Was going to stay longer but the next boat is three days away and with the threat of rain decided to go today. My first night it began to rain at 4am and didn't stop till 8am and the water got under my ground sheet so the tent floor got some water in under my mattress. Had to place the tent under the Bouma to dry the floor and then slept under the Bouma and of course it didn't rain.
Got to the boat early to load the bike on board and then waited two hours to depart.
Was actually a pleasant five hour journey with the boat stopping at villages to load and unload people and goods or buy fish from the locals in boats. The only access to the lakeside villages is by boat, so was rather interesting watching the fishmonger row towards the moving boat and who got there first to sell the their fish.
Anything goes on board and there was dead fish hanging everywhere and when you are done eating or drinking, the empty container gets tossed straight into the lake, the lake that feeds them.
Found a place on iOverlander to stay , a chalet they call it, was okay and I asked for a top sheet which they brought over only to find it was a table cloth, but it worked after a nice cold shower. You get what you pay for. Got the bike washed so it's nice and clean for Tanzania and it is running well, a little concerned about my rear tyre wear but not much I can do.
INTO TANZANIA TO SUMBAWANGA 181km DAY 26 15-11-22 (63701km.)
Fueled up and then another local pulled up on his Chinese bike and had the attendant fill his tank, which apparently was totally empty, and the guy couldn't believe it and could not thank me enough and blessed me while holding my my hand.
After all the potholes and speedbumps which must have jogged my brain awake, I realized I had forgotten my Kindle in the chalet so back I went, I had left it on the bed between the sheet and tablecloth, that's why I didn't see it. The lady owner came running with it in her hands. She would speak but her teeth which were quite large, would never move a millimeter and am sure she noticed me staring at her mouth everything she spoke, most bizarre.
Border crossing was quick and easy, paid $25 for toll road tax and used my CDP, (Carnet de Passage ) which was stupid of me but she gave me bad info on the TIP (Temporary Import Permit ).
The dirt road is really good and likewise with the tar road, no potholes thus far. The vegetation has changed quote a bot am seeing a lot more mountains now and no straw huts, more brick homes with tin roofs and no stray animals or cattle.
Saw some guys cutting wood so turned around and went back to visit them and check out the tedious operation, talk about hard work. Not many people here speak English so was rather difficult to communicate bit after forty five minutes they were more exhausted trying to talk to me than sawing. .
The kids gathered around the bike, intrigued by my paper map and the rest of the bike and then of course asked for money.
Arrived in Sumbawanga early afternoon at the Monrivian Conference Centre where they have nice rooms and decent food, have stayed here before in 2017.
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