Malawi is a relatively small country, especially when it is
compared to the countries surrounding it. In Canada, even in a small province,
we are used to every major place being associated with the title of
"city". In Malawi, there are 3
cities: Blantyre in the Southern Region, Lilongwe in the Central Region (also
is the Capital), and Mzuzu in the Northern Region (our home). Any other major
area where people live or come together is known as a trading centre, some
being bigger than others. Any other place is a village - and trust me, they are
true villages (as in Dunville looks like a major city in comparison). Mike and
I are lucky enough to have seen every city in Malawi and quite a few of the
major trading centres. Of course we live in Mzuzu - so we are completely biased
and know 100% that Mzuzu is the best city to be in by far - just enough to make
it feel a touch civilized, but not as many people or creepy stores as in
Lilongwe and Blantyre. It also only has maybe 5 roads, so you will never get
lost. Lilongwe offers a much more 21st century feel with actual grocery stores
and department stores. And as it is the capital city, you can also see the
capital buildings - but we stick to the department stores. As it is a bigger
city, it also has a darker side - much like say Toronto has homeless people or
more garbage along the sidewalks. Recently Mike and I visited Blantyre. What's
in Blantyre? A KFC. And that's about it. We didn't even eat there.
It's the smaller trading centres that are truly unique and
reflect the nature of Malawi. Places like Mulanje, Zomba, Cape Maclear, Nkhata
Bay and Kande Beach are some of the most beautiful and friendly places in
Malawi. Mulanje is the town at the base of Mulanje Mountain, a range of peaks
that are extremely beautiful and surrounded by tea plantations. Mike and I
hiked Mulanje, making it to the Chambe peak hut to spend the night. We woke up
surrounded by peaks and forest - absolutely beautiful. I think I lost 5 pounds
on the hike, which only took 4 hours but was completely uphill - as in
literally climbing up rocks. Definitely a happy moment of accomplishment. We
didn't even attempt to go to the summit, whose name translated into English
means "don't go there". That would have taken about 24 hours to hike.
And there are rumours that Mulanje is a harder mountain to climb than
Kilimanjaro. In any case, Mulanje is our absolute favourite place in Malawi.
People are the most friendly and the view is breathtaking. Mulanje is a much
better place to judge Malawi than one of the cities.
Zomba is the former capital of Malawi, and has a modern
feel. Since it is at the base of a plateau you can enjoy the restaurants and
(Semi-)modern life (they have cheese!) at the base, or go to the top of the
plateau to hike, see the waterfalls or visit the dam that is on the 500 Kwacha
bill. We only had a short time in Zomba, but if we had the chance, we would
definitely go back to really check it out. Again, it has much more character
and beauty than the cities in Malawi.
Any of the major villages along the Lake are also a true
reflection of Malawi's soul. Cape Maclear, at the Southern tip of Lake Malawi
was like a small paradise tucked away behind huge hills. We swam with the
tropical fish out near one of the islands and watched fish eagles grab fish
from the Lake not 10 feet from our boat. Kande Beach is reminiscent of Cuba -
sandy beaches with not a care in the world. Nkhata Bay has beautiful views and
a much more lively social scene, which has given us many opportunities of
making new friends.
I'm glad that we have had the opportunity to check out more
of Malawi than just our humble little home in Mzuzu and Lilongwe. It's not until
we went to new places that it really is evident that Malawi is the warm heart
of Africa - you just have to venture away from the 'luxury' the cities provide.
