The journey from the town of Cuemba in Mozambique to the town of Zomba in Malawi was a extremely convoluted one. We took a small chappa from Cuemba to the border town of Mandimba where we were swarmed with guy wanting us to exchange our money on the black market. We didn’t have extremely much to modification as well as the whole scene was method as well stressful so we left ideal away.

We each hopped on the back of a motorbike with our bags strapped to our backs while our motorists navigated the sandy, bumpy road to the actual border crossing. We both made it there in one piece, stamped out of Mozambique, hopped in the box of a pick-up truck that took us the 5kms or so to the Malawi side of the border crossing. We stamped in (after some extremely frustrating as well as uncomfortable conversations with the border guard), got in the box of a flatbed truck with a lot of other people as well as really hoped for the best!

Goats On The road in the back of a pick-up truck, the normal method to travel in Malawi

As it would turn out, this was the normal method of getting around Malawi. After an uneasy 2 hours in the back of the truck, we changed to a matatu (the name for the Malawi version of the chappa) as well as drove for about 5 hours before lastly showing up in Zomba town in the evening. Pheww! rather the travel day.

We were both exhausted as well as after inspecting in to our space we set out to the bank as well as then for some Indian food. At the bank, we had a scare…our ATM card did not work. We tried every bank in town as well as none of them accepted our card. A moderate panic assault set in as we called TD bank as well as tried to figure out what to do.

As it would turn out, our card works anywhere else in the world except for Malawi! Luckily, we had some options. We utilized the Mastercard for that withdrawal as well as the complying with morning we were able to exchange a few of the us dollars we had been bring around for 7 months. When travelling, it’s absolutely crucial to have different sources of money available.

We were in Zomba town to do some hiking on the lovely plateau overlooking the town. We got a trip as much as the top as well as arranged for a regional guide to take us around the plateau for the day, which [turned out to be] a great concept as we would have absolutely got lost along the way. The walk was extremely great as well as extremely steep in parts. The truth that we had done nothing athletic in Mozambique for a month started to show when we were virtually dying climbing up a hill as well as we looked over at our guide (who was using sandals as well as wasn’t drinking water) as well as saw hadn’t even broke a sweat.

views from atop the Zomba Plateau, Malawi

us as well as our regional guide, hiking the Zomba Plateau, Malawi
a lovely lake on our hike with the Zomba Plateau, Malawi

We passed by lots of regional guy bring at least 80 pounds of wood on their heads, as well as doing it barefoot. They climb as much as the plateau everyday to gather this wood which will supply their household with heating as well as indicates of terminate for cooking. Amazing. The hike ended at a lovely waterfall as well as we cooled ourselves off for a bit before heading back down the mountain. one of the very best parts of Zomba was the fresh, wild raspberries, mulberries as well as strawberries that grow around these parts. We gotten bags full of delicious, fresh fruit as well as ate up until our mouths were discolored purpley pink.

man bring a extremely heavy tons of wood on his head, Zomba Plateau, Malawi

From Zomba Town, we took a matatu to Monkey Bay, changed over to the back of a pick up truck (which they phone call a matola) as well as rode for an hour in the insanely crammed box of the truck all the method to the lakeside, backpackers haunt of Cape Maclear. people were standing, people were sitting on the floor of the box, people were sitting on the edge of the box as well as all of the luggage was piled anywhere possible.

The location we wished to stay at in Cape Maclear [turned out to be] outrageously expensive, much a lot more than our guidebook had stated so we went additionally down the beach. We discovered the best place. Malambe Camp is had by a extremely wonderful English lady who treats her workers relatively as well as the food created from the kitchen area is delicious.

To be honest, we were dissatisfied with Cape Maclear. perhaps a great deal of it had to make with timing. We were there during a significant fuel, food as well as water shortage in the country, because of the political unrest. Also, we were expecting a crystal clear, turquoise lake, best for swimming. What we saw was nothing like that. The lake had been ruined in this area by the regional village.

Everyone would bath in the water, laundry their dishes in the water, throw garbage into the lake as well as the geese as well as dogs frequented the shores. The kicker was when we saw a regional guy bring a dead goat to the shoreline as well as proceed to rip out the organs as well as clean the goat in the water. maybe our expectations of the lake were as well high?

All things aside, the close-by village was outstanding as well as we spent a lot of of our time checking out that part of the lakeside area, enjoying soccer matches as well as satisfying the smiling regional people. We did have one excellent day there when we rented a kayak as well as paddled our method out to an island in the middle of the lake. The waters available were remove as can be with colourful cichlid fish swimming around. We snorkelled as well as took pleasure in the afternoon there before returning home.

us with our kayak, Cape Maclear, Lake Malawi
Dariece snorkelling near an island off of Cape Maclear, Lake Malawi

We made a decision to leave Cape Maclear after 3 days as well as try our luck at Monkey Bay…and are sure thankful we did! We stayed at Mufasa, an environment-friendly lodge set on its own personal bay, without any village around. We spent 4 days there just swimming in the remove water, jumping off boulders into the lake as well as falling asleep to the seems of hippos grunting in the close-by pond.

jumping off the boulders at Monkey Bay, Malawi

enjoying the remove waters at Monkey Bay, Malawi
We satisfied a truly great German person there as well as a South African family. Unfortunately, on day 4, Nick as well as I started feeling a bit ill to our stomachs. thankfully mine passed by the next day however Nick’s sickness just got worse. He had a extremely high fever, was achy as well as the whole night was spent trying to keep his fever down as well as having to pass the hippo pond in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom!

The complying with morning, the owner took Nick on the back of his motorbike to the “private clinic” in town. Ha! There was mould on the walls of this center as well as the person running the location didn’t have any type of supplies, including a malaria test.

Useless.

So, back on the bike Nick got (while I walked in the 30 degree warm behind them) all the method to the government hospital. What a joke that was. Line ups of people, all very ill looking as well as no malaria tests – as well as absolutely not a clean place. Back on the bike once again with a horrible fever, achy, weak, tummy cramping…all in all, a truly poor situation!

We made the decision to go back to Cape Maclear since there was a little center there which was run by Irish volunteers as well as we figured they would have medication. The hour trip there was hell for Nick as well as we inspected into the location we had discarded the very first time there-Fat Monkeys. It had a shower room inside the room, electrical energy (aka, a fan) as well as was a much a lot more comfortable location for him.

The whole day was a gong show. We had to wait up until 2:00 for the center to open up as well as then realized that it was quite far from our hotel…and there was no method Nick might make everything the method there. There’s no automobiles in the area however there was a person from Slovakia staying at the hotel so I asked him to drive Nick on his motorbike to the clinic.

So, off he went again! most likely nothing worse than bouncing around on the back of a motorbike, in 30 degree heat, when you’re feeling that ill, however there was no other options. We both breathed a sigh of relief when we went into the extremely small, extremely fundamental center as well as saw all the smiling Irish faces.

They did the normal routine concerns as well as temperature & blood pressure tests as well as wrapped up that he “most likely didn’t have malaria” …they only had the finger prick tests, not the slide tests, however the primary final thought was that he had a serious tummy infection. We left the center as well as were able to get a trip part method in the ambulance, however not all the method since of the fuel shortage in Malawi at the moment, they needed to save the petrol for an emergency!

Seriously, one thing after one more with this country. We were provided all kind of pills as well as medications as well as the next 4 nights were spent swallowing pills as well as recuperating.

Nick cooking sausages at Monkey Bay, potentially what got him so sick!

The English owners of Fat Monkey are most likely the worst we’ve ever seen on our travels. The couple had domestic disputes during the night that the whole location might hear, she consistently talked down to her African personnel as well as made disrespectful comments as well as was regularly yelling at them for no other reason than to assert her authority. She was such an unpleasant person to be around as well as we avoided her in any way costs.

Unfortunately, they have the very best spaces in Cape Maclear so we had to put up with it up until Nick was feeling much better as well as then we might leave. After 4 nights there, we were sooo delighted to return to our extremely basic, extremely great hut at Malambe Camp. The English owner there is so friendly as well as welcoming as well as a lot of importantly, she treats her personnel well.

We settled into our hut as well as satisfied up with some new good friends from all around the world: Finland, England, Paraguay, South Africa as well as Czech Republic. The group of us ended up being good friends as well as hungout during our next 3 nights there, doing whatever from going to a Jewish new Year party, to enjoying regional football matches, to chatting about all of our travels.

us with a few of our new friends, Cape Maclear, Malawi
Nick walking with the villagers to a football game, Cape Maclear, Malawi

football match under the baobab tree, Cape Maclear, Malawi
It was a excellent method to end our time in Cape Maclear. one of the extremely finest things about travelling as well as satisfying new people from around the world is that they provide us concepts about where to go next, or we discover about different methods to make an earnings while overseas. This trip has been extremely eye opening that method as well as we have been provided lots of different tips…hopefully soon we can put them into play!

***Goat Notes:

Try to prevent supporting the improper administration at Fat Monkeys Guesthouse.

Non-hectic, legit money modification is offered at the Mozambique/Malawi border.

Malawi Visa is offered at the border, complimentary of charge, for as much as 30 days (for Canadians, not sure about other countries).

The Billy Riordan center in Cape Maclear is friendly, expert as well as one of the only locations in the area that supplies medications. They fee $80 for a consultation including all medications.

TD Canada depend on bank cards do not work in Malawi.

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