After a botched attempt to hitch north toward the lake from Blantyre, we gave in to the taxi life, especially since it was starting to rain. So we went north through Zomba and Mangochi to Monkey Bay. Then, sick of sitting, we decided to get out and eat before reaching Cape Maclear, our destination for the next few days. Like clockwork, as we descended from the mini bus, we were surrounded by motorcycle taxi guys offering to take us to Cape Mac. We wanted a break from the madness, so we said no and walked across the street to get a blue plastic bag of fries and salad. It was just what we needed at that moment: greasy and crunchy and beautiful. As we turned to the road again, I instinctually flagged down a passing pickup truck. It was a white guy and one of his staff people from his lodge picking up food and supplies in town. He was so nice, taking us around to an ATM and giving us oranges and chocolate popsicles even when we refused. He just gave them to us anyway, like of course you want these things. Take them. He even picked up a Malawian woman and her kid and gave them popsicles too.
He dropped us off at Cape Maclear at our hostel, the Funky Cichlid (“sick-lid”). It was right on the water of Lake Malawi, with a big deck and hammocks where you could look out and see the islands nearby. As Katie and I chilled on the couches with the friendly hostel cat, our PCV friend Jeff emerged from the darkness and greeted us with a huge smile as always. We had planned to meet him here.
The next day, we got up and went out to the road to buy lunch to eat on our kayaking excursion. Katie and I bought enormous avocados, bread, tomatoes, and samosas. We met up with a traveler from Canada that Katie had met and found snorkels to rent from some dude on the street. We were able to rent kayaks at a neighboring lodge. With our picnic food and gear loaded, we paddled to the beach on the closest island out in the lake. Jeff and I snorkeled around that area, seeing fluorescent blue fish. We loaded up again and paddled for another few hours, which was both very tiring and really fun.
Back at the hostel, from the deck we could see people bathing and washing dishes and clothes in the river, right alongside tourists chilling in beach chairs. It was a weird dynamic. A few times, kids would go around to tourists with their janky little band asking to play for money.
The next few days were pretty lazy. One day, we rented a floatie lounge from the hostel and they anchored it for us near the shore. Another day, Jeff and I headed out to hike a mountain in Lake Malawi National Park. We entered the park through the beach as some monkeys watched us pass by. We climbed to the peak following painted dots and arrows, and at the top we climbed up this super sketchy pipe/branch ladder to get to the peak. We had an awesome view of the whole bay/lake/islands. Back at the hostel, I promptly jumped in the lake to wash off and ordered some of the great food they served at the hostel.
The morning we left, Katie and I got up early and went to the road. We tried and failed to get a hitch, and we were tired of waiting, so we got motorcycle taxis (with helmets!) to Monkey Bay, then got a mini bus to Lilongwe. We got to the hostel, Mabuya Camp, and got a preset tent. Our only remaining task was to find a pharmacy and buy anti-bilharzia pills, which we should take in 6 weeks and would protect us from the parasites that lived in the water at Lake Malawi. The next day, we got a very early taxi to the airport. Of the 17000 Kwacha we owed him, we paid him with 12000 Kwacha, and the rest in Rank and my leftover Meticais coins. A flight to Blantyre, a flight to Joburg, an expensive blueberry muffin at the airport, and seveal taxi rides later, we made it into the little rank of the taxis to Lesotho. Back home.
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