Lake2Cape - Malawi

The official start of our trip - Lake Malawi

Our final day in Blantyre was here with the cleaners cleaning out the house as we left for Lilongwe to get the car fridge fitted out at Northside Motors. Fridge fitted and we headed off to Salima so our official start point would be at the Lake. 

Saying goodbye to our home in Blantyre, Malawi

As luck would have it, a kid threw a stone at the car causing a chip on the windshield which finally resulted in a crack that we were only able to fix in George due to the unavailability of parts along the way. 

Cyclone Freddy loomed large over the start of our trip

Following a couple of days in Salima, it was on to the new one stop Malawi/Zambia border which is a refreshing change from the chaos of the past. The first great change is there aren't touts trying to sell or assist you with what should be a basic administrative matter that most of us should be able to negotiate.

An orphaned baby hippo being cared for on the lakeshore

The other change is the border officials have no where to hide in the back rooms so they are forced to actually get the job done quickly. I also felt the guys manning the stations were a lot more capable that the previous staff who just seemed to take for ever to hit a key on the computer. 

Tobacco drying racks - tobacco is a key crop in Malawi

As we leave Malawi, it's time to reflect on our time in this beautiful country blessed with friendly warm people. We arrived in Malawi on one of the last flights before the COVID hit and it was a challenging time to adjust to a new country in the midst of a pandemic. 

Agriculture everywhere in Malawi

Despite not being on the main wildlife map, Malawi offered us some of the best wildlife shooting opportunities one could wish for. Both Majete and Liwonde are within a two hour drive from our doorstep and both parks are stocked with decent game. There was also Nyika which was remote but a place like no other and of course the Lake of Stars that has something special about it. We leave Malawi with fond memories and hoping to return someday to the warm heart of Africa. 

Steps Campsite, Senga Bay