Trip To Malawi

My brother’s son Rathinam fondly known as Rathi is staying in Malawi for quite some years with his administratively efficient wife Uma and loving daughter Meena and family. There was a long standing invitation from them to visit Malawi.

Malawi officially the Republic of Malawi, is a landlocked country in southeast Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It is bordered by Zambia to the northwest, Tanzania to the northeast, and Mozambique on the east, south and west. Malawi is over 118,000 km² (45,560 sq mi) with an estimated population of 16,777,547 (July 2013 est.). Its capital is Lilongwe, which is also Malawi's largest city; the second largest is Blantyre, the third is Mzuzu and the fourth largest is its old capital Zomba. The name Malawi comes from the Maravi, an old name of the Nyanja people who inhabit the area. The country is also nicknamed "The Warm Heart of Africa".

True to the saying, the people are really good. Most of the women are as strong as men and they live happily with a friendly way of receiving strangers

Finaly, My son Muthu, his wife Meena and myself ventured to make the trip.

The flight from Bombay was in the early hours. Some members in our team believe in traveling in comfort. We took an afternoon flight to Bombay from Cochin, stayed in a hotel at Bombay and took the flight to Nairobi(Kenya) in time. It was a business class ticket and the journey was comfortable.

Muthu and Meena broke the journey in Kenya as they wanted to go for a Safari, where as I proceeded straight to Lilongwe.

On the second of August  we crossed the Nairobi airport, which was intact on that day. There was a fire accident and most of the immigration area was burnt on the 8^th of August; When we returned the immigration was done in a specially built camp shed.

We could not take yellow fever injection before we commenced the journey, as the vaccine was not available anywhere in India.

I was held up in Lilongwe airport for sometime as I was not having the yellow fever certificate. But Chockalingam, Rathinam’s brother-in-law, fondly known as SONA came inside the airport and escorted me out after the formalities.

Rathinam, Uma, Meena and Manikandan and Lakshmi  were waiting outside the airport and received me. We then proceeded to Lakshmi’s house. Lakshmi is Rathinam’s sisiter and Sona’s wife. They have a daughter and son.

Sona and Myself in Sona's garden Lilongwe

                                 

Sona’s brother Annamalai, and Sona’s other relatives came and met us. Overnight we stayed in Lakshmi’s house. We were taken care of very well.

Next morning Rathinam took me round Lilongwe in his car. It was a clean town and the roads were good.

We then visited Maniknadan’s house. Manikandan is Rathi’s sister’s son. He is married to Abhirami and have two mischievous sons. We were given some nice food there. His two little boys are kept in a cot so that they do not move around and create havoc.

Manikandan’s two sons

Blantyre is about 4 hours drive from Lilongwe.  Rathi and family took me to Blantire. They have a four bedroom house. Of that one was allotted to me. A Wi-Fi was also set up in the room, so that I could use internet. Farook a smart boy, about 12 years in age was also assigned to help me. He regularly gave me my medicine and helped me to put on the sling which I was using to keep the trousers in position.

In Malawi work starts early in the morning. People leave before 7 a.m. Rathinam was the Marketing Chief of a big company. Uma was looking after the two shops they were running.

Rathinam’s daughter, used to regularly come in her car  and take me round Blantyre. Her husband Manikandan is wedded to his work and gets leave rarely. However they use to come and meet us in the evening. Rathinam’s elder sister Valli also was living in Blantire. Her husband Lakshmanan worked in a company there as accountat.Muthu and Meena joined us after a couple of days’ break in Kenya

Rathinam had to take leave to take us round the nearby places or use the Saturday and Sundays.

Our stay in Malawi mainly covered Lilongwe, Water land resort in Saleema, Blantyre, Mount Mulanjee, Muwa cultural center Mangochi, and a few other places.

We went to Mulanje which is a granite mountain.

A distant view of the mountain

Mount Mulanji is in South Central Africa about 80 kms from the Industrial City of Blantyre   It extends to 10000 Sq.Kms and has the tallest peak in SCA. The road is good and the drive, partly through the tea estates, is good and satisfying. The summit, 3000 meters high creates its own climate. It is called as SAPITWA meaning ' Don't go there' It has taken the toll of some mountain climbers who braved the weather and tried to climb to the peak.

We could see some pools of running water where the youngsters sat and enjoyed.

Muthu and Meena putting their feet in flowing water

    

We were there for quite some time. On the way back we purchased wooden cycles ,motor cars etc nicely made.

Muthulakshmi braving the chill and her loving mother Meena watching

Then we saw Water lands

Water Lands is a beautiful resort in Lake Malawi closest to Lilongwe, situated 120km to the east by road, and as such it is becoming a popular weekend retreat and conference venue for residents of the capital. It also makes a useful first or last port of call for fly-in tourists to Malawi, with a dozen or more beach resorts that collectively cater to most tastes and budgets slung along the 8km of sandy beach that runs south from Senga village to Kambiri Point.
The management of water lands has been taken over by the company in which my brother’s son in law Chockalingam, fondly known as SONA, works. He informed the German Couple who look after the resort and made our booking.

Rathinam’s collegue, Barghav, his wife and father along with their little son joined us. We had to go by boat to reach the resort. The boat ride was nice when we went. Sometimes it is said to be rough when there is wind

 

The boat ride to reach the resort

                    

The rooms were good, even though the approach to the rooms were a little adventurous

Blue Zebra

There were lot of fish in the water around the Saleema resort. It was known as Blue Zebra. We were throwing bread pieces which the eagle sitting on a nearby tree came and picked up.

Taking Bed Coffee in the hotel

Boating around. Rathinam comfortably sitting at the front end of the boat

The food served was good in waterlands. The german couple and the cheff managed to ensure that nothing was wasted. Some of the items prepared earlier was preserved and served. They served a variety of dishes.

Lunch at Saleema

On our way back we visited theMuwa cultural center. Their we took lunch which they hurriedly prepared and served

 

At Muwa cultural centre, Farook my assistant in the middle

The highlight of the visit was to Mangochi, where Rathinam organized a four bedroom house at the banks of the lake.

Mangochi is a township in the Southern Region of Malawi. Located near the southern end of Lake Malawi, in colonial times it used to be called Fort Johnston. As of 2008 it has a population of 51,429. It is 120 miles North East of Blantyre, the largest city in Malawi

When we were in Mangochi we came to know that my grand daughter Eashu was pregnant. My daughter-in-law Meena was very much concerned and kept on talking in face time using our Ipad.

The Wi-Fi connection was given through Bhargav’s phone.

Nice fish was available in the lake opposite the building in which we were staying.

Uma purchased some nice fish. Rathinam cooked it using the utensils available there.

Rathinam Cooking fish

After a stay of of 5 weeks in Malawi we decided to return back to India. By that time a new flight has been introduced to Kenya from Blantyre. WE could fly to Nairobi from Blantyre itself.

By the time we reached Nairobi we could see a couple of tents as the airport had a fire accident a few weeks earlier. We entered the tent meant for the transit passengers. By the time we passed through the security check, Muthu had managed to locate a first class waiting room, which was intact unaffected by the fire. WE could get a convenient Sofa. Drinks ( alcohol ) and food was free.

Wi-Fi was available. I used my I Pad and sent a few E Mails. After a few days I found my E Mail has been Hi Jacked . Messages were sent from ID that I was in distress in Philipines and need money urgently. As we cross checked with each other no one lost any money.

We landed in the Bombay International airport, travelled to the domestic airport and took an Indigo flight to Coimbatore. Our car with the driver was waiting in Coimbatore.