from a large tank into 20 litre containers. Apparently 20 litres costs about K 20 ~ $ 4! If one can wait for about 3 days the alcoholic content rises to 9%!
It took some time to get through Kitwe. The road from Kitwe to Chingola was very congested, not like the “old days” when normally one did not see any vehicles on this stretch.
We booked into the Protea hotel when we got to Chingola and then the boys wandered off to see if they could recognise any of the buildings from the 1970s. They found their old accommodation flats and the various clubs. They went into the Arts Theatre, chatted to the members and had a quiet ale.
We were impressed with the level of agriculture and the availability of fresh produce on the drive up. In the “old days” there was very little food available. However, the roads in Chingola have deteriorated badly – a lot of them are just a series of potholes.

Avril  driving; 359 km; 6 hrs; S 030 24’ 35.2’’ E 0290 20’ 53.1’’

Day 9 – 15/3/13
After breakfast, we drove around town for some photo opportunities. Then we drove back to Fringilla farm. On the way we managed to get caught twice in speed traps. The first of the traps only caught the OTHER car and the driver payed a little less and did not get a receipt! So, no more lecturers on ethics from them in the future. In the second trap both cars were caught and payed the full price with receipt – 73 and 81 kph in a 50 zone! Luckily we were not in Aus as we would have lost our licenses! Avril was very upset as it was her first speeding fine in 40 years of driving! Although Ray reckons she is a “lead foot” and has been Very lucky not to have fined many times!! The road signs were a little difficult to see.

Avril  driving; 361 km; 6.5 hrs



Day 10 – 16/3/13
We headed down through Lusaka (shopping) and onto the Zambezi river, ~ 40 km before the Lower Zambezi National Park. The road down was, generally in good condition to the turn off just before Zimbabwe border. The country side was generally flat until the turn off to Chilumba and then the decent into the Zambezi valley provided some rolling hills. There was a dirt road to Kiambia  lodge which was variable in condition.
We had to cross the Kafue River on a pontoon. As we were foreigners in a foreign vehicle, we paid 3 times as much as the locals. I wonder how that would go down in western countries – if we started to charge Africans 3 times as much for services etc??
The folks at Kiambia looked after us royally. We had power for our batteries, cold beers, they made and lit the BBQ fire for us etc. As they had just painted the camping ablutions, Bob & Brigid+ Steve & Ing were given a chalet for the 2 nights. We elected to “stay at home” in our accommodation module.

Avril  driving; 222 km; S 0150 56’ 11.5’’ E 0280 55’ 32.3’’



Day 11 – 17/3/13
We went on a game watching cruise along the Zambezi. The weather was ideal – though most of us managed to get a little burnt. We stopped on an island in the river for a picnic lunch. As it was the rainy season, most of the game had dispersed into the bush, so we did not see a great deal: impala, elephants, crocodiles, hippos, kudu and a couple of monitor lizards. We also took the opportunity to become bird watchers – for the day.
It was wonderful to go slowly along one of the world’s great rivers.



Day 12 – 18/3/13
We drove down to Moorings Camp ~ 10 km north of Monze. This time no one was fined by the police.
We arrived early for what was planned to be Bob & Brigid’s last night of camping.

Avril  driving; 221 km; 5.5 hrs; S 0160 11’ 38.1’’ E 0270 32’ 36.9’’



Day 13 – 19/3/13
Onwards to Livingstone & Victoria Falls. We had a quick look at the Zambezi River above the Falls and then checked out accommodation options. We quickly discovered that Vic Falls is not a low cost area. We eventually settled on the Bushfront, with Ray & Avril opting for camping and the rest for chalets.
We went on the sunset cruise on the Zambezi Rover – commonly known as the “booze cruise”. The price included drinks, snacks and dinner. We were more restrained than the overland bus folks.

Avril  driving; 359 km; 6 hrs; S 030 24’ 35.2’’ E 0290 20’ 53.1’’




Day 14 – 20/3/13
First off, we visited the Falls on the Zambia side. As it was nearing the end of the wet season, the river was quite high and the Falls lived up to their reputation as “the smoke that thunders”. The huge volume of water ensured that we all got completely drenched. We all went down to the “Boiling Pot”, the narrow gorge where the river gushes through. Then we walked over the bridge to the Zimbabwe side – one third of the Falls is in Zambia and the rest is in Zimbabwe. Ray & Avril purchased a dual entry visa for $ 45 each.
We enjoyed a steak lunch at the famous Victoria Falls Hotel, overlooking the 2nd & 3rd gorges and the bridge. On the way to back, Ray decided to take the plunge and went on a flying fox high above the junction of the 2nd & 3rd gorges. A bit of an adrenalin rush and over too quickly to enjoy the view.
We then visited the extensive Zimbabwe side of the falls, not everyone went the full distance as it involved yet another full drenching.
We then returned to the Zambia side and decided to dine at the restaurant in the resort – too exhausted from the day’s exertion to cook ourselves.



Day 15 – 21/3/13
We were up early to pack and get through the border formalities. After breakfast we said our (sad) good-byes to Bob & Brigid/Steve & Ing and headed for the border.
The formalities were completed very quickly.

Zambia Summary
Zambia was a pleasant surprise. The roads were generally in good condition: Ndola – Chingola the major exception. The road from Chipata to Sth Luangwa is being worked on.
Most towns had usable ATMs and generally there were decent supermarkets.
It was fantastic to travel with friends. The camping accommodation was generally of a high standard.
In general we found the Zambians were hospitable without being overly friendly.
We did not use any guide books or maps, but relied on memory (34 years!) and the advice of folks along the way.


Zimbabwe
Day 1 – 21/3/13
We had a very quick and efficient entry into Zim. We had to pay CO2 tax and road tax of $ 40. In Vic Falls we collected the video of Ray’s flying fox exploit of the previous day. Then we headed to Hwange National Park. We went through 3 road blocks on the way. We had heard that in Zim these were onerous, but we found the police officers to be polite, cheerful and quick at the task.
The road to Hwange town was very good and we saw our 1st wayside/picnic stops in a long time. The country side was flat with the vegetation right up to the road side.
We entered Hwange National Park at Sinamatela and were delighted to find that a $ 20/person entry lasted 7 days. Camping was $ 30/site/night. All very reasonable.
Then we drove around the park and visited a few dams/pans. We did not see a lot of game and decided to go through to Robins Camp and spend the night there. The facilities, though dated, were in good working order and very clean. Hot water for the showers and cold beer!

Avril  driving; 241 km; S 180 37’ 47.5’’ E 0250 59’ 17.5’’



Day 2 – 22/3/13
Like good game viewers, we were on the road early. We drove through to Main Camp via a number of loops and dams/pans. The game was very sparse in the areas (including water points) around Sinamatela and Robins camps and almost non-existent between water points. This made the days quite long. Nearer to Main Camp there was more game and we sat in a couple of hides for some time. One of the hides had a small snake ensconced in it, so we only spent a short time there! All in all we saw: giraffe, elephant, water buck, wildebeest, kudu, yellow mongoose, warthog, meerkat, impala, zebra, hippo, jackal and crocodile. Not a bad selection, but the lack of numbers was disappointing.
Main Camp was well set up with aged, but clean ablutions and a well stocked shop. We decided to try a night drive. This lasted 2 hours and was quite disappointing as we only saw a few impala and a couple of elephants.
Apparently the lack of game sightings was due to the time of year- the game scatters during the wet. However, we covered over 350 km in the time we were in the park and would have expected even with scattered game to see a bit more.

Avril  driving; 167 km; S 180 43’ 57.4’’ E 0260 57’ 06.5’’



Day 3 – 23/3/13
We decided that the game viewing in Hwange did not warrant any further time, so we made an early start to Botswana. Along the way we stopped off at Bulawayo for some refreshments. Avril & Ray disagreed on the state of the city: Ray thought it looked clean and prosperous but Avril thought it was run down, compared to our last visit in 1994-thanks Robert Mugabe.
Again the police at the road blocks were polite and wanted to chat. With excellent roads and a 120 km/hr speed limit we made very good time. The scenery was generally uninteresting and the route was, in the main, scrubby forest.
The border formalities were completed very efficiently and quickly.

Zimbabwe Summary
It is hard to make meaningful comment after 3 days of which the majority was in National parks. However we had a positive impression of Zim. Other Overlanders had found it expensive and the road blocks onerous. We thought the prices were very reasonable, the road blocks no more numerous than other countries and the police officers polite. We were not held up at any of the road blocks – except for a chat.
The roads were in excellent condition (except for the main routes in Hwange National Park).
We found it rather sad to see the small number of tourists wherever we went – the venues are all ready to receive guests, the staff are keen and eager, but spend most of the day with nothing to do. Once again, thank you, Robert Mugabe.

Botswana, again

Day 1 – 23/3/13
We were greeted with that special rudeness the Tswana have cultivated in Botswana.
The border formalities took longer than expected as the staff had more important matters to attend to i.e. idle chat. We had to pay Pula 270 road tax.
Again, with excellent roads and a 120 km/hr speed limit we made good time. The countryside was well and truly semi arid with low acacia trees and little grass.
We stopped at the Oasis Lodge (camping) at Mahalapye

Avril  driving; 714 km; 9 hrs; S 230 04’ 58.2’’ E 0260 49’ 26.1’’

Day 2 – 24/3/13
We were up super early to get some kms on the clock. Again the road was of a high standard and with no speed bumps and not too much traffic we made good time. The country side continued to be flat and semi desert.
We stopped off in Gaborone to buy a few provisions and set off for the border.
The formalities took a little time, but we got through without any hassle.

 Botswana observation
Infrastructure is very good through out the areas we travelled. The government has put the HQ of key Departments e.g. railways, geological survey etc in provincial towns.
The Shopping centers and general outlook of the streets was very modern.

Friday 8 March 2013

Tanzania 3 & Malawi


Pictures to follow when we have some proper internet

Tanzania 3

Day 33 – 21/2/13
We had a frustrating day trying to follow the evolving and changing situation with the Malawi strike, Lilongwe airport and Kenya airlines. Initially Avril was on a flight on the 22nd, then the airport would not open until the 23rd and finally the definitive statement from Kenya Airlines; they would not fly until the 25th at the earliest.
So, we made a new plan! Avril would fly to Mbeya on Saturday 23rd and Ray and Gabrielle would drive down and meet her there. Then, Avril and Gabrielle would drive down in our Landcruiser and Ray would proceed into Malawi and down the lake by taxi.
In the afternoon Avril & Gabrielle went to the movies with Funmi to see Le Miserables.

Day 34 – 22/2/13
Nightmare day!
Gabrielle & Ray set off to Iringa. The Dar traffic lived up to its reputation and it took more than 2 hours to finally exit the last of the suburbs.
The Tanzam highway has a terrible reputation with overlanders. It is the most policed road we have ever been on. The village speed limit is 50 km/hr and EVERY village has a police trap/stop and the villages probably cover ~ 40% of the road distance.  A lot of the time the speed de-restriction sign is missing or non-existent, making it a matter of guess work as to when you could speed up. We were very observant of the 50 km/hr limit, as were all other drivers.
We were stopped by most of the police road blocks, but managed to talk our way out of all but one. 100 km/hr in a 50 km/hr zone. We had guessed wrongly where a village actually ended – there was no de-restriction sign.  There is no policing outside the towns and some of the driving on the open road was very average. On a few occasions we needed to pull completely off the road to make room for a passing bus.
The drive should have been pleasant and the scenery in places was stunning with some great vistas of an extensive plateau, mountains etc. In addition we passed through the Mukumi National park and managed to get some game viewing in: elephant, giraffe, impala, buffalo, zebra, wildebeest etc.
Then, just before Iringa, immediately after we had stopped at a police road block, a cyclist ran into us. He bounced off the bull bar, bounced off the bonnet and was dragged along until we could stop.
Total disaster. Gabrielle got the police from the road block (less than 200 m away) and fortunately a nurse in a ute/bakkie happened by. The cyclist was reasonably OK and she took him to hospital where he was assessed as having a broken femur, broken teeth and scratches – a very lucky boy.
After measuring the accident scene, we went to the Iringa Police Station and met the Station Chief – Stephen. He was super helpful and made sure we were OK and found us a hotel for the evening. Saiviia Hotel
Everyone: the witnesses, the cyclist’s brother, the traffic officer at the scene, Stephen etc all said it was not our fault and were very concerned for our wellbeing. Still we were both highly traumatised.
Avril was more fortunate in Dar. She had her hair “done”

Ray driving; 499 km; Would have been 9.5 hrs; S 030 24’ 35.2’’ E 0290 20’ 53.1’’

Day 35 – 23/2/13
In the morning Ray and Gabrielle went back to the police station to meet the District Chief. He quickly reviewed the case and sent us on our way. Many thanks to Stephen again for assisting with everything and making a very stressful situation a bit easier.
The drive from Iringa to Mbeya was again very frustrating. This section had lots of road works to compliment the village speed restrictions. 5.5 hrs for the 330 kms.
We met Avril at the Precision Air office and the helpful folks there organised a taxi to the border. $ 70.
Avril had a stressful morning, nearly missing her flight. There were no English announcements at the domestic Dar airport and the plane to leave 15 min early. Avril had gone to the gate to find the steps removed and the plane engines running. After much pleading, they allowed her on the flight.
The drive to the border was much less stressful than the preceding days - through lush hills, fertile valleys and a final descent to the floor of the Rift valley. The area has extensive agriculture, lots of bananas and avocados.
Tanzania formalities were very quickly completed. We did have to pay road tax of $25 as we had exceeded the 7 day grace period.

Tanzania Summary
We had a great time in Tanzania. We found the tourism industry to be professional, helpful and of a high standard. We found it relatively easy to find camping accommodation where needed. The game parks were great and Mafia Island very relaxing
There was little opportunistic begging and on the whole, the people were friendly and tried to assist.
The continual police road blocks were tiring. At a lot of the road blocks the police try to fine you for any excuse. In the majority of cases you can argue your way out of this, but each time takes at least 5 min and over a day this can add up to a frustrating delay.
In general the roads are in good condition, however there are many speed humps, not only in villages but also to slow traffic on sharp bends, steep inclines etc.
The Bradt guide is only just OK. It remains a big challenge to get the prices quoted in the guide. 5/10
Again we used the Reise Knowhow map and found the distances were understated. 4/10

Malawi

Day 1 – 23/2/13
We had a very simple crossing into Malawi. Yellow fever innoculation certificates were checked and then a wonderful surprise – there is no entry fee!
We quickly hired a car to drive Ray to Chitimba Beach ($ 70).
We did not realise that there was a 1 hr time change in Malawi, so even though we underestimated the travel time we arrived at the Chitimba Beach Camp at ~ 19:00. The owner, Eddy, warmly greeted us and even though the kitchen was officially closed, they made us some wonderful hamburgers for dinner. Oh, and they did have cold beer!
We were surprised by the number of people walking and cycling along the road. Malawi has ~ 17 m people in a, by Australian standards, very small country. So, there are people everywhere and the countryside is all given to agriculture.
The asphalt road was in good condition

Ray then Avril  driving; 359 km; 6 hrs; S 030 24’ 35.2’’ E 0290 20’ 53.1’’




Day 2 – 24/2/13
A relaxing day. Ray needed to do a little work and so the girls took a stroll along the beach. Then we walked into the local hamlet to try and find some vegetables. The only veggies on sale were tomatoes and onions – no greens. We chatted to a roadside food stall man and he volunteered to make us some potato leaves for greens. We were a little unsure but he assured us they would taste great. So we paid our money for later delivery and walked back to the accommodation.
We spent the afternoon at the beach. As promised our potato leaf dish was delivered. They had been cooked with onions and a little tomato and oil and tasted delicious.
Dinner was bratwurst from Denmark, dehydrated potato from the UK (which has improved greatly), salad from Tanzania and potato leaves from Malawi.



Day 3 – 25/2/13
It had rained most of the night but fortunately the morning was clear. The day before we had negotiated for a car to take us to Livingstonia. When it turned up it turned out to be a very small Toyota. We managed to fit in reasonably comfortably. The road is very steep with a large number of hairpin bends and it is in extremely poor condition. The vehicle pushed on heroically and our chauffeur knew the limits and drove very slowly and carefully. At one point on the ascent he asked if there had been any rain in the area – the answer was no. Mmmm. As we got closer to the top the road changed to dirt/clay and there had been rain. Lots of rain! We managed to slip and slide our way through some difficult patches and then got completely bogged. Our driver suggested that we get out and push – which we did for a bit. But the mud was flying everywhere, so we decided to walk. We saw a lot of young males running down the hill; our driver made a phone call and these enterprising lads were on their way to push the vehicle.
The driver then decided that, given the road condition, the vehicle could not proceed any further so we decided to walk the rest of the journey to Livingstonia. This decision turned out to be appropriate as the road deteriorated further. As we walked the clay stuck to our feet and we added a few extra cm to our height. We probably walked ~ 2.5 km to the township and then a couple of extra kms in the town. We visited the small local museum and a church before commencing our descent.
On the way down we visited the impressive local Falls.
Ray thought that fresh veggies were available at one of the lodges in the hills. We i.e. in the car, made our way down a very steep access track to a lodge, only to find that veggies were not available. The vehicle could not make the ascent back to the main road with all of us in it (we are not saying who has put on weight with the 3 great meals a day at the Tanzania lodges!!!) so we got out and walked.
We then tried the Mushroom Farm Lodge and they did not have veggies either. We decided to have  some late lunch there. Whilst we were waiting, Ian and Heather, who we had met in Addis, Nth Kenya and Uganda (x2) showed up. We chatted for a bit and then made our way, slowly, down to the floor of the Rift valley again.
With no veggies available locally, we used tinned and dehydrated veggies for dinner!



Day 4 – 26/2/13
We had organised for the driver who had taken us to Livinstonia to also take Ray to Nkhata Bay – whilst the girls drove in the Landcruiser. Again we had to ascend out of the Rift Valley.  It  rained most of the morning. When we could see it, the scenery along the way was grand; rolling hills covered with various shades of green that the different crops give. We stopped off at Mzuzu to get provisions – meat at the Peoples supermarket and to our great delight, fruit and veggies at a local shop. Our hunt for bread was not so successful. We did manage to find a ”brown” loaf at the bakery recommended in the Bradt guide, but not all the other goodies they reported would be available.
We looked for suitable accommodation in Nkhata Bay. The only place that could take our vehicle was the Njaya Camp. But it appeared to be run down. So, after a negotiation with our driver, we proceeded on to Chintheche and a lodge/camp recommended by Eddy. The lodge has changed its name, so it took some time to find and when we got there we found that camping was available, but there were no rooms for Gabrielle. Apparently the camp had been completely closed and was now being renovated.
So, on we drove to Kande Beach. This was not our preferred option as this site has a reputation as THE place for the overland trucks to party.
We did manage to get a nice camp site and a room for Gabrielle.
Our driver decided that he would like to stay with us and transport us to the next location – and that removed one small worry. The taxi for the day cost $ 100.
We had time for a very quick look at the beach before the rain come down.

Avril  driving; 353 km; 7.5 hrs; S 0110 57’ 03.8’’ E 0340 07’ 21.6’’
Ray by taxi

Day 5 – 27/2/13
With the assistance of earplugs, we survived the party night. Actually the partying was not too bad. The compound and local village dogs were the main cause of sleeplessness. Avril got up in the very early hours to try and quieten the dogs – no success.
We spent a relaxing day at the beach, reading and playing Scrabble – Gabrielle won!
In the late afternoon Ian &  Heather arrived from Mushroom Camp. The road to Livingstonia had been so bad they could not make it to the village. We shared our dinner with them.

Day 6 – 28/2/13
Another relaxing day. Ray had developed a serious rash on his neck, so we went to the village clinic next to the camp. The doctor thought it was a bite and gave him some cortisone cream. Fingers crossed.
Gabrielle won the Scrabble again and managed a word with all 7 letters!
Avril negotiated with a local chap for some fish for dinner.

Day 7 – 1/3/13
Our Chitimba, our taxi driver had stayed the 3 days waiting for us and drove us the next leg. The route was down the flat area beside Lake Malawi. Past Nkotakota, which whilst it has an exotic name and place in history was now “just” another largish town. We did manage to get some fresh bread there.
The route was not all that scenic and was developed for agriculture most of the way. The road was in very good condition. There were a few police road blocks and we were quickly waved through when there was one.
We drove to Salima and did some shopping. Again, the local market did not have a variety of fresh produce, but we could get enough to manage.
We arrived in the mid afternoon at Cool Runnings, a nice grassed camp site at Senga Bay.
At the camp were a group of fellas from RSA who were riding Vespas to Dublin to raise awareness for the Children’s Hospital in Cape Town. We had sundowners with them over looking Lake Malawi.

Avril  driving; 270 km; 5 hrs; S 130 43’ 50.9’’ E 0340 37’ 08.8’’
Ray by taxi. The driver had decided to stay with us the rest of the journey. $ 100

Day 8 – 2/3/13
A day relaxing, swimming etc. To get some exercise, we went for a long walk to a nearby lodge.

Day 9 – 3/3/13
We did some shopping in Salima on the way to Cape Maclear. There was little fruit & veg around, not much variety (lots of tomatoes) and poor quality.
The drive to Cape Maclear was along a high quality road. The route was quite flat and the way continued to be lined with crops – a lot of maize.
We stayed at the Chembe Eagles Nest and when we arrived we met up with Ian & Heather. In the afternoon we went for a swim. The  sunset from the rocks beside the camp ground was spectacular.
Avril  driving; 182 km; 4 hrs; S 140 00’ 44.4’’ E 0340 51’ 03.5’’
Ray by taxi again. $ 120



Day 10 – 4/3/13
Gabrielle & Ray went diving at an Island near Cape Maclear and Avril snorkelled at the same site. As we had not dived for some time, so we did a small refresher course. Then we did  one dive at a site called the Rock Garden and another dive in a more protected cover. The visibility was ~ 6 m and we saw an abundance of the Ciclids that are endemic to the area and which are the  reason for its World Heritage listing.
It was very hot in the afternoon and we rested in the shade. Then, after another beautiful sunset, we had a BBQ for dinner.





Day 11 – 5/3/13
A day of complete laziness!



Day 12 – 6/3/13
With our taxi driver we left Cape Maclear and (probably) for the last time climbed out of the Rift valley. As always the views across the lake and valley floor were stunning. The drive to Lilongwe was through rolling hills and appeared to be quite lush. The whole route was dedicated to agriculture. Again, the road was high quality and for the 1st time there was a heavy police presence monitoring road rules.
We arrived into Lilongwe at the midday rush hour and after a bit of trial and error found Annies Lodge in Area 47.
In the afternoon we went into the Old Town for a snack and looked at the supermarkets.
In the evening, Gabrielle’s last night with us we went to a very nice Italian restaurant, Mama Mias.

Avril  driving; 222 km; 4 hrs; S 0130 57’ 18.4’’ E 0330 46’ 03.4’’



Day 13 – 7/3/13
We had time in the morning for one last scrabble game – Ray won. Then it was off to the airport and a sad farewell to Gabrielle. After dropping her off, we did a bit of shopping (to spend our last Malawi Kwacha and set off for Zambia.
The road was in good condition. The countryside did not appear to be as fertile as other areas in Malawi.
The Malawi formalities were completed very quickly and efficiently.

Malawi Summary
It was great to have Gabrielle with us for this section of the trip. The Malawian roads were generally excellent, with the exception of the Livingstonia road. There was only a minor amount of begging – not enough to be annoying. However, we were mainly in established camp grounds a lot of the time. Our accommodation was generally good.
We are now definitely on the big truck overland route. A lot of the camp sites had these massive vehicles with, generally, folks in their 20s – 30s. The partying was not too excessive, but did cause some sleep deprivation.
The Riese Know How map was OK, again the mileages being a big error. 5/10
The Bradt guide, 2010 edition, was dated (did they really update in the 2010??) with camp grounds closed or not suitable for vehicles etc. In addition, the prices were way out of touch with reality.