Chitimba Beach - On the shores of Lake Malawi

MALAWI

Days 73 & 74

Sunday - Monday: We spent two glorious rest days at Chitimba Beach Camp on the shores of Lake Malawi, in a truly beautiful setting looking out over the Lake, hemmed in to the West by the mountains of the Rift Valley.

Being a rest day, breakfast & lunch were for our account, mainly eaten at the camp's Bar Area, but suppers were supplied by TDA at the Main Truck.  On the second night, this consisted of Goat and Pork, which was cooked "spit style" by the locals under the supervision of the TDA Staff - delicious!

On the evening of our first rest day, we held a "Cocktail Party" organised by Rupert , the Chairman of the Entertainment  Committee, and a great time was had by all.  Most of the Riders were then introduced to their first "Springbokkies" - a green & caramel colored cocktail consisting of Peppermint Liquor & Amarula Cream; also popular shooter back in South Africa.

Judith and I took a leisurely walk on the beach and included a visit to the Hakuna Matata Camp (situated next door to our Camp). It is run by Willie,  a South African who had been in Malawi for the past twelve years.

Lunch Truck driver, Wynand, organised for us to meet up with a local called Hudson, who was a contact for sourcing rocks and minerals. He took us on a wild goose chase looking for a dealer in a nearby village, to no avail. But at least we did meet up with some locals who explained the whole growth and harvest cycle of cassava to us!

A dealer finally came to Camp and he brought some specimens with him which were utter  rubbish (poor pyrope garnet crystals and calcite crystals) a total waste of time.

Hudson then promised to bring a dealer who had "Blue Sky" gemstones.  A guy arrived the next day, not with any blue stones but with some very red looking gemstones, which I quickly determined to be broken glass!!  What is it with these Malawian gem "dealers", do they take all visitors to be complete idiots??


Lunch on day two was at a local village house, where a big group of us sampled the local Chombo (fish) Dish. It was very tasty, but true to form, we were mainly dished up fish heads and tails,  with the locals having taken the fillets for themselves (can only be Malawi).

Chitimba Beach was a great place to rest up, and the only negative aspect of it was that we would need to climb out of the Lake Area and up over the mountains to the West, on our way to the capital city of Lilongwe. 

Till then...

Cheers,
Mike T

Selfie of Team Treloar :)

Chitimba Beach Camp - Lake Malawi

Lake Malawi and the Rift Valley Mountains

In my opinion Malawi's best beer

"Springbokkies" with Rupert 

Magical Malawian flowers 

Cape to Kili Route 

Met up with a Father and his two Sons who were cycling from Cape Town to Kilimanjaro

The Farrow's enjoying some quality time 

Eating out at one of the Local Houses

Eating local Malawian "Chombo" 

Rest days should be spent resting!

_

Singida to Boroto Game Post No. 1 (133 km)

Day 65 - March 18 - Stage 44

Saturday: We got back onto the dirt roads today, most of the riders changed from their slicks to their dirt tires yesterday.  We have been on our dirt tires for ages, so it didn't apply to us. Looking forward to some technical riding today.

Other than the dirt roads, there is also the added irritation of Tsetse Fly to look forward to as we make our way south through Tanzania. These little buggers can give you a mean bite, even biting straight through your cycle clothing !

Judith accompanied by a few of the other riders, rode the Lunch Truck in the morning from Camp to the  lunch position as they were keen to make the dirt which began after lunch. Being there so early, she helped Wynand make the day's salads, then her and Marie cycled the 53km from the lunch position to Camp.

Judith and Marie met up with a solo Chinese cyclist who was travelling from Kilimanjaro down to Cape Town.  He was travelling from hotel to hotel, and was quite interested to hear about their TDA experience.

I rode with Liz for most of the day, and we stopped before lunch for a coke stop, and decided to purchase some avocados. Coke and Avocado a la Natural make a great pairing! If nothing else, it does supply great spectator value when two Muzungus sit on the side of the road eating avo's.

We passed through a big honey producing area, the beehives are situated in hollowed out logs, which are suspended horizontally in the big trees (mostly Sausage Trees).

We didn't have much climbing today, which was greatly appreciated after the last two days of riding.

We rode to lunch on tar, then after lunch, the last 43km was back onto the dirt road, a good ride with no mud.  Rode with Liz, Gurpaul & Dr Helen who was the Sweep Rider. Of course we stopped at the scheduled coke stop.

Just before the finish, I stopped just 500m from the end of the day's ride, to have a cold beer at a very rural bar, then walked to the finish feeling a little better after a long day's riding (remember, no drinking and driving!)

Camp was at the Boroto Game Post No.1 Gate, where we were inundated by young children. Bridgette taught some of the kids how to throw a Frisbee, then donated it to them.

Briefing, supper, then early to bed. 


Cheers,
Mike T

Marie and Judith met up with a solo Chinese rider who was cycling from Kilimanjaro to Cape Town

Early morning coffee before breakfast

Organizing my days riding partners - With Liz and Kim

Racing Snake Rupert passes me at speed

Peter and Catherine from New Zealand  (Father and Daughter Team)

Main Truck passes Liz on its way to the next Camp

Tanzanian granite rock formations

Liz fixing her puncture

Liz hunting for some ripe avocados for us to eat at the Coke Stop

Horizontal bee hives in a large Sausage Tree

Local Honey Seller on the side of the road

A near deserted Lunch Truck

'Team Sweep' at the afternoons Coke Stop

Not a happy chameleon in the road

Rural Bar close to the finish

Having a well deserved beer at the end of the day's ride

Bridgette handing over the Frisbee to the kids.

Briefing board for tomorrow's ride

Riders at supper before an early nights sleep

_

Day 45 - Stage 31 - Ssese Island to Kabalungi School (104 km)

Sunday: An early start again, load bags by 6am, have a quick breakfast and start cycling, today I cycle  with Philip, who is recovering after a bout of runs, he needed to take it easy today. We have to leave early because we need to either to catch the Ferry by 8 am (the racing snakes) or 10 am latest (the rest of us).

Judith decides to take the truck to the Ferry, and to only start riding once on the mainland, she is worried that she might miss the 10 am Ferry. A wise move, as the route to the Ferry is quite hilly and it would have slowed her down considerably - raising her stress levels.

We cycled 34 km on the Island, which consists both of pristine jungle and cultivated lands, with a lot of land dedicated to Palm Nut Oil Production. We arrive early enough to make the 10 am Ferry to the Ugandan Mainland. While waiting at the Ferry, I have a cup of coffee with Natalie, while she enjoys a cup of good Ugandan tea.

We board the Ferry, trucks & cars first, followed by motorbikes, then us cyclists, and lastly the pedestrians. We have a leisurely trip on the Lake and chat a bit to the local truck and motorbike riders.

Cycling through an avenue of Palm Nut trees

Palm Nut grove on the Island

View of the Camp area from the overlooking hill

Riders waiting for the call to board the Ferry

Philip takes the opportunity to enjoy a cooked meilie (corn)

Motobike riders waiting to board after the trucks & cars had boarded.

Park my bike away from the maddening crowd

Riders pace the Ferry looking for a place to rest

Some of the seated riders (three out of four riders are on social media at any one time

Calm comes to the loaded Ferry as it makes its way to the Ugandan Mainland

Passing another Lake Victoria Ferry

The motor vehicles depart the Ferry

The riders getting ready to disembark 

On arrival at the Mainland, we all get off in the same order as we boarded, and us riders start cycling again. I rode with Philip and Muzz.

Just before lunch, we stop at one of the roadside stalls and buy a watermelon and a few mango's, we are joined by Sue & Liz who help us to devour the most delicious and fresh tasting watermelon & mango I've had.

We get to the Lunch Truck and everyone keeps mum about our fruit eating escapades, we don't want Wynand to find out we preferred our own fruit purchase. I couldn't eat lunch... I was just to full of fresh fruit!  Wynand shows us the Jack Fruit which he bought, he says he will cut it up for us to try, in the foreseeable future.

While passing through one of the Villages, we stop at a great big pile of bananas, meet the owner, who tells us its destined for Rwanda, where they will use it to make Banana Wine (will make an effort to taste some when we get to Rwanda).

I enjoy a coke-stop with Philip, Liz and Alex, & hear Nelson fell off his bike (rumor has it, he was  involved in an accident with a motorbike). Sweep Rider Max, leaves us to accompany Nelson to the local Hospital, we carry on sweepless.

Arrive at the school, I took charge and acted as the Sweep Rider (seems I am the most qualified) behind Liz and Philip. We come in after Judith, who had an eventful ride to Camp after the 8 am Ferry trip (at one stage she fell down which resulted in a minor cut to her calf, and she was also caught in the rain).

All the racing snakes arrived at the School in the pouring rain, some even took the opportunity to use the rain as a makeshift shower. Everyone waits under the Main Truck tarpaulin, for the rain to stop before pitching their tents.

Everyone camps on the School Soccer Field, and Sandy and Niklas organise for a case of beers to be delivered - so we at least have access to a cold beer before dinner!

At the Briefing Meeting, we get an update about Nelson, none of the X-Ray machines at the nearest hospitals were in working order, so he was taken to Kampala, but it seems there isn't anything major wrong with him, which is good news.

Very basic Camp, squat toilets and no showers, everyone camps. Have dinner, then take a bottle wash (use my bike water bottle to wash with) & then off to sleep with the pitter-patter of falling rain...

Cheers, 
Mike T

Philip taking photos of the local cattle

Murry & Philip negotiating the price of the watermelon and mango's

Eating our watermelon and mango's

Wynand showing off his Jack Fruit

Today's last coke stop with Phillip, Liz and Alex

The pile of bananas destined for Rwanda to be made into wine

Philip and Liz arrive at the School

"Racing Snake" Charles takes the opportunity to wash in the rain

Putting up the tent before the rain returns 

Riders Briefing for tomorrow's ride.

Briefing Board for tomorrow's ride

_