Malawi: falling in love with the warm heart of Africa

Posted on 12 July 2011

The drive into Malawi wasn’t without its hiccups but arrival in the small friendly country made ten hours in the car and a nasty fine all worthwhile.

Trouble in transit

‘No more talking! You pay now!’

The man with the AK47 wasn’t interested in taking pity on us and we weren’t stupid enough to push him. We were 15 kilometres from Tete in Mozambique, making our way from Zimbabwe (Harare) through the Tete Corridor to get into Malawi. We’d been pulled over at a police checkpoint. Comfortable with the regular procedure of having our papers checked, I didn’t see any cause for concern. Alas, we made the tragic mistake of misreading the expiry date on our third party insurance – purchased on our entrance into Mozambique just over 30 days earlier. That ‘just over’ (two days) cost us a cruel 10 000 Meticais (we ended up paying R2500, more than the conversion rate but unavoidable, as we had no Mozambican currency). We paid the man and drove off, hot and irritated.

Smile and the world smiles with you

Unlike the aggressive approach common amongst Mozambican police, Malawians are a kind and friendly people. The authorities at the Malawian border greeted us with broad, honest smiles – curious about our travels and happy to welcome us into their country. Our frustration over the fine quickly dissipated as the warmth of Malawians enveloped us. All the way from the border post to Zomba, we were greeted by waving pedestrians – of which there were plenty. Malawi is a tiny country with a population of 15 000 000, so you are unlikely to find a section of main road without people. Far from stirring discomfort, this unceasing human presence is a joy simply because Malawians are a joy. ‘Welcome to the warm heart of Africa,’ James looked to me and said, his smile stretching to reflect those around us.

Zomba Plateau

We spent a relatively expensive night at Annie’s Lodge in Zomba, exhausted from the long drive and unwilling to set up camp in the dark. The beds were comfortable, we had secure parking and the price included a buffet breakfast – all the convincing we needed to fork out MK9500 for the night  (the current conversion rate is about 22 Kwacha to the Rand). Ignoring fuel (about R10 for a litre of diesel, slightly more for petrol), Malawi is a budget-seeker’s dream. After Annie’s, we spent three nights on Ku Chawe Trout Farm at just MK600 a person a night (less than R30). Located atop the Zomba Plateau, Ku Chawe is one of the best campsites I’ve stayed in. Surrounded by sky-high cedar pines and bordered by a fast flowing stream with crisp, clean water, it is cool during the day and pleasantly cold at night (snuggling into your sleeping bag is a luxury not often afforded in these parts). There are beautiful hikes you can take, starting from the campsite, and the drive up offers sterling panoramic views of Zomba and its hilly surrounds. Men selling bowls full of golden gooseberries and bloody raspberries – mountain picked – are always around as one nears the top. Cheap and sumptuous.

One for the bucket list

The windy road up the plateau is about nine kilometres long – a road that the Zomba Plateau Lumberjacks know all too well. Don’t assume that they are all men – quite the contrary. One woman in particular captured our amazement. We saw her every afternoon walking barefoot down the steep decline, carrying the wood she’d collected that day. Her load looked twice her weight and stuck out two or so metres on either side of her head. Her small body didn’t buckle. She walked upright, neck straight – the bundle of logs balancing perfectly on the crown of her head. Despite her load and intent focus on keeping it steady, she always spared us a glance. Had her hands not been full, I suspect she would have waved. It is this amiability and optimism, in the face of obvious hardship, that makes Malawi a must-see country.

Contact

Annie’s Lodge

Tel +265-991-127-927/ +265-212-953-179
Email [email protected]
Web www.annieslodge.com






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