Likoma Island….and SHIPWRECK!
well, we landed at Likoma in the dark at about 8pm, after the locals got off (you HAVE to see how many people you can get in a single lifeboat!) 
we were collected by 2 boats from Mango Drift lodge…I jumped in the one boat (captained by Lauren) but then jumped ship to the other boat captained by Anthony, where I was met by his plaintive “anyone got a flashlight” call for help, quickly followed by ” this is the first time Ive done this” …all in a California drawl. so off we went, the 20 of us in 2 boats (remember the numbers)
not long later we were still careering aorund the lake looking for the rocks we had to miss(!) fortunately (!!) there was a storm now so the lightning occasionally flashed up the scenery so we could see where we were going!….UNfortunately, it also whipped up the waves, to the extent that Lauren had to stop her boat to bale it out…..difficult when its already up the gunnels in water!!…it sank
everyone scrambled from their boat into ours, which of course made our boat overladen with the 15 people and their luggage, so we had to beach on a convenient sand bar we found! the 12 of us got out OK and waited for help….and drank vodka neat from a bottle that miraculously appeared!..anyhoo, help arrived in the for of a landie, however it would only carry 8 people, so some had to go out in the boat again (NOT I !!!!) eventually we agreed that 10 people could fit but it would be a squeeze. on arrival at the Landie up on the road the 8 of us got in OK. As it happens the few that got back in the boat had to turn around and beach again as the waves were too strong/big to beach at Mango
WHAT A NIGHT!
next day, I went for a wander around the island -met a some great kids in the village 
: they HAVE to walk with you and hold your hand…if theres too many then they each grab a finger and walk with you! so friendly its amazing. adults too: I sat under a Mango tree eating the fruit that a young kid threw down to me and the guy catching the fruit…now THATS chillin!
New Years EVE! walked to the town and chilled around there before returning to Mango Drift -and the Lounge –
for the party. we started drinking early and finished late (the electricity is normally knocked off at 10pm, but tonight was 1am WOOHOO!!) it all started nice enough with a few beers and then pizza, but once we started to play Buffalo Rules and ” I have never” then it all went a bit crazy: dancing on tables, ALL the guys had to go topless (the girls wouldnt for some reason) and sparkling wine flowed. to be honest I dont remember a whole lot about it other than we had a HOOT! 
Must have managed to get to bed (on the floor in the dorm) but then me and Rags had to get up again at 2am (I think) to pay our bar bill as were leaving early in the morning.
And so we left Likoma on a boat again at 5am on New Years day 2008….this time we had a proper local guy driving the boat (note: the boat that sank STILL hasnt been recovered as it was in such deep water that even with scuba gear, Lauren and co couldnt find it!) another trip on the Ilala ferry, this time with David (the Isreali guy) Tamara and her italian friend (Tamara is a yank living in Malawi) a couple of South Afrikaans (the girl of whch is a newly published author(ess?)) and Rags – a norwegian girl currently studying in Stellenbosch (SA) who I’m travelling with for a couple of weeks
Tags: chuggy, likoma, Malawi, mango beach, Travel
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