Ben Winston

Not your average travel blog

A thirst-quenching cauldron full of vivid hallucinogens

Sleeping in a hammock is rather good for keeping you off the jungle floor, if you can sleep! It’s perfect for catching a few winks, but to sleep through the muggy night … Continue reading

June 8, 2016 · Leave a comment

Miniature-stealth scorpions and Schwarzeneaggar-esque Jiminey crickets…

Miniature-stealth scorpions and Schwarzeneaggar-esque Jiminey crickets, hypnotic millipedes and flesh-piercing ants. Nothing in the bush is ever bug proof and whether it be stabbing you with a sting, munching through … Continue reading

June 7, 2016 · Leave a comment

Truly into the wild, and lying to my mother about it…

There is no point in comparing the bush experience we had in Kasungu, near the Zambia border, to what we are enjoying on the northern lake tributary. For one, we’re … Continue reading

June 6, 2016 · Leave a comment

Some more controversy for you…

Before disappearing up a watery gash in the landscape to explore where one of the northern rivers flows into Lake Malawi, we catch our breath and take a chance to … Continue reading

June 5, 2016 · 1 Comment

Hangovers, Goats, and some Freekin Ice!

Leaving over two hours later than scheduled, the “local” boat, as its referred to, took over eleven hours to carry us to Ruarwe at the north end of Lake Malawi. … Continue reading

June 4, 2016 · Leave a comment

Food…and drugs…and drunk fishermen…

Before we reached the lion’s den we passed Malawi’s largest farmed area of rubber trees. Tapped, much like maple trees for their syrup, the rubber trees contribute to a healthy … Continue reading

June 2, 2016 · Leave a comment

Barbecuing Beer, Intelligent Pigeons and Chuck Norris…

At last! You say. This one isn’t about how terrible humans are to the unfortunate wildlings. I had goaded one of the more social park rangers to join us for … Continue reading

May 31, 2016 · Leave a comment

Elephants (videos)

And you think YOU have issues at breakfast!?   Nervous Elephant

May 31, 2016 · Leave a comment

Marrying Sharron…

Compared to a few other nations on the continent, Malawi has remained relatively peaceful. Even through the historically volatile and ongoing trials of Southern Africa, the people here remain extremely … Continue reading

May 30, 2016 · Leave a comment

Mobile cash machines in a war zone

Life isn’t all covert operations, investigations into convolutions or apprehending unfortunate forest folk. In truth, as much as I enjoy and appreciate the experiences to understand what “protected wilderness” is, … Continue reading

May 29, 2016 · Leave a comment

Should we accept a sad fate?

Six months ago, the village we found yesterday, where we apprehended a man, was burned to the ground and returned to the wild. We saw remnants of scorched earth, charcoaled … Continue reading

May 28, 2016 · Leave a comment

Jealous of my lifestyle? Read this one

Three sounds concerned me as I tried to fall asleep in the Kasungu bush. One, chickens. They shouldn’t be here. Two, gunshots. They weren’t for the chickens. And three, the … Continue reading

May 27, 2016 · Leave a comment

Hopefully, without getting shot…

Hopefully, without getting shot, stabbed, sliced with a machete or even just damaged by anything in the bush…. After an early start to pack our bags with appropriate and thoroughly … Continue reading

May 26, 2016 · Leave a comment

Kasungu National Park

While at the triathlon in Cape Maclear, and through no late night liquid coercion, Bjorn and I accepted a welcoming invite from Matteau, Remi and Leonie to visit them in … Continue reading

May 25, 2016 · 2 Comments

It was a success…. Nobody died!

Beyond the point of relaxation and drifting into a tired trance, I managed to stay up for another thirteen hours after a fifty hour+ sleepless journey from the U.S. to … Continue reading

May 23, 2016 · Leave a comment

Just missing that haunting, panpipe-style, ding ding…

I’m normally a morning person, and here in Cape MacClear waking up isn’t too much of a problem. The natural sounds of the village children (not a Village People spin … Continue reading

May 22, 2016 · Leave a comment

Skip this opportunity? Don’t be silly!

Outside of Lilongwe (Malawi’s capital) it’s hard not to feel like I’m in a remote place compared to the western world I’ve just left behind. The countryside vistas vary as … Continue reading

May 22, 2016 · Leave a comment

Nobody ever accomplished anything alone…

Just before the end of my adventure across the United States in 2014, seemingly impressed by my intrepid spirit and wordsmithing, I received an email from a man I had … Continue reading

May 21, 2016 · Leave a comment

Malawi: Africa’s Warm Heart

The last you saw of me was when I left Portland, OR. They even had a new carpet in the airport! Time to let you all know what in the … Continue reading

May 20, 2016 · Leave a comment

Survival on Arrival

  After a fifty hour journey to Lilongwe, I didn’t know what to expect when I arrived. I had emailed my contact, without response six days prior and said that … Continue reading

May 20, 2016 · Leave a comment

Where am I now?

After extensive work and tours through Southern Africa, most of my time is spent between Malawi and Europe.
Go Untamed Safaris was striding into top gear, but volatile poitics in 2019, Covid in 2020, the impacts of Russia vs the World as well as insesent corruption forced my hand.
The dust is now settling. Everything has changed. New chapters are about to be written.

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