To continue the whirlwind tour that I gave my father of the lands and lake of Malawi, we set off from Zomba to the famous Cape Maclear. Maclear is a stunning beach destination off the main road up a dirt path into a UNESCO Natural Heritage site. We took in a fine afternoon and the next morning of the landscape by foot and kayak. Our kayak trip included going around a secluded island, populated only by a large population of swooping fish eagles and then swerving amongst the locals in their fishing canoes on the way back to shore.
From Cape Maclear we took the whole next day to drive up the coast of the lake to Nkhata Bay, a hippie, lake retreat posted on rocky shores overlooking the lake. In contrast to the sandy, village setting of Cape Maclear, Nkhata Bay is like a rocky hobbit town with grass and stone houses set into the hills rising from the lake. With the dive shop crippled by a dearth of fuel supplies and a long wait of those semi-permanent, seasonal citizens that occupy N-Bay, we were forced to explore the underwater land by snorkeling or sit out over our personal patio five feet above the swaying, turquoise waters. Hobbits and all their magic wouldn't do this place any justice.
The lake experience was a calming departure from what can be a hectic city life. But then we ventured inland towards Nyika National Park. Nyika is, in fact, a large plateau rising into the Western border with Zambia. It's location can be described kindly as the middle-of-nowhere. To get there we settled into Slick Mitt (my car, if you missed it) and followed directions (with a few couple-hour-getting-lost-detours) to Mzuzu, then Rumphi and up the "dirt road" to Nyika. This dirt road was in fact a 120km stretch of potholes and puddles suited for spelunking, jutting rocks like stone scimitars after your tires and muddy stretches that would have transformed the Chattahooche music video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JW5UEW2kYvc&ob=av2e) from gleeful, muddin' hillbillies, into a screaming slide to a perilous end.
It took four hours there and back, plus the virginity of my spine and a tire. That being said, Nyika was a stunning expanse of rolling, vivid green hills. It was a Scottish Serengeti, at 8000 ft above sea level, with antelope, leopards, hyenas, elephants, serval cats and a plethora of birds. Hopefully my pictures came out well and I can post them for you at some point because its gorgeousness is not being done justice here. We enjoyed the luxury of only two other guests in the entire national park and had our own cabin with a fire for the chilly nights and a valet to cook us scrumptious meals. God Bless the value of a dollar in this country. Almost made it worth the drive.
My Dad has departed in one piece, I am back to work, and as usual, I will have more for you soon enough.
Nine holes of golf tomorrow morning,
Steven
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