Malawi and Zambia, 2000

Quite cute and not too frightening at this size, but you do wonder where its parents might be. Taken from the safety of a boat in Liwonde National Park, Malawi.

They may look just like some sort of wild cow, but they were the one animal that worried our guides the most. Liwonde National Park, Malawi.

One damp and one not so damp elephant gazing meaningfully at each other. Liwonde National Park, Malawi.

Malawi has a huge diversity of landscape, including Mulanje, an extensive mountainous plateau of igneous rock, which covers 640 square km and just tops 3000m at its highest point.

Not so easy to find good maps, so some guides are always handy both for routefinding and to help carry some supplies to 'basecamp'.

Spectacular cliffs (and excellent climbing if you are into that sort of thing) in the Mulanje massif, Malawi. The other hiking shots are taking ascending to this summit (2557m) by a somewhat easier route.

Rugged walking on igneous rocks. Quite a few areas have obviously had recent fires, probably as a result of lightning. The lower slopes of the Mulanje massif are the home of the Mulanje Cedar which grows to over 40m and is cut and then carried down the slopes by hand - something of a hazard as you are walking up!

In a small but excellent museum were a series of modern paintings depicting ancient tribal stories. It is just a shame that I have now forgotten the stories and symbolism.

In a small but excellent museum were a series of modern paintings depicting ancient tribal stories. It is just a shame that I have now forgotten the stories and symbolism.