Heading North in Malawi
Today, April 14th, I headed out to go north and see a few more things before I need to leave Malawi. Julie is very busy with the conference and all the interviews afterwards, so I couldn’t assist there in any way. She’ll be leaving again on Friday, so there are only a few hours for other things.
The 350-Kilometer Road to Mzuzu
The road to Mzuzu, my first destination, is about 350 kilometers. Most of it is in good condition, though a lot of it is still under construction. That means you’re often driving on a temporary road, and occasionally you have to go over a bypass where they’re constructing a bridge. Generally it’s good enough to pass easily with no need for four-wheel drive, but you still hit some soft spots along the way.
Stunning Mountain Formations
What keeps striking me is the mountains and rock formations that show up along the way. Being from the Netherlands — a flat country — they somehow really catch my attention. There aren’t too many towns along that distance, but it’s always good to stop and buy a little snack or something.
Finding Accommodation in Mzuzu
When I arrived in Mzuzu, I set about finding a place to stay and located a place called Chaya Yay accommodation. It turned out to be not just a guest house — you can also get a self-contained unit where you cook your own meals, as they don’t have restaurant facilities. The access road is very challenging for about a kilometer, not so much for my car, but for most small cars. Yet people manage to make it up that road somehow.
Settling In for the Night
It was a good place to stay. They had Wi-Fi going, which is something I generally rely on. I opted for the self-serve accommodation, so I didn’t need to go out for a meal. Instead, I used my backup plan — emergency food packages I brought when leaving the Netherlands, some from Norway and some from the Netherlands.
Wrapping Up the Day
Altogether it was a successful day, but 350 kilometers is a long drive, especially since you can’t go full speed the whole time. It really takes all day to get there. At least one more step on the journey ahead. Thank you for coming along!
