Lake Malawi extends from north to south, and one side belongs to Malawi, while the opposite is Mozambique. if you look on the map, you will see what I mean. If you seat on the beach along the Malawi lakeshore, you can usually see the mozambique mountains on the other side, so far away that if you don't swim to discover that the water is fresh you will think for sure that you are looking at the sea. Then, scattered along the lake there are several islands. Some of them are habited by people, some are just home for huge monitor lizards and fish eagles, and some are refuge of backpackers and travelers looking for the ultimate paradise location..
So, that is what we decided to do for Xmas, visit the (I think) largest island of the lake, Likoma island! Likoma lays on the northern part of the lake, close to the mozambique shore, but it belongs to Malawi. And the only way to get there if you don't have money to pay a charter flight is by the Ilala, a boat from the forties that moves north to south of the lake every week non-stop. Don't think this is a tourist boat, is a real way of transport for the Malawians and some Mozambicans living along the lakeshore and the islands. If you walk around the lower deck, you will find people transporting any kind of stuff, from goats to tomatoes or clothes, people sleeping on the floor and no room even to breath.. so we decided to go for the 'first class' which is just the top deck, but there is a bar.. We got our greens on hand (carlsberg bottles) and we were ready.
The boat is old, but well maintained. And we all hope it will last, because if not, many people will loose a very precious way of transport along the lake. The trip goes smooth and soon is fascinating to cross the line of fishermen in their dugouts. When you see them at night from the beach, you can only guess the lights of their paraffin lamps. When you pass close to them you see the solitude of their fragile boats, long hours ahead of them, trying to capture chambo, kampango, usipa... all those species of fish that only exist here. I promised to myself that I will not bargain again for the price of fish.
The boat goes fast, we left at 8 pm when the endless procession of boxes and people stopped coming into the Ilala. And by 2am we were in Chizumulu, the island next to Likoma.. Two hours later we were still there, more little boats coming close to the Ilala to unload crates of beer, baskets with food and people. there is no jetty in Chizumulu, so everything has to be unloaded using boats.. we set off again, and then it was daylight. without warning, one second the sky is pink, and the following second is day, the sun warming us without mercy.. and there it was Likoma!
The next 5 days we just basked on the sun, snorkeled around the beach, and visited the church, waiting for the Ilala to come back from on its way down to pick us up.. There are no beachboys
there (local youngsters that chase tourist to take them partying, sell marihuana, organise barbeques..) just lake, babobab trees, children, relaxed people and the church. a huge cathedral that the anglican missioners built there 100 years ago.. Probably they had nothing better to do?
Christmas dinner was lovely, the table set by the lake, paraffin lamps to guess what we were eating and south african wine.. My xmas present was a hammack, and my routine in the following two days was to hang it from my favorite trees and read on it til dark. Despite the little things to do, the time went fast and the day we were taking the Ilala back to the lakeshore we were sad to leave paradise!!
We had to get to Blantyre for new years eve! nothing special, party at my place, gin punch with pineapple and mango fruit, loads of people and laughs until dawn.. I wish you all the best for the new year!!
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