A day out at the South Luangwa National Park? Forget about it!

Today's objective is to reach the South Luangwa National Park but after two-and-a-half-hour trip we meet another truck which is heading back. They left this morning at 6 (damned rowdy people) and they were forced to head back because the road was impracticable. The route we've been on so far (awful) is nothing if we compare it with the rest of the trip. It's rainy season. We gotta make a choice now: there are still 60 kilometres left to reach the South Luangwa National Park and at a 10 km/h speed as an average, we have to expect at least another six hours of disastrous travelling (even more if we get stuck in the mud). Trying to proceed wouldn't be worthwhile and even if we reached our destination up there wouldn't be any time for the game safari. Therefore we decide to give up and head back home and we are going to spend an extra night either on lake Malawi or in Zanzibar.

After one more day spent on board our truck we finally arrive to Lilongwe, capital city of Malawi, where Bianca says we'd better stay over for the night: as a matter of fact it would be a crazy idea to keep going on up to the lake. We are all exhausted.

We overnight in a private house used as B&B. The cleanliness is up to African standards (bogus) but it's far better than camping.

During the night Bianca knocks on everyone's door asking if everything is alright. I reply positively and she suggests me to check my money and passport. I ask her for an explanation and, as a good tourist guide, she simply replies "Don't worry".

In the morning once I wake up I understand the whole matter: during the night somebody had crashed into the kitchen through the window but he had no time to steal anything because he was put to flight by the well-armed guards.

Lilongwe is the second biggest city in Malawi (the biggest is Blantyre) and the Central Region Capital. Let's say it is not exactly the safest place in the world.

After changing my money (that arsehole stole 17 dollars on the exchange rate!!!) and refuelling we are having a new issue with the truck and we are forced to go to a bodywork, wasting another hour and a half. It seems like bad luck is beating down on us.

Do you wanna see all pics taken during the trip in Africa? Then click here

Keep reading... My travel story continues in the next post!

Our truck broken-down in the middle of Zambia