Mulanje Massif

I just had to post this cause it's our Mulanje itinerary for the weekend. Also, Marie, Rita, Kathryn and I took 3 hours to plan our one night stay in Mulanje. It was quite an ordeal and included numerous phone calls to various motels with limited English/Chichewa exchanges.

Trip to Mount Mulanje Itinerary

Friday, August 8, 2008

2:00 -- Zomba girls (Marie and Hana) depart from Zomba to Limbe (I'm just guessing the time)

2:30 -- Rita departs from Blantyre to Limbe
2:45 -- Rita, Marie, and Hana meet in Limbe Minibus "Station," ie, the trash heap with broken down buses
2:47 -- Snack time: peanut butter crackers
3:00 -- Rita, Marie, and Hana will get on a minibus headed for Mount Mulanje
3:30 -- Still in Limbe, sitting in the minibus, waiting to depart
4:05 -- In-Ride snack time, hand sanitizer, entertainment, photography, etc.
5:00 -- Hopeful arrival in Mulanje
5:05 -- Walk to Info Mulanje
5:15 -- Check on guide info and confirm the guide, maybe a 2nd one, and also a porter for the weekend
5:25 -- Check into Mulanje Motel
6:00 -- Dinner at the restaurant or bar at Mulanje Motel (if this fluorescent light doesn't stop flashing...)
7:00 -- Find a TV and watch Olympic stuff...don't really know what time it's starting
8:00 -- Kathryn and the Dutch girls' bedtime!
10:00 -- Euro Boys will be getting wasted somewhere in Mulanje.

Saturday, August 9, 2008
5:15 -- Kathryn and the Dutch girls will wake up before the crack of dawn.
6:00 -- Kathryn and the 2 Dutch girls will depart from Blantyre for Mount Mulanje.
7:00 -- Kathryn and the 2 Dutch girls will get into Mulanje, contact Marie, Hana, Rita
Marie, Hana, and Rita will also eat breakfast and check out of Mulanje Motel.
7:45 -- Meet at Info Mulanje, let the Euro Boys know about this. Should also call Richard just in case.
8:00 -- Richard meets the Gang and we get our guides.
8:15 -- Not sure when we'll start our hike, but I'm guessing around this time.

Hike -- This hike will be dotted with refreshing water and snack breaks and photo shoots.
Some time before dark we will get to the middle plateau, the name is unknown to me.
Check into CCAP Hut, eat, sleep, all that jazz, etc.

Sunday, August 10, 2008
You know what, I give up on the rest. Please refer to Hana's very detailed previous email. Or better yet, I'll copy and paste it here. Oh, and we're staying in the CCAP hut both Saturday and Sunday nights.

Saturday, Aug 9th 2008
0515hrs Wake up and have a snack (?).
0600hrs Catch the express bus to Mulanje.
0700hrs Arrive in Mulanje (purchase snacks, food, map/guide).
0800hrs Start climbing Mount Mulanje with a guide – maybe on Chapaluka Path ? (should be about 4.5 – 6 hours hike but let's say it takes us longer because we do want to take pictures and enjoy the scenery).
1700hrs Arrive at plateau and seek hut. Get sleeping bag, rest, eat, sleep.

Sunday, Aug 10th 2008
0600hrs Wake up and have breakfast.
0700hrs Proceed up Sapitwa Peak (and here I'm not sure how long it will take and whether or not I'll be able to make it but I definitely want to try!).
1700hrs Hopefully we'll be back at the same hut but if not we should try Thuchila Hut and we can rest, eat, and sleep!

Monday, Aug 11th 2008
0600hrs Wake up and have breakfast.
0700hrs Bye to hut! (Use a different path – I heard there's a loop path one should take to get more views of Mulanje). Also should try to eat lunch/have a break by Thuchila River.
1500hrs Leave for Blantyre/Zomba (if there's a direct bus to Zomba Marie and I will be on it).

Tuesday, Aug 12th 2008
0630hrs Wake up miserably sore yet ecstatic with accomplishent!
0800hrs Marie and Hana will probably not have any work or get to go to the field so they'll be writing emails about climbing Mulanje Massif :P

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Hehehehe.....