Technical Difficulty

Having a rough go with the internet today. What's a travel recap without photos? They are rough on the uploading today. Updates will continue on their regular schedule--hopefully!--tomorrow.

Livingstonia

After trekking across the Nyika Plateau (next post!) we stumbled (quite literally: it was hot, we were tired, and this was on the top of the hill) into the town of Livingstonia, a municipality created by Scottish missionaries at the turn of the century to convert and educate the locals as well as play a part in the stopping of the slave trade. It's a surreal place that at times makes you think you're in (at least what I imagine to be) a tiny English town on a cross roads. There's a big church:

The light inside was fantastic, especially in a meeting room in the back:

And the stained glass in the front:

We met a few English medical students who were serving at the local hospital for two months. They were staying in the founder's old house, appropriately named The Stone House:

We soon said goodbye to our guide Chip (more on him later) and headed over to the local university which was made up of beautiful brick archways, one after another:

Next it was the the city center where we had a tea and a scone and quick one way ticket to rural England and back:

After enjoying the little town for a few hours, we hiked to our resting place for the night, Lukwe, a stunning lodge perched 4,000 feet above the lake. Photos tomorrow!

The Past Week: Chinteche

Starting last Sunday (the 14th) a friend of mine, Asif, and I headed north for a few days of hiking and a couple on Lake Malawi. We drove to Rumphi, took transport into Nyika National Park, hiked 55km east to Livingstonia, hiked 15 km more to the lake shore, took public transit back to Rumphi (and the car), and then drove to Chinteche for the weekend on the beach. I'll be working back with a new post each day about each step of the trip. With that in mind, let's start with Chinteche, a strip of beach in northern Malawi:

The beach weekend was mainly a gathering of Clinton Health Access Initiative (Serena's employer) employees, sans Serena. Odd. She was in southern Malawi at Mt. Mulanje for a retreat, while I was on the lake swimming and making sand castles. We were renting out the same house from November's Thanksgiving weekend but with a totally new crew and without our mascot Bay. Here's a dark photo (the sun was simply too perfect and bright for the camera) of the gang:

We swam and read, ate and chatted, built sand castles (unfortunately can't find a photo!) and buried bodies.

Craig (below with smoothies) and I thoroughly enjoyed jokes about Germans from the Tasteless Jokes book that brought down the house.

An excellent weekend with good company and perfect weather.

Trippin'

The blog has, unfortunately, suffered in the last couple months as we have settled into normality and taken on the fairly simple rhythm of life here. The last few weeks, though, have been filled with trips abroad and domestically and those stories will be told, with photos, here. Look for posts in the next week, starting with the most recent trip and moving back. Enjoy!

Things That Occurred

It's not often a friend from ten years prior drops in while living in Malawi, but that's just what happened last week when Chris from the Journey of Hope arrived at Lilongwe International Airport. We were so busy having fun that this is the best picture I snapped from the three day binge:

It's hard to tell what Chris is doing. Perhaps he is raising his hands in praise of Mother Earth for making such a beautiful place. Or, perhaps jumping to the sky after I pinched his tookis. Likely, though, is that this is the moment of realization that microscopic snails living in the lake waters are entering his blood stream. No worries mate, you've got pills.

We had three days, here's a list of the awesome things that happened:

1. Chris arrived with nothing more than a small backpack. What did he bring considering this efficient packing? A loofah. Why? Because he just got his back waxed. Good start.
2. We immediately went to lunch where lots of rich white people hang out. I ate a delicious hamburger, but Chris hasn't been in Africa long enough to realize just how delicious it was. He ate a salad that, in all likelihood, gave him haunting stomach issues. Should've warned you mate.
3. Off to the lake (see above). 
4. Woke up and Colorado St (his alma mater) and Oregon won their first round games!
5. Kayaked to the island in the background of the photograph above. Snorkled. Fish followed Chris and nibbled on his feet and legs. Foreign food. Chris was allergic and snotted all over the place. Is it fratty to mention that? Oh yeah.
6. Cape Maclear is an interest destination where tourism and traditional life mix together. Chris and I took a stroll into town where, among other things, we were Pied Pipers, except instead of music we played our white skin. The kids swarmed. Friendship Visit v. 2013
7. Swam to the platform in the background (that photo is really coming in handy). That is all.
8. At dinner Chris has the genius idea of a fire/drink/fireworks night. So we did. The fireworks were purchased at a Chinese store in Lilongwe just for such an occasion. Happy 4th of July!
9. On the return to Lilongwe the next morning, we stopped by the Mozambiquen border. Long story short: Christ (Chris) wanted to step foot in and did some illegally. Well done, sir. Well done.
10. Dinner with friends followed by a casino run. We fondly call the local blackjack table "The ATM." It didn't disappoint.
11. On the ride home at 2am, the lovely Malawi police pulled us over. 45 minutes and a call to our embassy later and we were released with orders to go to the police station the next morning (Sunday) at 7:30 to pay a $7.50 fine. It would cost more in gas to drive to the station than to pay the fine.
12. Departure the next morning. JOH 2003 Reunion Tour complete. Guys, where you at?

 PS Serena claims I was "really fratty." Chris and I thought each other was about exactly the same 10 years later sooooo... this is a likely accusation.