Kawimenu wa basi mumukala wami kenzeli nawantu na zhi basi zhaswezha kwenzala nawa. Hamaseki hadin’ga yuma yikwawu yadin’ga Nakuken’geka kulon’gewa. Atuponya adin’ga Nakubidika zhinzhila kwadin’ga nakuya zhina zhi basi.
The small bus stop in my village was busy with people and overloaded buses. On the ground were even more things to load. Touts were shouting the names where their buses were going.
“City! City! Going west!” I heard a tout shouting. That was the bus I needed to catch.
Basi yakuya kumbaka yadin’ga kwakamwihi nakwinzala, ilan’ga antu adin’ga achidi nakudishinjizheka kulonda en’gili. Amakwawu alon’geli yiteli yawu mwishina da basi. Amakwawu nawa ashili yawa hayitamba mukachi ka basi.
The city bus was almost full, but more people were still pushing to get on. Some packed their luggage under the bus. Others put theirs on the racks inside.
Amaha akweleli basi adin’ga nakuvun’gulula tuzhi tiketi twawu nakuken’ga hakushakama muna mu basi yakwinzhala. Akamama adin’ga nanyana ayishakamishili chachiwayi mulon’ga wanzhila kuleha.
New passengers clutched their tickets as they looked for somewhere to sit in the crowded bus. Women with young children made them comfortable for the long journey.
Nadiswizhili kwakwihi nanjanena. Muntu washakamini kwakwihi nanami wadin’ga na Chola cha mafu amatamba ajinjikiliyi. Wavweli ma sando amwaka na jaketi yatabuzhoka kaha nawa wadin’ga nakumwekana wawoma.
I squeezed in next to a window. The person sitting next to me was holding tightly to a green plastic bag. He wore old sandals, a worn out coat, and he looked nervous.
Natalili hanzhi ya basi hinikwiluka Nami hinikushiya kumukala, ilun’ga munakulili. Nadin’ga nakuya kumbaka.
I looked outside the bus and realised that I was leaving my village, the place where I had grown up. I was going to the big city.
The loading was completed and all passengers were seated. Hawkers still pushed their way into the bus to sell their goods to the passengers. Everyone was shouting the names of what was available for sale. The words sounded funny to me.
Antu amakwawu mu basi alandili zhakunwa amakwawu twakubokota nakutachika kuda. Ana adin’ga abula madi neyami, adin’ga nakutala hohu.
A few passengers bought drinks, others bought small snacks and began to chew. Those who did not have any money, like me, just watched.
Kusekashana kweniku akwimikili mulon’ga waku bukuma cha basi hikumwekesha neyi basi yidi kwakwihi nakunyemuka. Kaponya walezheli akakulandisha kufuma mu basi.
These activities were interrupted by the hooting of the bus, a sign that we were ready to leave. The tout yelled at the hawkers to get out.
Hawkers pushed each other to make their way out of the bus. Some gave back change to the travellers. Others made last minute attempts to sell more items.
The return bus was filling up quickly. Soon it would make its way back east. The most important thing for me now, was to start looking for my uncle’s house.
