22 July 2004

 

Hi, die Here is so goed en Hy voorsien darem vir alles! Blantyre is heel cool. Ek kan amper my lag nie inhou nie, hahahahahahahaha, ok, ek kon nie! Our hospital costs were about R3600 and the ‘bribe’ another R800, so our budget has got a knock. But God is so good I got myself a job yesterday and will start to work Monday. Thank you so much Claude for helping out. One month job and the knock will be out of our budget. It’s a job at a huge Engineering shop and there is a crane and 5 lathes to get working, if the boss likes me after getting that done, there is plenty more to do, mostly fitting work. Another workshop in Monkey Bay has got some ships to fix, something I would love to learn more about, ships!

If we can go there, Charmaine can do some diving instructions or work in a guest house or even on the oke’s farm! God is so good and I’m so excited about how He provides! We will work for one month and maybe two, then we will continue to Tanzania. I will let you know how things are going at work. We will stay in a flat in the engineering shop’s yard. Die werkswinkel is omtrent so groot soos HGM, masjiene net so bietjie baie ouer en meer verwaarloos. Het vir my 2 jeans en 2 T shirts gaan koop om in te werk, soek nog net skoene. 2 jeans kos R60 en 2 T shirts R20! Hier is so paar statestieke tot dusver. Afstand gery vanaf Augulas =9074km Afstand gery in RSA vansf Paarl =3204km Zimbabwe =1517km Mosambiek =3227km Gemiddelde afstand per dag in RSA =320km Zim =151km Mos =403km totaal per dag  =283km Langste dag was 12Julie(ongeluk dag) met 873km en dit het ons 12h06min geneem(moving time)Weggetrek 4:00 en 18:45 klaar gery. Gemidelde petrol prys per litre RSA =R4.75 Zim =R3.20 Mos =R5.90 Mal =R5.90 Gemiddeld geld spandeer per dag, petrol en grensposgeld uitgesluit. RSA =R90 Zim =R38.60 Mos =R120.50 Beste petrol verbruik op GS was 19km/l en gem 17.8km/l. Mooiste plekke besoek vir my, Johan. RSA = Loeriesfontein Zim = Vumba valei -Lepord Rock Mos = Pad tussen Gordosa en Caia, natuurlike woud met sulke groen(stamme) bome.

Charmaine is not yet mobile on the bike so I do the shopping and the internet thing etc. My arm is 100% in movement, just haven’t got full strength yet, working on that. Married life is very good and very nice. We have learnt so much about life and each other and ourselves. I think the main question is how flexible are you? In life you get different situations in your way, the choice is yours, what you are going to do with it. Will it get you under or will it make you a better person,  We have the choice, no matter what the situation is.

 

 

Sponsers en goeters

 

1 Augustus 2004

 

 

Ons is nog lekker hier in Blantyre en woon nou langs Claude en Yvonne, hulle sorg baie goed vir ons. Dit gaan baie goed met hulle en Claude is ‘n big chief hier, maar ten spyte daarvan is hulle nog steeds plat op die aarde en aan die brand vir die koning. Ek het ‘n versoek aan julle en wil graag vra as daar iemand is wat sal bereid wees om ‘n bybel te sponser? In die kerk hier in Blantyre is 3 ouens met bikes en ons wil hulle graag bless met ‘n CMA Hope for the Highway bikers bybel. Alan is die een ou se naam, ry ‘n mooi Yamaha XT600 en het ‘n great testimony. Hy het sy hart vir die Here gegee nadat hy deur ‘n slang gebyt is en verlam was. God het hom genees Die man se hart is by Jesus. Ons het ons Julius Magan CD(I Declare) aan hom geleen en hy is mal oor Julius se musiek. Hy vra ook baie uit oor CMA en wil graag betrokke raak. ‘n Malawi chapter dalk begin,  Claude en Yvonne is ook hier so ek dink dis verseker moontlik. Oom Mike, jy kry die mail, laat weet vir Rene (het nie sy e mail nie) asseblief. Deur watter kanale moet mens gaan om so iets te realiseer? Ek wil ook graag weet hoe kan ek vir Julius Magan kontak om hom te vra wat hy nodig het om hierheen te kom en of hy sal. Die Malawi mense is diep christene en sal verskriklik geseend wees deur Julius se musiek bedienning. Ek sal hom voorstel aan die pastor hier, aan die brand mense hierdie. Ongelukkig is Malawi een van die wereld se armste lande, ambagsmanne verdien R400 per maand en handlangers en huishulpe werk vir omtrent R200 per maand! n Paar van julle het julle kommer uitgesspreek oor die swak toestand van Mosambiek, dis seker nie so bad nie. Maar as jy hou van luxuries en goeie paaie, bly weg. As jy hou van avontuur en nie omgee om op die grenspos se stoep te slaap en parafien in jou bike te gooi nie en nie bang vir miggies nie, is dit die plek vir jou.  Die suide is heel anders as die noorde. Dis eintlik nogals ‘n ondervinding gewees om die goed te sien, was wel die moeite werd, ten spyte van die ongerief. Mooi gaan en geniet julle werk (ag toe, probeer ten minste net) en ons dink aan julle weer eendag sien.

 

7 August 2004

 

 

Wil probeer om ‘n breakfastrun te reel volgende naweek, of dalk die een daarna. Ons kan weer saam bike ry!  Charmaine se knieg is baie beter en dis so lekker om weer my liefste agter op die GS te he! As julle wil briewe of poskaarte vir ons stuur, gebruik

Claude en Yvonne se pos adres:
POBox 30359
Chichiri
Blantyre-3
Malawi  Ons is hier tot einde Oktober.

 

 

8 August 2004

 

 

We got a Malawi phone nr now if any one of you would like to call us or SMS us. The nr is +265 8323 272 . The +265 is Malawi’s dialling code and the rest of our nr. For now, we will be here until the end of October, then we will move on. We haven’t seen the lake yet, well, I have 2 years ago, but we haven’t been there now but I think we will visit the south of the lake somewhere in August, maybe around the end of the month.  If any one of you know of someone flying from RSA to Malawi please let us know. Hopefully, that person has got space for a 5 litre Castrol oil and a fuel filter, almost service time for the very faithful GS. 49 200km on the clock now. Mooi gaan en geniet julle week. Charmaine sends her love too, she said that she does not have much news to write about, because she’s mostly at home. Next weekend we’ll be going on a ride once again to see what lies south of Blantyre.

 

16 August 2004

 

 

Well,  hello long time no chat!!   We went for our first bike ride on Sunday to the South of Blantyre.  What beautiful scenery, winding mountain pass down into the Shire Valley and over the Shire River.   The villages are more rural with the majority of the houses having straw roofs. We travelled 84km south and then the tar road ended so we decided to turn around. The locals all plant vegetables, which is much more than the Mozambiqueans did. You can buy tomatoes, onions, potatoes, sweet potato, peas, beans, strawberries, cauliflower, cabbage, carrots, baby marrow, pawpaw, bananas and lettuce along the side of the road and in the street markets. You can even buy new and second-hand clothes and shoes in the street markets. Oh, also leather jackets!!  Anything from R200 to about R600. Not too shabby. Martin has about 3 leather jackets and Claude has about 4. Knowing that we do not have any packing space sure stops the shopping spree I can feel building up inside!!

The last few weeks that we have been here, has been very interesting for Johan.  He is having lots of fun and frustrations at the engineering company – fun fixing and learning about all the various machines, and scratching in the yard pulling out machines that have been dumped because they ‘do not work’ and then making a list of parts that are needed to get it going again but then getting frustrated because the parts do not get ordered ‘because there is no money’ or ‘not available in Malawi’ or it just takes 2 weeks for delivery.  Or if he does get a machine fixed that is part of the production line, there is a meeting about the cost that has to be paid and who is going to take the blame for spending the money.  There is a serious need for new management in this business. Me – well not much has happened on my side.  The first 2 weeks were extremely frustrating because I was hobbling around and was not very mobile at all.  I couldn’t ride comfortably on the bike, my knee just wouldn’t bend enough!!  The last week has been okay and Sunday’s ride was really great, I could hug right close to Johan and my knee bends well past the 90′ angle.  The last 40 km was not so good as I got a cramp in the knee and I didn’t know if I must keep it bent or straight.  I dropped it off the footpeg for a while which helped a little.  After the ride, it was so nice to walk and move the joint again. I’ve discovered that it does not like to be in one position for too long. Besides that – I’ve been at home all day while Johan is at work. Everyone in Malawi has a house boy which is quite a novelty in the beginning – you feel like a real Madam sitting reading while the “Boy” does all the work. But extreme boredom set in real fast and now I do all our washing by hand (cause there is no washing machine) then prepare lunch for Johan, do all the dishes (i think the house boy ‘Fanual’ feels he is on holiday), prepare dinner, read, iron, walk around in the Wico grounds, play with Katrina (Martin’s little kitten) oh, and I bake loads of rusks for our house (which Johan eats faster than I can bake them) and I also bake rusks for Claude and Yvonne. So you can see there is not much of interest to talk about from my side. On the odd occasion, Lucy has fetched me and I keep her company while she rides around doing the necessary shopping for the Feba radio station they are setting up, so at least I see some of the industrial areas and downtown area where the little dingy shops are, but then again that’s what most of the shops look like. Most people I know would never think of stopping there never mind going inside to look for something to buy. There are no super Mica stores in this country!!   Martin’s house is on the Wico property. Wico is the wood mill and furniture factory. They have sawmills right through Malawi but this is their head office. The property is in the industrial area, has an electric fence around it and 24-hour security at the gate.  The one part of the yard is the furniture factory, another part makes pallets, another part cuts huge poles with a chain saw all day (this is near the house) and another section turns the poles into tar poles (this is even closer to the house)!!   Previously I couldn’t stand the smell of tar poles but now I’m pretty used to it and have even watched them loading the machine that covers the poles – depending on the thickness of the poles it can take anything from 6 hours to 10 hours, so the boys work various shifts even on the weekends. The machine sounds like a washing machine – in fact, it reminds me of Gaby’s machine and her washing machine almost takes just as long to do a load – or have you bought a new one?!!! There is no walking down to the corner cafe – cause there isn’t one. The only way off the property is either on the bike with my hubby or maybe in a car. And that doesn’t happen very often!…… Oops been on the net for way too long and the pennies are flying away. Will chat again sometime. Love you all loads but remember that Jesus loves you more.

 

Still in Blantyre

 

22 August  2004

 

 

 

We are still alive and well (soos Koos van Namibie sing) and “enjoying” Blantyre. While we’re stuck here in Blantyre we decided to make use of the situation and learn and experience as much as we can of this interesting part of Africa. Blantyre is not beautiful, it is an industrial city, almost like Jo’burg is for RSA (not as big and as organized) The surroundings are better than the city. This letter is just about Blantyre and its surroundings and how I experience the way of living in Blantyre.

Verlede sondag na kerk het ons die pad suid gevat en gaan kyk hoe lyk die suide van Malawi. Die pad uit die stad is goed en raak al hoe beter (minder slaggate) Blantyre lê so tussen 1000 en 1100 meter bo seespieël, dieselfde soos Bloemfomtein. 20 km suid begin sak jy die berg af, stadig maar seker en die draaie raak ewe skielik skerp, net soos die pad na Leoprd Rock naby Mutare, oja, julle was nog nie daar nie, Gydo pass sal jou ‘n goeie aanduiding gee, so 30km van skerp draaie en goeie teerpad. Langs die pad sien jy baie paw paw en piesang en Mango bome. Maar veral paw paws. Op een kol sien jy doer onder lê die Shire rivier soos ‘n slang, dis ‘n groot meneer, soos die Oranje, of dalk groter. Dit is die rivier wat uit die Malawi Meer uitloop tot in die Zambesie. Toe ons oor die rivier se lang brug gaan (50km uit Blantyre) is die hoogte 100m, nogals baie laag en jy voel sommer hoe warm is die lug.  Die gebied staan bekend as die Shire Valei en daar is ‘n dorpie met die naam Chikwawa. Armoede vier hoogety daar. Die wereld daar is plat en reguit en min mense en goeie teerpad en die GS het lanklaas viniger as 100km/h gery so dis tyd om die ringe te laat ring en die pistons te laat sing. Weet jy hoe vinnig voel dit om 180 in Afrika te ry?Maar net vir ‘n kort rukkie, want so nou en dan is daar ‘n bees of ‘n bok wat jou pret bederf. Daar is ooral mense,soos in ooral, dis ongelooflik. Ons stop op so ‘n pragtige uitkykpunt vir piekniek en sien daar is sowaar niemand nie. Ons eet lekker lemoen en piesang en neem fotos. Na so 30 min kyk Charmaine in die boom waaronder ons stilgehou het en merk op dat daar ‘n ou in die boom sit! Dood stil soos ‘n verkleurmannetjie. Die ou het hom seker boeglam geskrik toe hy die groot silwer gevaar sien stop onder hom. So daar is oorals mense in Malawi!  Die GS trek geweldig baie aandag hier en almal is baie verbaas oor die monster bike. Die grootste wat hulle hier sien is Alan se XT600 en die res is maar 100cc. Tog het ons nou die dag ‘n rooi ZX9 in die dorp gesien staan. Redelik vuil. Die polisie is ook op sulke klein 200cc goeters. In Lylongwe ry hulle blykbaar F650?s.

Die kerk waar ons nou by ingeval het is die City Penticostal Church onder lyding van, Kanadese pastoor (Glen) en ‘n Malawiese pastoor (Tom). Meer as die helfte van die sondag dienste is wit mense, van verskillende dele van die wereld. Kanada, Holand, Australië, VSA, Muritius, Suid Afrika, Engeland, Finland ens. Meeste doen of sending werk of kontrak werk vir besighede. Die ou van Finland doen sendingwerk hier en ry ‘n TW200. Hy is deel van CMA in Finland, of so vertel hy, is daar ‘n CMA? Ek laaik hom, want hy is ‘n Mika Raikonin aanhanger. Hier is blykbaar so 10 ouens met bikes in die kerk, so ons werk daaraan om ‘n breakfast run te reel, meskien oor so 4 naweke. Ons het donderdagaand by die een selgroep aangesluit. Ons gaan geleer word hoe om mense van ander gelowe te nader met die ,gospil, deur meer van hulle gelowe te leer. Ons het die sessie van die Moslem geloof gemis, en het net op die regte tyd ingeval om die Jahova getuienis se verskil teenoor die Christen-geloof te leer. Baie interesant.  Die kerk is ook baie uitreikings bewus soos Bikers Church. Die kerk gebou is in die middestad en het elke dag ‘n lunch hour service. Blykbaar is dit stamp vol en die kerk bid vir ‘n groter gebou! Hulle sing baie dieselfde musiek as ons, maar ek mis darem Bikers Church se lewendige lofliedere. Sing liedjies soos ,Let there be peace, Forever, Blessed be thy name, en so aan. Elke sondag sing hulle so 2 liedjies in Tsetsewa, Malawi se taal. Hulle het bietjie meer beat, regte Afrika liedjies.

Om hier te werk is heel anders as by die huis en tensy daar nie baie geld ter sprake is nie, sal ek dit nie aanbeveel nie. Hang af in watter posiesie jy is, as jy die baas is, no problem. By die plek wat ek werk lyk dinge so. Die eienaar is Mnr Okai, hy besit oor die 40 besighede en ry die nuutste en grootste, sy seun ry ‘n nuwe X5, M3’s gaan nie hier werk nie. Die GM is van Ghana en is ‘n pen pusher. 2de in beheer lyk my is ‘n Sri Lanken, nog erger. Die afdeligs hoofe is onderskeidelik van Zimbabwe (2) en Indie (ook 2). Dan is daar 3 konseltante wat ook nog ‘n finger in die paai het(UK). Die Malawiers het nie sê nie, hulle doen die werk, ook net as jy heeltyd bystaan. Die groot kokkedoor, Mnr Okai het my aangestel om die 100de masjienerie wat nie werk nie reg te kry om te verkoop of te verhuur. Die GM en sy trawante smaak my nie, want ek is op hulle keis elke dag oor goed wat hulle moet aankoop en hulle sien nie die nodigheid daarin om dit te koop nie.  Die fabriek vervaardig deurkosyne, venster rame, kruiwaens,ensomeer. Vroeër jare het hulle ,enamel, bekers en bakke gemaak, selfs fietse ook. Die masjien werkswinkel het 19 draaibanke en 9 freesmasjiene, 4 ,shapers, en 3 ,radial armboring machines, 3 ,vertical boring machines, 3 of wat serface grinders, en ‘n horizontal line boring machine?. Alles groot goed. Die helfte daarvan is stukkend. Ons is tans besig met 4 freesmasjiene bv. Nog ‘n groot projek is ‘n masiewe kompressor met ‘n ,sand blasting,  eenheid wat geinstaleer moet word.  Die werk is nice en ek werk lekker saam met die Malawiërs, so 3 van hulle doen wat een Suid Afrikaanse swart man kan doen. Maar nietemin is hulle gewillig. Die probleem is egter met die manne in beheer, ek wag nou al 2 weke vir ‘n verfkwas, en ‘n week vir ‘n rolletjie insulation tape. Vir alles sê hulle daar is nie geld nie, ek was in die sop oor 2 elektriese motors wat ek laat rewind het, alles moet deur hulle gaan, en dan wag jy laaaank. Die stoor het nie ystersaag lemme nie, al die vicegribs en tange is gebreek. Spaners se bekke is gerek en ek wil nie eers van die taps praat nie. Dis ‘n grap. Die ,welders, dra plakkies! Ja, het nie skoene nie, eina, het seker al elte op die tone van die sparks. Hulle was hulle hande met gewone Lux tiepe seep, geen handcleaner nie, ook nie enige lappe nie. Meeste draaibanke het nie coolent nie, die rook draai uit die werkstukke uit.  Die elektriesieëns is lewensgevaarlik! Die power tools het nie plugs aan nie (word gesteel) en die drade word tydelik gelas aan ‘n lewendige draad wat lans ‘n paal hang as jy wil grind of boor. Nou die dag het ek weer so bietjie gevoel hoe voel 220V deur die lead light wat my skok. As hulle ‘n masjien opkoppel, sit hulle nie die hoofkrag af nie, dis mos veilig solank jy net nie aan 2 drade gelyk raak nie! Meeste masjiene het nie ,curcuit brakers, nie, drade word met die hand gelas en met insulation tape toegedraai(3fase motors!) Dis hoekom hulle motors so baie uitbrand, maar daar is nie geld vir ,curcuit brakers, nie? So kan ek boekdele skryf oor dinge wat ek daar beleef. Die, crane, wat ek aan gewerk het is so oud, ek is seker Noag het dit gebruik om die ark se motor in die ark te sit. Maar in Afrika sal die eenvoudige masjien baie langer hou as die ingewikkelde moderne een. Hulle gebruik so ‘n stok ou power saw terwyl daar 2 band saws op die scrapyard lê. ‘n Heel ander wereld. Maar ek prys die Here vir die geleentheid om hierdie dinge te beleef en dis die klas van dinge wat geen geld in die wereld koop nie, jy sal dit ook seker nie heeltemal verstaan as jy dit nie beleef het nie. Een hartseer ding van Malawi is egter die armoede. Tydelike werkers word K75 (R4.50) per dag betaal. ‘n Brood kos K50. Die ouens kan hulle self nie help nie, ek dink hulle is maar net onbevoeg, hulle het al die geleentheid om te leer en reg te kom, maar dis te harde werk vir hulle. Die wit westerse wereld het hulle sag en sleg gemaak. Hulle laaik van bakhand staan en verwag die wit mense moet kos en klere en medesyne voorsien. Hoekom moet hy werk as die wit man vir hom gaan kos gee? Nou dink hulle geld gaan alle probleme oplos, ‘n Groot leun. Hulle sit geweldig baie vertroue in geld en glo dat geld sal hulle probleme oplos, maar besef nie dat geld en rykdom is maar net die resultaat van harde werk en dis die enigste manier hoe jy dit sal bekom nie. Op die filosofiese wyse gaan ek nou maar afsluit en ek wens julle ‘n fantastiese en geseende week toe. Mag die wonderlike God wat ons dien julle seen met alles wat geld nie kan koop nie.

 

18 October 2004

 

 

It’s not often that I get to write something at the internet cafe, as I’m either at the church in the mornings or at the house. Johan has a computer that he can use at his work, so he writes the emails and puts them on a stiffy then cuts and pastes them at the internet cafe. We will be leaving Blantyre, eventually, on the 26th of Oct.  We will be heading north to Detza and Lilongwe, then to Mzuzu and Livingstonia and then into Tanzania. We will be in Zanzibar on the 4th of Nov, and we will spend a few days there with Johan’s folks. Since I’ve been helping out at the church – CityPentecostal Church (CPC) life in Blantyre has had more meaning. I work on Tues, Wed and Thurs mornings, the pay is not worth mentioning, as it doesn’t exist!!  I’m just helping out! I’ve sorted through and categorized all their tapes (music and sermons), CDs, videos – Christian movies and documentaries, and the books.  The books were quite a challenge, as they had to be sorted into categories like in a library. That part was easy, the difficult part was when I found an interesting book – it took me longer than normal to put the book back on the shelf. Some very interesting reading!!  I have also just finished covering all the library books with plastic – it’s like covering school books all over again – how I miss the days with Sharon and Dene helping with the kid’s books.

I’ve made wonderful new friends at the church. Pastor Glen from Canada, (Youth) Pastor Jordan also Canadian, Pastor Tom from Malawi and Roy the church janitor. Not to mention all the expats (South Africans).  It’s amazing how many South Africans are on contract here.  There are also many missionaries – Fiona, Julia, Shareen work at the Kondanani orphanage, Lucy, Miriam work at another orphanage, Bob (American) helping out at a mission station for 3 months now and heads back home at the end of the month, he rides a Harley back home and has invited us to come to stay. Some missionaries come for a 6-month contract and end up staying for 20 odd years.  There are also the YWAM crew (Youth with a mission) and some of the doctors and staff from the CURE International Hospital, (where I had my knee fixed).    As you can see a very busy international church to go to. It has been great staying at Karina and Gary Roark’s house. They have gone home to America for holiday and Gary also had to write an exam. Gary works at CURE – he is the anaesthetist who put me in fairyland for my knee operation. Isn’t it wonderful how Jesus puts people together?  They have a beautiful garden at their house and a very playful dog named Thunder.  He is a black lab/retriever and he loves to play soccer.  He is an inside dog, so we always have to make sure that we are not away from the house for too long. Sometimes I have found myself calling him Wizzer…. and believe it or not sometimes Amber!!  We have lots of fun together especially when Johan is at work and I’m on my own. I’m really really going to miss all these wonderful people. I’m hoping to be back at the internet cafe on Sunday and then I’ll fill in some more of the gaps.

 

25 October 2004

 

 

These last few weeks at Gary and Karina’s house have been wonderful.  They do not have DSTV or even Malawi TV, but they do have a TV and a video machine so we have been watching their collection of videos and some of the videos from the Church library.  We have become real documentary junkies? The Lord knew what he was doing when he sent us to look after Thunder. The one series that we watched is called “Answers in Genesis” by Creation Science Ministries and distributed by Master Books, Colorado.  Presented by Ken Ham (an Australian) and Gary Parker (an American). The series is about creation vs evolution, Noah & the Flood, dinosaurs, fossils, etc.  Very, very, interesting. We leave Blantyre tomorrow and head north. We will mail again from Zanzibar.

 

Dar Es Salaam

 

 

5 November 2004

 

 

 

Well, the last time we chatted we were in Blantyre. We left there on the 26th of October and travelled north to Dedza. We stayed at Wico sawmill ( thanx Claude) which is on the side of the mountain and the forest. It is a beautiful part of Malawi and only about 300m from the Mozambique border. From the tar road, you can see some of the old colonial/Portuguese houses in Mozambique, that was bombed in the war.  There is no fence or river that divides the 2 countries in this area only a gravel road. We used a new road that is under construction to the lake – it is going to be a stunning road when it is finished.  The scenery is out of this world, mountain valleys, villages and some forests. From there we went to Ngala Beach Lodge on the lake and camped on their lawn about 50m from the water. Luckily there was a breeze blowing as the place was full of miggies and mozzies. Oh and Johan saw his first “Fire Flies” that night.  They have a thatch Lapa/bar built right on the water’s edge called “The Soggy Kwacha”! I wonder how it got its name. We then did our first bit of off-road in a long time and travelled to Livingstonia which is on a mountain – 1350m high. The road going is in a very bad condition, with some sharp bends and loose gravel/rocks and in some places, it is red powdery sand.  The road is used by trucks to a coal mine and it doesn’t seem like it has been graded since Noah was a boy scout!! But then as gravel roads go – in some places it is okay.

The scenery is beautiful in that part of Malawi, a lot like Lesotho. The mountain valleys still have trees and shrubs, even flowing rivers and streams with “clean” mountain water. Johan had read that we could stay in the Old Stone Cottage and we were looking forward to staying in the cooler air of the mountain. But when we got there the place was under renovation and actually doesn’t look much like a historical building at the moment. The price had also jumped from US$3pp to US$8.50pp – a little ouch. I must say that the view of the lake is pretty amazing from up there and some of the old buildings are worth a visit to Livingstonia.  Most of the old buildings are being used by the University of Livingstonia. We also went past the clinic built by Dr Robert Laws, one of the first doctors that travelled to Malawi with Dr Livingstone. So after a banana break and some water, we headed off again. Johan was pretty tired as it is hard work getting us up there and now it looked like we had to head all the way down again. The route we were taking down drops from 1200m to 600m in 10km’s!!!  But praise the Lord only 5km from Livingstonia (before the major downhill) we saw a sign saying Lukwe Lodge/Camping, Johan decide to have a look and wow……it is a lodge/camp built high on the side of the mountain with the most amazing view of the valley and lake. You can hear the waterfall and river flowing past, but hidden by the huge trees. There were lots of birds and typical insect noises in the forest area. We spent the night and Robert ( Malawian – guide, barman, chef, dishwasher) made us a very good meal that was enough for 4 people. The new owner, wife and daughter came to say hi and told us that they had only been there 2 weeks!! We got up early – sunrise – to tackle the downhill before it got too hot, it took us an hour to do 10km’s!! Sani pass is steeper but this road is narrower! The surfaces are similar. Oom Johan, you would love it here! Our opinion is that the north of Malawi is far much more beautiful than the south.