Search results

WR - it's a good point, and one I've thought a lot about. The pace I made was pretty hectic. I am glad I did it given the circumstances, but I'd do the next one differently. I'd love to do a trip without an end date. That would be the dream - all journey! We'll see if I can pull it off...

REFLECTIONS SINCE IT HAS TAKEN ME 18 MONTHS TO WRITE THIS ALL UP I promised myself I’d never do another trip longer than 30 days or 10,000 km solo at the end of this trip. Yet, I still have the itch and it ebbs and flows all the time. I had to write this up as I bought myself a 2005 Dakar here...

DAY 45 – MAPUTO TO JOHANNESBURG – 647 kms (17,379 kms total) I wake up rested from the best night’s sleep in a while. After a quick breakfast, I tend to the chain a bit and notice coolant has been weeping out of the bike all night. I top it up as well and just hope to get the bike home. I run...

deleted a duplicate post - sorry

DAY 44 – TOFO TO MAPUTO – 453 kms (16,732 kms total) My starts continue to be slower than I’d like, but I go with it and depart around 10h00. I am worried about the coolant weeping. I get lost in Inhambane and stop in the first major town I can for coolant. Then I ride a bit outside of town to...

DAY 43 – VILANKULO TO TOFO – 334 kms (16,279 kms total) I wake up to a strange noise at 06h30. Fearing rain, I am happy to learn it is just wind, but a storm is coming in. After a walk to the beach for a swim, getting cleaned up properly, my go-to English breakfast and packing up, I decided...

DAY 42 – BEIRA TO VILANKULO – 544 kms (15,945 kms total) I wake up in good spirits. The late food an rest had made the world a lot better after a 1000 km day the day before. Still, I find it hard to leave the beach and don’t depart until 10h30. I spend an hour in search of fuel and sunglasses...

DAY 41 – CAPE MACLEAR TO BEIRA, MOZAMBIQUE – 1002 kms (15,401 kms total) I’m up with the sun again, but the tree over my tent provides a bit more shade and I stay until the ten until almost 08h00. I clean up and feed myself before packing up and I’m finally off by 09h00. Later than I had wanted...

DAY 40 – SENGA BAY TO CAPE MACLEAR – 166 kms (14,399 kms total) I wake up just after 05h00 with the sun as it rises over Lake Malawi. By 06h00, I am being baked alive inside my tent and there is no longer any use pretending I can sleep longer. I enjoy the morning while taking a few pictures...

DAY 39 – LIVINGSTONIA TO SENGA BAY – 495 kms (14,233 kms total) In the morning I could really appreciate what the Lukwe Eco Camp had to offer. The views from the chalet, breakfast table and even the outdoor shower are amazing. The solid composting toilets work really well and are extremely...

DAY 38 – IRINGA TO LIVINGSTONIA, MALAWI – 582 kms (13,738 kms total) My stomach has hated me for the last few days and I wake up at 06h00 needing to run to the toilet. I’m up for real again and finished with breakfast by 08h30. After packing everything up I move on from Riverside Camp around...

DAY 37 – MIKUMI TO IRINGA – 213 kms (13,156 kms total) I slept almost 12 hours the night before. I must have needed it. After packing up quickly, I push the bike over across the street for a jump from a local garage. Some of the guys offer to buy my bike, as usual… I make my way towards...

...

DAY 36 – MOSHI TO MIKUMI – 660 kms (12,943 kms total) The battery is too low to start the bike. I jump it with an extra battery and go for a 20 minute test ride before heading out. I fix a few rattles and pack up most of my gear. I take the clear view of the summit of Kili as a good sign (see...

DAY 35 – MORE MAINTENANCE IN MOSHI – 0 kms (12,283 kms total) The battery is not holding it’s charge now that it is back on the bike. Not a good sign, but I still needed to finish up the mechanics before I sorted out the electrical issue. In my haste and inexperience the day before, I had put...

DAY 34 – ELECTIONS IN MOSHI – 0 kms (12,283 kms total) Cloudy weather slows my excitement to get started in the garage. I enjoy a leisurely breakfast with Nick, who is here learning Swahili while teaching English in one of the local schools. I start on the bike around 09h00. The battery hadn’t...

DAY 33 – DAR TO MOSHI VIA BUS – 0 kms (12,283 kms total) I depart early at 05h00 from the YMCA for the bus terminal. It is total chaos there and I am forced to use a local with a hand truck to find my bus. I am the only Mzungu on the bus and the locals don’t appear to like me for it. Someone...

DAY 32 – ERRANDS IN DAR – 0 kms (12,283 kms total) A local tour operator decides to help me out with errands and recommends the MTEI express for a few thousand TSH cheaper than the other one. I go along with the idea. I also track down 11 mm and 24 mm spanners and a set of long torx wrenches...

DAY 31 – ZANZIBAR TO DAR VIA FERRY – 0 kms (12,283 kms total) Siru and I are up early to get the most out of the morning before she has to return to Jo’burg. We leave the hotel around 10h30 and it is hard to say goodbye when the taxi drops me off first at the ferry building. It’s a short...

DAY 30 – ZANZIBAR – 0 kms (12,283 kms total) I slept in for the first time in a long time. Siru and I decide not to go kite surfing. We decide to read and hang out on the beach and catch up. It had been nearly three weeks since we had seen each other and she could see I was a bit off kilter...