BLANTYRE HOLIDAY

Well, I'm still in Blantyre where I've been for over a week. I've gone to the Immigration Office and extended my stay. I should have been out of Malawi today, and I plan to leave later this morning for Mulanje and on to Mocambique within 2 or 3 days. Over the past couple of days the rain cleared, allowing me to do laundry and work on my bike. I've given Old Saartjie (my bike) a facelift, replacing worn parts as well as giving her a good checking-over. I'm well rested, and need to move on before I become too fat and lazy. The place where I've been camping has been quite comfortable (Doogles Lodge), they also have rooms and a bar/restaurant (I cook my own food). I was even unfortunate enough to watch DSTV and see the Boks lose yesterday. On this trip I have often bumped into people I've met at other places, and here is no exception, and there are a number of those people here. One of them is Chris, who I met on the very 1st day I left Cape Town. I chatted to him at Rooi Els, where I had stopped for a rest, and he informed me of a trip he was planning to Zanzibar using only puble transport (he was going to celebrate his 60th birthday there with friends). The other person in the photo is Mary, a 70 year old ex maths teacher from New Mexico, USA. She is quite a character, travelling around Africa with her tent for the past 5 years. Thanks to all who send e-mail and leave comments on this site, it's good to hear from you. At least it shows me that someone reads this stuff. In places where I stay over it is convenient to have the bicycle for travel around town (the shops, etc., are often out of walking range). The purists need not get excited, I don't add this mileage to my overall distance covered. So, distances since my last report: Blantyre 0 km's.

LAKESIDE HOLIDAY

At this time of year the SE breeze blows across Lake Malawi. This made cycling down the Lake shore a tough job, as well as distracting from some of the unprotected beaches. The fact that I had a cold for more than a week also didn't make cycling any easier. However, there are many nice places to relax, and I stayed over for more than one night at a number of them. Other than Nkhata Bay, I also enjoyed Ngala Beach and Cape Maclear the most. The cost of camping at all these places is dirt cheap when compared to SA. Around the Southern part of the Lake I encountered some bad roads, causing damage to the luggage rack on my bike. After limping to the next village, the local "welding shop" did a remarkable repair job (it's still holding). I'm now in Blantyre waiting for some spare parts for my bike, and thanks to Grant and Amanda for organising that from Cape Town. On my way South from the Lake I stopped over at Zomba, camping up on the Plateau at 1500 m in the temperate rain forest (reminds me of Knysna). There are also plantations and a catchment dam up there (see photo with bike). The 9 km from the town to the top took me 1 hr 40 min - cycling! Of course, it is entirely my own fault that I followed local directions and took the difficult route. Something which continues to amuse me is the effect which my different appearance has on the locals. One day in a village market a character walked around me 3 times before informing me that I looked exactly like Jesus. In another town there must be a priest who I resemble, because wide-eyed people were greeting me with "Hello Father". As I was leaving the town one woman nearly fell off her bicycle as she exclaimed in an anxious voice: "Father, where are you going?!" (she probably couldn't believe that her beloved Padré had discarded his robe and was taking to the hills in cycling shorts). A teenager along the road, who was selling cooked mice on a stick, called me something which most likely comes from a Chuck Norris movie (I'm often affectionately referred to as "Chuckie"). When I stopped to confront him he ran away, and he's probably still running! Distances since Nkhata Bay have been: Kande Beach 63 k; Ngala Beach 67 k; Nkotakota 95 k; Senga Bay 134 k; Chipoka 68 k; Monkey Bay 109 k; Cape Maclear 25 k; Liwonde 145 k; Zomba 69 k; and Blantyre 81 k.

TO LAKE VIA FOREST AND HILLS

For the past few days I've been travelling through the rather hilly Northern Region of Malawi. In some places the forest is interrupted by impressive large rock domes (one is called "The Elephant"). The villages are more isolated than in the central region (and Zambia), and although the children still called to me they sometimes seemed a bit nervous. I've even made a few babies cry (perhaps due to my scruffy appearance). A number of times children have asked me my name as I passed, just in case I'm an important character from the Bible (there are numerous mission churches here). Then again, some guy was convinced that I'm Chuck Norris (so there are some old violent movies around as well). Bicycles abound in the villages, but I've seldom met a cyclist out on the open road (mean hills!). From Llilongwe I've travelled North along the "inland" road as far as Mzuzu, and then down to Nkhata Bay on the shores of Lake Malawi (lush and beautiful). I now intend to take a bit of a "holiday cycle" South along the shores of the Lake. Distances since Chipata were: Llilongwe 144 k; Mponela 73 k; Nkhamenya 131 k; Chikangawu 99 k; Mzuzu 82 k; and Nkhata Bay 52 k.

THE GREAT MZUNGU

In this region of Africa a tourist is generally referred to as Mzungu (White Face). Here in Eastern Zambia the road is lined with villages, and the children excitedly call out "Mzungu....Mzungu!". I recall an incident when I suddenly came across a small boy at the roadside. He scrambled up the embankment in a cloud of dust (just in case the Mzungu still held some hidden danger), and called out "MAAZUUNGU-ZUUNGU-ZUUNGU!". For the next few hundred metres there were heads popping out of the bush along the road (tall and short). Another favourite greeting here is "How-are-you?". So sometimes I'm struggling uphill in the heat, trying to respond with a wave or "I'm fine, how are you?". Often the little ones get so excited they forget what to shout, and only manage to utter some unintelligible sound. Therefore, on occasion I've found myself offering a half-hearted wave to a bleating goat. In Zambian slang 1000 Kwachas is called one PIN. Occasionally a beggar will ask "give me PIN". I imagine that in such an encounter some ignorant Mzungu promptly handed over his pen. Now, in that village, the children were all asking me for pens.

SLEEPING IN CLASS

Usually I spend my rest days in a formal camp site, to do washing and the internet, etc. Inbetween rest days I camp in the bush or some other opportune place. One evening at a "guest house" I was informed that I could camp where I wished. I chose the back porch of what seemed like an empty brick house. Later on I noticed a black board on the wall, and it concerned me a bit that the date written there was current. The following morning I awoke to the sound of voices. Bleary-eyed I emerged from my tent and peered over the low wall. Facing me was a crowd of school kids (books and benches in hand), patiently waiting for me to strike camp and leave so that they could proceed with their lessons. That brings me to a question I've been asked: "What determines the daily distances travelled?". Distance depends on the terrain, road condition, destination for the day, and camping availability. So far the roads have been mostly fairly good tarred roads. However, in some places I've found it better to cycle on the gravel alongside (potholes and dangerous traffic). Today I'm resting at a camp site outside Chipata, and I'll probably move towards Malawi tomorrow. Distances since Lusaka were: Rafunsa Hills 125 km; Luangwo Bridge 120 km; Kachololo 65 km; Petauke 124 km; Katate 94 km; and Chipata 103 km.

SAARTJIE MEETS THE RELATIVES

Since we've been in Zambia my bike (old Saartjie) has had her eyes wide in amazement - there are so many bicycles around! Anything here is transported by bicycle, from 50 kg bags of mielie meal to the wife and kids. This is the first country on my trip where bicycles have been used this extensively. About 3 days ago I met another cyclist head on - but he was different from the locals. Uri has cycled all the way from Russia, and looks the part. I had an interesting discussion with him regarding his trip, and amongst other things we discovered that we were born 9 days apart (apparently I'm the eldest!). I'm now in Lusaka, having a rest day camping at the Chachacha Backpackers. This morning I washed my clothes and gave Saartjie some much needed attention. My trip has now lasted more than 4000 km, and tomorrow I carry on East towards Malawi (about 2 weeks away). Distances since Vic Falls were: Livingstone 15 km; Kalamo Bush 110 km; Choma 89 km; Chisekese 87 km; Mazabuka 83 km; Kafue River 89 km; and Lusaka 54 km.

THE SMOKE THAT THUNDERS

Lying in my tent at 3 AM about a km away, I could hear the roar of the Victoria Falls. It reminded me of the sound of the ocean on a quiet evening. The 4 days from Bulawayo have been tough, but also enjoyable. I've found the Zimbabwean people to be very friendly, especially those in the small villages where I stop for refreshments. I've been through about 7 police road blocks, all of them friendly. When I pass local cyclists I wave and they ring the bell, which made me wonder whether bicycle bells are compulsory. Yesterday the police asked me why I didn't have a bell, and what I would do if I needed one. I told them that I could whistle, which of course I had to demonstrate (to their amusement). The forested countryside is beautiful, but I seem to have missed most of the wild animals which are supposed to be a danger when camping in the bush. One night a kudu strolled past my tent, and at the Shoestring Lodge the baboons were charging around the camp site this AM. I'm resting here in Vic Falls today, and will probably move across the Zambezi to Livingstone tomorrow. Distances since Bulawayo were: Memmezi Forest 112 k; Halfway House 116 k; Hwange 110 k; and Vic Falls 108 k.