Time to Evacuate

An Adventure A Week

Part 5 of a 5-part “Eating My Fear” Series

• Read Part 1: Braving the Zambia-Malawi Border

• Read Part 2: Riots & Robbery

• Read Part 3: Bruised Fruit & Bribery

• Read Part 4: The Golden Peacock & a Mugging

Eventually, the situation in Lilongwe demanded a decision. I had to make a choice to hunker down with my buddy Hector and ride out the impending riots or flee the country.

Should I Stay or Should I Go

We both decided to stay a few days and then take our respective buses, heading in opposite directions out of the country. This would allow me to visit Lake Malawi to scuba dive and do the volunteer work I was looking forward to in the countryside. And Hector would proceed to Zambia and make his way from there.

Since we decided to ride out the riots, Hector and I stocked up on supplies, like water, fruit, and breakfast bars, as well as extra phone and Internet access cards.

As we prepared our bunkers, I made a few calls to family and friends. Each and every one frantically asked why I was staying. That was a good question. Why was I staying?

As I reflected on my precarious situation, I decided to change my plans. In truth, I think I heard my own husky (scared) voice when talking to them and knew that the situation in the capital of Lilongwe was dangerous.

After sleeping on it, I came to the realization that I didn’t have to be here. This wasn’t my country, and I wasn’t a journalist reporting the story for the world to witness.

Yes, I was trying to do good work along the way, and I was very much looking forward to volunteering in the rural provinces and seeing more of the country, but I was essentially just a tourist.

I was choosing to be here. In this instance, I could choose not to be here.

I broke the news to Hector early the next morning about my change of plans to fly to South Africa. I urged him to come with me, but he had no desire to revisit the country of his mugging misfortune.

In the end, Hector stayed and tried to get out via the same bus station from which I had arrived. I later found out he couldn’t leave, and he got stranded at the Golden Peacock, eating the breakfast bars and fruit we had gathered.

The Last Plane Out

After making my decision, I headed straight to the airport, hoping to fly out on the morning of the scheduled protests. On the taxi ride there, I could already see the streets filling with crowds.

Arriving at the airport, I learned there was only one seat left on the last flight out to Johannesburg, and they were asking a hugely inflated $1,000 for the one-way, 30-minute flight. Literal airway robbery.

To reserve my seat, the airline representatives were demanding cash (all the easier to skim a few bucks off the top). I found the only working ATM in the airport and was amazed that it coughed up the money I needed to secure my flight.

I boarded my flight and collapsed into my seat. Sitting back, I finally released a bit of pent-up exhaustion. I also started to unpack how I got here.

I thought about why I was so focused on staying in Malawi. And what prompted me to change my decision and finally leave. It had been a very long week as I traveled overland through Zambia into Malawi.

I think part of my steadfastness (or intransigence) was not wanting to give in to fear. I didn’t want to admit I was afraid.

But as my harrowing transit continued, it became increasingly clear that I was in areas where I had no reason to be. I was unnecessarily putting myself in danger.

I’m not entirely sure what I was hoping to achieve. Yes, I want to see the world and have new experiences. But not all experiences are good ones, or necessary. I learned valuable lessons along the way about defending myself and navigating precarious situations.

But again, did I need to? Was the experience worth the risk?

In the end, I concluded, No. I didn’t need to continue to be in a volatile place for the experience. I could have an adventure anywhere. I didn’t have to be in a place that was deemed so dangerous that international aid agencies were evacuating their field personnel. To put myself in danger only for the “adventure” was hubris.

In the end, I was pleased with my decision to evacuate myself from the rioting in Lilongwe. I swapped scuba diving in Lake Malawi with a pony trek in the stunning Kingdom of Lesotho. It was a good trade.

Looking back, my solo bus travels and border crossing gave me some serious sweats. Yet, they also gave me a glimpse of the social and political reality of Africa, where many countries are evolving as modern political entities.

It gave me a tiny taste of the real-life conditions that many face daily:

• The lack of basic necessities.

• The fear of physical harm and violence.

• The difficulty in making decisions when circumstances are in flux.

Witnessing Change First-Hand

This is one of the advantages of traveling locally—you get to witness the transformation as it takes place. Many of the countries in Africa are in a state of constant change. As a result, as individuals, every sense is heightened as you try to anticipate the unknown that awaits around every corner.

With overland travel, you come face-to-face with your ignorance. You not only learn a great deal about the region you’re traveling through, but also about yourself.

The real lesson learned here: The more you travel, the more important it is to listen to yourself. Observe how your body reacts in stressful situations. And then, make decisions that will allow you to breathe easier. 🦋

Part 5 of a 5-part “Eating My Fear” Series:

• Read Part 1: Braving the Zambia-Malawi Border

• Read Part 2: Riots & Robbery

• Read Part 3: Bruised Fruit & Bribery

• Read Part 4: The Golden Peacock & a Mugging

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Christened “Wander Woman” by National Geographic, Erin Michelson has traveled to 130+ countries & all 7 continents. She is a professional speaker and author of the Nomad Life™ series of curated trips and travel guides, including the #1-ranked Explore the World with Nomads.

Want to read more about my adventures? Get the book “Adventures of a Nomad: 30 Inspirational Stories.”