Lilongwe, Malawi.

Moni!

After leaving Cape Town, we headed to our last leg in Lilongwe, Malawi. Malawi, specifically outside of Lilongwe, was by far the most rural place I had been to thus far, and it was incredible! The air was so fresh and crisp (I’ve been told this is a very American thing to say, but air this fresh was definitely an experience for me growing up in the city of Chicago), the trees plush and beautiful, and the sunset so pure. You would often see livestock grazing freely on the sides of the road, Malawians riding a bike (themselves and sometimes two or more at a time) to get around town, and farmers selling sugarcane, meat, fruit and vegetables, and other essentials.

The first day, my native Southern African tour guide (self-proclaimed) who grew up in Malawi lead our excursion around the town to see different neighborhoods, government buildings, and shopping centers. One of my favorite sights was the cassia tree topped with bright, yellow flowers; I saw it everywhere. The next day, we ventured to Dedza, a township in Malawi, to have lunch near the mountains and peruse Dedza Pottery Shop. On the drive, (when I wasn’t sleeping – I can’t help it) there was the vast open beauty of the land, trees, small villages with huts, kids playing soccer, rivers and hills; and I just had to stop to take it all in (ok, a couple times), as well as grab some sugarcane. This was my first time having raw sugarcane, and I didn’t realize how much physical effort went into it, but it was well worth it! Sunday, we took a day trip to Lake Malawi. It was bustling, because it was Easter, and apparently, that’s where everyone goes to celebrate. There was a beachside DJ, plenty of grills, and happy people everywhere. The sand was a beautiful mix of black, brown, purple – you really have to see it – and had a popping red, accent chair to really set it off. (Seriously, who put that there? Love it). While there, we also bounced across the waves via motorboat to a nearby island to lounge privately (*end flex* the group that was there prior to our arrival departed, so we had it to ourselves… until the next group arrived). On Monday, the final day, we took a trip to a sanctuary, Lilongwe Wildlife Trust, where we saw several groups of rescued animals that are being rehabilitated to go back into wildlife, or are being cared for in free, open spaces. The trip was perfect, and though it’s not a typical big city, touristy place, it is ideal to visit for a leisure trip full of natural beauty where you can escape the hustle and bustle.

All photos taken with Nikon D5100.