Livingstonia (Malawi) : stepping back in time

S10°36.708' E034°06.784' (altitude: 1356m)
Malawi’s great attraction is the 600 kilometre long lake. North of Muzuzu the highlands dramatically drop down to the lake and allows you to appreciate its grandeur. It feels more like arriving at the sea and the views are fantastic on the many steep curves that wind down to 475 metres above sea level in just a few kilometres. To get to Livingstonia you then need to climb again - this time on a narrow, precarious dirt road along a cliff to remind you that you are in Africa. We stayed at the Stone House, built by Scottish missionaries. Set on the edge of the escarpment approximately 800 metres above the lake a mission was founded at Livingstonia in 1894 and commands impressive views. Today it even boasts a university, but the pace and aura are definitely from a bygone era. The atmosphere was somewhat disturbed when a group of thirteen Dutch tourists (mostly pensioners) descended on Stone House, where we were the only guests. They more than compensated for the “intrusion” however, as their tour guide spoiled us with food and drink: he even served us a sundowner snack and glass of wine!