Malawi and Busted !!!!
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next day wake up to rain but its okay 50kms then to nkatha bay. have heard loads about it so must be nice. now this is day 3. get goin after breaky. get wet but at least feeling better. the road winds through to nkata bay and the scenery is amazing lots of hills and big trees all over. almost tropical. didnt stop for photos, should of. the people look almost friendlier must be that my mood is changing with the anticipation of lake malawi. this is what we had come for. wished harold was here to see this.the vibe getting into nkatha was nice, felt touristy. so i cruised down into town and through a market. stopped on a hill and just took in the scenery, very picturesque, but still didnt feel it so it was early and off i went again driving down the lake towards, well i just didnt know just down. on leaving nkata i got fuel as i had no idea where i would get again.
that area is just so amazing. lots of small villages and kids off to school. so i stop at a small market and get some supplies. bread ,fish and tomatoes. was a funny place. you could see that tourism was here and had spoilt it a bit, well after zambia that was my feeling. the next few hours was spent cruisin slowly and looking at the scenery. wow is all i can say on that. would love to spend time there exploring the forests but now was not the time. i was hungry.
so pulled into a campsite with no one there got a beer and chilled next to the lake having lunch. was starting to relax and getting into things again but not 100% just yet.this lake is awesome and there are some cool spots along it but i had to continue down some more. passed some plantations of rubber trees with guys selling rubber balls next to the road. also mice on a stick, must say never tried that. now as you would know that lake is BIG. you ride and the scenery changes on the right but stays water on the left, after e few 100kms you pass a lot of different places sugar cane plantations, majestic mountains loads of villages and loads of people. you cannot stop with out people surrounding you. malawi is the most densely populated country in southern africa, i think. well it felt like that.so after many miles and many stops the day was drawing to an end with senga bay in sight, i knew that would be my place of rest. so found a place called "Cool Runnings" and it felt right, so pulled in. this would be it for a day or 2. some rest bike prep and exploring the area.
that area is just so amazing. lots of small villages and kids off to school. so i stop at a small market and get some supplies. bread ,fish and tomatoes. was a funny place. you could see that tourism was here and had spoilt it a bit, well after zambia that was my feeling. the next few hours was spent cruisin slowly and looking at the scenery. wow is all i can say on that. would love to spend time there exploring the forests but now was not the time. i was hungry.
so pulled into a campsite with no one there got a beer and chilled next to the lake having lunch. was starting to relax and getting into things again but not 100% just yet.this lake is awesome and there are some cool spots along it but i had to continue down some more. passed some plantations of rubber trees with guys selling rubber balls next to the road. also mice on a stick, must say never tried that. now as you would know that lake is BIG. you ride and the scenery changes on the right but stays water on the left, after e few 100kms you pass a lot of different places sugar cane plantations, majestic mountains loads of villages and loads of people. you cannot stop with out people surrounding you. malawi is the most densely populated country in southern africa, i think. well it felt like that.so after many miles and many stops the day was drawing to an end with senga bay in sight, i knew that would be my place of rest. so found a place called "Cool Runnings" and it felt right, so pulled in. this would be it for a day or 2. some rest bike prep and exploring the area.
first real contact with the lake and spectacular it was.warm water and clear like they said. the north is also more tropical looking with forests and white beaches. a contrast to lake kariba. still missing harold, but the song must go on...
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- Sep 13, 2010
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- I would rather be in Great Brak...
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- Honda CRF-1000L Africa Twin
Classic stuff !! Keep it coming...
so after a nice cup of nutty mzuzu coffee and an awesome swim to wake up it was time to do some maintenance and to see what senga has to offer.
well the maintenance on the africa twin was almost a non affair. so a look over. one thing did bother me was my chain and sprockets. seems like i did too many kms before the trip on them. the chain started making a cluck sound over the last few 100 kms, so some more lube was applied and it was better but still a big enough concern to have me take a look. looks like the swingarm protector had now vanished and was hitting on the bare metal. no worries out comes the cableties, superglue and pliers. stuck in on and problem solved, still there today :thumleft:
so now to have a look around. cruised around for a few hours looking for non touristy places, found a few and some disused old buildings and villages. my thoughts are still that tourism is too much here and that white man equals dollar is too rife here. stop to get some food at a market. goats'meat and potato wedges it is.so pack it and go looking for a cool spot for lunch. nice spot next too the lake. things are looking up and the spirit is climbing.
so spent the rest of the day exploring the surrounding area and chilling at cool runnings with some of the backpackers and score some malawi gold from one of the dudes. i am relaxing a lot more but still missing my friend, well will always be thinking of him but my time backpacking and travelling solo was coming back and times were getting better... O0
well the maintenance on the africa twin was almost a non affair. so a look over. one thing did bother me was my chain and sprockets. seems like i did too many kms before the trip on them. the chain started making a cluck sound over the last few 100 kms, so some more lube was applied and it was better but still a big enough concern to have me take a look. looks like the swingarm protector had now vanished and was hitting on the bare metal. no worries out comes the cableties, superglue and pliers. stuck in on and problem solved, still there today :thumleft:
so now to have a look around. cruised around for a few hours looking for non touristy places, found a few and some disused old buildings and villages. my thoughts are still that tourism is too much here and that white man equals dollar is too rife here. stop to get some food at a market. goats'meat and potato wedges it is.so pack it and go looking for a cool spot for lunch. nice spot next too the lake. things are looking up and the spirit is climbing.
so spent the rest of the day exploring the surrounding area and chilling at cool runnings with some of the backpackers and score some malawi gold from one of the dudes. i am relaxing a lot more but still missing my friend, well will always be thinking of him but my time backpacking and travelling solo was coming back and times were getting better... O0
and exploring the rural area, was wierd got friendly faces and waves and some really rude. luckily not many. think that the tourist trail didn't really pass here as i was cruisin next to farm fields and tracks looking for more spots at the lake. was really cool as i felt like an explorer in my own little way. :ricky: not a lot of english here thought.
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nreyneke
Race Dog
Great pics! :thumleft:
fat b
Race Dog
Flippen nice RR !
Thanx for all the encouragement
Sorry for not writing earlier but had a great weekend at the Skazi trance party so had to get to bed early the last 2 days :mwink:
back to malawi then. so after some exploring and down time at cool runnings it was time to move on.i had gone through lots of changes during this trip and one of them is getting more aware and in tune with surroundings and relying on feeling as your guide rather than the map.and feeling said that it was time to go. so got some fuel and off towards cape maclear it was. on the way there i stopped for a smoke and some photos when these 2 guys came running over demanding money. now this was the first time that i felt a bit uneasy. so i got a bit hard assed and said NO!! and started getting ready to go again. i travelled with a panga and this time i was eyeing it a bit. luckily they didnt persue their request too much so calmly i got on my bony and ducked. damn i am just not mad about malawi. too many tourists i think.probably also the fact that harold isnt around too. o well see what the next place brings...
so get into cape maclear and find a little dry village that doesnt look too inviting so i drive through the dusty streets and almost get run over by a group of 4x4's leaving the joint and i am thinking fuct this place doesn't look too cool. so i spot a place called fat monkey. have heard about it before and thought well pull in. now what i found here was something different.
pull in and this bloke comes strolling over with a big smile and gives me a piece of wood. for your sidestand he says. says he is Jeff and bids me welcome. we like the bikers here he says. cool sounds alright. have a bit of a chat and off he goes. set up camp and check the place out. go for a beer at the bar and find some travellers and feel weird and out of place between westerners. might of been the joint from before :ricky:
stroll to the lake and it feels pretty cool. nice water and lots of people, local and tourists. so just chill out and relax a bit. always weird those first few hours till you relax...
Sorry for not writing earlier but had a great weekend at the Skazi trance party so had to get to bed early the last 2 days :mwink:
back to malawi then. so after some exploring and down time at cool runnings it was time to move on.i had gone through lots of changes during this trip and one of them is getting more aware and in tune with surroundings and relying on feeling as your guide rather than the map.and feeling said that it was time to go. so got some fuel and off towards cape maclear it was. on the way there i stopped for a smoke and some photos when these 2 guys came running over demanding money. now this was the first time that i felt a bit uneasy. so i got a bit hard assed and said NO!! and started getting ready to go again. i travelled with a panga and this time i was eyeing it a bit. luckily they didnt persue their request too much so calmly i got on my bony and ducked. damn i am just not mad about malawi. too many tourists i think.probably also the fact that harold isnt around too. o well see what the next place brings...
so get into cape maclear and find a little dry village that doesnt look too inviting so i drive through the dusty streets and almost get run over by a group of 4x4's leaving the joint and i am thinking fuct this place doesn't look too cool. so i spot a place called fat monkey. have heard about it before and thought well pull in. now what i found here was something different.
pull in and this bloke comes strolling over with a big smile and gives me a piece of wood. for your sidestand he says. says he is Jeff and bids me welcome. we like the bikers here he says. cool sounds alright. have a bit of a chat and off he goes. set up camp and check the place out. go for a beer at the bar and find some travellers and feel weird and out of place between westerners. might of been the joint from before :ricky:
stroll to the lake and it feels pretty cool. nice water and lots of people, local and tourists. so just chill out and relax a bit. always weird those first few hours till you relax...
what was supposed to be a day or 2 turned into 5 or 6 days of loving it. changed my whole outlook on malawi (well most if it tho). met some cool overlanders and a dude on a bicycle. fell in love with a chick called valentina from uruguay (shame she had a boyfriend at home) and went snorkelling in an aquarium. jeff the owner and his wife let me stay for free and went sailing on their dinghy for 5 days. met some cool local dudes and loved the malawi cob. this place turned out to be a highlite of the journey in so many ways. still missed my mate harold but the solo journey had started and the last of the shackles of fear had come loose and i was on top of the world. was a nice changing point.
the time here can not be written about in too much detail. if we meet i will tell it and relive the moments again ...
the time here can not be written about in too much detail. if we meet i will tell it and relive the moments again ...
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fat monkeys can be recommended to all and the owners are just super cool. walking around the village is just soo cool and you can get anything there. went out to the island for a snorkel and the fish was amazing. was told the the breeders of exotic fish have to release some into the lake and you see loads of colours there. fish eagles aswell that roam the sky. the locals are pretty cool and also out for a buck but dont hassle you. had some food at local restaurants and you eat like a king for not too much.
