Drive to Blantyre
Trip Start
Jul 12, 2008
1
12
25
Trip End
Aug 04, 2008
Blantyre,
Malawi
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
The hotel prepared an early breakfast for us, which was nice. We were on the road by 07.45h - the washboard-y part didn't seem as long ... but the dirt road that went alongside the newly built road seemed interminable. All it all, it was about one and a half hours before we reached the paved road. It was overcast again today, which was good, as otherwise the van would have grown very hot, as we couldn't have the windows down because of the dust from the construction vehicles.
We had to pass through several police roadblocks on our way - they seemed to ask our destination, then checked the vehicle registration and insurance stickers
Typical sight along the road
. Also noticed three "photo studios" - experts, they said, in preparing students IDs, passport photos, etc. Wondered if it's considered a low-capital intensive enterprise ... just a digital camera, a printer, and some photo paper. Seems costly, actually.
Arriving Blantyre, we went to the airport - four desks for check in for all airlines. We checked our luggage, then went to pay our exit fee. Then to show our boarding passes. Then through Immigration. Then to show our passports and exit fee receipts to someone who checked the serial number off a list - clearly a cross-check against corruption. Then through bag and person check.
Went to the Star Alliance lounge ... and Kyla recognized a girl from her high school, traveling alone. Small world.
