Mufumu Lodge

The security guard opens the large, metal gate to Mufumu Lodge, and McNaughton drives us through, parking in front of a set of six long, parallel one-story buildings, each a row of suites. Mufumu means "chiefs" in Chichewa, so this is Chiefs' Lodge, McNaughton explains.

The office at Mufumu Lodge

On the other side of the driveway are two buildings, each the size of a small one-story house. One of these is the restaurant, and the other is the office and laundry. The simple buildings let the surrounding lush, well-groomed greenery take prominence. Lawns, trees, and green gardens fill the rest of the grounds.

One of the hotel staff comes to unload my suitcases from the trunk and backseat of the old blue Toyota Corolla. I walk over to the office to check in, unsure what arrangements have been made, and hopeful that CARE or Cuso have already paid for the room. Unfortunately, that is not the case, and payment is required in advance. 

They only take Visa. I only have MasterCard. The room costs more than I have in cash. In the end, I give her all the kwacha I have, and let her know I'll be here for two more nights. She gives me a receipt indicating that there is payment outstanding. Since the bank machines only dispense a maximum of MK80,000 (about CA$144) and the room costs MK75,000 (CA$135), for the next three days I have to make a daily transaction.

The suites at Mufumu Lodge

When I enter my suite, I find a kitchen cabinet on my right with a sink, microwave, and small fridge. Further inside, there are two queen-size beds, an armoire, television, desk, and armchair. The far wall has patio doors that open onto the green space separating the row of suites I'm in from the next row.

The furniture is all made of dark, heavy wood. The floor is tiled. The bedding is beautiful, soft, clean, white cotton with feather pillows and a top-quality mattress. I have a large, tiled bathroom with dark, wood panels, and a glass-enclosed bathtub and shower. Except for the dark, heavy wood and inviting patio doors, it is very like a hotel room I might have stayed in on a business trip back home.

My room

When I try to unlock the patio doors, however, I can’t manage to get them to open. The towels are very well worn. I had promised myself a long soak in the bathtub, but the plug doesn’t work. Bedraggled and already tired, I settle for a shower, and, for the first time in three nights, crawl into a real bed.

Copyright © 2019 Lynn Thorsell, All rights reserved.

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