Our last week in Africa took us through some beautiful landscapes along northern Malawi. We thought we hadn't really seen any rock art so we hired a car and drove out to the Unesco World Heritage Chongoni Rock Art Area in Dedza. The rock art is a little walk from the road and not signposted what so ever, so we flagged down two gentlemen on the side of the road, teachers in fact, who, because it was a public holiday and they were sick of correcting reports, were happy to escort us up the hill to find it. As we drove into the forest and started climbing the hill found out that the teachers were quite good company to have. They conversed and joked along the whole journey, telling us that the people who drew on the rock were fierce people, but also tiny people and very hung up on their small stature. Apparently if they caught you they would ask “When did you see us?”, if you were to reply “only just now because you are so small” they would slaughter you without hesitation, but had you replied “we saw you all the way over there, because you are so tall” pointing into the distance, they would take mercy on you.
The landscape around the area was spectacular. Unfortunately the rock art with “Fred was here” scrawled over it, was not. We snapped a few pictures of the defaced rock art and a few Polaroids of the teachers with a beautiful small rock in the background. Whilst waiting for the Polaroid to develop one teacher said to the other that he had never climbed the rock behind us, despite the fact it was directly opposite his school. So a challenge was set and we were invited along. We had to do a few tricky rock scrambles to reach the top, but the view was defiantly worth it. We could see the lake in one direction, and Mozambique in the other. Apparently Livingstone scouted this very area and they were quite happy to point out which peaks he ascended.
From Livingstone's path, we travelled to Livingstonia in the north of the country. Livingstonia, built in 1894, is one of the first mission village in this region of Africa and a strange place indeed. The area around Livingstonia is beautiful, set on a dramatic escarpment with a view that stretches to Tanzania. We stayed at Mushroom farm – a small camp site literally on the escarpment. There are camp sites you wouldn't want to walk to drunk lest you fall of the edge. They are back burning at the moment and when night falls the valley lights up in spectacular flames and the moon looks blood red when it rises.
The Warm Heart of Africa was a very welcoming country and it was fitting to be our last. As we sat atop of the world we reflected on our amazing journey – it will be six months to the day when we fly. I'm looking forward to a lot of the “luxuries” I've become accustomed to in Western life, but there will defiantly be a lot of things I will miss about this lost continent when I'm gone. I'll save the details until we've completed our Top Five.
Next Stop – Dar Es Salaam (again), So until then “Taruta”
http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/476
http://www.themushroomfarmmalawi.com
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