Ben Winston

Not your average travel blog

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

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

Blogs coming soon…

Once the New York to Alaska blogs have been synced, Malawi posts will appear here. For updates click on the “Follow” button.

April 21, 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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