Mozambique Malawi and Zambia

At the souvenir market, dozens of vendors try to sell their wooden carvings. Since we are currently the only tourists, everyone flocks to us. The savviest sellers politely introduce themselves, strike up a conversation, and try to lead us to their spot. But others try as well. In the chaos, it’s nearly impossible to browse in peace. I feel a bit guilty as, in response to our arrival, vendors remove the cardboard covers from their stalls, quickly dust off their figurines, or unroll painted textiles. I soon realize that most stalls sell nearly identical items and nothing really catches my interest. We move on. As we cross the Lilongwe River, we glance at the local market. The riverbed resembles a garbage dump, and it smells like one too. We step onto the market. The rickety stalls are crammed together and filled with all kinds of goods. It's clear that people spend the whole day here, hoping to sell something.