Judy's Jovial Corner: Mangochi

September 2019

In an interesting turn of events my immediate supervisor asked me to represent him at a 3 day conference in Mangochi- Sunbird Nkopola Lodge and I was all “for real?”

Couldn’t believe it.

Didn’t really think it would go all the way through...

But it did!

And I who had been craving a break from the everyday routine, I who was craving a hotel stay and a visit to Lake Malawi got.it.all, in one fully paid package.

Good things still happen people!

And I got to make new friends (lately I’ve gotten all good at making friends...the shy and the reserved has finally gotten out of her shell...some. It’s interesting how you can be so shy and reserved yet so loud and out there at the same time...depends on who we’re dealing with)

At this point life was pretty much doing me in. I was in the middle of tough life lessons and God knew I needed this kind of get away. I’m constantly in awe of how MINDFUL God is to us His children. He knows every aching need and knows when to provide.

I will hereby share with you some of the pictures a friend and I took in this beautiful place...

P.S I might be playing catch up with some of the posts on here because I still want to document some meaningful experiences of the past year or past few years for memories sake. You know how pictures can easily stay buried in folders. So I may have to borrow the famous instagram #tbt and throw it back a whole lot, just probably not restricted to Thursdays only.

Fair warning...

Also I am very aware that travel has been restricted a whole lot this year and it stinks but maybe, just maybe these posts will still serve a good purpose in some way.

In with the pictures:

I FINALLY got to go on a boat ride! It was thrilling.

Ok I've been on a boat ride before but it had been a while since...

It was also cool to be able to have reception for calls and internet out there on the water. So I was sending pictures to my Mom and she was like "you need to get out of the water" haha and there I was having the time of my life. She soon calmed down and was ok with it :)

I wish I could stay here for the rest of my life! I mean, the view from the rooms, the food, the boat rides...maybe I'd finally learn how to swim, and then I'd play beach volleyball about every other day...such fun!

And in the evenings I'd take long walks on the beach just before sunset.

A girl can dream.

I'd probably become lazy too; because no dishes, no mopping - yay! (sigh, I'm slowly easing into viewing mopping more positively...) and cooking. But I'd definitely miss home made food. Because home made is best made! :)

I'm also pretty sure I'll visit some other place and wish I could stay there forever...I mean...I can't promise.

I was feeling that child-like excitement inside but keeping it cool on the outside. So in awe of God's beautiful creation. He sure made a beautiful place when He said "Let there be"!

The little island we were headed to

Almost there

The island up close

Those beautiful rocks!

Fish Eagles grabbing some fish

Little fishies in the water :) Our guides brought them some food...

I also got to briefly check out Sun 'n' Sand after years and years of seeing it in the Newspaper and hearing about it. But I wasn't as impressed as I was with Sunbird Nkopola Lodge...May have to check it out in a little more detail to appreciate it better. Plus when you're running on a personal budget you don't get to be too picky and you appreciate different places in their own right.

I've been looking for other nice pictures I took of the sunrise and the view from my window, the beautiful restaurant and the food, but I can't find them! The woes of changing phones.

Edit: I found them!!!