We have a week to explore Malawi before the Lake of Stars festival kicks of with some festive fun, so we pick the little slice of relaxation along the lakeshore, known as Cape Maclear. We heard it had a good patch of sand, clear waters and great snorkeling. Only problem was that the guide book described it as a "nightmare" to get too and chatting to our friendly hostel owner he informed us that "yes, it is" The journey would involve hunting three different minibuses then being dumped in a distant village and trying to hitch-hike taking "whatever you can get!" We'd already experienced enough Malawian minibuses, personal seats and space don't exist, long legs, or being anything over 5ft is a curse and dead chickens, live goats and bags of smelly fish enjoy minibus rides too. Feeling hopeful we wrote a note on the hostel noticeboard for a lift to Cape Maclear or anywhere in that general direction. Two days later our prayers were answered by a lovely fellow Bristolian called Cassie. Cassie told us she wanted a holiday and a break from her NGO work and thought that Cape Maclear would do the job. The following day we awoke with grins on our faces thinking of the luxury of being driven around in a private car. Cassie explained that in the UK she worked as an actress, for those Casualty fans out there she played Kate Millar alongside the paramedic. Cassie had decided to come out to Malawi as a volunteer 6 months ago to work for an NGO involved in helping sex workers through drama and teaching them about the risks of HIV. On our first full day we explored the beach side resorts nestled next door to the local villagers. We walked to the posh resort in town - the Gecko Lounge where we assumed the position of a gecko and lounged around under the sun swinging in hammocks until the big boss turned up and kicked us out! It turned out that we had spent the day in the private lounge area. The lakeshore in Cape Maclear is a hive of activity and contrast. Next to the $40 a night gecko lounge is a local family washing their clothes and catching the food to go on the table that night. While the local kids splash around naked in-between the dirt and the lake, grinning and shouting at the mzungu. "Hellooooo...how are you?" Some of the children run up to us and slip their little hands in ours. Its obvious they own nothing, just the t-shirt getting washed, but they are happy, born in the dirt, playing in the dirt, eating in the dirt, they are oblivious to the Western world and from its desire's and greed's, this for the moment keeps the Malawians happy. That night we cooked up a BBQ of sausage sandwiches and salsa whilst lying around under the African stars and sharing tales from Bristol. Over breakfast the next day we met two brothers from America. Mike and Brandon had fought in Iraq and Afghanistan and served in the US Marines for four years. Since leaving the army they had been volunteering in an orphanage in Mozambique and had just arrived in Malawi. It was fascinating talking to Mike and Brandon about their time in the 'war on terror' and we sat for six hours really just interviewing them about one of worlds largest events in the early 21st Century. Hearing some things that your never read about in the papers. The three of us had organised a snorkeling trip for the day and took a boat with our guide Jambo to Thumbi island and Otters Point. The snorkeling was great, hundreds of blue fish huddled at one end of the island to eat and display their incredible colours. This is the most popular place in Cape Maclear to snorkel and because of this the fish are very tame and actually come swimming towards you looking for food. We lazed around on the island for the day, lying on the rocks like seals basking in the sun. Jambo cooked us a typical Malawian meal of fish and Nsima - a type of goo made from maize, Cassie had nicknamed it polyfilla which pretty much describes it perfectly. The Malawian eat with their hands using the polyfilla to scoop up tomato relish and fish and slide it into their mouths. Thumbi island is like something form the prehistoric times, its a huge hill scattered with boulders along the shore. Birds the size of small children sit in the trees looking like some sort of weird cross between dinosaurs and toucans. We spot a metre long monitor lizard and as we board our boat back Jambo throws fish to the giant African Fish Eagles who swoop down with their enormous wings. The following night the hostel fills up with Brits following the Liverpudlian band The Pedantics who are doing a tour around Malawi in aid of the Lilongwe Wildlife reserve and also because no-one has ever heard of them in England. They start their set with a slur and an Otis Reading song. The crowd are mainly made up of the support acts who have been drinking Malawi gin on the bus all day. The lead singer mumbles something in true scouser drunkenness..."ey, you can dance if you like!" At which point the dance floor begins to resemble a school disco The next day we jump back in to the luxury of Cassie's car and head to Lilongwe in preparation for our trip to the Lake of Stars festival. Exciting animal count goes up again: Frog: 1 Giant Monitor Lizard: 1 Fish eagle: 3 Toucans: 5 Cooper Out Love Dan & Kat