Travel log Malawi, first passage
Wednesday 09-08 (650 km)
A day not likely to be forgotten, but that we do not know yet. Although Remigius is travelling really light, we need to repack the car and as a result we leave some of our luggage at the lodge. The staff is pleased with the unexpected gift. At the border we pass Zambian immigration and customs without problems. Since we have no Malawian pulas, we try the exchange bureau but that is closed. The custom officer is so kind to introduce us to a reliable money changer and whilst we are negotiating the rate, a Zambian plain cloth policeman arrives on the scene and arrests us for illegal money changing. The whole thing is a farce, because there are dozens of money changers openly doing business and the police is not at least interested. Remigius is less adamant than we are and keeps arguing with the policeman. After 10 minutes the guy gives up. We pass Malawian immigration and customs without any problems and hit the road for Dedza, where our Lonely Planet guide mentions some not too expensive guesthouses. The roads are excellent, there is a lot of activity along the road and people are relatively well dressed and look well fed. Quite a difference with the apparently desolate situation in Zambia. At midday we arrive in Malawi’s political capital: Lilongwe. We change some more money there, buy fresh supplies in a supermarket and have lunch. Then, over some beautiful mountain roads, we continue our voyage to Dedza. Here, we discover that some of the guesthouses mentioned in our guides do not exist any longer. Others are incredibly dirty and smelly. At 17.30 we decide to try and make it to Blantyre, another 250 km. We fill all the tanks - petrol here is about half the price of that in Zambia - put on our head lights and leave Dedza. The road is good but narrow and has no markings. Pedestrians, ox charts, bicycles, goats, cattle and God knows what else is on the road whilst Paul tries to maintain a cruising speed of 80 km. Oncoming 20-tonnes lorries either cannot or will not dip their head lights and Paul is frequently forced to switch on his two 200 Watt front search lights in defence. Occasionally we are overtaken by heavy lorries driving at breakneck speed. After an hour, I am sweated through completely and decide to move to the left side of the car and to close my eyes. At least here I can pretend that it is safer. I have fallen asleep when Paul suddenly hits his brakes with full force and switches on the roof rack search lights. A row of big stones across the road comes near at an alarming speed. Luckily Wa Bashasha’s (3 tonnes) brakes and tyres only squeal but the car does not skid. Some 3 metres before we hit the stones, Paul has manoeuvred the car on the road shoulder, which luckily is not steep, and seconds later we have passed the stones. We are all shaken and wonder what would have happened if we had driven into the stones. A nasty accident for sure, but probably a robbery as well, since the stones did not come on the road by themselves. In the pitch dark, we are twice stopped by armed military. The first time we are let through the road block without a problem. The second time, the soldier addressing us is stone drunk and eventually demands to inspect our bags. Remigius loses his patience and bellows “BAGS???”. The poor boy is completely taken aback and waves us through. It is almost 22.00 hours when we enter Blantyre. No streetlights and very few people on the road. Eventually we manage to find our guesthouse, but that is fully booked and so are all the others we try. It is almost 24.00 hours before we have booked a room for Remigius in the Protea Hotel and found a room for ourselves in the Victoria Hotel. No room service in our place, so we turn in hungry.
Thursday 10-08 (30 km)
Still hungry, we wake up in our executive suite and have a lousy breakfast in a run down dining room. US$ 150 all inclusive. There is just one word for it: plain robbery!
When we pick up Remigius in the Protea Hotel (South African Hotel Chain) it appears that last night he had to pay US$ 200 in advance before getting the key to his single room. Paul burns a fuse and goes to the reception to find the manager. This South African gentleman explains that it is Protea’s policy to demand advance payment. Paul suspects that advance payment is only demanded from stray African guests and says so. The ensuing argument is unpleasant! We only have one advise for those travelling Africa on business: avoid the Protea Hotels. They are bad value for money and are “selective” with respect to advance payments. Earlier in the morning, Paul had once more scanned all our travel guides and found the Kabula Lodge almost in the centre of Blantyre. When we arrive there, we find a clean place with an attractive garden and terraces overlooking Blantyre with views on distant mountains. We decide to rent two double rooms with toilet and shower en suite, with an option for a third one when Roald arrives, and meet the Greek owner, his Malawian wife and their sons. Friendly and pleasant people and we soon feel at home and unpack the car. At night we have dinner at the lodge and then turn in early.
Friday 11-08 (10 km)
Wa Bashasha is in need of servicing (last time it was done in Rehoboth in Nambia six weeks ago) and the owner of Kabula Lodge brings Paul to a small garage. The place is owned by a Mauritian guy, Allan Bonhomme, and Paul is confident that his car will be serviced well. The owner of the Kabula Lodge shows Paul around Blantyre and it is almost 15.00 hours before they are back in the guesthouse. Remigius and I use the time to discuss the Mbande Clinic Project. Later in the afternoon we pick up the car, which is now ready for one of the most adventurous parts of our Africa Road Tour: the long way to Luabo at the mouth of the Zambezi River in Mozambique. Later at night, we hear about the foiled bomb plot at Heathrow and the resulting chaos at most of the European airports. We wonder whether Roald will make it to Blantyre and whether he will be able to carry Wa Bashasha’s much needed spare parts: the brackets for the window-chassis connection and a spare fuel pump. We phone Roald and, apart from his connection in Johannesburg, he is optimistic. So, we will wait until tomorrow.
Saturday 12-08 (75 km)
We are all relieved when, shortly after 10.00 hours, Roald phones that he will make the Joburg-Blantyre connection in time. At 12.00 hours we are at Blantyre International Airport. It is much smaller than Eindhoven Airport, dirty, full of peoples and with unfriendly staff. The Joburg plane arrives 20 minutes early and Roald is the first, carrying hand luggage only, to pass immigration and customs. After lunch at the airport restaurant we drive back to the lodge. Half way on a steep hill, Paul gets caught behind a heavy lorry and after 15 minutes at a crawling speed, Wa Bashasha’s engine stalls because of fuel starvation. When Paul gets out of the car cursing, a pick up has already stopped and the Malawian driver asks Paul in perfect dutch “is alles goed?”. Completely perplexed, Paul answers in English that all is under control and that the car will start again in a couple of minutes. As it turns out, the Malawian is married to a Dutch wife and has lived for more than 10 years in the Netherlands. His Dutch is impeccable and we invite him and his family to the lodge next day. To our surprise, the Greek owner of the lodge has arranged a candle light and wine dinner for us - in honour of Roald’s arrival - and we listen to his interesting stories about the “early days” in Malawi. We are all tired and turn in early.
Sunday 13-08 (50 km)
To day: tourist day! Early in the morning we visit the old Scottish Mission Cathedral (Anglican) and marvel at its size and the mixtures of styles. Building such a structure in the wilderness of Africa in the 19th century must have been quite an achievement. Just when we arrive, the service has ended and all the parishers emerge. Suddenly we are addressed by a Malawian woman, who asks where we come from. When we say “Holland” she smiles and tells us that she liked her collaboration with HIVOS (Humanitair Instituut Voor Ontwikkelingssamenwerking) there! It is a small world indeed. She introduces us to the vicar and to our utter surprise this appears to be a Dutch gentleman who, with his family, has been living in Malawi for years. Later that morning we drive along the old Scottish Mission Hospital (now a private clinic) and visit Mandala House (the old settler headquarters). After lunch, whilst repacking the car for the eminent Mozambique adventure, we are visited by the Malawian-Dutch couple and their two children. We have a most pleasant chat and later visit their house and their beautiful collection of Series III Land Rovers! Later that night, the four of us sit on the veranda of the Kubula Lodge and review our Mozambique plans. Our initial route – Blantyre, Villa Nova de Fronteira, Donna Anna bridge over the Zambezi and then on to Marromeu – is still attractive but has two disadvantages. We will not be able to find whatever accommodation in southern Malawi and we have not been able to get confirmation that the Zambezi bridge can be used by vehicles. Some assure us that we can cross the bridge by car, others say it is completely impossible. After some deliberations, we decide to drive a different route: from Blantyre to Mulanje and then on to Mocuba, Quelimane, Mopeia and Luabo. We are aware that we will be driving some of the worst roads in Africa and that it is highly uncertain whether we can find any accommodation in Luabo.
Monday 14-06 (165 km)
Leaving part of our luggage at the Kabula Lodge (after Mozambique we will return there) we head for Mulanje. The road is excellent and we find the dirt road to the Mountain Reserve Lodge without any problems. The road is bad and very steep and Wa Bashasha plays her favourite trick on us again: the engine stalls because of fuel starvation. We block her wheels with boulders and wait for 10 minutes. Then the engine roars to life again. At the lodge we have a disappointment: fully booked. A group of Dutchmen! We drive back to Mulanje and find the Kara O’Mula Lodge. In this former colonial Assistant District Commissioner’s house we find three comfortable rooms. In the afternoon, we drive through the tea estates and buy supplies for Mozambique on the local market. After dinner, when we leave through the guestbook, we discover that we are not the only retired colonials travelling Africa in search of the past, present and future. A year before us, the sister of the Assistant District Commissioner of Mulanje had visited Kara O’Mula, to see back the house where she had her wedding reception in 1961! What are we to find back in Luabo, if anything?
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