The Bus From Jeefaro !!!!!

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This is one of those situations where after all is said and done you've earned yourself a traveller's stripe and you simply THANK-GOD that it's over. I still remember the smell of that bus and that old lady with the coke, priceless.
"We leave at 8:00 am so be here about 7:30 to get a good seat" says the guy at the Jeefaro Empire Filling station as he hands me ticket #2037 and I fork over the 200 Kwacha. (I always did like saying that word.) Currently I was in LLongwe, Malawi and "The Destination" was Lusaka, Zambia. How long is the ride?" I asked. 8 hrs or so was the answer I received. I always try to take an earlier bus when going from one country to another so it would be easier to change money and find a place to stay.

Eager to explore Zambia I was there bright and early, found the appropriate bus and a vacant seat with a window that worked. We promtly left at 11:30, remember we are on African time, something I noticed some German travellers had issues with. Anyways it was your usual trip across an African border, the bus stops just b4 the immigration building and numerous passengers get off the bus and walk into the bushes, the border guard hassles you for a tip and you are on your way, only to stop after entering the new country and be reunited with those fellow passengers as they emerge from the bushes and get back on the bus. I guess not having ID can be a problem but the system seems to get ppl across brders quite efficiently.
About 3:00 we pulled into the little brick fenced compound of the Chipata bus station and the driver said 30 minutes. Around 5:00 I was getting a little anxious about reaching Lusaka in daylight with no changed money but then my problems were answered. The driver returned and yelled something and then left again. "In ENGLISH!" I asked aloud. "You sleep here!" said the voice, well hey it's a free nights accomodation !
As the evening progressed I became quite familiar with my surroundings , finished the Tao of Pooh by B. Hoff and even figured out 5 of the puzzles in the logic problems book my mom gave me b4 I left home. As it got dark a crowd started to grow about the stations pub and the barred window even had a crowd as everyone wanted to see Mike Tyson fight on the only TV for miles. Something that seemed to put some local patrons in a pugnacious mood, problem was word was also out that there was a MIZUNGU on the bus in the compound. I believe the direct translation is "English Man", may as well mean target.
TINK! as the first stone hits the side of the bus, followed by numerous others. This is where that window that works is soooo important but was meant to control weather not shrapnel. My window went up and my backpack placed as a shield for the next 4 hours as assorted aggregate and flaming sticks were hurled in my direction accompanied by the chanting, MIZUUUUUNGU !MIZUUUUUUNGU ! MIZUUUUUUNGU ! Yes it became a little un nerving, at one point I peed in a bottle cause I new I couldn't leave my seat and the alternative would have broken my spirit, great thing was, in Africa you always carry an empty glass bottle to use as refund for one if you want to leave any store with a full one, and functions as a weapon or urinal if necessary. Needless to say sleep was out of the question.
I was witness to an event that did warm me up a little. An older woman boarded the bus and sat across the aisle and ahead of me a bit. After settling in she opened her bag to reveal a frosty COCA COLA, with no opener in sight she used what could have been her only surviving molar to do the job and proceeded to enjoy her beverage.
The mortar fire finally stopped and the chanting subsided but there was a time on the bus that I seriously questioned seeing the sun come up, but it did and was I ever happy. We arrived in Lusaka about 3:30 that afternoon where a machine gunned escort(not the safest place) took me to a taxi stand where I found a ride to a Sikh temple that I heard took in travellers. They even had a volleyball court and weren't half bad at the game, just no meat or eggs.
Don't ya love transit days !!!!

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