Lake Malawi, Malawi (March 18-22, 2008)

Lake Malawi is a massive (500+km long) lake that spans the eastern border of Malawi, separating it from Mozambique and Tanzania. The lake is the third largest in Africa and the ninth largest in the world, and it's home to approximately 500 species of fish. As a result, it's a prime destination for both snorkeling and freshwater diving, as well as general beachside relaxing.

We spent four days along various sections of the lakeshore, and it was interesting to see how much the landscape changed as we traveled north - from wild and windswept, to sunny and semitropical, to jungly and mountainous. At times, it was easy to forget that we were on a lake: I never could see across to the other side, and the waves were actually larger than those in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Zanzibar!

The beach is my favorite place to camp: BBQ and roasted marshmallows over a bonfire, and the sound of the waves to lull me to sleep Three boys enjoy a sunny stroll along the beach
A fisherman pulls in his catch at sunset
Green mountaintop views along the northwestern coast of Lake Malawi
Two boys pose for a photo on the beach