Yesterday I started my journey back to Dar es Salem by getting a mini bus up to Mazuz, which is on the main Malawian North/South road. So far so good, I got there at about eight in the morning and saw that a big bus from a 'reputable' company was heading to the border. So I got on board which was a big mistake. By thinking big I thought fast, big, big error. When we finally rolled out of the station we then stopped not only at every village and town, often standing idling for half an hour or move, but we also stopped for just about everyone waving at the side of the road.
As the bus was packed, with people standing in the aisle, it usually took ages for them to get on and off. Many of them, particularly the women had been to market, so had big bundles. Most of the women also had a child hanging off their back as well, nearly all these kids were incredibility stoic, they just hung there and observed the world without a murmur.
I'd spent the last of my Malawian money on the ticket, so I couldn't jump off and try my luck on something that looked like it was going to move faster. So add to it all, as we got closer to the border there were lots of police checkpoints. At these most people had to get off and the policemen got on the bus and poked through their belongings. I asked one of the policemen what they were looking for, Reply - Everything. Then he made me open my rucksack. At the next one I had to produce my passport.
On the way down, the journey from the border had taken four hours, the trip back lasted nine. We rolled into the border village of Songwe at dusk, too late to cross the border as Tanzania is an hour ahead and they keep office hours. So I had to spend the night at the 'rest house' a very simple room and very clean but unfortunately with no running water.
After crossing over this morning and another packed mini bus I decided to spent the afternoon chilling in the pleasant town of Mbeya. Tomorrow will be taken up with another white knuckle ride back to Dar.
As the bus was packed, with people standing in the aisle, it usually took ages for them to get on and off. Many of them, particularly the women had been to market, so had big bundles. Most of the women also had a child hanging off their back as well, nearly all these kids were incredibility stoic, they just hung there and observed the world without a murmur.
I'd spent the last of my Malawian money on the ticket, so I couldn't jump off and try my luck on something that looked like it was going to move faster. So add to it all, as we got closer to the border there were lots of police checkpoints. At these most people had to get off and the policemen got on the bus and poked through their belongings. I asked one of the policemen what they were looking for, Reply - Everything. Then he made me open my rucksack. At the next one I had to produce my passport.
On the way down, the journey from the border had taken four hours, the trip back lasted nine. We rolled into the border village of Songwe at dusk, too late to cross the border as Tanzania is an hour ahead and they keep office hours. So I had to spend the night at the 'rest house' a very simple room and very clean but unfortunately with no running water.
After crossing over this morning and another packed mini bus I decided to spent the afternoon chilling in the pleasant town of Mbeya. Tomorrow will be taken up with another white knuckle ride back to Dar.
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