beginning/end

Remember we’re fine:

Left early after getting the sleeping bag that had been left in the last vehicle we’d taken (stuffed into a smaller bag to carry). Minibus to Kamphata…there was almost a fight outside the hospital between 2 minibus “companies” but we got in and had an easy 20 minute transport. Then since we wanted to go south (not to Lilongwe) we had to get out and flag down another ride. We tried minibuses but none were going right where we wanted to go and then they would decide not to take us. the big busses that were going to Blantyre wouldn’t stop as they were already full. We kept trying…then a truck stopped and I heard him say Blantyre. When I asked he said that yes but they had to make a stop on the way…off the road a bit but I said they could take us that far and if on their way back we were still there they could pick us up again. so in we got. Turns out they weren’t going that much farther before stopping to pick up what turned out to be a minibus that had broken down last week and needed to be towed to Blantyre. They hooked it up and we continued on. Looking around at the dusty dry landscape I was hit by the fact that it is still beautiful and breathtaking. The next thing we know the minibus is going from side to side and then taking our truck with it off the road and this is not looking good. Down what we thought was a small ditch but that just seemed to keep going. I felt myself coming out of the back and suddenly was underwater. We have no idea where the water came from but that we need to get away from the truck as we don’t know if it is still moving or turning or what. both of us were worried about the other because of course we lost each other when we went under. The truck ended on its side in the water. the driver was around and helping us before we knew what was going on. Got out of the water and there were already at least 100 spectators. I have no idea where they come from. Lost: 3 flipflops and one pair of sunglasses. Not bad. Of course any of our electronics have just gone for a swim as well…so 3 cell phones, 2 ipods and 1 camera. Not so good. Out of the water and on the shore and trying to figure out what to do next. I remember the questions: should we keep going? No. where should we get to. All we want to do is go back to nkhoma but we’re closer to dedza and actually get an offer of a drive there and I figure that the hospital there will have a phone number for someone in nkhoma hospital. So we go for that. Injuries: I had a good scrape on one foot, small scrape on the other leg, rhona had a shallow gash and already a good bruise on one arm, small cut on the other side, and her back was hurting some. So into the car with Tom, Tove and Anne (Danes who were going to Dedza for cheesecake and didn’t mind a detour to drop us at the hospital). Rhona laying in the laid out front seat with me anne and tove in the back. They thought of trying our sim cards (memory card for the phone) in their phone and we were able to get the number from the medical director at nkhoma and I told him we’d been in an accident and could he come pick us up or arrange it. no problem he’s on it.