The second night at Lake Malawi we stayed at Palm Beach. Finding new friends along the way added enjoyable memories. We met a Dutch couple, Gabi and Art, who lived in Tanzania. They were well seasoned travelers and it was really interesting to hear their travel tales. In comparing notes, on this particular trip they had traveled back from Holland by ship to Cape Town and had left at a similar time to us but had traveled a different route to Malawi. This is where we met. They had come up the eastern coast, through Mozambique while we had gone up the western coast, through Namibia.

I was surprised. I asked all sort of questions about safety and the condition of the roads as I had heard grueling stories before and that is why I had not wanted to travel in Mozambique even although Derek was keen. I knew this travel story would give Derek a new enthusiasm and eagerness to go back home through Mozambique. I tried to keep an open mind.   

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Derek’s father’s family are Dutch and so listening to Gabi and Art speak in a familiar tongue  was heart-warming; we took to them as a couple and Derek and Gabi played some games of pool before dinner. The hospitality in Malawi is very warm and it is known as the warm heart of Africa. Here, at Palm Beach, we were invited by Dannie, the owner of the lodge, for dinner. All of us guests had dinner together. It was delicious: main course was Oxtail and desert was passion fruit custard.

The following morning Derek was not completely happy so we were on the move north along Lake Malawi, looking for a better place to spend our 10 days. Derek was on a mission, I could tell. As we left I said to him, “there is only so much searching I want to do before I get totally tired of the traveling thing. I want to stop and relax and enjoy doing nothing for a while.” I was becoming ratty about the continual traveling without a break.

That evening after a days exploring we found ourselves at Pottery Lodge and as we set up camp, who should drive into camp? Gabi and Art. We had a good laugh and welcomed each other like long lost friends. (Indecently without coordinating it we also landed up bumping into them at Makuzi beach as well later on the trip.) It was wonderful having found like minded travelers that we could share with on our journey. It is one of the things I enjoy about traveling: meeting new people.

This place had a quaint rustic restaurant where I ate Malawian beef stew with Nsima (type of maize flour porridge made in Africa)  and Derek had a delicious Mozambique beef steak. It also, being a pottery lodge had some pretty amazing ceramics in the restaurant and the restrooms.

Here are some photos of the ceramics.

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Take care, and visit your beautiful memories during these torrid times.