Malawi
Day 72 - Mar 25 - Stage 50
Saturday: It rained all night, but fortunately in the morning it cleared up. Starting to cycle in the rain is just not high on my list of happy moments!
We started riding and went straight into Town to draw more money at the ATM and to get a Malawi Sim card and data. Judith was lucky, I was not so fortunate (no micro-sim cards in stock) so I was still offline.
Cycled to lunch, just before lunch, Judith had her tire come off the rim. Fortunately she was riding with Leo the Sweep Rider who is also our Bike Mechanic. He could assist her and fixed the puncture and placed the tire back onto the rim.
We were both not in a happy space, mentally or physically, so we climbed into the lunch truck, to get to Chitimba Beach for our two day rest period.
Driving towards Chitimba Beach in the truck, we came across an accident, a car had left the road at speed and had overturned. The locals had pulled the survivors onto the verge of the road and there were quite a few injured bodies lying on the road. Wynand and I got out of the truck (I was riding in the cab with him) to see if we could offer assistance, but there was nothing we could do, other than to organize for an Ambulance to come from Karonga.
There was a badly injured little girl, who I thought wouldn't make it, subsequently I became rather emotional on the remainder of the drive into Camp. I know nobody gets off this planet alive, but children shouldn't have to leave so early!
Stopped along the way to buy some accessories for the planned evening's Fancy Dress Party, and even managed to get a Malawian micro-sim card.
Finally arrived at Chitimba Beach Camp, after a very tough and mentally draining fortnight of riding. It is going to be a great two days rest.
The Fancy Dress Party was well attended, with some of the riders going to great extremes with their costumes. I went as a Zambian Soccer Player, while Judith went as a "Message" (Playfully mocking the American & Canadian Riders). Her T-shirt read, "In America they call it 'Survivor', in Africa we call it Camping!".
Cheers,
Mike T
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Riders discussing the merits of a Coke Stop
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| Village on the way to Chitimba Beach |
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Welcome to Chitimba Beach
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| Judith making new friends... |
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Judith discussing the Malawian political situation with Berndt
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| Judith's Fancy Dress outfit |
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The Treloar's Snr all dressed-up and ready to party
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| Liz and Marie the Two Tsetse Fly's won the "Best Dressed" award |
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| Niklas flanked by the two Maasai Farrows |
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| Rupert the winner in the "African Section" |
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