Malawi – Friends Reunited

January 22-25

Hello everyone!

Having visitors is always nice.

Having my best friend from Korea – more like responsible older sister – visit is pretty special.

Playing volleyball on the beach at Cape Maclear

I started this blog when I moved to Korea. A big reason I moved was a pact I made with some people on my TEFL course that I would move wherever they went after Prague. One person I agreed that with was Kelly, who moved to Korea in October 2009. I followed six weeks later.

Our TEFL graduation in summer 2008 - I was 20...

Aside from a surprise flying visit in May 2011, we hadn’t been in each other’s company since I left Korea in December 2010. Over seven years ago. It goes without saying that a lot has changed since then…

Supporting Korea during the 2010 World Cup in Seoul

Rambling around Beijing's Summer Palace in summer 2010

Remarkably, Kelly still lives in Korea. However, she decided to come to southern Africa with her friend Tom, who I briefly met when we travelled around China in summer 2010. Well, when you’re this close…

Kelly and Tom had seen South Africa and Botswana before arriving

Enjoying a cuppa - if you wait as long as we did for
food to arrive, you need to enjoy it!

One main reason for loving visitors is it helps remind me of the aspects of life that captivated me when I first arrived in Malawi. The little things, like a man struggling to cycle up a hill with a sack of charcoal larger than his head swaying worryingly on the back.

Most of the time I can't take pictures as I'm driving - Hannah
was able to snap this from the passenger seat a week after the visit

It’s also a good excuse to get out of the city and go to Malawi’s main attraction: Lake Malawi. Though there are plenty of options, the closest ‘nice’ place on the lake to Lilongwe is Cape Maclear. More info about Cape Mac can be found in this blog.

Kayaking to Thumbi - the island in the distance - is
a popular activity

Surrounded by cichlids - there are more species of fish in
this lake than in North America and Europe combined

Tom finding inner peace in the lake

As ever, the sunsets were spectacular. A relaxing, beautiful place.

After stopping to help a broken down car, we only just
made it in time for this stunning sunset

A moodier sunset on Saturday night at Cape Mac

Kelly and Tom were pleasantly surprised with Malawi. The warmth of the country and spectacular scenery is a big reason for us enjoying our time in the Warm Heart of Africa, and it was wonderful to share it with two great friends. It was also wonderful to catch up - even after so long, very little seemed to have changed. The question now: who is going to visit next? :-)

The Rift Valley

Here's hoping it won't be another 7 years!

Love you all

Matt