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“Good morning” says a child on the side of the road. Too bad it is 4 in the afternoon. I do not know why since the end of Malawi “Good morning” is the most common greeting at any time of the day. A child of about 10 year old told me: “Good morning Teacher”, I answered “Good afternoon. How are you?” and him “Thank you, Teacher” …
This morning I wanted to leave earlier because I was terrified of finding another stage like yesterday, I managed to leave only around 9, because the Principal’s family looked after me with all the attentions a traveler needs, but this needs technical times! Warming up the water to bath. Preparing food. Preparing tea. It was beautiful seeing Itika prepare the mandazi, some kind of flour pancakes, cut on the table like you do with gnocchi, I could not resist from stealing a piece raw just like I used to do with my mum’s gnocchi. I have eaten plenty and it seems that the carbohydrates reload based on madazi works considered how I managed this stage.
Ready go and the road goes up terribly for 7 kilometers, I struggle to go on, until it starts going down in a nosedive , 68 km/h the maximum speed, towards Uyole, then down, more gently, for another 20 kilometers. Yesterday I was so done that I did not even realize I had gone up so much. For long stretches I bordered the rail tracks of the Tazara Express, but I did not see the train, surely not for the speed, only two trains per week depart and are very slow, when I took it last year it took me almost 4 days from Kapiri Mposhi in Zambia to Dar Es Salaam in Tanzania.
The Tanzanian drivers are the most reckless so far, I find them often on my lane even if they are coming from the opposite direction, they overtake even though I am coming forcing me to get off the tar. Some hoot me from behind until I move even if nobody is coming from in front.
Chinese motorbikes have found a florid market in Tanzania, they are of all the types, for road, three-wheelers like our Ape Piaggio even in a Limousine version with two rows of seats, but those who dominate the scene are the Castros or Choppers, they are very colorful and personalized with extra lights, chromate mirrors and saddle of (American) Indian style. I have not seen many helmets, I do not know if it is compulsory in Tanzania. I tried to understand how they manage to buy these motorbikes but the attempt failed because of the language barrier.
Languages and traditions are important, but the impossibility to communicate, does not help understanding and increases the mistrust towards others.
Yesterday under the sun in the middle of a steep uphill I saw a fountain with two boys who were filling tanks, when they saw me getting off the bicycle and heading towards the fountain they run away screaming musung, musungu, musungu …
Isongole Secondary School S 9° 03.971’ E 33° 59.619 – White House Guest House Igawa S 8° 76.719’ E 34° 37.960’
128 km