This Coke, besides being superior to the American version, is cheaper than water.
The road leading to the Peace Corps transit house, where volunteers can stay when they're in Lilongwe.
Natalie relaxing in our room at Mufasa's in Lilongwe.
Malawian 7-11.
The cozy bar at Mufasa's.
The road leading out of Lilongwe, where we started our journey to Liwonde with a hitch.
Bottle Store = pleasant euphemism for bar.
Me in our second mode of transportation - the minibus.
Our second and third nights were at Mvuu ("Hippo") Camp on the banks of the Shire River in Liwonde Park.
Mvuu!
Setting out on our evening game drive.
Croc-spotting.
Leaving on our morning boat safari.
One of these cheeky monkeys stole a dinner roll right off our table.
The only evidence of a night spent drinking with Peace Corps volunteers.
Blurry shot of the dinner table/buffet.
Matt driving us the 16k out of Liwonde Park. Two days earlier we had taken this road in via bike taxi.
Matt and Brian showing us their project, a new school.
A beehive maintained by the village for the income-generating honey.
Posters inside the school's staff building.
God may be my co-pilot, but Jesus is my Boss!
For Careless Driving, just call...
Riding the bus to Cape Maclear - the locals were selling all kinds of road snacks, including the sweet bread rolls they call "Obamas".
Our home base for 2 nights in Cape Maclear.
The boats we took to the island off shore for snorkeling and lunch.
We met Maya (from Copenhagen) and Adam (from the UK) on the bus into Cape Maclear.
Sadly we never got to experience the Pizza Party as the power went out for the night right before dinner.
Well water that had to be purified with iodine tablets before drinking.
Our room at Gaia House.
Ubiquitous Fanta! This stuff, like Coke, was 80% of what we drank for two weeks.
Natalie waiting to school me in Bao.
Local boys who would play & sing for tourists.
Candle lamps provided during the power outage.
Lunch stop on the way to Natalie's village. If I look tired, it's because this day was 10 hours of traveling using 5 modes of transportation.
The dreaded matola - they would load the backs of these trucks up with 20 or more people and all of their stuff. Probably the most terrifying way to travel.
Natalie's front yard.
Natalie's house.
Natalie and her friend/language guru/drinking buddy from the village, John.
This kid is smiling because his team won the NBA playoffs. ;-)
The chief of Natalie's village.
Natalie with the chief's family and other village locals. Note John showing off the chief's gift of eggs.
The kids are showing off their exercise books from school, which they carry around in Ziploc bags.
Natalie's bedroom and insect-proof bed.
A women's group that Natalie works with, in front of the guinea fowl roost they're building.
Natalie's current hometown.
Hilarious bootleg DVD. Ben Affleck has obviously not aged well.
Vermonters are serious about their maple syrup - thanks Mom for sending this!
The library at Natalie's secondary school.
Natalie with her colleagues at the school.
Natalie with some of her students.
One of three dogs belonging to the lodge owners who are about 1.5 k away from Natalie, on Lake Malawi.
The beach bar at Ngala Lodge. Kwacha = the local currency.
Paparazzo!
John relaxing with us on the beach.
Pizza night at Ngala Lodge, one of the things that keeps Natalie sane.
Our new friends from Botswana, Matt and Rory. Their father is a childhood friend of the co-owner of Ngala Lodge.
Chris, co-owner of Ngala Lodge, and his friend Charlie.
This lemon smelled like Trix cereal. I couldn't get enough.
The merry crew on our day-long tour of the local beach lodges.
Gemma, daughter of the Ngala Lodge owners.
Can you spot the real gecko?
Our only food on the 4.5 hour journey back to Lilongwe in the back of this pickup.
Road leading to Mufasa's, where we spent our last two nights.
Goodbye Malawi!
