7- 9 June 2017
We left Singidha fairly early the next morning knowing that we had over 500km to ride to Iringa. It was a long slow ride as the area as far as Dodoma is heavily populated with villages roughly 2km apart, there are police at every village with little handheld radar speeding guns just waiting to catch us. We eventually manage to find a local hotel with “very good very fast internet and good restaurant”. We settled into our room and discovered that the internet only works from reception and is so slow that we could only download emails one at a time, the restaurant served us the most peculiar pizza that we have ever eaten. But the good new is that we managed to get hold of Raymond Theron and have arrange to meet him outside of Ruaha National Park. Raymond is in the park busy building high end luxury timber lodges.
The next morning we set off fairly early out of the madness of Iringa, we asked at the hotel about a good supermarket and we were pointed to the main one, I went in to see if we could find any food to take with us but it was so limited that we set off with a couple of cans and bottled water. Raymond arranged to pick us up from a campsite called Chogela Lodge just outside of the park. We knew that we had about 80km to do on gravel road and we had heard that it was a rough road, we were in luck and found that the road had recently been worked on and was a pretty simple run to the camp site. We set up our tent in one of the prettiest campsites with lots of trees and quaint ablutions, the staff were extremely friendly and only too pleased to help. Supper options were limited and so we decided that we would open our tin of sweetcorn and two slices of salami each, just enough to keep the worms away.
We packed and parked the bikes next to a lock up room where all our gear was stored and Raymond and Rex arrived to fetch us. It was really great to see a familiar face and we headed back into the village for Rex to do some shopping. Rex is in charge of shopping and feeding everyone in the lodge and he really does a good job. Most produce is bought from the local villages and is completely organic, lots of veggies, potatoes, onions, butternut, a local spinach, meat and eggs. After stocking up we headed into the Park, it took a fair while for us to register and pay, but the staff where extremely friendly and helpful. Our first sighting was of a large chameleon in the middle of the road as we arrived at the main gate. Larry picked him up and put him into a tree just in time as a local car came speeding into the area.
Driving through the park, it was dry and lots of tall grass. Rex told us that it had been a green wall two weeks before that. Game was plentiful, lots of dikdik, giraffe, kudu, impala, buffalo (huge herds) and lots of ellies. And of course lots of birds for Larry. After about 45 min drive we arrived at the construction site, we were given a comfy room, with two single beds and an en-suite bathroom which had a hot shower and everything that we needed. Lunch was delicious, fresh homemade bread and lots of goodies to put onto it. Raymond took us for a tour of the site after lunch and it is a huge operation with over 70 staff members. The lodge is really going to be spectacular, large wooden units with the most beautiful slatted windows and wooden decks, unit number 1 was almost completed and Raymond showed us the renderings of the lodge which gave us a very good idea of was the completed project would look like.
We had three nights in the Park and every evening, Raymond, George and ourselves would go off for a evening game drive. We saw lots of animals and some most spectacular sunsets. The second evening we were lucky enough to see a large young male leopard, it was next to the road and was completely unconcerned about us. Each morning Larry and I would set off in Raymond’s Landcruiser, it was a real privilege to be able to self-drive in the park, thank you Raymond!! Larry ticked a large number of new birds and we both relaxed and had a wonderful time The last evening, while sitting around the fire there was some excitement near the kitchen, we all jumped up and there was a large spitting cobra. It moved around the building and eventually went in under the door into Raymond’s office. Larry couldn't help himself and went in armed with a broom and sunglasses to help it back into the bush.
Our last morning and Rex drove us back to our bikes, parked near the village, everything was as we have left it and we re-packed the bikes and set off back up the gravel towards Iringa and heading to Kisolanza and the Old Farm House.
It was an easy run and a short ride, we have stayed at the Old Farm House twice before and we were looking forward the excellent meal that is always served there. When we arrived the lady at receptions said sorry they could not help with a meal as they had 25 people booked and they were at capacity!! She came back about half and hour later to say that 7 people had cancelled and we could have a meal, expensive but well worth it. We had supper with a South African, named Zack who is in the avocado pear industry and we know a number of people in common, what a small world.
There were two overland vehicles and the one set off for Chitimba Lodge on Lake Malawi at 4.30am, we had a late lie in and headed for the same place at 8.30 we eventually caught up with them and overtook them at the border. Both border crossings were ok, very friendly staff on the Tanzanian side. We rode through the entire length of Tanzania without being stopped once by the police. It seems that the Tanzanian people have elected a president that is determined to get the country back on track, he has a zero tolerance to corruption and fired most of the revenue department because they were on the take, maybe this type of governance will filter down to the rest of Africa.
Nine and a half hours later we arrived at the turn off for the lodge, we had ridden on the Great TanZam highway which turned out to be the Great TanZam road works, lots of traffic behaving badly, in particular the bus drivers, detours and bad dusty gravel roads which took us over four hours to do the first 200km. I was then greeted with my first bit of sand and because the bike is so heavily laden I decided to try and paddle my way through the 650m of thick deep sand, lots of kids in the road, Larry was ahead and kept telling me to go faster, I just didn't have it in me!! I fell over once much to the delight of our entourage running next to me.
After we pitched our tent and had a cold shower the first overland vehicle arrived, they had had a 16 hour day and still had to pitch tents in the dark. This group is not the normal group of youngsters but an older group made up mainly of couples.
The next morning we decided to head off to Livingstonia, a mountainous pass just off to the right of our track. I had already told Larry that I was going to stand and use lots of power over the sand, I pulled off and stood immediately and powered through the sand, what a difference, Larry had a little wobble in front of me and I had to slow, so back to the paddling but once I got onto the slightly harder sand back to what David had told me and I managed to get out of the sand quickly and with no spills.
We then headed to the rough gravel track to Livingstonia, it was horrible and we had a revolution in Malawi! After negotiations we decided to keep heading south and we managed to get our first speeding fine! We each had to pay MWK10 000, about 14usd, not much but it still hurt especially as we were the only people in her receipt book to have paid MWK10 000, everyone else paid MWK5000!
In Mzuzu, we found a good Shoprite supermarket, and managed to find some reasonable looking food to cook! Steak and chips soon! We then headed back to the Lake and we are currently staying a Mayoka Village, Nkatha Bay, a lovely lodge which tumbles down the hill onto the lake, our ride here was great, lots of twists and turns through indigenous forest, some near road, some road works and some potholes!!
A few days here, then back on the road again!
We left Singidha fairly early the next morning knowing that we had over 500km to ride to Iringa. It was a long slow ride as the area as far as Dodoma is heavily populated with villages roughly 2km apart, there are police at every village with little handheld radar speeding guns just waiting to catch us. We eventually manage to find a local hotel with “very good very fast internet and good restaurant”. We settled into our room and discovered that the internet only works from reception and is so slow that we could only download emails one at a time, the restaurant served us the most peculiar pizza that we have ever eaten. But the good new is that we managed to get hold of Raymond Theron and have arrange to meet him outside of Ruaha National Park. Raymond is in the park busy building high end luxury timber lodges.
The next morning we set off fairly early out of the madness of Iringa, we asked at the hotel about a good supermarket and we were pointed to the main one, I went in to see if we could find any food to take with us but it was so limited that we set off with a couple of cans and bottled water. Raymond arranged to pick us up from a campsite called Chogela Lodge just outside of the park. We knew that we had about 80km to do on gravel road and we had heard that it was a rough road, we were in luck and found that the road had recently been worked on and was a pretty simple run to the camp site. We set up our tent in one of the prettiest campsites with lots of trees and quaint ablutions, the staff were extremely friendly and only too pleased to help. Supper options were limited and so we decided that we would open our tin of sweetcorn and two slices of salami each, just enough to keep the worms away.
We packed and parked the bikes next to a lock up room where all our gear was stored and Raymond and Rex arrived to fetch us. It was really great to see a familiar face and we headed back into the village for Rex to do some shopping. Rex is in charge of shopping and feeding everyone in the lodge and he really does a good job. Most produce is bought from the local villages and is completely organic, lots of veggies, potatoes, onions, butternut, a local spinach, meat and eggs. After stocking up we headed into the Park, it took a fair while for us to register and pay, but the staff where extremely friendly and helpful. Our first sighting was of a large chameleon in the middle of the road as we arrived at the main gate. Larry picked him up and put him into a tree just in time as a local car came speeding into the area.
Driving through the park, it was dry and lots of tall grass. Rex told us that it had been a green wall two weeks before that. Game was plentiful, lots of dikdik, giraffe, kudu, impala, buffalo (huge herds) and lots of ellies. And of course lots of birds for Larry. After about 45 min drive we arrived at the construction site, we were given a comfy room, with two single beds and an en-suite bathroom which had a hot shower and everything that we needed. Lunch was delicious, fresh homemade bread and lots of goodies to put onto it. Raymond took us for a tour of the site after lunch and it is a huge operation with over 70 staff members. The lodge is really going to be spectacular, large wooden units with the most beautiful slatted windows and wooden decks, unit number 1 was almost completed and Raymond showed us the renderings of the lodge which gave us a very good idea of was the completed project would look like.
We had three nights in the Park and every evening, Raymond, George and ourselves would go off for a evening game drive. We saw lots of animals and some most spectacular sunsets. The second evening we were lucky enough to see a large young male leopard, it was next to the road and was completely unconcerned about us. Each morning Larry and I would set off in Raymond’s Landcruiser, it was a real privilege to be able to self-drive in the park, thank you Raymond!! Larry ticked a large number of new birds and we both relaxed and had a wonderful time The last evening, while sitting around the fire there was some excitement near the kitchen, we all jumped up and there was a large spitting cobra. It moved around the building and eventually went in under the door into Raymond’s office. Larry couldn't help himself and went in armed with a broom and sunglasses to help it back into the bush.
Our last morning and Rex drove us back to our bikes, parked near the village, everything was as we have left it and we re-packed the bikes and set off back up the gravel towards Iringa and heading to Kisolanza and the Old Farm House.
It was an easy run and a short ride, we have stayed at the Old Farm House twice before and we were looking forward the excellent meal that is always served there. When we arrived the lady at receptions said sorry they could not help with a meal as they had 25 people booked and they were at capacity!! She came back about half and hour later to say that 7 people had cancelled and we could have a meal, expensive but well worth it. We had supper with a South African, named Zack who is in the avocado pear industry and we know a number of people in common, what a small world.
There were two overland vehicles and the one set off for Chitimba Lodge on Lake Malawi at 4.30am, we had a late lie in and headed for the same place at 8.30 we eventually caught up with them and overtook them at the border. Both border crossings were ok, very friendly staff on the Tanzanian side. We rode through the entire length of Tanzania without being stopped once by the police. It seems that the Tanzanian people have elected a president that is determined to get the country back on track, he has a zero tolerance to corruption and fired most of the revenue department because they were on the take, maybe this type of governance will filter down to the rest of Africa.
Nine and a half hours later we arrived at the turn off for the lodge, we had ridden on the Great TanZam highway which turned out to be the Great TanZam road works, lots of traffic behaving badly, in particular the bus drivers, detours and bad dusty gravel roads which took us over four hours to do the first 200km. I was then greeted with my first bit of sand and because the bike is so heavily laden I decided to try and paddle my way through the 650m of thick deep sand, lots of kids in the road, Larry was ahead and kept telling me to go faster, I just didn't have it in me!! I fell over once much to the delight of our entourage running next to me.
After we pitched our tent and had a cold shower the first overland vehicle arrived, they had had a 16 hour day and still had to pitch tents in the dark. This group is not the normal group of youngsters but an older group made up mainly of couples.
The next morning we decided to head off to Livingstonia, a mountainous pass just off to the right of our track. I had already told Larry that I was going to stand and use lots of power over the sand, I pulled off and stood immediately and powered through the sand, what a difference, Larry had a little wobble in front of me and I had to slow, so back to the paddling but once I got onto the slightly harder sand back to what David had told me and I managed to get out of the sand quickly and with no spills.
We then headed to the rough gravel track to Livingstonia, it was horrible and we had a revolution in Malawi! After negotiations we decided to keep heading south and we managed to get our first speeding fine! We each had to pay MWK10 000, about 14usd, not much but it still hurt especially as we were the only people in her receipt book to have paid MWK10 000, everyone else paid MWK5000!
In Mzuzu, we found a good Shoprite supermarket, and managed to find some reasonable looking food to cook! Steak and chips soon! We then headed back to the Lake and we are currently staying a Mayoka Village, Nkatha Bay, a lovely lodge which tumbles down the hill onto the lake, our ride here was great, lots of twists and turns through indigenous forest, some near road, some road works and some potholes!!
A few days here, then back on the road again!
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