From Tumbuka to Tonga

It was hard to say goodbye to Mushroom Farm, with that amazing view, quirky buildings and lovely people. It sent us off with cloudy skies and gentle rain - and a bolt of golden sun reflecting on the lake.

Today we farewelled the land of the Tumbuka, travelled through Ngoni (Agoni) territory and descended from the plateaus to the lake and Tonga country.

Two hundred years ago it was a war zone with untold human misery due to slaving and the Ngoni’s incomprehensibly brutal murdering rampages. Every year they would descend from the plateau and murder Tongans by their thousands. When Livingstone first explored the lake shores they were covered by skulls and decaying bodies. This was still going on when the missionaries arrived in Bandawe, just down the road from where I’m writing.

Today it was all peaceful villages, every square inch cultivated with maize, tobacco, bananas, casava, beans, nuts, tomatoes…cattle and goats too. The hills around Livingstonia lead all the way to Mzuzu and Ngoni territory - beautiful country. Turning at Mzuzu and heading East we descended rapidly through patches of rainforest and an enormous rubber plantation- planted by a couple of Scotts 120 years ago and now Indian owed.

Macdonald gave us a quick detour to the fishing town of Nkata Bay which was picturesque but too busy for my taste. Our destination, Chintheche, was about an hour further south on a surprisingly good road. It’s the first time we have reached 100km/h all trip.

We are staying at Chintheche Inn which is right on the lake. It’s very quiet but comfortable and exactly where I need it to be.

The point of visiting here is two-fold. The first is to visit the Bandawe Girls High School where my mother volunteered for nine months in 2006.

The second is to visit the Bandawe Mission. It’s still standing and is a National Monument apparently but I don’t know what condition it’s in. This was the second location of the Livingstonia Mission before it ended up in Kondowe (now called Livingstonia). When Dr Laws left Bandawe to set up Livingstonia in 1894 my great grandfather George Prentice took over as the doctor. My great grandmother, Agnes Scott moved from Scotland to marry him there. My other great grandparents Malcom Moffat and Marie Jackson spent time there too, independently, en route to Livingstonia. They were not to know that the Prentice daughter and the Moffat son would one day meet in Scotland, marry and also come to Africa to work for the people. And be my grandparents :)

All of that is for tomorrow. Today we swam in the lake - vast, warm and has waves- wandered around the neighborhood and chatted to some cute kids at the water pump at the village bore. We had a delicious meal with the traditional msina which is like thick semolina porridge which you scoop by hand and then use to lift and eat your food. Very delicious and very messy!

We are missing all the young backpackers from Mushroom Farm as it’s suddenly very quiet!

There’s been a beautiful sunset over the lake, so no complaints.Read more