Leaving the Mushroom Farm Eco Lodge
Still good to be at the Mushroom Farm Eco Lodge. What is fascinating is that there are people also staying there touring Malawi by public transportation. One pair, a couple that teaches at a university in Switzerland, had taken a whole year sabbatical. They teach anthropology and social work, I think in Basel, and they’re basically in Africa taking their time and enjoying themselves. To know that they’d be sitting on the back of a motorbike with all their luggage — that is mind-blowing.
The Steep Descent to Kondowe
I try to use different routes all the time as opposed to seeing the same route twice. Going down to Kondowe, which is on Lake Malawi, the shortest route means going down a very steep hill. It made me think of Sani Pass. I was happy to go down that hill as opposed to coming up. Not that I wouldn’t have made it with the Land Cruiser, but it has some pretty glaring edges you can go over, and it’s okay to take it easy on those routes. Lots of rocks and lots of ruts from the rain, and taking it very slowly was key. I had to take some hairpins, but I made it down very peacefully.
Picking Up Honey Sellers
About halfway down, there was an older couple standing there with buckets and bottles full of honey. They were living somewhere around there and needed a ride to the bottom, which I was happy to provide. They needed to sell the honey because their son needed financial assistance for his studies. English doesn’t go all that far with a lot of the people, but that’s what I got out of it. I’m always happy to be the driver on these trips. We made it down the hill and they got off to find places to sell their honey.
The Jackknifed Fuel Truck
I followed the roads closest to the coast, but I knew I’d have to go back up the hill to Mzuzu even though I wanted to end up in Nkhata Bay. The hill going back up is very long with a lot of traffic. Somewhere halfway there, I encountered a line of trucks waiting. I passed them, and it turned out I didn’t need to wait — but it was devastating what they were waiting for. A fuel truck had jackknifed and was blocking the whole road, likely due to mechanical failure. There was just enough room for small vehicles to squeeze past, and I was able to get through. The line of trucks on the other side probably ended up being more than a kilometer long. I later saw a road grader making its way to help out. At a road stop, the person confirmed they had it covered.
Arriving in Nkhata Bay
I moved on through Mzuzu and then down the road to Nkhata Bay, my end destination for the day. I ended up at the Soul Rebel Lodge and Backpackers. Before exploring, I met a South African rider who came in on a yellow BMW 1250 motorbike — a big bike with a heavy presence. I took a walk around town, then came back for dinner at the lodge.
A Room Over Lake Malawi
The most fun part was ending up in a room that was above the water over Lake Malawi — a real novelty. The suggestion was made that I keep the door to the little deck locked when I wasn’t there, because sometimes people could swing by on their little boats and pay a visit. In the communal area between the buildings and the water, there was a big group of Danish students visiting from another lodge, doing a cooking event. I didn’t speak to too many of them, but it was fun to discover that lively scene.
