We are currently at Kande Beach on the banks of Lake Malawi. It is pretty and looks oh so inviting. However, a parasitic worm lives in the water here, who likes to burrow his way into your body through your urinary tract and lodge itself in your liver and intestines (it's called Bilharzia). They say the water is mostly clear of "snail fever," especially where the water flows the strongest, or near the center of the lake, but I decide to take a hard pass on swimming to that pretty little island offshore just as well.
We've been at Kande Beach for three days now. With not much to do, I've used the time to go through my bags and clear out some excess shit. Like that blowup pillow I never used, and all the extension cords and notebooks and crossword puzzles I'll never avail myself of.
You really get down to the nitty gritty on a trip like this. Bare bones. Only the necessary. Water is key, then food, clothing and shelter. Next comes DEET! Yes, my friend, the mosquitoes are abundant and oh so harsh. And for whatever reason they seem to gravitate to my sweet, white blood. Fuckers! But I've brought 5 bottles of 100% Deet. My little way of bringing balance to the universe! Inevitably they seem to find their way to me regardless, but still I battle on.
Next stop on our itinerary is Zambia. Specifically, the South Luangwa National Park where we will hop into 4x4's for a new game drive. Always exciting to see which animals are on the prowl.
We are also switching trucks while stopped here at Kande Beach. The new truck has actual windows as opposed to canvas and plastic tarps that made for either extremely hot or extremely cold conditions.
Everybody rushed in to claim their new seats, marking their territory as do the lions and rhinos and gorillas in the bush. I suppose we are all animals at heart, regardless of how much we try to steer our way toward civility. Always right there on the threshold between savagery and humanity...
We say goodbye to our trusty Kenyan driver, Mugo, who'll be taking the old, battered truck back north to Arusha in Tanzania for a new batch of explorers to set out and discover Africa.
Who will sit in my old seat? Will he or she see the same things that I saw? Feel the same feelings that I felt? Will they embrace Africa with all its flaws and beauty and magic? I suppose only time will tell.
As for me, it's time to hop back on the big yellow truck and travel further south. To pursue new countries and new destinations. To see new sights and hear new sounds. To smell new smells and taste new tastes. Yes, it is time discover new things and feel new feelings…
Time to embrace Africa with all its flaws and beauty and magic...