Family adventures in Northern Malawi

The minibus to Mzuzu was an absolute shocker. We bounced around in the back for about eight hours. Mzuzu was busy when we arrived so I just lead the guys to a quiet part of town. We sat in the Soul Kitchen, had a feed and a few beers and found rooms at the Zingilirani Guest House. Cath is treated to a proper coffee the next morning. The Kwithu Coffee House is not serving the local Mzuzu coffee as the company has had some recent issues. Cath and I visit my old office at the Education office. The boys are up now so we take a walk out to  Mzuzu Govt school. My old friend Pickford Kamanga is living in my old house and old friend George Lungu from Likoma is the current head. Next stop, try and find Mr Downs Nyasulu. Meet his wife Victoria but Downs is in Ruarwe. A quick phone call and he agrees to come to Nkhata Bay. Back in Mzuzu, Leo and I visit the stadium the scene of some famous footballing moments. In the evening we meet Georgina Msowoya, the most unlikely sports development officer. She has retired now but has fond memories of our times together. The next morning I leave the guys drinking coffee and go off to sort a shared car to Nkhata Bay. Cath has booked rooms at the Soul Rebel Lodge. It is perfect. Greeted with a 'Beware the crocodile' sign. It was spotted last month and the police were called to get rid of it. They said the police had injured it so probably it is still around and quite angry. Walk over to Chikele Beach with Cath and meet old friends Gilbert and Dickson. Gilbert was the young barman back in 2000 who always fancied his chances with the backpackers. He hadn't changed, still had the gift and the looks.  

Downs has travelled on a small boat through the night from Ruarwe and we meet. He is still looking trim for 62. He is in Ruarwe at the moment trying to make money fishing while his family are in Mzuzu. It must be tough times. We spend the day together and I pay his transport costs. He tells me maybe he catches three fish a day. One to eat and two to sell. I buy him a new fishing net and some household things. Downs goes to see his family and the Bottomer's get on a spot bar crawl. The Ilala ferry is due at 3am and Cath and I plan to be on it to visit Usisya, while the boys stay here. There was no ferry last night and people say it will arrive tonight. Lots of smaller more expensive boats are leaving loaded up with goods, even sets of sofa's on one I saw because the ferry is so late and people need to travel. The Ilala finally arrives at 4pm and the chaos begins. I have never seen it so busy. Unloading took hours as people waited patiently to load. I say goodbye to Downs and he gets lost in the crowd. He is obviously struggling these days. Back in 2000 he had a regular job and pay from me but now he really has nothing. Times were better back then he told me. 

Elections are due on the 16th September and people don't really have any faith in anyone. President Lazarus MacCarthy Chakwera is standing again as leader of the MCP. Old President Arthur Peter Mutarika aged 85 is standing for the DPP. His running mate is Jane Ansah, the person in charge of the Electoral Commission at the last elections when 'tipex' was used on some of the results. Even Joyce Band has her own People's Party. Chakwera was in Nkhata Bay today and very heavily guarded. Nobody had their phones out I noticed and sure enough the head of security came over to me and said someone had seen me taking pictures and I should delete them. Last week in Chitipa I had meet Issac Mwepa, the MCP candidate for Chitipa North constituency. He had offered to take me out in his vehicle but I thought he was just using the 'Mzungu' as a vote winner. Instead I had a few beers with his driver and head of security.           

Cath and I leave the boys asleep and head out of Nkhata Bay south along a dirt road. After an hour a left turn at Chimbota village heads down towards the lakeshore. At the end of the path is a small cove, beach and fishing village. 'Mr. Phiri a wiri' paddle us back to Chikele Beach. It was quite rough and the boat needed bailing out during the 30 minute trip. Back at Soul Rebel we move rooms and are now right out over the lake. The sunrise was perfect. The next morning Cath and I are off again this time north. Through a rough old trading centre, quiet villages and out into the cassava fields. Children are playing a local game of ball, two players throw to each other while trying to knock down a pile of stones protected by another player in the middle. We can see massive swarms of lake flies out over the water. The Chinese even came to investigate how to harvest these flies but left beaten. Our stay in Nkhata Bay has been great and the boys have enjoyed a bit of good living, eating well and relaxing.