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TRAVEL BLOG ENTRY
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“Cockroach, dogs and Christmas pudding” |
I can't quite believe it but we've been on the road with Dragoman for 17 days now and they've passed in a flash.
We got down to Kande Beach about a third of the way down the west coast of Lake Malawi on Christmas Eve and are here for four nights to chill out and relax.
I think I need it. Last night we camped at Chitimba Beach camp site further up the coast and set up our tent on the beach so that we got a nice sea breeze from the biggest lake in Africa.
I haven't found out quite how big it is yet but it aparently takes up a third of the country, looks like the ocean, has sandy beaches and crocodiles and can be fearsomely dangerous. One story I read suggested three people got into trouble in their boat a few years ago and despite an air search, it took 17 days to find them.
I found risks much closer to home.
The camp site suffered particularly from flies which wasn't nice. I put on my long dark trousers to keep them at bay only to read the following day that they are attracted to dark colours!
There was a ferocious flying cockroach in the toilet which tried to get me, twice and undid the effects of two days of Imodium in a flash. And when I went to go to my tent from the bar, the 'really soft, wouldn't hurt a fly, wolf hound crossed with the spawn of Satan' camp site dog took a serious dislike to me. Genuinely, on all fours it came up to my waist and weighed as much as a compined harvester which it could have eaten for breakfast.
I could see the dog had a leash fastened to it so decided to go the long way round to my tent to keep out of its way. The dog knew better and set off after me like buggery. All I can say is thank goodness for the cockroach or I'd have left a trail behind me as I ran screaming pathetically down the beach.
Prior to all that excitement, we'd had our first opportunity to do some souvenir shopping, buying from the stalls outside the campsight. We bought some nice bits and pieces but the hassle was a pain. After two long days travel, and also being on cooking duty (and peeling a thousand potatos - again), Messrs Hot, Sweaty, Grumpy, Back-Off and Why-Can't-You-Put-A -Price-Label-On-Things all came to visit. I did the deal and got what I wanted but didn't enjoy the experience.
Perhaps the dog belonged to the stall holders and not the camp site after all.
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All of which brings us back to Kande Beach, Christmas Day and a four day chill out. Tonight (Christmas Day) we're joining in a big site banquet which promises to be something special if the Christmas Eve celebrations were anything to go by. Who knows what the other days will hold.
Which only leaves me to say - have a very merrry Christmas to everyone who is reading this and a peaceful and harmonious New Year.
(Oh - and that I'll add some more photos when I can find a computer that will let me).
previous travel blog entryComments or Questions for the Author
WEendy and John says:
And to think... some people pay for enemas.
little_miss_meggie says:
dad, no. no more of these stories, noone needs to hear about things like that. especially not on christmas day. xxxxxx