Hanging Out with Aubrey

view from the veranda of Lake N'Dali

After my first encounters with an Aubrey in Malawi, i finally get to meet an English Aubrey in Fort Portal. He informs me he runs the N’Dali Lodge close to Lake Nkuruba and invites me to visit.

The estate is immense – like a film-set for a Somerset Maugham classic. Set up by his grandfather, an English tea and coffee grower, the estate was taken over by Aubrey’s father, before being booted out by Idi Amin. Nonetheless, he returned again and built the lodge in the 1990s. Unfortunately, he died prematurely, and Aubrey relocated from Scotland to take over this deluxe lodge. It overlooks three volcanic lakes, has some awesome guest cottages and a swimming pool.

a stolen road-sign - a present from a friend

His new young black wife was born in Uganda, relocated to Australia aged two and then re-relocated to New York. Nonetheless she sounds like the Queen of England. She talks about her plans to bake scones the following day.

I am invited out onto the wooden veranda, where baked chicken in yoghurt sauce is served up with a wild variety of salads. Krest bitter lemon is served by the butler with ice (my first since South Africa) and i half expect Pimms with lemonade to be brought out too. The veranda overlooks an immaculate garden, with beautiful fresh blossoming flowers.

The guests add further to the atmosphere too, for they are kitted out in perfect safari khaki.

It’s all bloody weird and extremely strange.