It’s another long drive day today as we head for Malawi and Chitimba Beach. The scenery is still mountainous and beautiful but today we are a bit more sociable on the truck, playing poker as we go. As we exit a small village we notice large rocks scattered on the road and assume there are some sort of road works up ahead. The truck slows down as we approach stationary vehicles ahead. A small bush fire along the side of the road starts to catch us up and spread. There are more rocks along the road and , as the truck pulls to a halt we notice that the drivers have left their vehicles. Just as we are considering using the opportunity to stretch our legs, a group of young men come striding up past the truck purposefully. They have slingshots and other weapons. Hastily, we lock the truck door. The heat from the bush fire gets more intense but we daren’t open up. Groups of young men pass the truck running on either side. In the fields on either side we can see people running, women and children too. We have no idea what’s going on and things get rather fraught as some of our group start to take photos. We hear the crack of a gun going off not so far behind us and then a police truck goes past us. All those in the back of the truck are holding guns at the ready. Up ahead we can see more rocks being thrown into the road. We are all a bit nervous and with our tour leader and driver in the front cab we have no idea what’s going on or what to expect.
Then we see the bus in front of us trying to manoeuvre around the rocks. Someone in uniform is guiding them through the debris. Dickson starts our truck and soon we, too, are slowly picking our way through it all. Still, we can see people in the fields alongside, intent on getting somewhere. Young men with weapons. As the road clears and we pick up a bit of speed, we allow ourselves to relax a bit. Later, Kanyo tells us that a young man from the village had been shot by police earlier and this had started all the commotion.
The border crossing into Malawi is a relief and there are no further hold ups on our journey. As we drive along Lake Malawi it is windy and there are white horses on the waves. We are late but full of our adventure as we pull into camp, only to learn that another overland truck before us had been right in the thick of the drama and everyone had been in fear for their lives.
Then we see the bus in front of us trying to manoeuvre around the rocks. Someone in uniform is guiding them through the debris. Dickson starts our truck and soon we, too, are slowly picking our way through it all. Still, we can see people in the fields alongside, intent on getting somewhere. Young men with weapons. As the road clears and we pick up a bit of speed, we allow ourselves to relax a bit. Later, Kanyo tells us that a young man from the village had been shot by police earlier and this had started all the commotion.
The border crossing into Malawi is a relief and there are no further hold ups on our journey. As we drive along Lake Malawi it is windy and there are white horses on the waves. We are late but full of our adventure as we pull into camp, only to learn that another overland truck before us had been right in the thick of the drama and everyone had been in fear for their lives.
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