The Triumphant Return to Malawi

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  South Luangwa, Zambia
Saturday, July 7, 2007

Again, we woke despicably early. A proper breakfast was served to us today complete with eggs, beef sausages, toast, baked beans, and fruit. Baked Beans? I thought the same thing. Back to Malawi we go!
 
The vehicles left camp at half seven. Before exiting Zambia, we stopped at a crafts area. It was a touristy place. It even accepted credit cards. The safari company that took us didn't even accept credit cards. Ha-ha.
 
On principle I refused to buy. Any rural African shop that accepts credit cards is charging too much. If they can perform a credit sale, than how genuine could their crafts really be? They didn't have anything of interest anyway. They sold mostly bed sheets, cloth paintings, clothing, and pillowcases. Yippee!
 
The stop was brief and we progressed toward the Malawian border. Customs was uneventful, which is always good, and we returned to the road.
 
Two hours later we arrived back in Lilongwe. It was nice to be in a familiar area again, but the traveling wasn't over yet. We had to catch a minibus back to Ntcheu. We walked a few kilometers back to the minibus station, picked one out, and waited for it to fill.
 
A minibus in Africa will not leave until as many people as possible are smashed into it. Thus, one is subject to waiting if you are one of the first few passengers to enter. Just my luck, I was one of the first passengers AND I was sitting directly in the sun while waiting to leave. Now, it's the cold season in Malawi, but the sun is still smoking hot. At first the sun was nice. Thirty minutes later I was dripping. ONE AND A HALF HOURS LATER I was soaked with my own filth. The bus finally filled to the brim and we departed.
 
Fortunately the bus' airconditioning was working and I cooled off rather quiclky. Of course by air conditioning I mean it had windows and by working I mean the windows were functionally capable of opening. 
 
After two hours of physical compaction in the minibus, we arrived back in Ntcheu (en-che-oo). Sorry, I suppose I haven't told you how to properly pronounce the town until now. All said and done,  it only took us 12 hours of driving, waiting, and sweating to return from South Luangwa, Zambia.
 
It was nice being welcomed home. We had only been gone 4 days, but it felt exceedingly longer. It was nice to get a big burly man-hug from Dr. C and a gentle grandmotherly hug from Mrs. C. I missed them.
 
Over a lovely dinner, WITH NSIMA (en-see-ma), we told the tales of Zambia complete with visual aids. Quite a few pictures were snapped in Zambia and they helped illustrate the story.
 
Oo-ing and awing frequently, the C's thoroughly enjoyed our colorful rendition of the trip.
 
It had been a long drive, a long wait, and an overly long day. I retired quite early. Zambia was incredible!
 
I thought you might enjoy Tom Robbins description of February in his book Jitterbug Perfume. I like to apply it to the entirety of winter.
 
"However abbreviated it may look, February feels longer than any other month. It is the meanest moon of winter, all the more cruel because it will masquerade as spring occasionally for hours at a time, only to rip off its mask with a sadistic laugh and spit icicles into every gullible face, behavior that grows quickly old. If February is the color of lard on rye, its aroma is that of wet wool trousers. As for sound it is an abstract melody played on a squeaky violin, the petty whine of the shrew with cabin fever."
 
I thought that was very clever. I don't appreciate winter. Tom Robbins and I definitely have that in common.
 
The journey is still unfolding. More to Come

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