Sun 02 June
Entering Malawi was fun! A truck was unloading outside the customs buildings and millions of people were milling about trying to identify their luggage and get it cleared. I parked my bike at the side of the crowd, in what turned out to be the middle of the road! I had to move it later to let a truck go by.
According to the Irish Dept of Foreign Affairs, quoting a press release from Malawi Dept of Immigration, citizens of N Ireland do not require a visa to enter the country.
For those who don’t know, we, citizens of NI that is, are entitled to two passports, an Irish passport, which requires a visa to enter Malawi, and a UK passport, which also requires a visa. This situation bemused the embassy staff in Harare, but after checking their lists, website and making some calls, agreed with me. They suggested I go and explain at the border, but to bring my $70, just in case! 🙂
So I do. But how to prove my origins? Why my birth certificate of course!
The girl at the counter said, “Pay!” Birth certificate made no difference. Her boss said, “Pay!” His boss, or the guy sitting beside him anyway, said, “Pay!” But i don’t give up easily and I could see they were confused and a little uncertain. Finally, the chief was summoned, the situation explained, and he took me into a little back room!! We looked at the list; he looked at my passports; smiled, shrugged and said, “OK.” The underlings we’re instructed to process me and 5 mins later I had my entry stamp – $70 saved! Whilst it akes only a couple of minutes to write/read this, the process itself took nearly an hour. Patience is definitely a virtue.
Next was customs. This proved to be a painless exercise, and, because I had a carnet de passage, another $30 saved. But I still had to pay the road access fee of $20. Nonetheless, I was in and away in a relatively short time.
Dedza Pottery Campsite was only about 10km from the border. Down a windy village road and then onto to dusty gravel one. I nearly decided to go elsewhere, but saw a bike go in front and it was clear the dust was fine on a solid surface, so I followed. Good choice. Camping MK 4,000 (US $5); dinner MK 6,500 (US $8.67) and breakfast
Mon 03 Jun
Next morning I had to experience a frustrating 45 minutes while a young girl tried to get me connected to the outside world, so it was almost 10 o’clock when I actually got on my way.
The road to Lilongwe was good enough. The traffic got heavier on approach. I was pulled over at police checkpoint; the lad looked a bit cross as I refused to stop immediately on my side of the road, but then was happy enough when he realised what I was trying to do. I explained about the weight and lean … and he was happy. We had a chat; I told him where I was going and all thoughts, if he even had any initially, of papers etc disappeared. After five mins, he smiled, wished me well, and waved me onwards.
Lilongwe traffic was one long queue all the way into city and all the way out. Kept moving between streams, About 25 kms out the GPS tells me to turn right; it’s a gravel road. Just short of the junction is a checkpoint, so I Speak to the polis man who says it’s only 4-5 kms across to the right road and it’s OK; much quicker than going back to the turning I missed. For once he’s right. Once back on tar, the road to Salima is excellent and I make up some time. Fuel up there and head on to Nkhotakota, This road not so good, but not bad.
I found NHK Safari lodge fairly easily. The access road proves to be less user friendly than I was told. There is deep sand in parts and, although I manage to negotiate the first stretches, the inevitable inevitably happens. Two lads help me get upright again and then a lady passing turns out to be the wife of the lodge manager. She organises a couple of guys to come from the lodge, which is only about 750m further. We unload the bike and they carry my kit, while I and another push through the last stretch of sand and then I ride the last few hundred metres.
Playing on my bail (fall), rather than camp I negotiate a reduced rate for a room – 24,500 down to 15,000 – still expensive. It’s not a great experience: no hot water before dinner; spaghetti carbonara to miss; and, despite being assured it had been sorted, still no hot water after dinner. But that was not the last of it!
I was woken up in middle of night by ants trying to eat me! The bed is swarming with ants. The rondavel is overrun and, to cap it all, infested with cockroaches. At least the mosquito net worked 🙂
Tue 04 Jun
Next morning, no surprise to all who know me, I complain – oh, still no hot water btw – and after an average breakfast, negotiate a further reduction in room rate to 12,000 ($16).
After this, I swallow my pride and organise a guy to take my bags on a “taxi” bike to the main road and two others to push my bike through soft sand. Cost MK1,000 – he of course tries to charge me 5,000! He gets 1,200, which is what I was planning to give him anyway.
This guy’s advantage(s) was/were a light bike and long legs; he simply walked the bike through the sandy parts. So I conclude: short legs, heavy bike and deep sand do not go well together; NO MORE SAND!!
While loading up I notice a bolt holding the brake hose clip and mudguard in place was missing. Not a big deal, but it was causing the annoying rattle that I thought was maybe a recurrence of the earlier problem I had with the brake mounting. Anyway, I replace it and head off.
In Nkhotakota, I fill up and pay by card with some cash-back. My app says it’s OK, but their system says payment was refused. They let me have it on the promise to transfer if it doesn’t go through. It doesn’t and a week later, I have to try to do a transfer to Malawi. At the same time, I notice the battery voltage monitor indicating the voltage is low; mental note!!
I rule out a few possible campsites that involve sandy roads and settle on Mayoka Village in Nkhata Bay, as I’m told the tar goes all the way to the car park. This means I miss out of a couple of places I’d have liked to go, but then …
Road from NKH to Nkhata Bay (M5) is a revelation. Excellent surface; winds through dense green forest and sweeps along the lake shore. Great for getting the dust off a wide area of your tires.
Make excellent time and arrive at Mayoka Village. But that’s for tomorrow.
Belfast-2-Belfast-By-Bike 