I called Debbie from the train back to Liwonde. She very graciously said I could stay and sent a co-worker just leaving work to come and pick me at the station. I was very happy that the return trip from Nayuchi was considerably shorter than the trip out—about 3 hours. So I even had time to wash the ground in grime from my face and body before dinner. Since the power was out when I got to Debbie’s house, I felt like I was at home, just like in Zomba.
The next morning Debbie and her driver gave me a lift to Ntaja. They were willing to give me a lift to the Mangochi turn off instead, but we figured Ntaja was closer to the border at Chiponde, which should make up for any slower traffic. For the most part it worked: I waited about 5 minutes for the minibus that said it was going to Chiponde to fill a bit more, and then we were off. Only because the minibus wasn’t completely full, I had to switch minibuses in Nselema.
The minibus driver in Nselema went back and forth over the same 300 meters repeatedly, trying to convince us he was just about to leave while waiting to fill some more. Apparently the bus stand boys got fed up* because they started yelling, “nthawi yatha!” (time is up!). The bus stand boys and all the legitimate male passengers disembarked and stood around, pretending there was more traffic they could threaten to get on instead. It worked, in spite of the obviously bluffy nature of the manoeuvre. I got to Chiponde, finally, about 2½ hours after leaving Ntaja. Almost immediately I was approached by someone ready to take me on a bike taxi over to Mandimba.
A note on bike taxis: For over two years I have avoided taking a bike taxi anywhere. I have even walked 6km to avoid taking a bike taxi—something about riding pillion at the mercy of someone you don’t know just struck me as a BAD IDEA™. But here I am, still in my first week of not being a Peace Corps volunteer, and I have to get my butt on the back of a bike taxi.
*My guess is they weren’t going to get any more money for staying in the minibus all morning than they would for 30 minutes.
