Both mornings at around 4am there were intense thunderstorms and lightning directly overhead and rain lashing down on the tent for hours, sleeping was done. Luckily by 7am it was over and was able to pack up and leave.
Was gravel roads all day and went through the Katavi NP on the eastern road and was fortunate enough to see some Hippos, Giraffe and Çrocodiles.
Got to Mpanda early and found a decent place to stay and then ventured downtown and watched some kids soccer and then went to the local bar and sucked down some Serengeti's and declined the dinner at the place as it was real local. Ended up getting some street food , à millie ( corn on the cob) from a lady just outside the bar where she was cooking them over some coals. Since it was the only thing I eat all day, it tasted fairly good, some butter would have been nice.
MPANDA TO KIGOMA 340km 8.5 hrs.
DAY 30. 19-11-22
After having meat and potatoes stew for breakfast, headed for Kigoma. Went 20km on tar and then turned east for Mahale Mountains NP which was 150km of single gravel road in good shape for the most part, the last 40km turns into almost single track , bike only. Was a lot of fun except when the mud got the better of me but was riding with two locals thankfully and they lifted my bike up and on we went.
Stopped and had lunch and got to ride a
Chinese bike.
Turned north at the lake junction and bid my friends safe journey. Hardly any traffic on the road except for three busses and a truck, the do not move over an inch for you and the road is about the width of a bus. Going up a hill, suddenly the bus appeared and into the gutter I augered, was a difficult extraction which I could not do on my own so waited till the truck came and the okes helped me prop her up.
Passed another two busses unscathed and waved at them only using one finger, they just don't move and don't care. Ended up at a pontoon crossing and then the crowds gather around and they always ask how fast can the bike go, every time someone chats to me that's the first thing they ask. One guy asked if I was able to drive it over the river and he wasn't joking ! Then he asked for money, how unusual.
Was a great ride all in all, lot better than what I had read about, but in a car that 40km section would have been a nightmare for some. Had no rain all day and has been nice and cool most days.
YouTube - Roy Cape to Cairo - Chinese bike
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