2/12/2010 Jack was kind enough to tell me how to use a Kayak (as I hadn't been in once since I was about 9), so I kayaked around several small bays to see the beaches and lodges nearby. Spent most of the day snorkelling, swimming and sun-bathing and even saw a Monitor Lizard swimming from rock to rock (it was roughly a metre long). Weirdly, I had Bruschetta for breakfast to try and cure my hangover before attempting nsima with kidney beans and beef stew, which ...

1/12/2010 We spent most of the morning slobbing at Big Blue in the heat before jumping on a pick-up truck to Mayoko Village. At the new accommodation, me and Shawn swam out to the platform out in the lake and lay in the sun, whilst big guns Jack and Will attempted to canoe around us for the alleged free nights accommodation. Fair play to them, they succeeded but as you were both supposed to have your legs in the boat, the owner gave them both a huge bonus and ...

Slept in a dorm of 16 this time at Big Blue, costing less than 3 quid. Spent the morning in the lake swimming and snorkelling, in which we came across more bright-flourescent blue fish and others. We then hung out with Shawn (a Swiss guy) and Will and decided to have a mooch around the town and other lodges because ours wasn't very happening. In the next bay, we visited Mayoko Village, which was a really nice accommodation, lying really steep on the cliff of ...

Despite the barman bringing our change at 5.30 am and waking us up, we had a decent, non-mosquito influenced sleep! We got a ride from the owner's daughter to the town where we waited in a cafe for our bus to Nkhata Bay that would take 5-6 hours! We got hassled by our friend again and his mate for more things, so me and Jack got our trading hats on! Jack had a pen and bracelet for 250kw (pound), and then traded his pink bandana which he didn't wear for a bracel...

Jack and I took another leisurely stroll down the beach and relaxed in the glorious sunshine that Malawi had to offer (what a sentence haha). For lunch, we wanted to head into the small town centre, so jumped on the back of a push bike for 50 kw (22p) to take us in. Spotted by a guy who spoke to us the previous day, he took us round the village to get some nice bread and then to the market for some delicious, REAL chips, chopped and cooked there and then, throw...