Living the Dream Solo Around the World Trip

[Ian in Great Brak River]

Gooi Schalk, gooi, it's just the drama from the new AT launch keeping the guys quiet.

8)

Hi Ian are you back to that country where the sun always shine. Are you going home over Christmas, I am thinking of bringing my bike down to GB in December. Please let me know maybe we can have a couple of cold ones and a ride or two together. Regards

Aag, that would have been so great to do! Unfortunately in the UK at the moment for a few days as we make our way to skoonma in Denmark for Christmass, then back to the far beyond as work calls. Sorry about that, compliments of the season to you both.  8)

 

[LukasB9]

I just came back this week from my own little trip into Namibia, I'm following again  :biggrin:

Where is the RR ?

Mine's wouldn't be nearly as cool!

 

[schalk vd merwe]

I just came back this week from my own little trip into Namibia, I'm following again  :biggrin:

Where is the RR ?

Mine's wouldn't be nearly as cool!

Never under estimate your self my friend

 

[Roulof]

Lees nog al die pad lekker!

Dankie Oom hou so aan!

 

[Happyfeet]

Ek geniet nog elke brokkie nuus. Dink baie is nou besig om n jaar afgesluit te kry om te kan vakansie hou, dus is jou comments minder.

Van GB gepraat. As jy verveeld raak daar en bietjie van my wereld wil kom sien, ALTYD welkom, kan sommer hier kom oorbly ook - as dit tydens ons huis vol Kerfeesgaste is skop ek een van n bed af or jy kan my brak se matjie gebruik. Maar plan sal ons maak. Dan wys ek jou paar mooi plekke in die Montagu omgewing! (Enige verskoning dat die gaste vir hulself kan kosmaak en skoonmaak)!

 

[schalk vd merwe]

Ek geniet nog elke brokkie nuus. Dink baie is nou besig om n jaar afgesluit te kry om te kan vakansie hou, dus is jou comments minder.

Van GB gepraat. As jy verveeld raak daar en bietjie van my wereld wil kom sien, ALTYD welkom, kan sommer hier kom oorbly ook - as dit tydens ons huis vol Kerfeesgaste is skop ek een van n bed af or jy kan my brak se matjie gebruik. Maar plan sal ons maak. Dan wys ek jou paar mooi plekke in die Montagu omgewing! (Enige verskoning dat die gaste vir hulself kan kosmaak en skoonmaak)!

Dankie Happyfeet. Ek was onlangs daar deur Montagu toe ek Kaap toe gekom het. Ek gaan binne drie maande die land weer deur reis om my boek te bemark op al die motorfiets byeenkomse. Sal jou laat weet wanneer ek in daai kant van die wêreld is. Dankie vir die uit nodiging. Groete.

 

[schalk vd merwe]

Lees nog al die pad lekker!

Dankie Oom hou so aan!

Ek maak so Groete

 

[schalk vd merwe]

Malawi
I made it through the border into Malawi and this time I was to stay at the Hakuna Matata Campsite right on the beach at Lake Malawi. From the border to Hakuna Matata was about 140 km. Hakuna Matata campsite is close to Livingstonia but instead of going up the mountain this camp is just off the main road. I had to do a few hundred meters of sand riding and when I arrived there I met Willie the Afrikaans owner. It was nice to talk the taal again and we had a couple of cold ones together. As I was only staying one night I booked into one of his nice comfortable single rooms. I met a Jewish couple from Kenya there and we had a nice chat about the flower trade that they are in. Willies cook made some nice food for us that night and we had dinner at his very casual dining room come lounge. The next morning before I left the Kenyan couple made us a nice cup of coffee and then I was of for Nkhata Bay.

As I came into Muzuzu I saw a Shoprite at the circle. I drew some money at the ATM as I had no Malawian Kwacha on me. I filled the bike and bought myself a nice ready made sandwich for lunch and some Cappuccino bags from Shoprite. As it is also a South African store the products are much the same than in SA. After the sandwich I left on the very nice and winding road toward Nkhata Bay. About half way there I saw another smashed up truck next to the road. I stopped and spoke to the owner/driver. Apparently the brakes failed and he crashed into the mountain on a bend. He was already camping there next to the truck for two weeks and he was busy taking off all the broken parts but he has got no money to buy new ones.

For the rest of the distance it was still a nice winding road, a real biker’s paradise. I decided to go and look up the camp site where I stayed 5 years ago with my son when we did the Equator trip. The place has changed a bit and I decided on a real rustic chalet right on the water’s edge. I decided to stay two nights as I wanted to catch up on my writing and posting on WD and Facebook.
There was a 1200 BMW also parked and as I was off loading the German by the name of Rolf Lange came to introduce himself. He was also on an around the world trip and we had a nice chat and a few cold ones together. He is on his way to Dar es Salaam from where he will fly his bike to Morocco and then by ferry across the Mediterranean and back to Germany. It is so nice to speak to fellow adventure riders and by now I have met quite a few of them on this trip. We exchanged a couple of ideas and traveling experiences.

That night I tried to post on the internet but there was a cable fault close to Lilongwe hundreds of km away which caused the whole of Malawi’s internet to go off and that was something that was going to haunt me in two days’ time.

I had some nice dinner and at least that is something that has not changed. There were an English manager now and he is married to a Malawian lady. Five years ago the owner was an English lady married to a Malawian Rasta. 

The next morning I was up before 5 and before Sunrise. I made myself a nice cup of Cappuccino and went to sit on the deck and watch the fishermen come in after a night of fishing in their dugout canoes. Just before sun rise there were the most beautiful colours over the water and everything was so peaceful that time of the morning while I was sipping my Cappuccino. I felled really at peace.

The two days flew past and as I had spent just about all my money on the accommodation I loaded up and was on my way back to Muzuzu to go and draw money. As I came to the ATM they would not work. I tried all the ATM’s in town but due to the cable fault close to Lilongwe my card could not communicate with the bank in South Africa so I was stuck. I was hungry and my bike did not have enough fuel to get me to Zambia. I checked on the map where the closes border was to from where I was. It was the Lundazi border post about 200 km away. My original plan was to go further down Lake Malawi but as I had limited fund to my disposal I would have to get out of the country in order to get into a different internet network in order for my Visa cards to work. This was the 3 rd time on the trip where I ran out of cash due to the cards not working and I will report about the other times in my book. I decided to go hungry and rather went to the petrol station and used all the Kwacha’s that I had left to put petrol in the bike. The dilemma now was that the thank was not full and so I would not be able to calculate if the fuel will carry me the 200 km to the border on a very remote road.

The road initially was very nice and winding until I got to a small town. From here the road turned to gravel and eventually to a two spoor sand road. My bike was completely loaded wrongly for sand and about a kilometer into the road I came short. There was not even a house or anybody nearby and by now my reserve light was on. Just as I was about to unload my bike in order to pick it up I heard a truck coming the other way. He was on his way from the border and also going very slowly in the sand. Since the time that I saw him and the time that he got to me it took him about 15 minutes. As in Africa all over they are always willing to help and the two guys got out and helped me to pick up my fully laden bike. I managed to wheel spin the bike out of the way as I was blocking the road. I did not even have a cent to give them but they were just too happy to help a stranger. I continued in the sand and eventually the sand turned into gravel again.

I made the border with just about no petrol in my tank. On the Malawian side I had to wait for about 10 minutes for the guy who stamps the Carnet to come back from lunch as this is a very quiet and remote border post.

On the Zambian side they wanted a carbon tax. I took my wallet out and showed the border official that I have no money on me. Out of sympathy he waved the carbon tax and I was off to the little town of Lundazi inside of Zambia about 10 km away.
Read next time how my money woes carried on.

 

[schalk vd merwe]

Beautiful Malawi once again

 

[schalk vd merwe]

The truck that was in an accident

 

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Fishermen returning after a night out on Lake Malawi

 

[schalk vd merwe]

A nice Cappuccino and planning of the route forward

 

[schalk vd merwe]

Fishermen returning after a night out on Lake Malawi

 

[schalk vd merwe]

Beautiful Nkhata Bay

 

[schalk vd merwe]

Rolf Lange

 

[schalk vd merwe]

More fisher men returning

 

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Kids having fun

 

[schalk vd merwe]

Planning the rest of the trip

 

[schalk vd merwe]

More fisher men returning after a night out

 

[schalk vd merwe]

Sun Rise