Well, I have one day left in Malawi. I wish I had something spectacular to say about it, but I don't. After I left Mbyea, I cycled for 4 days. The rides were very nice, albeit a little hilly. The scenery was beautiful but not breath-taking. I think Tanzania was by far the most beautiful place, so it's going to be hard to fill those shoes. There are some high points, though, for sure.
1) Lake Malawi. What an awesome lake. It's huge. And there are always thunderstorms on the other side that you can watch at night. Plus, there are some huge mountains all around you that are extremely lush and almost glow green. Also, it's Lake Malawi. Who doesn't want to say that they jammed there? No, I did not go swimming for there was a huge risk of parasites/bacterial infections. Shame, I know. This is all in a place called Chitimba. It was small, but I didn't leave the campsite anyway.
2) The riding. Well, some of it. I rode really well and had many complements from the racers as to how I was turning into a rocket on my bike. However, I did have a bad day. Nothing in particular happened, I just didn't feel strong and the ground was hilly. But, I had 3 great days, so it kind of makes up for it.
3) Lilongwe. Finally, some civilization. It's nice to be able to get groceries for the post-ride meal. The city is pretty nice, even if the drivers are atrocious. There is an awesome wood market pretty close to the campsite where I picked up some local souvenirs. Also, the service where we're staying (Mubaya Campsite) is awesome. They are the first place to actually have real staff and get your food within 2 hours of you ordering it.
Other than that, there is not a whole heck of a lot to say about Malawi. Most of the country is farm fields with either corn or tobacco growing. It reminds me a lot of Fallowfield road back in Ottawa. Just some plain fields. There have been some pretty cool insects, though. I have encountered more than one golden orb spider. They are really big, but harmless. They're a neat bug because they weave golden webs instead of clear ones. Also, the stars are pretty great at night (when it's not raining, of course.)
Well, I'm sad to say that's all I have to say. Malawi has not inspired me much. What I am glad to report, however, is that I am still as stoked to be doing this as before. A lot of people are leaving the tour for a while to get out of the routine. They're getting tired of the routine and the cycling. But, really, what do you expect? You signed up for a 4 month tour of Africa on a bike, and that's what you get. But, I digress... So, I am rolling along as awesomely as before. Anyway, when I get to Zambia, I will post a more inspired post, I hope. Lastly, I leave you with these random stats.
Hours on bike: 311
Estimated rotation of legs (assuming 75rpm): 1,400,000
Showers: 10
Parts changed since last post: Rear wheel bearing x1, front wheel bearing x1.
I'm glad to hear that the souvenirs you collected in Malawi were not microbial -- good choice!
ReplyDeleteIt will be interesting to see what you think of Victoria Falls. It's a little more than twice as high as Niagara Falls, but with a lower flow rate (1090 cu m/sec vs 1800), but of course the setting is probably more striking: no casinos, no Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum, no Mafia ...
Keep well, and keep heading for 2M pedal rotations.
your numbers inspired me to calculate something. i was hoping to find something staggering, but unfortunately that's not the case. if you had a little dynamo attached to your wheel, you would only have generated about enough electricity to power the average north american household for a day. obviously you have to try harder.
ReplyDeleteNot having a lot to say can be a good thing! It means no illnesses or injuries, robberies, falls. Sounds like you've gotten into a good routine. I AM glad to hear that you're still stoked and enjoying it all.
ReplyDeleteHard to believe that you're 2/3 of the way through this trip. The saying is true that time flies by when you're having fun.