Nyika Plateau National Park

Ralf and I left the lake and took the fire truck inland toward Malawi's Nyika Plateau. A large nature reserve in the Rift Valley at 2800m elevation , it was the inspiration for JRR Tolkien's Shire (the homeland for the hobbit). Information about the roads onto the plateau were inconsistent and sketchy: we met three British doctors who had tried to make the ascent but claimed it to be impassable; a couple from Holland had made it up the previous week, but they warned us to "stay left" after reciting a good story in which they got stuck in mud alongside another truck which had been stuck for more than a week; the numerous locals we asked answered consistently along the lines of "Good roads. No problems." Ralf and his super yellow fire truck made it onto the plateau without incident - despite carrying four hitchhikers and recent rains.

The hitchhikers - a German and a Spaniard - had endured a full day of travel to reach the park's gate and then waiting for two days before we lifted them the last 60 km onto the plateau. That's dedicated hitching. But they arrived on the plateau without food, water, or enough warm clothing for the altitude. Stunned that there was no lodge, market, or restaurant to cater to them, they spent less than an hour on the plateau before hitching back down to the gate. We had a good laugh at their expense and were happy to now be the only visitors in the park.

The scenery was breathtaking, and the temperatures were comfortable so we spent six nights bush camping in the park. It rained every day - but the experience was perfect.

On the first night, I awoke to the sounds of heaving breathing outside my tent. Some hyena scavenging for a meal came right up to my tent, one on either side of me - snorting loudly and wheezing asthmatically. I sweated it for a bit, but soon relaxed enough the encounter.

The cabinets of the fire truck were bursting with fresh produce, and we had brought up the entire hind haunch of a mid-size goat and the biggest chicken we could find. It was therefore terribly ironic when Ralf became violently ill on the first night, and constrained himself to a diet of noodles in chicken broth. He recovered soon enough and we began the feasting: breakfasts of fried egg and bacon; lunches of Greek salads with balsamic vinegar, good olive oil, and feta; sundried tomato, mustards, avocado, and the people's cheese on fresh bread; and dinners of half chickens marinated in peach chutney on the braai; a butternut squash and goat cooked in a potje; eggplant, onion, and goat kabobs marinated in a grated onion sauce; and even dessert, a chocolate pudding from real milk. Its incredible to have such luxury in this setting - food just tastes better when you're camping. I deeply covet Ralf's home.

No snakes, elephant, buffalo, etc (except leopard) at this elevation, so it’s a good place for unguided solo bush walks - which I enjoyed immensely. Ralf and I had some scenic game drives, and enjoyed lots of time in conversation by the camp fire during the sub 10°C nights. We were a long way from the discomforts the road.