On one of our school visits we had discovered that Lilongwe was at an altitude of 1076m, which surprised us, but also helped explain why we should expect much warmer temperatures when we went down to Lake Malawi, Africa's third largest lake situated in the Rift Valley. Today we are back on the bus, this time with our luggage, William and Wessi, Joel and Moses for our long journey to Monkey Bay and Cape Maclear on the shores of Lake Malawi, where the early Scot's missionaries set up their first base.
We stopped at Dedza Pottery in the late morning where we were able to see, and buy, some lovely African pottery with lovely glazed scenes of Malawian life. Then to the restaurant.....to sample the cheesecake which Desiree had promised us four week' ago during a Skype call. And what a cheesecake! Eaten in a garden filled with roses amongst pine clad mountains.
Just before we left, Janet came excitedly from the restroom for the camera.....she had just discovered where the painted wash-hand basin in our chalet in Kilmartin showing canoeists had originated.....it had been made at Dedza pottery as there was one in a similar style.....it is a small world. (The basin had been purchased there by the previous owner, Margaret Rayner, who had worked as a mid-wife in Malawi).
Before leaving Dedza we visit the local Prayer House, part of the Kasamba congregation, viewing their plans for their building (which as yet does not have a roof), and also saw the difficulties caused when the local pump stopped working. Lunch is taken at the roadside, 5 km from the Mozambique border, then it is down the hill into the Rift Valley. What a descent......hairpin after hairpin, with remarkable views out onto the plain.
As we come down we start to see Baobab trees, Stanley's favourite tree, one that is well adapted to withstand droughts. Sadly, we also see all too easily the effects of droughts as we travel for over 30 km through withered, browned maize crops with few signs of ears that can be harvested. Some have even been cleared and new crops planted. All is not lost, as the damper areas have rice crops which are growing well and the there is much more livestock in this area with green grasslands with cattle and goats. With Lake Malawi nearby, as we cross a number of rivers, we are left wondering whether there is scope for irrigation which would improve agricultural out-turns......but is there enough power to feed the pumps which would be required?
As we approach Cape Maclear we leave the Tarmac road and travel through the granite hills, clothed in trees of the Lake Malawi National Park. Our first stop is on the edge of Cape Maclear, right at the edge of the National Park, where we are joined by a recently established group of Christians who have been meeting since December. They take us up a footpath, past the local school to a tiny graveyard. It has five graves each marked with a wooden marker - Dr William Black, Ngunana, Captain G Benzie, Dr W Mackey, and a Mr Shadreck. A poignant place where we quietly remember those who were early missionaries in Malawi - William Black was from Fife and died at the age of thirty within a year of arriving there.
As the sun falls close to the horizon we make our way down to the lakeshore to watch the sunset, before going along to the Cape Mac Lodge, where we enjoy the cool of air-conditioning in our rooms......a luxury, along with the modern anti-malarial tablets which the early missionaries certainly did not have.
Pictures to be added!
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