Still further up the coast of the lake the road headed inland and we slowly started climbing in altitude. We passed through a rubber tree plantation, the tall green trees a contrast to the scrubby bush we'd been in so far, until we got to the bit that they'd harvested - all dry red dust and earth-moving machinery. As we kept climbing the vegetation became more lush, verdant and tangled like the jungle in Cambodia.
Eventually the rough and potholed road changed into a new smooth tarred one compliments of the EU according to the sign. There have been loads of signs on the sides of the road all through Zambia and Malawi. In Zambia they were mainly indicating 'basic' schools with their mottos - 'where they fail we succeed' is a memorable one - or churches, I've seen more Kingdoms of Jehovahs Witnesses signs and corresponding identical white and rust brick buildings than I can count. In Malawi in addition to the school and church signs are loads of signs indicating development projects, a great many of them funded by the EU.
This smooth road took us into the capital of the northern region, Muzuzu, on the top of the Viphya Range at an alititude of 2200m. We stopped for fuel and money and eventually descended down the escarpment back towards the lake via a series of knuckle whitening turns. If they werent enough of a hazard, the road was also peppered with enormous freight trucks and other vehicles driving in the middle of the road and as the lake came into view, troupes of baboons meandering across the highway.
We passed one truck that had missed a turn and slid over into a ditch on the opposite side of the road. At a small fire on our side of the road making tea, squatted its drivers, surrounded by cargo and bits of wreckage. We thought the accident must have happened earlier that day, though we later discovered that same truck had been there over a week, presumably waiting for some assistance to come from somewhere...
Crazily enough once down the bottom by the lake, we went straight back up a 4WD track with steep inclines and hairpin turns to Livingstonia, a mission established not by Livingstone (who'd died) as commonly recounted but Dr Robert Laws who came out to Malawi to continue the work in health, education and religious conversion that Livingstone started. The mission had previously been established at two points more south on the lake, but the missionaries suffered from malaria so they moved it to the high land where there are way fewer mosquitos. We stayed at the very welcoming Mushroom Farm, a self sustaining lodge on the edge of the cliff with amazing views of the lake and surrounding area. It was established by a bloke from Melbourne 8 years ago who had only intended on staying in Malawi for 3 months!
Eventually the rough and potholed road changed into a new smooth tarred one compliments of the EU according to the sign. There have been loads of signs on the sides of the road all through Zambia and Malawi. In Zambia they were mainly indicating 'basic' schools with their mottos - 'where they fail we succeed' is a memorable one - or churches, I've seen more Kingdoms of Jehovahs Witnesses signs and corresponding identical white and rust brick buildings than I can count. In Malawi in addition to the school and church signs are loads of signs indicating development projects, a great many of them funded by the EU.
This smooth road took us into the capital of the northern region, Muzuzu, on the top of the Viphya Range at an alititude of 2200m. We stopped for fuel and money and eventually descended down the escarpment back towards the lake via a series of knuckle whitening turns. If they werent enough of a hazard, the road was also peppered with enormous freight trucks and other vehicles driving in the middle of the road and as the lake came into view, troupes of baboons meandering across the highway.
We passed one truck that had missed a turn and slid over into a ditch on the opposite side of the road. At a small fire on our side of the road making tea, squatted its drivers, surrounded by cargo and bits of wreckage. We thought the accident must have happened earlier that day, though we later discovered that same truck had been there over a week, presumably waiting for some assistance to come from somewhere...
Crazily enough once down the bottom by the lake, we went straight back up a 4WD track with steep inclines and hairpin turns to Livingstonia, a mission established not by Livingstone (who'd died) as commonly recounted but Dr Robert Laws who came out to Malawi to continue the work in health, education and religious conversion that Livingstone started. The mission had previously been established at two points more south on the lake, but the missionaries suffered from malaria so they moved it to the high land where there are way fewer mosquitos. We stayed at the very welcoming Mushroom Farm, a self sustaining lodge on the edge of the cliff with amazing views of the lake and surrounding area. It was established by a bloke from Melbourne 8 years ago who had only intended on staying in Malawi for 3 months!
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