The Warm Heart of Africa
You can measure the depth of the sea
but what about a man’s heart?
– Malawi
We just got back from Malawi.
We had always wanted to go when we lived in Zambia, but somehow never made it during our two years in this beautiful part of Sub-Saharan Africa. Where have you always wanted to visit?
We had known of some similarities at the time. Both countries are landlocked, their currency is Kwacha and the staple food is maize, which we knew in Zambia as Nshima. Two decades ago, both countries were around the same place in terms of the GDP.
It was a chance to visit a friend from our Nairobi days. It was funny how we had met back in Kenya. We had mutual friends. I had seen photos of his lavish interiors and commented on his obvious design flair. I made a cheeky, throwaway comment about calling over for dinner sometime.
My cheek knows no bounds!
Next thing you know, we were invited to a decadent dinner party, with multiple courses.
On that Nairobi night, all the guests were appointed a dinner party partner and you were involved on some level in the kitchen for the ‘mise en place’. We all took part, like very amateur sous chefs. Some food did not make it to the plates. One friend had a little incident with a blow torch. But overall, we contributed in a small way to the production of this fantastic feast. And, most importantly, we had a lot of fun.
By the end of the fabulous evening, I was thoroughly impressed by our generous host.
He moved on to Santiago, Chile, the following month. We left Nairobi and moved to Jakarta the following year. But sometimes these international connections endure.
Fast forward a few years and here we are. Two expat travellers, flying from South Africa to Malawi, to meet up with an American friend, with Latino heritage and a penchant for spicy cuisine; Mexican, Thai, Middle Eastern, Indian, Vietnamese, Peruvian, Japanese, Korean.
Before we travelled, there was a series of messages exchanged. The first one was addressed to the ‘Southern Birds’ with a ‘light schedule’, plus an overview of our meals. I was thoroughly impressed; an itinerary and a menu! I replied and broke the news that I am vegetarian. Potato tacos and cauliflower ceviche were added to the menu.
Of course we travelled to Lilongwe laden with wine! We carried a special selection of bottles from The Mother City; fine Western Cape wine from our local wine valley, Constantia. I was sure that our friend had little chance of finding these in Lilongwe. There was a enough wine for us to share on each day of our stay and one for good measure…eight bottles of wine, all carefully wrapped in our cases.
We landed at Kamuzu International Airport, descending through deep blue skies. Our friend was at work, but he had sent his driver to meet us. Peter greeted us with a warm smile. We were driven to the house, in a quiet suburb.
We unpacked an assortment of goodies from the Mother City; braai spice, ginger biscuits, rooibos tea, salted caramel popcorn, nuts and artisan nougat. I’ve mostly blocked out bad food memories of our NGO days, such as processed cheese and ‘Chateau de cardboard’. But I do remember that when we got visitors to our small bush town in Zambia, food parcels from home and tasty treats from overseas were always much appreciated.
Our host had left us an array of drinks and nibbles to welcome us. We got settled. We were finally in Malawi, the Warm Heart of Africa. When he got home from work, he served luscious French cheese and Caviar with crackers. I poured the cool Western Cape bubbles, our first Malawian sundowners of the trip.
The next day, after a decadent breakfast of softly boiled eggs, topped with Black Truffle Pearls, Peter drove us about Lilongwe to do our shopping. We wanted to find good, ground coffee, local tea and Malawi gin. He diligently took us around, kindly waiting in each place. Patient. Always smiling. A warm heart.
That afternoon we helped a little with preparations for a belated Thanksgiving dinner. Candles were lit. Margaritas were mixed. Our fabulous feast had a Mexican theme; Guacamole Mousse with Cilantro Gelee, Salsas and Chips, Pork and Chicken Flautas, Mexican Rice and Refried Beans. Our friend’s strong Mexican roots has clearly influenced his cooking. It was all washed down with plenty of perfectly chilled, Sauvignon Blanc.
The next day we we travelled to lake Malawi. The ice box was filled with bottles of wine and savoury snacks. Our friend had booked us all in at the Blue Zebra Island Lodge, a wonderfully secluded spot away on Nankoma Island, part of the Marelli Island archipelago. The area is under the protection of Lake Malawi National Park and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We were told that we might be able to see the rare species of Malawi’s Cichlid fish, as well as a wide assortment of birdlife.
Lake Malawi is the third largest lake in Africa and the eighth largest lake in the world. It is immense.
When we arrived, we were escorted to the shores by a team of guys who carried our luggage. I had not expected to be asked to wade through extremely choppy waters to reach our shuttle boat. I’ll admit that I was more than a little concerned about the risk of Bilharzia, which has been contracted in those waters. A look of horror must have swept across my face, as one of the ‘porters’ swiftly said “don’t worry madame, I will carry you”. I looked at him with surprise and replied “I am heavy”. His response – “I am strong”. Another warm heart.
Before I knew if, I was on his back and being taken to the boat. And he was mighty. He didn’t drop me!
We had heard of the lake when we lived in Zambia and again in Liverpool, where a neighbour had documented the Lake of Stars music festival. Over the years, like so much of Malawi, there has been development. Tourism and visitors to the music festival have grown. This year the festival celebrated its 15th anniversary. More than 5000 visitors enjoyed three days of live music and performances by local and international artists.
Have you travelled somewhere, that continues to grow and progress?
When we finally reached Nankoma Island, after a super rough crossing, we were more than ready for a stiff drink and our spot to retreat from the world. For three days we lounged by this ginormous lake and relaxed on the deck of our spacious cottage. We took it slow.
All our meals were an occasion on the island. The staff couldn’t do enough to make ensure that you enjoyed everything and they were trying out new, vegetarian dishes. On our first night, I was served a roasted butternut squash, stuffed with cous cous and vegetables. An almost blind, bush baby joined us and watched from the beams above. Breakfast the next morning was an omlette with fresh tomatoes and thinly sliced avocado. Lesser Masked Weavers, Black Eyed Bulbuls and Southern Brown Throated Weavers scavenged on the abandoned breakfast plates, on the table next to us. An African Paradise Flycatcher also made an appearance. Malawi boasts over 650 different species of birds, some of which are native and not found anywhere else in the world.
After three days of total R&R, it was time to begin the journey back to Lilongwe. The lake was calm. The crossing back to the mainland was a gentle one, in stark contrast with our arrival.
We drove back, passing villages, kamikaze goats and mighty baobabs. On our last evening, we indulged in a bit more wine. Dinner was Braised Shortribs and Sliced Aubergine cooked in Miso, spicy rice and a fresh, Mediterranean Salad. We went to sleep with full bellies. Again.
The next day we headed back to the airport. It’s small. We passed through check in and immigration swiftly. I was greeted by a smiling, immigration officer. “Muli bwanji?” (how are you?)…”Muyende bwino” (safe journey). If only all immigration staff were as friendly. Another warm heart.
And what of our host? We were warmly welcomed to his home. He shared his exceptionally delicious food and arranged our trip to the lake. He has a warm heart too. He takes hospitality seriously; a host extraordinaire with exceptional flair. We hope to reciprocate that welcome someday.
When we look at news from around our globe at the moment, it seems that there are massive problems between people and countries. The world feels fractured. More and more people are looking in, not looking out. Cold, uncaring nations of selfish people.
Our trip was a good reminder that we can meet good people wherever we go. There are still some people with really warm hearts.
Malawi. The Warm Heart of Africa.
Have you travelled somewhere, that lived up to its reputation?
© Maggie M/Mother City Time