Trekking Mulanje

Blog Update 26th Aug

For us it's still winter but warming up a bit at night only down to around 11c, remembering most houses have no heating so we all go around with fleeces on.

It's still mostly sunny during the day so temperature raises to around a pleasant 23c.

Work at last is beginning to happen. We arranged a day offsite meeting basically called 'make or bust'  with the Dept Director as we were getting very little traction with the Ministry. This has spurred them into interaction but for how long! But a least we now nearly have a database set up ready to get the HR analysts to work on and get there reactions so we can tune it.

Over the last few months have been able to get out on quite a few treks.

Within 1-2 hours drive of Lilongwe there are many good spots. Some are national parks some are just mounds of rock which just raise about 1000m from the floor level.

The biggest is Mount Mulanje this range just lifts itself from the floor of the valley at 800m with very steep side unto a plateau at around 2000m then you get several peaks upto 3000m which normally have hats  of cloud on them.

A small group of us went up at the beginning of March but being the rainy season ( very hot)  it was very dangerous be very slippery on the steep side plus streams in full flow and difficult to cross. This time we only got unto the plateau.

I went again in July which is dry season but cold. This time we made it to the top with the peak just above the cloud.

It was a tough 3 day trek and freezing at night.

Unless you know the range well you hire a guide as the tracks in place don't exist. Plus your scrambling up steep rock slabs, over and under big boulders.

At night you stay in the mountain huts these have fire places and can get a good fire going to cook your food on. I became a Mountain club member which gives me a key so have access to mattresses,  cooking utenciles and blankets which save you having to carry them in your backpack and makes life up there just a bit easier. Food you have to carry so have to carefully select what you want to eat. When your up for three days that's quite a lot of food you need to keep going. Water is easy your drink straight from the streams.

The climb is interesting as you start in a forest area, when wet is very tropical but as you get higher all the vegetation disappears but on route there are many plants and flowers. Lots of birds, there is other wildlife about as you see the tracks and poo's everywhere but never see them.

The one nice thing is loads of rock pools so when you need to cool off easy to find somewhere to have a very cold swim.

Unfortunately from the top we could not get the views across Mozambique to the Indian Ocean

At the top 3000m and just above the cloud level.

A bit hot walk though a mountain fire.

Our group at a hut we stayed in.

Just had a weekend down in Linwonde which is a wetlands park. Stayed on a boat for the night loads of Hippo's floating about. Herds of Elephants enjoying the water. Plus loads of birds big and small. And of course the croc's.

Life in Lilongwe is still very lively or I should say as lively as you want to make it.

Just started to play Ultimate Frisbee which is a team game running the length of a football pitch so very energetic on a Thursday and Sunday

Also had a few games of squash. Volleyball season starts again this month on Wednesday, everybody is missing this as it's very socialable and HASH running on Mondays.

The Living Room Cafe keeps us entertained, with film nights on Monday, Acoustic guitar Tuesdays, quiz's every few weeks on Thursdays and disco's later on in the evening late in the week. Lots of live music at Cameleons inside or sitting in the gardens. Plus several evening a week exchanging food at friends houses.

Time to post as it's time to eat.