Showing posts with label Malawi. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Malawi. Show all posts

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Slideshows - Southern Africa trip

I've been wanting to add some of my slideshows to my blog, but did not know exactly how to upload and show it.
Today I figured it out and thought I'd share two of my old slideshows with you.

I edited a documentary style slideshow after I did my trip through Southern Africa. I made use of my own photos and added some vocals and music to it. It was a fun project.
Check it out!




Sunday, March 8, 2009

Malawi - part 2

I arrived in Nkhota-kota at 5pm, thinking the Ilala would arrive at 8pm. After asking around the locals soon informed me that they did not expect the Ilala Ferry to arrive before 12pm.

I walked down to the lake where all the people were waiting for the ferry. Everyone waited at a broken down building and I soon found out that the Ilala was most definitely not on time. I sat and waited with the locals till the sun rose at 6am when only the Ilala arrived. I boarded the Ilala 10 hours late, bitten by mosquitoes and hardly any sleep.







Wanting to embark the ferry was a complete new adventure. It was every man for himself as everyone on the ferry wanted to get off and I wanted to get on board. I climbed over boxes of fish and vegetables with everyone protesting that I am going the wrong way. I immediately went up to 1st class and tried to sleep for 4 hours while waiting to head further south.

As the engines started and the ferry made its way south, the crew asked me to pay. I walked around and realized that 2nd class was empty. 1st class was a better option but I had limited money and decided to take 2nd class.







We arrived in Monkey Bay at 12pm and this would be where the Ilala would dock. It was too late to find accommodation and I decided to stay on the ferry till the sun came up. Having docked I told the crew that it’s to late and I am going up to 1st class to sleep.









The next morning I headed to Cape Maclear. I met an Australian Traveler and we took a pick up truck to Cape Maclear where I stayed for a three days.

I’d been to Cape Maclear before when I was 13 years old. On our visit with my parents I met a local called Francis. Francis would always write letters to me and my brother. Upon arrival in Cape Maclear I went into the village to find Francis. I found his sister and she told me that he was in Blantyre. On the morning I left Cape Maclear to go to Blantyre Francis showed up outside my tent. He was back in town and the community told him that I’d been looking for him. He had a chat where after I took a pick up truck with my Australian friend Adrian to Blantyre.









Blantyre is the biggest city in Malawi and I only stayed for a night. The next morning it was off to Mozambique as this would be a new challenge with no one speaking English and the distances between destinations being further.

Malawi is a great country with the friendliest people. Malawi is a small country and accommodation is easily available with numerous transport options. I had an amazing stay in this beautiful country and will be going back as soon as I get the opportunity.





Monday, March 2, 2009

Malawi - part 1





Malawi – wow!

Deciding to head further north to Malawi was the best decision I made on my trip. Malawi was amazing and the highlight country of my trip.









I headed to Nkhata Bay first as this would be my turn around spot. I would have loved to have traveled further north but sometime I had to turn around. It would have been great if I had a plane ticket back from somewhere further north, but I still had to make ground back to Cape Town and my money started to become tighter. Zambia was ridiculously expensive. While I was there a Liter of Petrol cost R22 and I paid R130 for 10 beers from the local liquor store. These are just a few examples. In Malawi prices were cheaper and compared with South African prices.

I tried to avoid African Cities as I think they all look the same. I did not stay in Lusaka and also didn’t want to stay in Lilongwe. I arrived in Lilongwe at lunch time and immediately boarded an overcrowded bus to Mzuzu. From here it’s an hour’s drive by minibus to Nkhata Bay.







Nkhata Bay is truly one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. I stayed at a backpackers called Mayoka Village. I rate this to be the best Backpackers I have ever stayed at with amazing views, lots of activities, cool like minded travelers and amazing food. This is a place where you can get stuck for a very long time and I going back there as soon possible.









I stayed at Mayoka for a weekend and then turned around and started heading south. I wanted to catch the Ilala Ferry, but did not have enough money for first class all the way and would not have made it in 2nd class for 2 days to Monkey Bay. So I opted to travel by road to Nkhota-kota where I would board the Ilala to Monkey Bay.