Pedalling through Malawi – Eat cheap,drink big!

Posted on 10 June 2009

Many times on the long road north we have had the overland trucks coming past us. The waves from the foreigners always edging us on to get to the next destination.

“Hope they stopping in Kande. They looked like a fun bunch!”, was my comment to Marc while pushing the pedals.

It was not long and we were enjoying the company of fellow travelers over an iced cold Carlsberg green. Overlander groups generally stick to themselves, but we managed to get on with the gang in Kande.

We had Seb, a Welshman, and Jocelyn, a lovely girl from Canada, come over to our tents and insist we join them for drinks at the bar. After being cycling two and half hours, to have a strangers welcome you and just be open and friendly, is a God send.

Our time in Kande Beach would have been an absolute blast had we not underestimated our budget from Lilongwe.

We had to budget everything from our lunches to our drinks. No ATM’s everywhere in Malawi. Our salvation was only in Nkhata Bay, 70kilometers away. So thankfully we were already hardened to market foods and budget dining.

Without a doubt we were budgeting like true South African boys and ate cheap, while drinking where the party was.

Catching a lift over the treacherous sand road in the morning to Kande village for fresh papaya and our staple honey and grease balls. Grease balls, unless I haven’t mentioned this before, and if I have, it will be the last, are mini vetkoeks.

The rules when buying them is, firstly smell them. Secondly, buy one as a taster. Thirdly, ask the price again after your taster. The rules are never complete without the obligatory smile, it will always lower the vendors price.

Rule one will save you a terrible snack, because, some of them are fried in fish oil. Rule two will save you the agony of eating a sandy vetkoek. Rule three is just for the simple reason that you will be ripped off if you don’t ask again. Malawians are to honest, keeping a straight face while lying is not in their nature.

They are cheap and cheerful, perfectly suited for our mission. Laden with oil and carbohydrates, we have them for brunch and burn them off. Africa’s available pasta. After our stay we caught our ride with our good friend, a doctor called Nick to the main road. A good friend when traveling in Africa is the person you speak to and share a drink. Share a meal, you are brothers. Share a bed, you are married.

We have met so many friends, gained family and turned down the opportunities of marriage. We got to Nkhata Bay broke.






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