18/12/2010 The worst day of travel I hope I ever have to experience. Part 1: Hungover, we caught a bus from Blantyre to Liwonde but had to wait an hour before take-off. It was two-and-a-half hours to Liwonde ona sticky hot bus crammed with locals. Part 2: We caught a chlostrophobic minibus from Liwonde to Chiponde on the border of Malawi. This took about another three hours, mainly because the driver was coasting everywhere. Got to experience another cool thun...

17/12/2010 A terrible mozzy-infested sleep left us with bites and absolutely caning from the three days of walking. We travelled back to Blantyre where we prepared for crossing the border to Mozambique, changing kwacha for mozam meticals. We met a British guy from the Lake District and spent the day with him, endulging in some kebab and chips of a road-side stool for less than a squid. Ended up playing some cards whilst admiring the fruit bats flying up above a...

16/12/2010 5.15 rise today seen as we HAD to attempt getting to the top and all the way down the mountain before dark. We filled up our bottles and cleaned our teeth with the clear running water from one of the mountain's many rivers. Joined by the German and his guide, we marched to the summit at 3002 feet in under two hours from Chisepu. Simon our guide thought it would take near four! The views were great, but the relief of achieving the feat of reaching the...

15/12/2011 Slept through thundesrstorms only to be woken at 5.30 in our attempt to get to the next lodge, up to the summit of the mountain and then back down to the hut! However, didn't turn out that way. We raced to Chispu Hut in four hours even though we were told it would take five and a half. Was a nice walk, a bit uphill climbing and sliding along rocks and then along flats. Some of the views from different peaks were breathtaking. You could see for miles ...

14/12/2010 Woken up at half six by some half blind guy trying to sell us pots and pans for our hike up Mount Mulanje. Jack bartered leaving it at 200 k (like 70p). But guy refused so we took our business elsewhere. Left our rucksacks at a better lookinh hotel before hopping onto a bicycle taxi into Chitikale for some tourist information. Jack bought his rider a coke and 50k as he felt sorry as the guy tried extra hard pumping his legs trying to get Jack up the ...