It has been quite a while since my last post partly due to a lack of internet but more so due to a lack of interest in sitting down and typing away. Here I am though so I guess I'll do my best to recap the past few weeks.
My time with Dumi in Mzuzu was wonderful. It was so nice to be with a good friend and meet many new people in the process. Of course staying in a real home wasn't to bad either :) We spent some time in Nkata Bay, which is absolutely beautiful, and I stayed there one night by myself and found a ride in the back of a truck with a few of the other girls staying there. Never a dull moment especially when we were running out of petrol and just barely managed to roll into the station. I thought I wouldn't be going back there again but on my way south I met another girl traveling solo and we decided to go to Chizumulu and Likoma Islands in Lake Malawi together. We headed back to Nkata Bay after spending a few days in Kande beach where I met up with my tour leader from the overland truck for a day or so, it's so wonderful to see people for a second time when you travel! I also ran into two guys from Australia who I just keep bumping into along the way. We all spent the day at the beach and exploring the local restaurants.
I jumped on the ferry with the two girls that I met, Josie and Jody, and we headed to the islands. It was a tropical paradise with no internet and one spot on the side of a hill with cell reception, absolutely perfect. I spent my days there lying in the sun, reading, swimming in the lake, snorkeling, and learning how to use the wave ski (a cross between a kayak and a surfboard, soo much fun!). We stayed up to enjoy the lunar eclipse one night. It was so beautiful and aparently the best when seen in Africa. After a few days we took a small sail boat to Likoma Island which was another slice of heaven. There we did more of the same but had to walk 45 minutes to the market, and it was hot! The guy working there bet me that I couldn't row the local canoe out to the marker and back in three minutes so I took him up on it. Though it was difficult I did it! This was a new record as most people can't even sit on it without falling over immediately their first time. Obviously I felt proud of myself and it was nice to get a free beer out of it. lol Anyway, it was time to leave so six of us girls hopped on the ferry and spent the next two days going down the lake. We finally arrived in Monkey Bay where I learned that my visa had expired, oops. So, I wound up having to pay for an extention and a fine which most likely just went straight into the guys pocket. What can I say when he said he would have to detain me I got nervous and decided paying was in my best interest. A few hours later, at 2am, one of the girls and I got onto a minibus filled with fish (this is not a nice smell mind you) in order to get to Blantyre in time to catch our buses out of Malawi. We made it by 7 am and after running all over town to get money and bus tickets we were both on our way. It was sad to leave the girls that I had made such good friends with but I will of course keep in touch. My bus took me across the Malawi, Mozambique and Zim borders which took from 8am until midnight, short trip....Once in Zim I went to my friends for a short sleep and was up again to catch another bus at 5am! I finally arrived in Victoria Falls tired, dirty, most deffinately smelly, but here none the less at the reasonable hour of 6pm. It was so nice to have a hot shower and know that I would be staying in one place long enough to sleep for more than 3 hours! I have met up with all the friends I made the last time I was here and also bumped into some overlanders from other stops. It is great to see everyone and get such a warm welcome.
I was sad to leave Malawi behind but am very happy to be here and excited for the next part of my journey. I will be jumping on another overland truck headed through Botswana, Namibia and into South Africa. I'm starting to dread the end of my travels as I am having an amazing time, I don't want to leave. Until the next update.....
