A note on minibuses:

If there are people waiting with you on a minibus, and they seem too happy—dancing and singing enthusiastically to Lucky Dube blaring on the radio instead of looking like they’re tired of waiting but have nowhere else to go—and overly familiar with everyone at the minibus stand, beware. They’ll probably be paid a few kwacha for making the minibus look more full than it is. As soon as the minibus approaches a certain level of full, they’ll disembark and you’ll be left waiting another half hour or more just when you thought you were about to go.