Road from Chimala to Mbeya, part 2, scenes along the way

Our first stop on the way to Mbeya was at the gasoline station. Notice the hand pump! We were told that the electricity bill had not been paid, so the gas station had to resort to hand pumps! Menard is standing beside the car, and Bill is by the open door.

Beside the gasoline station, two men were cutting and bundling thatch for roofs.

First the thatch is cut to length.

Then it is tied into bundles.

After I took the photos, one of the men held out his hand for money for taking the photos.

The 50 mile drive from Chimala to Mbeya is a beautiful drive. There are lots of hills and cultivated fields. The cultivated fields are noticeable in the first photo and in many of the other ones. The main crop along the way is rice.

The following few photos show the rice being harvested by hand.

The boy in front is carrying firewood. Every week most people must gather firewood for use in cooking.

Next are police women.

Cultivated fields make the hills look like patchwork.

The bicycle is loaded with sacks of rice.