Today we start another 5 day riding stretch. Today we have 150.2 km of riding, with about an equal amount of climbing: 941 km up and down 976. We also have a border crossing today into Zambia.
Tallis told us at the riders meeting this morning that we aren’t to get new SIM cards before coming to camp, that when we have got to camp we can ride back into town to get them. Given that it’s about 7 km each way from the camp that’s not a great option. I disagree with his reasoning, as without a SIM card we can’t ring any TDA staff if we run into problems, but also don’t want to go against his directive.
I have gastro again and am still having lots of problems with asthma so have made the decision to ride half days for the next few days and get on top of both conditions.
I rode 80 km to lunch which was pretty easy riding, once out of the chaos of town. Once again lots of smiling and waving children along the way. There were local woman smiling and waving and some holding their small children up to see us better.
There was a huge group of children watching at lunch, getting closer and closer to the lunch truck when you weren’t looking at them. Lulu (TDA lunch truck driver) got fed up with them when the truck was getting packed up and threw a toy snake out, which made them scatter but only for a few seconds. Lulu kept asking them why they weren’t at school but I guess we were more interesting.
The border crossing was at 122km. I got a double entry visa for Zambia so we can to go Zimbabwe for the day from Livingston and visit Victoria Falls from the Zimbabwe side.
Zambia visa border crossing
The camp, as well as being out of town, is 2 km up a dirt track. The campsite is called Mama Rules and is owned and run by a South African woman.
Dinner was Maize (which is made from corn, which I didn’t like), beans and veggie sausages with homemade tomato sauce.
The place had a great looking bar with cold drinks but wasted on me as I am staying with water. However other riders made good use of it and it was very noisy until after 10pm.
No SIM card so I can’t message the family, hopefully I will get one tomorrow.
First Zambian beer
Camp at Chipata
Power nap before tea
Kaye's Awesome Adventures 