Update : 4 April 2006
Place : Maputo/Mozambique
Day : 171
Distance traveled : 26,217km


Salima and Stuart M. Grant's farm
Salima's Senga Bay is a holiday place like Chitimba in the north. It also has a long beach that stretches as far as the eye can see. But the continuous rain fall brought the flood waters into the lake along with the mud and the lake water is currently quite murky. Swimming in there won't be a joyous occasion. Here I am staying at a hotel run by a Sri Lankan. He was the manager of a Sri Lankan company that was selling Toyota cars in Malawi. After Tsunami the company had experienced financial problems and had to shut down the Malawi branch. Instead of heading back to his country he stayed in Malawi and went into tourism business.

Tomorrow I will get on the road to Lilongwe, the capital city. Before that though, in my program I have a visit the tropical fish farm of Stuart M. Grant who exports cichlid fish all over the world.

Ms. Giran greeted me at the farm. She took me on a farm tour to see hundreds of aquariums and pools. In each tank of them there are cichlid fish with different colors and patterns. This is not exactly a farm because they are not cultivating fish here. The fish are collected from the lake; classified, fed and then shipped upon order.




Farm tour with Ms. Giran

The fish are put into separate aquariums for a few days before shipment and they don't get fed during this time. This is done to eliminate the risk of fish polluting their water and poisoning themselves during shipment. Fish is shipped in water proof plastic bags with oxygen enriched water inside. These bags are then placed into Styrofoam boxes and shipped by air freight. Fish need to be transferred into the aquarium by the buyer within maximum 2-3 days so that they won't die. r.


Akvaryumlarda "yakalayabildiğim" bir siklid

I ask Ms. Giran about Stuart M. Grant, the owner of the farm. She tells me I will see him shortly. I also find out that it is possible to stay at the lodge within the farm, managed by Mr. Grant's wife. Following the farm tour we headed to the restaurant / bar / reception building with a thatched-roof. On the way there we passed the Grants' house. When we entered the building I saw two people sitting at the huge table in the middle; one of them, who looked about 65-70 years old greeted me. I thought, this must be Mr. Grant. In no time we found ourselves engaged in a very friendly chat. It turns out that I am the first "original-original" Turkish visitor. The "original" Turk before me was Mehmet, who lives in the US. I can't recall his surname, though Stuart told me from memory without looking at any records. I was already fascinated by his memory, at this age. I am pretty sure he would remember the names of all of his guests, with their surnames. The terms "original" and "original-original" came from the fact that Mehmet lives in the US and I live in Turkey... Upon his request, I scribble a few lines in the guest book as the first "original-original" Turkish visitor at the farm.


Mr. Stuart M. Grant and the guest book

I wish I had come here the other day, I would have stayed here, I think to myself. He pours a shot each from his rare and precious whisky which I think he saves for special occasions and we share a toast. I have to be at Lilongwe today because tomorrow I cross over to Zambia. We said our goodbyes and I left. Our brief chat is etched into my memory like the memory of a little taste from a delicious dish.

In the meantime I want to tell you about a change in the program. Up until now I was able to stick to the original route, except for a couple of minor changes, however, at this point I had to make a major change in the program. Actually this change was not entirely unexpected as it was something that I have taken into consideration since day one; something that would activate Plan B which I have not revealed previously, more like an alternative route. Perhaps some of you might know; Zimbabwe has been under President Robert Mugabe's regime since its independence in 1980. Unfortunately, like it happens in many (almost all) African countries that have gained independence, Mugabe's regime also turned into a dictatorship. Government seized all the farms owned by the white people who have settled in Zimbabwe (Rhodesia as it was know at the time) and engaged in agricultural commodity trade practices since the beginning of the colonial era, and redistributed it to the "public". I put the word public in " " because the new owners of those farms were mostly rich politicians or the "new entrepreneurs" including the president's wife, as opposed to the real public. This marked the beginning of a serious downturn in the country and some blamed this on the colonial period; the attitudes of the white farm owners during that time. Consequently, poverty escalated and a relative animosity began to form against the wealthy white men. Add to that the violent suppression of legal (but considered illegal) or illegal anti-regime protests by the government forces. Result: While some travelers (especially backpackers) report that they had no problems in the country, some others (those traveling by their own vehicles) express some concerns. This was the situation in the beginning of my trip but I still kept Zimbabwe in my program, up until this point, hoping that things would change as I got closer to the Zimbabwe leg of my trip and that I could possibly get different and positive reports from those who have been there more recently. The feedback I got so far from those who have recently traveled to Zimbabwe is 50/50 as far as the ratio of positive to negative feedback is concerned. Not wanting to take too many risks near the end of my trip, I had to leave Zimbabwe out of my travel plans. This meant that the part after Malawi was divided into two, geographically speaking. It was going to be more than a little difficult trick to keep both parts in the travel plans; traveling to Zambia and Mozambique without entering Zimbabwe was going to extend the trip considerably. So I had to pick one of the two. I had to admit; I realize, albeit a little late, that my original program was too intense for a 6-month period. Fitting these many countries into 6 months calls for "drive-through" travel but to tell you the truth extending my trip would mean pushing my limits a little too much...

Having considered all options, I decided on the Zambia - Namibia - South Africa route to include some of the important destinations during my trip, such as Victoria Falls, Kalahari Desert and Skeleton Coast. Mozambique coastline and the Kruger National Park in the eastern part of South Africa (although I have sworn off going to national parks), also two important destinations, would be in the discarded route, as well as Swaziland and Lesotho which are situated in South Africa... Botswana is also going to be pretty much used as a drive-through country to go from Zambia to Namibia.

After this "brief" explanation I will continue with my Malawi story if you will.

I said goodbye to Stuart and drove to Lilongwe, entered the city late in the afternoon. My traditional city tour was followed by check-in at Korea Garden Lodge, although it pushed my budget some (USD55.00 per night, room + breakfast)... The next day I was leaving for Zambia.

Friday morning of March 24th I stopped at a petrol station to fill up the tank for the last time before Zambia. I saw a fully equipped tire service behind the petrol station so I decided to get the front wheel balance problem solved. It began in Kenya and it has been gradually getting worse since. None of the wheel/tire service shops I went in Africa had the equipment necessary for balance service with wheels on the car. This one didn't have it either, so all four wheels will be removed and balanced. Front wheels were removed, balanced and put back on. Then it was the back wheels; they removed the right wheel first. There is something strange about the shock absorber. As far as I know, the shock absorbers are connected to the axle at the bottom end and chassis at the top. Well the bottom end is connected but the top is free. Now we know the reason for the rattling sound I heard while on the road to Nkhata Bay and the Impala-style bounce that followed.


My poor right shock absorber

The right shock absorber at the back broke at the top end where it was connected to the chassis. And of course the one on the left wasn't enough by itself to stop the car from bouncing. I replaced the broken with the undamaged one that I put aside when I got the shock absorbers at the back changed in Kenya. I took the broken one with me to show it to the people in Otokar. I wonder what they will have to say about a shock absorber that "broke" in such short time.

I got back on the road after the wheels were balanced but the vibration in the steering wheel was continuing. I went back and told them I still had the same problem. They moved the wheels around, still the same. The wheels need to be balanced with the wheels on the car. Nevertheless, they removed the front wheels again to balance one more time. The vibration was less now but it was still there. There wasn't much else they could do so I decided to leave it as it is and get back on the road. I crossed the Malawi border with no issues whatsoever, just like all the other borders I crossed to date.
At this stage everyone is expecting something like "See you in Zambia next update", right? Unfortunately, that won't happen here. Well, it would have, if I could enter Zambia after leaving Malawi... But this was not the case. I cleared the Malawi border with no problems but I couldn't enter Zambia. Or rather, I thought I didn't enter Zambia.

At the border the Zambian passport police checked my passport, looked through the pages; I figured he was looking for the visa. I jumped in and told him I didn't have a visa but I was going to be getting it here at the border. Both of the books I had, said it was easy to get the visa issued for Zambia right at the border. But apparently the procedure is different for a group of countries including Turkey; and we have to get the visa before arriving at the border. So I should have applied for my visa at the Zambian High Commission in Lilongwe (the capital city of Malawi, the country I have already left). Of course it is my fault that I am finding this out at the border. I should have inquired about the visa procedure for the next country while I was still in the previous one. For Zambia, I should have done this in Lilongwe. I have been able to get my visa at the borders till now - except for those I have already obtained visas for in Turkey - so driving straight up to the border has become a bit of a habit. Anyway, there is nothing else to do so I have to go back. The no-fun part is re-entering Malawi as I have already left it. It means I have to get the visa and triptyque done again. Oh well, legs do the work that the head fails to do... Guess what, the story didn't end there. As I said, I thought I didn't enter Zambia but the officers at the border didn't agree so they issued a deportation document and as I was saying "Hey wait a minute! What's happening?" they placed it before me to sign. If I don't sign it they will confiscate my passport. I tried to explain that I have not yet crossed the border and entered the country and therefore it is not possible for me to be deported. They said it was the standard procedure. I was going to have to sign it. In return I asked to get a copy of it, so it may be a lesson to all. They didn't want to give me a copy but at the end we came to an agreement that I would sign it and they would issue me a copy. This is my first ever deportation from a country. Needless to say I was not in the best mood as I drove back to Lilongwe. I was in front of the Zambian High Commission in Lilongwe at 16:55 but apparently it closes at 16:00. And it is Friday. So I am stuck in Malawi till Monday. And I say "till Monday" as if I can get a visa in one day. I dragged my feet back to Korea Garden Lodge. That night it was too early to decide what to do; I wasn't able to think clearly because I was stressing out and also I had no idea how long it would take to get the visa. Will I stay and wait if they say it would take a week, I don't know. Will the country I was "deported" from give me visa? That was also another unknown. The officers at the border said this was not a real deportation process but still... Oh well, I have to spend at least the weekend here. I decided to go to Salima and stay at the lodge at Stuart Grant's farm for the weekend.


Stuarts' house and the lodge are hidden among the trees by the shore.

I was there about midday on Saturday. Till the evening I spent time reading, writing, napping and walking along the lake shore. When I went to the bar sometime in the afternoon I noticed the guest book was open on the counter; my picture on the first page of the website was pasted right below my note.
In the afternoon Stuart knocked on my door. We decided to meet at the bar after dinner. We chatted for a long time. I don't remember what time I went to bed. But I remember Stuart say that night, "You were a ship passing in the night. But this ship has returned" as he was turning the lights off at the restaurant / bar / reception and then locking up. He said it again the next night.

To tell you the truth his strong memory that defied his age of 69 fascinated me. From the name of an Armenian girl he came across in Lebanon years ago, to the name of an officer he met in Egypt while he was traveling from Cape Town to Europe in his VW Beetle in 1962 (I want to stress that this trip took place 44 years ago and in a Beetle), he remembers it all. My hat off to Stuart Grant. The long conversations during the two nights I spent at the lodge took my Zambia stress away.

I left early on Monday morning to be at the Zambian High Commission at 09:00 when it opened. I entered the building at 09:20. The woman at the reception told me that the visa procedures take a minimum of 3 weeks for the group of countries Turkey is in, that it wouldn't be possible for me to get my visa any sooner, and that the visa applications are faxed to Lusaka (capital city). This application then will have to wait for a "suspension" period of minimum 3 weeks. What suspension is this, I don't get it. As I was thinking of getting my visa in one day, I am now presented with the option of waiting for 3 weeks... I asked her if it would help to talk to someone in charge. She said she didn't think so, but if I wanted to I could talk to the officer at the visa office but he wasn't there at that moment. If I came back at 14:00 I could see him. I told her about my "deportation". She said it was a standard procedure, and that a Pakistani citizen who applied for visa few days ago had gone through the same thing. She asked to see my passport. She looked at the pages and showed me the "Entry" stamp for Zambia. I haven't noticed it before. "But I haven't entered this country. They shouldn't have put this stamp on my passport" I tried to explain but it was no use. I guess I will have to come back at 14:00. The truth of it is, I can't wait for 21 days and it looked like there was no other option but alter the course towards Mozambique. I suppose the Victoria Falls, Kalahari Desert and Skeleton Coast visits aren't going to happen either. To save the next bit I need to double-check the visa requirements for Mozambique and the Republic of South Africa. Prior to the start of my trip I found out from the embassy of South Africa in Turkey that Turkish nationals do not need a visa. As for Mozambique, I read in an article published in Atlas Magazine that it was possible to obtain visa at the border. But after the Zambia fiasco, I thought it would be best to go and query in person at the consulates for both of these countries.

There were no issues with Mozambique visa; I could get it right there and then or if I wanted I could get it at the border. In South African High Commission office though, a surprise was waiting for me. The man at the reception desk told me that everyone entering the country needed to get a visa; this was only done through the High Commission, and it would take a few days. I said I was told in the embassy in Turkey that I didn't need a visa to enter South Africa. He went back inside and came back with a blonde, fairly large woman. This largish lady asked me if I were a Malawi citizen or held a residence permit in Malawi. When I told her that I did not have either privilege she said "You definitely have to put in your visa application in Turkey". I told her that the embassy in Turkey informed me that Turkish citizens did not need to have a visa to enter South Africa. I also told her that it was not possible for me to fly back to Turkey just to get a visa. I asked her kindly if she could find a way, such as contacting the embassy in Turkey and process my visa application here at the office in Malawi... She asked me to wait and went inside. I was going to call Turkey and get them to talk to each other. But the GSM network is not available here so I can't make a call. I was however able to send and to investigate the situation. The reply was: "Turkish citizens don't need to get visas!". I waited for the blonde woman. In a little while she reappeared and before she started talking I told her that I enquired with the embassy in Turkey and was told by an authorized person in the embassy in absolute terms that the Turkish citizens were not required to obtain visas. She got really angry and asked me if I can find out who that authorized person was. Ok, but how will this help me I don't know. Anyway, I told her that I will find out their name. Will she get them fired or what? She disappeared behind the door again. In the meantime I am trying to get the name of the embassy personnel, with fingers turned into sausages (they were not slim to start with) SMS'ing back and forth. Soon the blonde woman appeared again, purple in the face. Apologizing profusely, giving me all sorts of excuses "I swear the computer network connection was down, is back up again and I just found out" etc... If it wasn't for the computer failure excuse how would they get themselves out of troubles like this one, I don't know. And the Turkish citizens don't need visas. What have I been trying to explain to you for over an hour? "But" she said "if you are going to stay any longer than 30 days, you need to get a visa!" Didn't I tell you that I would be staying there no longer than 2 weeks? I was happy this got sorted out so I excused her. I ran out the door, who knows, they might change their mind...

Destination: Mozambique. I need to be at Blantyre by the evening. Blantyre is Malawi's largest city. I grab a little bit of food for the trip from a shop and step on the gas.


Blantyre
Blantyre is the first European settlement in Malawi, named after the Scottish town of Blantyre where the explorer David Livingstone was born. It was first established as the Blantyre Mission by the Church of Scotland in 1876. Its first minister was Reverend Duff Macdonald. When his oppressive regime led to a scandal in the British press everyone commissioned in the Blantyre Mission were removed from duty. Reverend Clement Scott replaced Macdonald in 1881.

There are many buildings in Blantyre that reflect the traces of colonial era and tell the story of Blantyre. I will be staying at Doogle's Backpackers Lodge most frequented by the backpackers and the expatriates of the city. Location-wise it is not situated in the safest part of town but once you enter (if you can) it is a safe place to stay at. It has a well-guarded parking lot; a crowded, noisy bar where it is all happening till late hours of the night (or early hours of the morning); a pool table where even I played a little although I don't have much to do with the pool culture; barcovision broadcast, especially - I think - the European Cup attracted much attention, even I ended up watching the Juventus - Arsenal game with my colored expatriate friends. It also has a pool and wide range of accommodation options. About USD21.50 (excluding breakfast) is still a little too much for a room that didn't look all that clean. The next day I moved to a cheaper place close to Doogle's, but Doogle's vibrant atmosphere appealed to me I must say. I went back and didn't leave till late hours of the night. I had a good time playing pool with the kids (well, when you get a bit older you call them kids) with the help of my billiard skills I acquired years ago in Platin Coffeehouse in Bahcelievler, a suburb of Ankara. We couldn't go there anymore for certain reasons and started to frequent another coffee house instead which was also located in Bahcelievler. So yes, I spent two nights in Blantyre. On the second night though, I was a little "harassed" on the way from my hotel to the Doogle's. Later my old friend Chris wrote that he was almost mugged at the same spot…

Last but not the least; I will talk about the recent history of Malawi its independence and events thereafter.

In 1907 the British Central Africa Protectorate was divided into two regions: Northern Rhodesia (today's Zambia) and Nyasaland (the name used for Malawi during the colonial times). During the colonial period there was a strong connection between Northern Rhodesia, Southern Rhodesia (today's Zimbabwe) and Nyasaland. This connection reached its peak when they joined to form a federation in 1953. Nyasaland was the least developed of all among these three, due to limited natural resources, and inefficient use of agricultural areas due to low population intensity. This led to the influx of most of the male population fit for work to the neighboring countries, especially to those that had mines where there was demand for cheap labor.

One of the major factors that led to the birth of the nationalist movements in Malawian history was the excitement caused by Ethiopia's victory against Italy in 1896, the Battle of Adwa. If you remember, Ethiopia is one of the only two African countries that were not colonized. The movements that gained momentum with the influence of the Church of Ethiopia and the Jamaican Ethiopianist intellectual Marcus Garvey's philosophy "Africa for the Africans" was followed by the formation of a group that spread the independence idea in many African countries. Dr. Hastings Kamuzu was also a member of this group, as well as Kenyan Jomo Kenyatta and Ghanaian Kwame Nkumah who were both instrumental in independence of their countries.

Banda graduated from the Mihary College of Medicine in Nashville / Tennessee in America. He worked as a doctor in England for a while but, unable to resist the call of "Africa for the Africans" he went to Ghana and joined his old friend Kwame Nkrumah, who helped Ghana gain its independence. Banda was determined not to return to Nyasaland until the federation issue was resolved.

In the meantime the movements against the federation in the country were being forcefully suppressed by the colonial administration. Banda was persuaded by Henry Chipembere to return to this country. Chipembere was one of the leaders of the NAC - Nyasaland African Congress established in 1943. Banda was providing financial support to NAC. Banda took over the leadership of NAC right after his return to Malawi in 1958. He initiated a non-violent protest campaign and organized a rally on January 20th, 1959 with the participation of 60,000 party members. Not long after an attack at a police station during the rally and the use of tear gas by the police in response, civil commotion erupted in various parts of the country. Among all the revolts that were crushed by force, by far the bloodiest one was the one in Nkhata Bay. A state of emergency was declared and NAC was banned. Most of its administrators including Banda were arrested.

Britain recognized the need to give up on the federation or otherwise the problems were going to get worse so Nyasaland was given more autonomy within the federation, and Africans were given voting and election rights. These were the important changes that led to the recognition of Nyasaland as an independent country called Malawi on July 6th, 1964.

Nearly in all African countries, the national leaders who helped their countries gain independence have exhibited despotic tendencies during the transition to democracy and later turned into dictators. Banda has displayed the same despotic tendencies. The suspicious deaths of people whom he considered political opponents, albeit not as bloody as Amin, makes one think that Banda was "forced" to do the necessary "cleaning" to create a rose garden with no thorns. Nevertheless, until 1993 when he stepped down from power at the age of 95, Banda was the "national chief" still respected especially in the rural areas

Struggling against economical problems with its limited natural resources and a population too few to run an economy based on agriculture, Malawi is not likely to be able to eliminate these problems anytime soon. Nevertheless, despite the limited facilities its well-established infrastructure from the colonial era gives the visitors the impression of a calm, quiet and comfortable country. Malawi is one of the must-see countries in Africa where you can have a very relaxing holiday.

On Wednesday, March 29th I left Blantyre to cross the Malawi border and enter Mozambique.
See you in Mozambique next update...


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