Ben Winston

Not your average travel blog

Life’s a Beach, with a few owls and some fly burgers

The project to kayak along some of the lake shore of Mozambique has sadly been put on hold – due to the kayaks not arriving from South Africa. We’re closing … Continue reading

January 7, 2017 · 2 Comments

Crocodiles, Music, and a Sorry Sanctuary

I just needed to man up! Whatever I had last night was not malaria. A decent breakfast and a swim in some, apparently crocodile-friendly waters and I am fine. This … Continue reading

December 13, 2016 · Leave a comment

Something to do with a drunk captain…

Something to do with a drunk captain…or at least an extended stop while he visits his mistress(es) – of this I have absolutely no evidence other than everyone talking about … Continue reading

August 22, 2016 · Leave a comment

Where Elephants Once Ruled

On the beach at Ruarwe, along with hundreds of other folk, we loaded our belongings into the rickety boats that realistically in the west would have carried a quota of about 15 folk. … Continue reading

July 27, 2016 · Leave a comment

Chiefly Politics and Recovery

I would love to say that like my two malaria muppets and the infected leg bandit, that my next few days were a smoke-free, alcohol-free resuscitation period, but I’d be … Continue reading

July 18, 2016 · Leave a comment

Fatal mistakes, losing your jaw in the night….and Roy Hodgson

Baboons kept me awake all night (as well as trying to sleep in the hammock). Hackling, coughing and grunting to each other around the forest floor, it must be a … Continue reading

June 18, 2016 · Leave a comment

Malaria

 Bjorn woke up this morning with what he thought was a mild hangover, but quickly within an hour, announced he had malaria. It comes on fast, especially when you’re in … Continue reading

June 16, 2016 · Leave a comment

Backpacking Spooners….and Charlie

Charlie was a young Berkshire boy who lost himself backpacking in Malawi over eighteen years ago – back when most of the lakeshore was wild and when backpackers didn’t expect … Continue reading

June 14, 2016 · Leave a comment

A corpse, a lot of blood, and a Chelsea smile

Back down the river in the bush north of Ruarwe, we found a new splotch of blood on a large rock by the river. This time, it wasn’t from the … Continue reading

June 13, 2016 · Leave a comment

Perfect for a paddle…and a few cannonballs

As far as we know, and as far as we like to guess, no human has travelled up this river valley since the mid 19th Century. We assume there was … Continue reading

June 12, 2016 · Leave a comment

Look what we found! …and a Side Stabbing Snake

Tasting with their feet, an abundant and colourful butterfly population are constantly around us as we expedite up the river. Green water snakes hunt fish, spiders cast their webs as … Continue reading

June 11, 2016 · Leave a comment

Leopards, Crabs, and Unknown Poison

Last night, Matt cooked dinner. As he picked up some kindling to move it onto the fire, he was bitten or stung by an unknown creepy crawly. A regular occurrence … Continue reading

June 9, 2016 · Leave a comment

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

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

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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