Malaria? on a TAZARA train Tanzania

One of the main concern of traveling abroad is getting disease.

Thanks to my parents, I am normally very healthy person

and never had any problem abroad.

But this time, when I went on to TAZARA railway was different.

(TAZARA railway runs from Dar el Salam Tanzania to
Kapiri Mposhi Zambia. It is 1859km long and will take approximately

50 hours if nothing breaks down on a way.)

When I reached railway station of TAZARA railway in Dar el Salam,

train was already there.

Which can be considered very rare as train is so old

and almost never runs on schedule.

I was excited to be on the TAZARA train.

It was one of my dream to travel through vast African land on a train.

I watched sunset over the dry field and gazed star filled sky...

I felt as if the train was flying into the sky as there was

no light on the side of the railway and stars were so bright.

It was so great...Everything was perfect....Until I fell sick...

Wind was constantly blowing in from the window
as it was broken and couldn't be shut.

Next morning when I wake up, I felt so sick

that I couldn't come down from my top bunk bed.

I felt steam coming out from my head.

I was developing a very very high fever.

I laid in my bed for full one day and
everybody else around me started whispering

"Malaria....malaria....She must have a malaria" .

They were taking in Kiswahli Language so all I could understand
them saying was "Malaria".
Oh I am going to die here I thought.

I was in the middle of nowhere in a vast African land

and train were already breaking down couple of times

delaying arrival to Kapiri Mposhi.
One Zambian lady who were in the same compartment
called conductor of the train informaing I have fallen sick.
The conductor came looked up at me laying hopelessly in a top bunk.
No word was needed.

The eyes say more than the mouth.

My eyes asked him, " Do I have a malaria,,,?" .

And he just gave me a deep nod.

Few minutes later, sent by the conducotr, a young girl came to me.

She looked up at me and offered me a pill.

On her hand laid a white pill without any package.

I asked her in a cracked voice.

" ....What.....kind of....pill...is this..........?"

Her answer was

" No English."

The pill looked unrealistically white in contrast to her dark palm.

I hesitated.

Nobody asks do you have an allergy to any kind of medicine?

Nobody explains side effects of that pill.

Of course not! I am not in Japan!

I am in Africa on TAZARA train and stuck in the middle of nowhere!

I thought I might gonna die anyways with or without the pill.

Why don't I give it a try?

So I took the pill.

Result?

Recovery!!!

Next day, I was feeling much better!!!

When I reached Lusaka the capital of Zambia, I went to see the doctor.

Did blood test and found out that I didn't have Malaria.

When I told the doctor that I took the white pill on the train, he asked me what kind.

I answered I don't know.

He looked at me as if I was crazy saying you should

always check what type of medication it is.

I wanted to! But I just couldn't!

Anyway, be careful of Malaria while you travel in Africa!