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This morning I left the school shortly after seven, I woke up in great advance also because my Chinese mat at a certain point in the night deflated itself, and the floor of the staff room was freezing other than uncomfortable. Then we should not forget that I invaded the play room of the bats, which went wild with acrobatic flights and squeaking for the all night until sunrise. Yesterday I truly understood the meaning of nocturnal animal …
As soon as I left the school yard I was welcomed from the usual unfavorable cold wind. The school, like many in Zambia, was lacking electricity so, since I did not want to ‘pierce’ the camping gaz at the first stage I had dinner with a trio of cereal bars: cereals with strawberry, cereals with honey and pronutro. This must have been the reason why after a blissful slope in which I passed the 60km/h, the light switched off. Hunger crisis! I stopped on top of a hill, in front of a Jehovah Witnesses Church, while I was gulping down cereal bars again, I see a couple running up the hill with a briefcase which looked heavy, I understand immediately that I am their target, when they reach me they say ‘God love you’ and give me their magazine, which I slip under the ropes which are holding the tent and sleeping bag, they go happy to have succeeded in their mission. On the magazine there is an article on how to survive when your income is drastically reduced!
One thing I learnt in my previous journey by bicycle is the importance not to carry anything on my back, this time even my micro backpack has remained at home. One thing I did not learn is not to ask distances in kilometers to people who do not drive! Yesterday I did about 10 kilometers more than what was posted because a couple of people swore that there was a village within three or four kilometers, but then there was nothing but the darkness which by then had come so I turned around, when this morning I passed that same village the speedometer was saying 22 km competed!
The road today bordered the north edge of the Lower Zambesi National Park, but I did not see any live animals, only three ‘ironed’ by some trucks, a hyena, some kind of giant iguana and an emerald green snake which seemed to have been put on the road with Action Transfers.
The stage was tough because of the wind and the hills one of which of about 10 km after the deviation for Mpansha. On that hill I remembered how nice it is to scream crap, in known and made up languages, as you cycle …
At the end of the stage, at the summit of each hill I was hoping to see the River Luangwa which gives the name to the small city from where I am writing, but the river only appeared at the end … the manager of the River Camp where I am now has expressed his doubts on the resistance of my bamboo bike … he will change his mind!
Shingela Kamkumba Basic School S 15°.242’ E 29°.161’ – Luangwa S 15°.626 E 30°.404
132 km