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Africa » Tanzania » West » Mbeya
December 21st 2006
Published: December 21st 2006
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Minibus Malawi StyleMinibus Malawi StyleMinibus Malawi Style

The "border direct" minibus just before the police stopped us for being a little overloaded !

On The Road Again


Malawi has been very hard work and very rewarding and I have lots to post once I get some time to sit and upload some of my notes from the past 5 weeks. We'd planned to leave Nkhata Bay on Sunday morning but I managed to pick up a nasty throat infection which turned to tonsilitis and which had me in bed shivering and sweating until Tuesday evening.

We finally left Paul, Claire and Jorda Norrish to enjoy their own Xmas at Njaya on Wednesday morning and travelled north as far as Karonga - the last major town before you hit the Tanzanian border. This morning, with our full packs strapped on extra tightly, we found ourselves a couple of bicycle taxis to take us the 2km from "Club Marina" to the bus depot and, after the usual wait for a minibus to fill up, we headed to the border. "Border Direct", the conductor kept shouting at every person he saw. But....we were full already....and that's what he told us ! He managed to cram another 5 people into the already crowded bus, kicking them out and making them walk through the fixed police roadblocks. But
Just Enough Room For A MushroomJust Enough Room For A MushroomJust Enough Room For A Mushroom

On the minibus from Nkhata Bay to Mzuzu - the start of our 4 day trek to Zanzibar.
when a hidden policeman jumped out after seeing one guy riding on the outside of the van, we were pulled over and the driver had his tax and insurance discs confiscated.

I think we were used as an excuse to keep going as we still managed to get to the border and across with no other real problems. Just a puncture and huge rainfall on the road to Mbeya and we were here and checked in to the Mbeya Peak Hotel (10 quid for a double room including brekkie). We have our tickets for the 12 hour slog to Dar in the morning, leaving at 7am. We'll have to save the train journey for the way back to Malawi as my shivering and sweating mean't we couldn't get here for Tuesday night.

So, on the road at last and enjoying every minute of it although sad to leave friends in Nkhata Bay behind.

More when we have more computer time on Dar.

Bod & Kath

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22nd December 2006

Merry Christmas !
Hi Andy and Kath, Have a fantastic Christmas out there and all the best for 2007. Hope you continue to have great adventures. Love, Kirsty
23rd December 2006

What a journey!
Sorry to hear that you have been unwell and hope that the tonsils are back to normal now. It was great to hear you the other day at the Lodge and I obviously just caught you in time before you moved off to Tanzania. It all sounds a bit different to catching a No 3 bus to the West End but glad you made it safely in the end. Have a great Christmas and hope to talk to again soon Lots of love Dad

Tot: 0.145s; Tpl: 0.01s; cc: 18; qc: 85; dbt: 0.0863s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1; ; mem: 1.2mb