The past week or so: Malawi, Mulanje and Zoo Biscuits

So im sitting right now in a little internet cafe in Llongwe, the capital of Malawi. I am alone, my neck is sore and i have a pack of zoo biscuits waiting for me in my tent. Its been a bit of a whirlwind past week or so that got me to this point, so let me quickly explain a bit more. No deep revelations and discoveries  in this post, just a nice update :)

Last time i wrote we had just arrived in Malawi. To start off; my neck is still sore from those crazy 2 days of hitchhiking. I was lying down across the back seat of an off-duty bus we hitched a ride on, when the driver suddenly hit a speed bump. Seeing as buses cant just slow down, and its law that they have to drive over 150km an hours, i was lifted about a meter in the air and think i got whiplash or pulled something, or something like that. Im no doctor. But it hurts when i do anything.

After a day or 2 of chilling in Blantyre and tasting at least one cake from every bakery i could find, we made our way towards Mount Mulanje. We had picked up a very sweet British couple, Sam and Alice, and they were joined us for the great mountain expedition.

I guess the reason i havnt been able to write about Mulanje is because i dont know what to write. Mulanje is the name of the mountain massive in south Malawi. 650 squre kilometers of mountain peaks, trails, valleys and waterfalls. There are about 25 peaks, the highest being Sapitwa at 3002m, but between those are paths and hills and pure beauty. The best thing i can do to describe it is to tell you to watch Lord of the Rings or Jurassic Park. Then picture me there instead of dinosaurs and elves.

We did our food shopping and hired a guide and set out with our packs for 4 days of trekking Mulanje. Day one was a hard climb through thick forests. Our guide, Edwin, must have been the most loverly man you have ever met. He was slightly build but strong as 4oxen, nearing 40, wore green fake crocks for the whole climb, and laughed like Santa. A black, Malawian Santa. My pack weighed about 20kg because i am terrible at packing light. I think its like holocaust mentality or something. "But what if i need 7 different hats and a smart shirt up there?!" It was an incredible day - we swam at fresh ice cold waterfalls and ate peanut butter sandwiches on cliff faces, watching the kilometers and days of empty space below us.

Each night you end up at a little hut somewhere on the mountain. The huts are simple and ill equipt, but feel just like home. We made a big fire, cooked a massive dinner, and all cuddled up on the 3 mattresses to save body heat and avoid sleeping on the floor. Amit, an Israel friend (one of the Israelis, with the white beard, at every trance party this season) was there, and joined us for dinner and sleeping by the fire.

Day two was not as fun and lighthearted. We climbed to 2.5 hours to base camp, left our bags, and set out on the 5 hours hike to the summit of Sapitwa. Despite what the guidebook says, this was not a 'pleasent hike'. This was a serious climb. It is pretty much vertical, often scrambling over sheer rock faces where there is no path. The altitude at that height is also no joke, and you literally have to force your legs to take one step after the next. You dont look up, you dont look around, you just look at your feet as you beg yourself to keep moving. Each meter aches, each step counts. The summit was quite spectacular, and the clouds had dropped so we could see well into Mozambique. We took some pictures, ate some food and started the trek down. With mountaineering, the summit is only half way there. And we were to feel the effect of that down hill on our legs for a while.

We took it a little easier for the next two days - hiking through hills and chilling out by rivers in the valleys to read and snack on biscuits. We bathed in the streams, cooked incredible dinners and told bed time stories and just generally marvelled at the majestic views and almost unreal (unless you are a dinosaur or elf) surroundings of Mount Mulanje.

Climbing mount Mulanje was a privilege. And one that that i felt strongly while up there. Most Malwians dont go to the mountains. Few people travel to Malawi and even fewer go to Mulanje. On those isolated peaks you get the feeling that you are seeing something that only a handful have been lucky enough to see. Its powerful and beautiful and when the entire night sky is lit up by billions of bright stars and freezing air, you cant not close your eyes and thank 'whoever' for allowing you that experience. Sho.

From Mulanje we spent another day in the village at the bottom, and then made our journey back to Blantyre. The 100km only took us 4 hours, so that was nice too. The next day we headed north towards Llongwe. The bus drive was slow and painful, but quite an interesting experience for me. More on that one later though...

A few days ago we met a Malawian guy named Patric. A newly qualified 23 year old civil engineer, Patric invited us to stay at his home in Llongwe, area 23. So last night off we went deep into the townships of Llongwe to find Patric who was meeting us at the 'Peoples Supermarket' in area 23. We left too late and it was already dark as we cycled through the narrow roads with trucks and taxis whizzing past us. I think all of us said a little prayer to 'whoever' to get us there safely.

Besides the insane traffic, Malawi is peaceful and the people pride themselves for being so friendly. I also think that three white guys on bicycles pulling a trailer at 8pm in the middle of area 23, is no the most common sight. Some people offered us directions, others walked part of the way with us. Many shouted loudly, calling for the attention of this 'muzungu rasta'. Eventually we got to Patrics in one piece. His brother and neighbour were with him to walk us home, and his mother cooked us an amazing dinner, and had made us beds to sleep in. Hospitality is really the raw form of love. Although they had so little, this family welcomed us in an shared and treated us so warmly.

This morning Nugs and Jules have headed up to Nkatah Bay. I have stayed in Llongwe to meet Daniel Barnett and Dave Du Plessis who are arriving tomorrow to join the cycling down the lake. They were too scared and cried like little girls at the thought of catching the bus to meet us alone, so i stayed to hold their hands :)

True fact is that it makes things easier if one of us stay to meet them, plus Nugs and Jules have only 2 weeks on the lake. I have another few months ahead, so its not much skin off my elbow. So that explains why i am alone. Plus to be honest, i kinda welcomed a day alone in the city. I will spend hours online, go buy a new t-shirt in the market, and just take an Eitan day. Which is actually one of my favourite types of days!

Also finally, I at last found Zoo Biscuits in Llongwe, the most coverted and talked about biscuit of the whole trip! I plan to sit by myself in my tent alone and eat them tonight. Then i may talk to some strangers.

And that as they say is that.

I have another post about the bus drive which i will try put up today. My mother also wants to chat on skype later, and i must thank her for the package she sent to me with Barnett. What a great woman that one is! And i should go trade the rest of my bike spares at the market.

Kuche Kuche,
Eitan