The car taxi are probably the most uncomfortable next to the minibus. We are fitted in about 10 people in a car that can take just 5. The boot is just another place to fit people. After arriving in Karonga which is the first ‘town’ in the north after crossing the border I start to look for another minibus to Ngala. It took about 40 mins to get to Ngala. Not too bad! In this very tiny village which was literally in the middle of nowhere (to say the least) I arrived in Floja Foundation which is a school supported by a Dutch NGO. There are many projects like this in Africa. The school organization is managed by a very interesting couple. After showing me the camping site I asked to Pauline if I could camp right on the beach as I didn’t like the idea to see fences between my tent and the sea. I was in front of the most spectacular beach I ever been. A desertic beach left to the ‘time’ to take care of it. It was so beautiful and green. Very interesting plants were coming out from the sand. If I did not know that this was a lake I would have thought of it as the Ocean.  It was very hard not to admire another spectacular gift of nature. Nobody ever tried before to camp outside the fence. So Pauline wasn’t sure if it was 100% safe to camp right on the beach. She advised me that would be completely under my responsibility if anything would happen. However she ensured me that the security guy would keep an eye on me. Without hesitation I agreed and started to set up my tent on the beach. The place was very quiet and the only people who were going through the beach were the locals.

People were very curious of me. Why a lady would camp alone on a desertic beach? I mean why a tent? Why alone? Maybe she needs company? Those are all the things I was elaborating while I was seeing their questioning faces. ‘Hello’,  somebody shouted at me. Oh no here he is coming, I thought. ‘How are you’. He said. ‘I am good, and how are you?. ‘Good, are you alone?’. Here we go again. ‘No, my husband went to do some shopping. He will be soon here. ‘Ah, ok. Nice to meet you. Bye’. It worked, always works! African have a very deep respect for a lady with husband and babies. However there are many who don’t give a fuck!

My time here was going so slow and peacefully. A dream place that not many people have discovered. I would wake up at 6 am and going to swim. Nobody was there. Just me and this small ocean to keep me company.

You should really visit Floja Foundation it is a formidable place. An unknown paradise.

Meanwhile my computer broke, and this is why it took me so long to update my blog. Fortunately I met an Italian girl here in Mozambique who amazingly landed me her computer. Here I am writing like a crazy!
Pauline’s husband tried to help me with the computer but it was completely dead. He suggested to stop by Chitimba, a friend of his could probably help. So I did go to Chitimba but Ed told me that most likely the mother board was not working anymore. This means a dead computer! We started to chat about life and how he got to own an amazing lodge on the beach. The view wasn’t just the lake but also amazing hills going inside the water. Ed is a photographer featured for many times by National Geographic. After finishing my coffee I thanked him and started my journey towards Mzuzu.

I arrived in Mzuzo at 4 pm ish and started to walk around for a bit. The city didn’t have much to offer. I took a motorbike (Boda Boda) towards the camping site called Macondo. It is managed by a fantastic Italian couple. They were incredibly helpful! Also their food was really nice and made it with love.  When I asked to Luca (the owner) where the second hand market was, he suggested I would go with Themba by car. He is a lovely guy, very kind and helpful. We still in touch from time to time. He drove me all day in different shops and we end up to do a photoshoot together. We had a lot of fun!

Here I am ready for the next long trip towards the Mulanje Massif. The southern tip of Malawi and also the longest rock climbing of Africa.

“Jumping from boulder to boulder and never falling, with a heavy pack, is easier than it sounds; you just can’t fall when you get into the rhythm of the dance.”

Jack Kerouac, The Dharma Bums