Driving back to Blantyre was a breeze as we took in most of Malawi's motorways in one journey! We travelled on the M10, the M5, the M8 and the M1. Motorways they are not though, and at times it was frustrating as we got stuck behind the occasional lorry. The M8 was a short diversion off the route to visit the Arthouse in Balaka. Way off the beaten track, it's a place we would wholeheartedly recommend if you have your own transport, but it would be a bit more difficult by bus. At the Arthouse we met Tamara who has been in Malawi for 17 years. After her peace corps work she just couldn't leave and she set up an art cafe in Balaka which has recently moved to new and improved premises. It's a beautiful ... read more

Mangochi was only a brief stop along the way but we felt the need to blog about it as it is a place that has so much wrong with it at the moment. There's a newly surfaced road running all the way from Liwonde to Mangochi. The first 20-odd kilometres were impressive. The final 20-odd kilometres are still under construction and we have to drive on dirt tracks at the side of the work in progress. Back on the road, you could tell we were getting closer as the potholes got bigger and bigger until at times there was pretty much no road left. Once we actually got to the town, incidentally in the pouring rain, there was indeed no road whatsoever for several sections. Our objectives in Mangochi were twofold. First, we wanted to pay ... read more

The drive up to Zomba was pretty straight forward but we missed a turn that would have avoided the painful process of crawling through Limbe. On our way we stopped off at the rather out-of-place url=https://www.google.com/maps/place/Dong+Jing+Fo+Tang+-+Buddhist+Temple/@-15.7445001,35.1070298,15.71z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x18d84e15bdfec1f9:0xf9d9aa412d14c66e!8m2!3d-15.7468079!4d35.1062617Dong Jing Fo Tang Buddhist temple.This was a mere dot on Google Maps and it was certainly off the beaten track as even when we were a mere 200m away on the dirt road, nobody we asked knew of it! The temple was naturally very reminiscent of our Asia travels, and it would appear to be a home for orphaned and abandoned children, although they have not been converted into novice monks. There was not a saffron robe in sight. It did make for an intriguing side trip along the way though. In Zomba the backpa... read more

Game Have Lodge was absolute proof that every cloud has a silver lining. Thanks to the boss, Greg, everything was sorted out with the car and he alleviated our stress by giving us a free upgrade from a really nice room to a luxury cottage. That ensured we managed to relax pretty quickly. The accommodation is stunning and without a doubt the most comfortable we have had anywhere in Malawi. Even the standard room would have left us feeling the same. We ended up staying for three nights as there was uncertainty about when the car would be fixed. As it was, everything was done on our second day so we were able to relax even more! When you stay at the lodge, all of the activities are included. Day visitors can pay to do them. ... read more

Arriving in Dedza by private taxi was great. If you are ever in Malawi and need a long distance taxi, give Ashraf a call.You won't regret it. We felt relaxed and comfortable, but our poor driver was bemoaning the state of the track from the main road to the pottery gates. You really would have thought that someone would try to improve the infrastructure to such a great, and popular place. Our room at Dedza Pottery and Lodge was kind of ready when we arrived. We've become quite used to arguing to get a second towel and then having to dry them out because they were still damp. It seems to be the norm in Malawi. The rooms are lovely with terrific views over the countryside from private verandas. The pottery itself produces some lovely pieces ... read more