Malawi: Country #81 on my Countdown to 100 U.N. countries by the time I turn 70 in 2026.

Day 15: Long day of driving to cross the border and enter into Malawi. 

I usually enjoy the long drive days but this one was extra long, incredibly hot and pothole hellacious while driving out of Tanzania and pretty much all through Malawi.

And it didn’t help, on our 8-hour journey, that we were stopped three times by Tanzanian police as we were driving to the Malawi border. They were supposedly looking for the overland truck’s registration papers, insurance and our driver’s license. All three stops were along the same highway so I’m not sure what changed from point to point that required all three police road stations to stop us seeking the same information. 

Although it took us two hours to get through both borders, the Tanzania border was easy and quick. We even had time for the money exchanger to come on board the truck and change our Tanzanian money to Malawi money or USD into Malawi money. We’ll only be in Malawi for 3 nights and 4 days and all of our meals are provided for us. I find it interesting that the USD is such a strong and demanded currency in countries around the world, but especially in Africa. 

It took about 30 minutes for the group to get through the Malawi passport stamp line, but another 45 minutes waiting outside for our truck to get through. Why so long you ask? Because cars and trucks were parked on each side of the dusty road and one big truck, without the driver, was parked in the middle of the road. It took time, I guess, to find the driver. 

After finally making it out of the mass confusion of the parking lot, we were on our way to our Chitimba, Malawi, campsite at the shores of Malawi Lake. 

Malawi, called the ‘warm heart of Africa,’ is dominated by Lake Malawi, which covers almost a fifth of the country and provides a livelihood for many Malawian people.

Then after crossing the border into Malawi we were again stopped by men dressed in military fatigues who wanted to see our passports. One officer came onto the overland truck, looked at everyone’s passport and then left. He was basically looking for any irregularities so he could possibly ask for money. Evidently they are not paid well by the government and this makes for a decent side hustle. Corruption is high in Malawi. It’s odd but there was a sign at the Malawi border reminding people to report corruption.

People walk a lot in Malawi. A few ride bicycles and a few ride motorcycles but most of the people walk along the sides of the highway because there are no paved walking paths for the people. And there’s no public transportation so the people have to walk. 

As we got closer to our campsite it was already hot, at least 90F or 32C, but then the humidity made it even worse. I don’t remember ever sweating so much or being so grimy and gritty from the road dirt. 

And talk about a long day, this was an unusually long hot, muggy and road dusty drive. When we got to our campsite, the first thing I did was enjoy a Savanna. It’s a dry premium cider that felt really good going down. Then I took a a cool shower. No need for hot water but even after my cold shower I was still sweaty and sticky.

I did checkout the upgrades but I wasn’t impressed so it was back to sleeping in the tent. And, I slept good once again.

Day 16: Another long driving day of potholes; taking my malaria medication while admiring Malawi’s land and its people. 

Today was a hot, pothole hell kind of day getting from the Chitimba campsite to the Kande Beach campsite on the shore of Lake Malawi  in Malawi. 

And the road dust along the way felt ever more challenging today too. 

The fact is, I really would not travel in Africa any other way. Seeing the rich and beautiful land and the industrious people going about, what I perceive as difficult lives, makes me realize Africans in general are resilient. I do  feel their government is derelict in really looking out for the people. But I’m speaking from a Westerner’s point of view. 

One other very important thing to consider in Malawi is malaria. It is endemic in more than 95 percent of Malawi and is one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality across all age groups. Malaria is primarily spread through the bite of an infected female Anopheles mosquito. It cannot be transmitted directly from one person to another; it is spread through the bite of an infected mosquito, meaning you can only get malaria by being bitten by a mosquito that has previously bitten someone with malaria, not through casual contact with an infected person. 

I’ve been taking Atovaquone-Proguanil, an anti-malaria drug my doctor prescribed for me, just before leaving for Nairobi but during the course of the trip, I have definitely skipped a day or so here and there. I’m still taking the pills and will to be continue to be consistent until I am done taking the full 60 day supply. Some days are better than others with the mosquitos but I’ve been bitten a number of times and that will probably continue to be the case. I do plan to ask my doctor, once I am done with my supply of pills, to test me for malaria and proceed from there. 

Here’s to seeing just a glimpse of Malawi.

Day 17: A Bamba Village walk of the Tonga tribe in Kande, Malawi.

No early morning and no driving, but here in Malawi at our Kande Beach campsite on the shore of Lake Malawi, bathe roosters start their cocka-doodle-doing at 4:00 am and the sun rises at 5:00 am. So either way, I’m getting up early. 

The only thing for today, was the optional village walk. Malawi is a developing country and its villages, like this one, Bamba, seem to be working as a village team to help one another and the village as a whole. But this requires outside funding to improve the schools and the health care especially for pregnant women and children. 

At one time in the Tonga tribes, the uncle would pick the bride. And the girls could not say no. But the family, if they did not like the groom-to-be could ask for a hefty dowry. Also men were allowed to have more than one wife. Because of all this, marriages did not last long and the spread of HIV was on the rise. That custom has since changed so girls and boys can decide who they want to marry. But they must both take blood tests to confirm neither is HIV positive. 

And as far as health care, villagers and Malawians in general are still victim to the HIV virus and malaria. The hospitals do their best to provide condoms to curb the spread of the HIV virus and testing for malaria.

So for now take a walk with me through the Bamba village in Kande, Malawi.

NEXT COUNTRY: ZAMBIA