best minibus story so far.
It was in Lilongwe, a few weeks ago when my parents were flying home.
I had sent them in a taxi to the airport and I wanted to get to Salima
by minibus, at the lake, where I was meeting Ivonne the next day
before traveling to Nyika plateau (have you seen the entry below?). So
there I was in a minibus, trying to get to the main bus station of
Lilongwe, when we stopped for unknown reasons (may be we finished our
petrol) and our driver started to stop other minibuses passing by to
put us inside. So I jumped in a new minibus and I observed that the
lady sitting beside me was grasping the seat and asking the driver
"tiyeni, tiyeni" something like go, go, don't stop, please move! I
asked the people behind if she needed help and they told me that she
was giving birth. Well, the hospital was not far away but we were
quite stuck in the traffic, and I started to doubt that we'll arrive
on time.. The driver was overtaking cars and going as fast as
possible, but it was too late. The poor lady was laying in one of the
bench of the minibus when we arrived to the hospital, we asked for
help but nobody came for a while! we were all waiting outside as if it
was our baby that was going to be born. Then a guy came very calm with
a tray, got into the bus and cut the cord. He took the baby inside the
hospital and left the mum there, until she walked outside the bus with
the placenta running between her legs...
A few minutes before taking that minibus, they offered me a lift to
Salima, and I refused because I thought it was going to be more fun
using public transport... well, I cannot say it was fun, but it was a
hell of an experience!!
