Monday 27 June - Leshoto, Luengera and Pangani

I am looking forward to posting photos of today's trip. We woke up to clouds at Muller's Lodge. After breakfast the cyclists departed and Mark, Brock and I had a conference to decide whether to go on to Korogwe and look for Leungera Estate where he spent the first 9 years or so of his life. We decided to move on because the weather didn't look as if it was going to be kind to hikers.

At Korogwe we asked directions and were pointed in the general direction of Luengere. We had to ask a few people along the way but we eventually arrived at the settlement where the de-corticator and the Estate offices were. We took the road that should have taken us in the general direction of the house Mark's dad built. Mark just remembered it was on a hillside overlooking the plain. After some more asking direction - thanks to Brock's Swahili - we traveled on a track parallel with the hillside. We saw a house that could have been the one but we couldn't find a road up to it. We met a man on a motorcycle who said he would show us where the old manager's house is. We went back down the road and stopped beside a field of green beans. From there we had a clear view of the house up on the hill but we couldn't see a driveway. Mark walked about and found a single track through the cornfields. We decided to go along it and see if it would take us closer.

After a while the track petered out near where a farmer was planting yet more beans. We chatted with him and he said yes, it was the old manager's house. We could see the path carried on for about 500m up the steep hill to the house so we decided to go up on foot. The farmer came with us and half way up we were joined by another farmer. It was a steep climb through shoulder high grass and weeds. I was delighted by the huge variety of butterflies which took my focus off the climb.

When we reached the house Mark confirmed it was the very house where they had lived. We met another man there who was staying in the very bedroom that Mark and his younger brother used to share. The house was built of dressed stone from the area and the walls are over 30cm thick with huge pillars on the verandah. There were few windows intact and the ceiling is falling in in places. The roof is in bad repair but the solid walls are all there.

It was so cool on the very wide veranda and the views are magnificent across the plain to the Usambara Mountains in the distance. The veranda's are very wide - wide enough for five little boys to work off their energy on a rainy day. At the back of the house is a cool courtyard where a number of goats were lying in the shade of some trees.

Mark remembers that just below the house was all forest but now there are just corn fields which allows an uninterrupted view of the mountains. It was such a pleasure to just be there and sit on the veranda wall enjoying the view. The three local men who were with us were very interested in the stories of past times in the house. Far from being scathing about the condition of the house, Mark was so glad he has been back to see it and said he's pleased that someone is using it as home. The house is about a past era in Africa but he has no regrets, just memories of his boyhood. It was such a blessed visit.

We left with the friendship of the three men and one of them picked about a dozen fresh mealies in his field. All my married life I have heard Mark's family telling stories of events at Luengera and I could only imagine the house. Now I have actually seen the magnificent home with it's huge rooms, high ceilings and wonderful verandas. What a privilege! Thank you Lord.

The rest of the afternoon we spent travelling down to Beach Crab resort at Pagani. It's a rustic resort right on the beach and we enjoyed crossing the river on a ferry at sunset and then sipping drinks on the deck at the resort watching the moon rise. A perfect ending to a memorable day.