Saturday 22 November 2014

Its 0355hrs Sat 22nd Nov.
Waiting for sunrise. Bumped into Garry yesterday morning at around 11am. He had ridden all the way to Lusaka as usual and had arrived the day before as had I. A small world, he was a passenger in a modern pickup which pulled up outside  a food store I was about to enter for a late breakfast. Guess he had been living it up with a friend he knows from Lusaka. A brief exchange and his comment that most likely he will catch me up again saw them drive off while I tucked into a samusa and  smoked chicken leg. He will have to be going some as time is rapidly flying by for my plan to be in Jhb by early December.
I am at some Pastor accommodation in a Catholic Church grounds at ..... Only cycled around 50km yesterday before managing to arrange a lorry lift from a fella who was waiting in a roadblock queue. An ideal place to ask about lifts while they are all stationary. So 200 km to go to reach Livingstone where nearby the border with Zambia. A real tourist playground with Vic falls, rapids, bungi jumps etc. Most likely spend one night and enquire about onward travel overland through Botswana. Its a bother being in a hurry but time and tide waits for nobody.
Had an email from my father in law yesterday, reminding me to be home before the 13th for Norfolk weekend away. Also still need to arrange mt return flight. Will try to do later today.
I pulled into a clinic yesterday to try and organise a yellow fever solution. Either I have to buy a cert, get a vac and cert, or get an allergy letter. The final hurdle is from Bot. to SA as I'm told the next border into Bot is no issue. I met a fellow traveller on the coach tother day who also has been travelling without a cert. He was asked to pay a bribe at his last crossing place, so I have been fortunate so far. The lorry driver who carried me yesterday mat be able to help. He has a cert. without having had the vaccine. Happy days. May have to di the same especially if the vaccine continues to be rare as rocking horse s..t as has been the case so far. I cannot help but conclude that the whole issue is an overstayed way of screwing money from tourists. There is much conflicting information about its need it not.
Its 4 minutes to 0430 hrs and my phone should bleep to wake me. I have arranged to join the same driver this morning before 5 for the final leg to Livingstone. Not looking forward to retrieving my bike from his very dirty trailer. He carries cement down and returns to Lusaka with coal. I looked like a chimney sweep after hauling my bike onto the trailer yesterday.
Now back in the lorry. Hope my bike is still on board. I heard from an English lady who works at Njara at Nkhata Bay where I stayed that the heavens have opened up and they are having a wet time. She asked if I had received their email regarding my outstanding bill. Did warn them that it may take sometime to sort it by PayPal. I replied to her email briefly yesterday, while someone had allowed me a quick ten minute access instead of 12hours for 50 kwacha which was no good for me.
Should reach Livingstone later this morning all going well. There Iceland will seek some accommodation hopefully with WiFi and also hope to find an internet cafe which may be better than trying to use my phone for booking my return flight. Also need to plan my onward journey so that I have a decent time in Jhb.  I may aim to go direct to the farm in Magalies as I may be approaching from the west via Gaborone unless I cross into SA earlier to the North into Groeblersburg I believe.
Have now arrived Livingstone. Very hot. May stay one night, then head for border 60 kms from here.

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