Ø       25^TH AUGUST 2009 – LUSAKA ZAMBIA

AFTER OUR SCRUMPTIOUS ENGLISH BREAKFAST ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF LUSAKA, WE SET OFF IN AN EASTERLY DIRECTION ON THE NEXT PHASE OF OUR GRAND EXPEDITION. TODAY WE HEAD FOR MALAWI AND ONTO THE SHORES OF AFRICA’S BIGGEST LAND LOCKED LAKE –“LAKE MALAWI”.  THE DISTANCE FROM LUSAKA TO LILONGWE IN MALAWI IS IN EXCESS OF SIX HUNDRED KILOMETRES AND WE ESTIMATE THE DRIVE WILL TAKE US EIGHT TO NINE HOURS. THE ROUTE WILL TAKE US THROUGH THE LOWER ZAMBEZI NATIONAL PARK, THE TOWNS OF PETAUKA, CHIPATA AND FINALLY INTO THE BOARDER TOWN OF MICHINJI.  WE’VE BEEN TOLD THAT THE ROAD TO MICHINJI IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND THAT WE SHOULD DRIVE WITH EXTREME CARE.

 TWO HOURS AFTER DEPARTING FROM LUSAKA “DIZZY” MANOEUVRED SLOWLY ALONG SOME OF THE MOST SPECTACULAR MOUNTAIN SCENERY IN ZAMBIA.  BIT BY BIT, WE PAINSTAKINGLY TRACKED OUR WAY IN THE DIRECTION OF AFRICA’S LARGEST NATURAL AQUARIUM.

THE CORRIDOR TO THE EAST IS NOT FOR THE TIMID, NERVOUS, OR APPREHENSIVE 4 X 4 ENTHUSIAST. MARRED WITH POT HOLES AND LONG AND EXHAUSTIVE DETOURS THIS “TRACK” WILL ADD SEVERAL HOURS ONTO YOUR TRIP. THE ROUTE RUNS ALONG SIDE THE BORDER OF ZIMBABWE AND THE “GREAT” ZAMBEZI RIVER AND IS RICH WITH FLORA, FAUNA, AND BIRD LIFE IS PROLIFIC. SADLY, THE CENTRAL AND NORTH WEST REGIONS OF ZAMBIA DO NOT SHARE THE SAME BEAUTY AS THE EASTERN PARTS OF ZAMBIA.

THE SUN HAD LONG GONE AND DARKNESS HAD COVERED THE HORIZON AS “DIZZY” SCRAPPED AND WRESTLED HER WAY INTO THE SMALL DUSTY TOWN OF CHIPATA, WITHOUT A MOAN OR GROAN. THIS WILL BE OUR STOP OVER POINT TONIGHT - WE WILL RELAX IN THE COMFORT OF MAMA-RULA’S CAMPSITE. AFTER NINE HOURS ON THE ROAD AND DEAD BEAT, WE PARKED “DIZZY” AND HEADED FOR MAMA- RULU’S PUB AND RESTAURANT, SHARED A GREAT MEAL TOGETHER AND TURNED IN FOR AN EARLY NIGHT.

Ø        26^TH AUGUST 2009 – CHIPATA ZAMBIA

TODAY, WE WILL NEED TO RUN A FEW IMPORTANT ERRANDS IN CHIPATA, SUCH AS GETTING A COMESA YELLOW CARD FOR INSURANCE. ITS CHEAPER TO GET THE INSURANCE FOR ALL THE AFRICAN COUNTRIES NOW, AS OPPOSE TO BUYING IT AT EACH BORDER. CHIPATA IS A LIVELY AND FRIENDLY LITTLE TOWN AND BOASTS A NUMBER OF BARS, CAFE’S, PETROL STATIONS AND BANKS. WE HAVE ALSO BEEN TOLD THAT THIS DUSTY SETTLEMENT IS A BASE FROM WHICH TO VENTURE INTO THE SOUTH LUANGWA NATIONAL PARK.

AFTER SPENDING AN HOUR CLEARING PASSPORT CONTROL “DIZZY” BOUNCED CHEERFULLY ACROSS THE BORDER IN THE DIRECTION OF LILONGWE - MALAWI.

GOODBYE ZAMBIA – HELLO MALAWI

SUMMARY – ZAMBIA

ZAMBIA IS A VAST COUNTRY, FRIENDLY AND PEACEFUL, THAT OFFERS WILDLIFE AND CULTURAL ENCOUNTERS. WHILE LUSAKA IS THE COUNTRY’S CAPITAL, LIVINGSTONE, JUST TEN KILOMETRES FROM THE FALLS, IS MORE WELL KNOWN TO TRAVELLERS AS THE “ADVENTURE CAPITAL” OFFERING ADRENALIN PACKED ACTIVITIES ON AND AROUND THE FALLS AND ZAMBEZI RIVER.

THERE ARE SOME STUNNING AREAS IN ZAMBIA THAT OUTSIDERS RARELY GET TO SEE. FOR OVER LANDERS ZAMBIA CAN BE A CHALLENGE – DISTANCE BETWEEN MAJOR TOWNS AND ATTRACTIONS IS LARGE AND GETTING AROUND TAKES TIME AND PATIENCE. HOWEVER, FOR MANY THE CHALLENGE IS PART ZAMBIA’S APPEAL. SO, IF YOU LIKE TO TRAVEL AND ENJOY THE RAW EDGE AND AN AFRICA WITH FEW TOURISTS, ZAMBIA IS THE PLACE YOU ARE LOOKING FOR.

WOULD WE VISIT ZAMBIA AGAIN – CERTAINLY?

WELCOME – MALAWI

Ø       26^TH AUGUST 2009 – MALAWI

WELCOME TO MALAWI!  WE HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT MALAWI IS THE “WARM HEART” OF AFRICA – “THE LAKE OF STARS” – IT ALL SEEMS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE, BUT WE’LL ACCEPT IT AS SUCH, AND HOPE  THAT MALAWI WILL LIVE UP TO ITS REPUTATION - WITH STUNNING AND VARIED SCENERY AND UTTERLY FRIENDLY LOCALS,  WE ARE HERE TO TRAVEL AROUND AND INVESTIGATE THIS “GREAT AFRICAN” LAKE.

NATURALLY, MALAWI’S BIG DRAW CARD IS THE LAKE – A MAGNIFICENT SLICE OF CRYSTAL WATER STRETCHING SOME 500KM ALONG MALAWI’S EASTERN BORDER, SEPARATING IT FROM THE WILD AND THE COAST OF MOZAMBIQUE AND TANZANIA. VILLAGES PEPPER THE LAKE SHORE AND THE BEAUTIFUL LILONGWE NATIONAL PARK. I’VE ALSO BEEN TOLD THAT AROUND 500 SPECIES OF FISH INHABIT THE LAKE, AND THAT THE FRESHWATER DIVING AND SNORKELLING BY ALL ACCOUNTS IS EXCELLENT.

MALAWI IS NOT JUST FOR WATER BABIES AND SUN WORSHIPPERS LIKE US. MALAWI HAS PLENTY TO OFFER THE OUTDOOR ENTHUSIAST WITH ITS SURPRISING DIVERSE LANDSCAPE – LET’S HEAD

 FOR THE MISTY HEIGHTS OF MT MULANJE OR TAKE YOU TO THE NYIKA PLATUE, WHERE WE WILL FIND SHEER ESCARPMENTS, DYNAMIC PEAK, ENDLESS ROLLING GRASSLANDS AND SOME OF THE MOST ENJOYABLE HIKING ROUTES IN THE WHOLE OF AFRICA.

FOLLOW US AS WE TAKE TIME TO EXPLORE THE HIGHLAND WILDNESS, DIVE AND SWIM IN THE LAKE WATERS AND SOAK UP THE WARMTH OF THE PEOPLE OF MALAWI – WE FEEL SO BLESSED TO BE HERE! 

Ø       26^TH AUGUST 2009 –LILONGWE  MALAWI

WE ONLY MANAGED TO CROSS OVER INTO MALAWI AT TEN O’CLOCK YESTERDAY MORNING - JANE HAD A TROUBLE-FREE EXPERIENCE CHECKING “DIZZY” OUT OF ZAMBIA AND INTO MALAWI.  AFTER CLEARING CUSTOMS, WE EASED, “DIZZY” TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WHERE WE BOTH MADE LAST MINUTE CELL PHONE CALLS TO ALL OUR CONTACTS BACK HOME, BEFORE DARTING OFF IN THE DIRECTION OF LILONGWE.

WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY RE-ASSURED OF OUR PAINLESS EXIT FROM ZAMBIA INTO MALAWI,

 WE BOLDLY POINTED “DIZZY’ IN AN EASTERLY DIRECTION AND YET AGAIN, JANE PROVIDED US WITH A MORNING OF OFF/ON-ROAD ENTERTAINMENT. THE TRIP WAS NIPPY AND EFFORTLESS AND ONLY TOOK ‘DIZZY” TWO HOURS TO GET INTO THIS SMALL MALAWIAN CITY, SOME 160KM FROM ITS NEIGHBOUR.

LILONGWE IS HARDLY AWASH WITH EXCITEMENT. THIS SLEEPY LITTLE CITY, THAT WHILE PERFECTLY RAW AND RURAL, IS NOT PARTICULAR INTERESTING OR MEMORABLE. THE QUITE BUZZ OF THE OLD TOWN, WITH IT’S CRAFT STALLS, MARKETS AND DRINKING HOLES IS AT ITS HEART OF THE TOWN, AND THIS IS WHERE YOU ARE LIKELY TO SPEND MOST OF YOUR TIME. THE MORE MODERN CITY CENTRE HAS LITTLE TO OFFER.

WITH LITTLE TO DO IN LILONGWE EXCEPT TO REFUEL “DIZZY” AND TO GET A FEW PROVISIONS WE SIMPLY MADE A SWIFT EVALUATION OF THE TOWN AS A WHOLE AND DECIDED TO DRIVE DIRECTLY TO THE LAKE.

Ø       26^{TH -}  31^st AUGUST 2009 – CAPE MACLEAR  MALAWI

CAPE MACLEAR SITS ON A SCENIC JUT OF LAND AT THE SOUTHERN END OF THE LAKE, WITH THE ENTHRALLING DOMWE AND THUMBI ISLANDS ANCHORED OFFSHORE. WE HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT CAPE MACLEAR IS A TRAVELLERS “BYWORD” FOR SUN, SAND, REST AND RELAXATION. THIS SMALL PIECE OF PARADISE IS PART OF THE LAKE’S NATIONAL PARK, ONE OF THE FEW FRESHWATER AQUATIC PARKS IN AFRICA. LASTLY, WE ALSO BEEN TOLD THAT THERE ARE A GOOD RANGE OF HIKES AND WALKS IN THE AREA.

WE PUSHED “DIZZY” HARD TO MAKE CAPE MACLEAR BEFORE THE SUN WAS ABOUT TO SET ON ANOTHER GORGEOUS “AFRICAN” HORIZON. WE REACHED MONKEY BAY AT 5.30PM, TURNED OFF ONTO A DUSTY TRACK IN THE DIRECTION OF CAPE MACLEAR AND ONTO OUR CAPE SITE - FAT MONKEY. FAT MONKEY IS ALMOST 18KM OFF THE MAIN ROAD  TAR ROAD. THE LAST 18KMS IS A DIRT ROAD THAT IS CORRUGATED ALMOST ALL OF THE WAY AND LIES 1KM EAST OF CAPE  MACLEAR’S VILLAGE CENTRE.

WE HAVE ALSO BEEN MADE AWARE THAT FAT MONKEY IS A GREAT CAMPING SITE AIMED FOR THE MOST PART AT OVER LANDERS. FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT NEED A LITTLE MORE COMFORT, ROOMS ARE AVAILABLE. THE GREAT THING ABOUT FAT MONKEYS, IS THAT ITS RIGHT ON THE BEACH WITH HOT SHOWERS AND A LOVELY RESTAURANT AND BAR ON THE BEACH. THE PIZZAS ARE GREAT AND ALL THE FOOD IS HOME MADE SO  BE PREPARED TO WAIT!

“DIZZY” NOSED INTO FAT MONKEY AS DARKNESS FELL ON THE VILLAGE AND THE LAKE WAS AWASH WITH THE REFLECTION OF A MILLION STARS – THIS HAS TO BE HEAVEN!