August 2021 - travelling around Malawi and turning 43

 Last Saturday started with me sending you the weekly email (you can tell me to stop!) I had all sorts of good intentions of using these few days to be a bit fitter and eat less but then then I remembered I'd ordered a huge breakfast. I suspect if I weighed myself now I'd be much heavier than when we left! Oh well, it's just so lovely. The sun was shining on the beach and if you recall from last week there were a few friends there with us. A spent hours in the water with S & L, splashing over waves and laughing so hard. What a joy to witness. 

That evening, K a friend from campus came for sundowners with her son Levi, I'm so impressed by her being here in Malawi as a single parent. I'm not sure I could have done it. We ate on the beach as a large party of 11, lovely food again and celebrated a lady called Andrea's birthday. 

The lake was beautiful, just the right balance of hot and windy, no lake flies and soft white sand. On Sunday we went to a place called Kachere Kastle for lunch. I strangely ugly building, like... you guessed it, a castle. More great food and view of the lake. 

After three really lovely nights at Mukuzi beach we headed off to go Ntchizi forest lodge, it is remarkable the different places here in Malawi, something for everyone. Once again BIgA  was brilliant and drove the whole way. It's a beautiful place, we stayed in a half glass half brick building. And each night sat by the fire in this little house and it felt so lovely to eat at what felt like a tiny home. Again really great food. 

We took a couple of walks The next morning. The car had a little more trouble, a bolt got loose and the bracket broke, but true to form, the local mechanic sorted her out so enough for us to continue on. We had a lovely tour of a local coffee farmer, his land and a demonstration of his work. He gave us a banana each and Ayla a passion fruit, which I'm hoping to plant the seeds of when we get back. The swimming pool was icy cold but the sun shone for our whole stay. 

We had decided to go home a day early, BIgA was happy to do the slightly longer drive. We stopped in Lilongwe to get the small issue with the car sorted and just as we were on our way to the garage the car stopped. So most of the day was spent waiting for that to be fixed too. Luckily it was close to a Kips, I learnt my lesson and had a coke not a cup of tea.

BIGA supervised the various work that was being done. We found out the air-conditioning is basically bust. A talkative owners son wanted to know how Ayla and I were able to walk in the sun and but burn instantly. He also asked for A's phone number and my mummy bear stepped in and made it clear that was not going to happen. 

 Instead of a hotel, we stayed with BigA friend he made through Frisbee, and they very kindly put the three of us up for the night. It was lovely to meet them and we had a great curry and chats and thankfully in the morning the car started and we headed home.

 About an hour or two in Asher felt unwell, we stopped at our third Kips of the trip and it was clear he should not drive, so I offered to drive. I haven't actually ever driven this car, I just use the bongo, which I love, an automatic that is comfy and I think skinner than the beast of a car we were in.

 I'm always so appreciative of  BIgA's willingness to drive and this was a reminder of why I am. I did not like it. I loved driving in the UK but here, well the goats ready to run out, the bumps and holes in the road, how narrow some bits feel, other drivers ignoring common sense (you get a lot of that in London too) all amount to feeling very tense. I did quite well really, only a few going into first when it should have been third, but we got home, safely and the car made it too. 

As wonderful and amazing as this trip has been and as much as I hope to share some of my favourite places with my mum when she comes (next year I hope) I am really hoping that the next long holiday will be with family and friends.

 Maybe, and this is a big hope I know, maybe even Christmas, if quarantine doesn't make that impossible. I'm even hoping there is a chance we can get A vaccinated. No talk of doing under 18s here at all, uptake for the latest batch of vaccines sent has been good. The third wave looks to be declining too. Who knows. 

Back home and a pile of washing to get through we got pizza and relaxed onto our new purple sofas. 

I turn 43 tomorrow.