GETTING THERElTHE GIGSl LIKOMA ISLAND

Finally, after three weeks at Mchenga Nkwichi, we had to go home. To England in November... We decided to stop at nearby Likoma Island on the way, as there was a famous witchdoctor there who I really wanted to meet. We set off in a speedboat with three of the lodge staff and gave a lift to three more backpacker friends. Lake Malawi is like glass most of the time, but sometimes it gets rough and more like an inland sea. At full moon we'd surfed on eight foot rollers!
Today the lake started as normal, but just offshore of Likoma Island the waves suddenly got up, and almost swamped our crowded boat. We eventually arrived at Mango Drift, a packpacker place on the beach, with all our gear (and us) completely soaked. We attempted to see the witchdoctor, but he wouldn't see us.

The full account of visiting the witchdoctor is HERE

The rainy season was coming and thunder had been booming across the lake all evening. When night came we stayed up late on the beach, watching distant lightning flashing across the lake. Next morning was misty, and the rain finally came - probably the loveliest thing I've ever seen in Africa.