Cycle 5 Travelogue: Continuing our ride through Tanzania

Day 8: Katesh > Singida, Tanzania

Up at 6:30 AM to head for breakfast at 7 AM. We both slept pretty good so should be a decent day. Overcast and windy, but it’s a tailwind so that’s good!
Breakfast was very basic with a small omelette and chapati with some bananas and orange juice. Instant coffee, so the usual.
So my Garmin battery is only at 9% this morning…lol! Lasted all day though.
On the road at 8 AM.
Started to see some pigs on the back of motorcycles or just along the side of the road with locals.
Actually saw a few safari vehicles today. Not sure where we are, but we must be close to something.
A lot of broken [pain] and then a rough [page] section. Still decent with lots of room to maneuver around to avoid the trucks.
Saw a Canadian Tanzania hostel. Probably should’ve stopped to see what was there, but we were on a descent so we didn’t want to.
Stopped for lunch at a roadside stand at 10:30 AM. Bought tomatoes, onions, lime, and some juice and I’m going to make some wraps. No avocados.
Haven’t seen any Maasai for a couple hundred kilometers for sure.
A smattering of big, huge boulder formations here and there along the roads.
Shifted to a [class] for about 10 K and then we turned 15 K for the day and it was a tail end again.
Roundabout section with lots of people as it’s a Saturday. Very interesting. Stopped for Fanta & a snack.

Rolled into Singida at 1:30. Found an ATM and ask for hotel suggestions.
Rode out of town a bit and found the rafiki resort hoping for a room. Looks like there is one! Stopping our garmins🤩
Seems to be a problem with our bikes in the room. Working our magic. Finally they said OK.
Had showers, washed our clothes and tried to update things, but the Wi-Fi is pretty bad in the room. Went to the restaurant to have a snack, upload, and plan for the next week until Malawi.
Everything took so long that we decided just to have dinner right after. Then that took a long time as well.
Had some Spaghetti Bolognese, and PL was still hungry so we ordered another one. An hour later it came…lol. He was eating at 7:30 PM.
In bed by 9pm. This town had by far the most tuck tucks anywhere.

94.11km/792m
Total: 750.79km/7,120m

Day 9: Singida > Itigi, Tanzania

Up at 6:30. We both slept fine. Headed to the restaurant for breakfast at 7 AM. Doors are locked so far but there are people getting ready so looks more promising than the other day.
Had coffee, but nothing else ready at this time. Ask for some chapati and omelettes. Hopefully it won’t take very long. Had some of the banana corn kind of soup, which was pretty decent. Then finally some eggs and chipatis.
Riding out at 8:30.
Past our first few railway crossings, which were not being used anymore, nothing across the road
22° already and straight crossing from the east. Heading straight south right now.
Quiet morning just reflecting on our attitudes. We both felt kind of gloomy today. Reminded ourselves that saying hi, waving or being something curious for people… Reminder ourselves it’s for the girls and the children and the workers who we’re supporting.
Just saw a lineup of all brand new Toyotas, left-hand drive heading towards Singida. First few left-hand drives we’ve seen. Must’ve been over 30 of them.
Stopped in Ikungi for donuts and milk tea, which is like a chai tea. had a great laugh with the ladies. Tatu & Mama Sanura. Sunja Cafe!!!

A lot of honey stands in the section. Rocky sections are gone, so it’s just flat again.
Stopped at 1 for chipati with peanut butter, Nutella and banana.
Turned onto gravel road with about 27K to go to Itigi. Good thing is we have a bit of a tailwind now.
Rode with a local for about 10km. He was fit. Nice bike too.
Rolled into Itigi at 3:15pm. Found our hotel, St.Gaspar, which is in a hospital compound off the main road. Looks really nice. So hidden away.
It’s really expensive, no Wi-Fi, but breakfast is included. PL is checking out the rooms and negotiating so we will see.
All the other places do not have very good ratings or there’s no reviews so we would have to drive around to a bunch.
Decided to stay. Upstairs room so PL carried my bike for me. Nice big clean room with hot showers.
Chilled until dinner at 7pm which was so yummy. Rice, beans, veggies and grilled pork with garlic. Plus avocados and melon. And a beer!!! Best meal we’ve had in all of Africa so far!
Had a FaceTime with Nikki which was great.
Back to our room for 8:30pm. In bed at 9.

115.49km/573m
Total: 866.28km/7,693m

Day 10: Itigi >Kalangali, Tanzania

Up at 7 AM as breakfast wasn’t until 7:30 AM. It was decent, bread with jam and eggs with instant coffee. The usual.
The next 400 km will be dirt, so having to switch mental gears. Riding out at 8:30 AM
We only had a little bit of orange dust before we saw new gravel, with new roundabouts being put in.
More women on bikes! Love it. “wanawake baiskeli”
After about 35K, we were back onto the dirt. Enjoyed the gravel while it lasted.
Pretty bumpy so we took the side road, which was kind of like a single track, which was pretty fun. Then back onto the really bumpy dusty stuff.
Saw more people with bracelets and anklets and bare feet. Sukuma Tribe.
Passed through some really small villages looking for avocados. No luck. Stop for a snack around 11:20 AM.
Put our books on at 11:30 AM. Lots of continued dusty roads.
Every time we pass a cyclist, they would speed up and go in front of us or ride behind us for a bit. Pretty funny.
Rolled into Kalangali at 2 o’clock. Drove right through town thinking it was farther ahead and had to backtrack.
Found the New Moscow Lodge. We’ll see what it’s like. Two guys who were sitting by the road came up and negotiated with us with the female manager. Negotiated 15,000 TSH for the night. Cold showers, no Wi-Fi and a squat toilet. Could be worse.
Showers were actually really refreshing. Washed our clothes and chilled until we decided what to do for supper.
We are worried about the guys outside and what they want.
PL duct taped the arms of his sunglasses as they were coming apart on the ends.
Walk to find dinner and almost got eggs with potatoes, but tried to negotiate a better price. Nobody would budge. So we went to a restaurant and had rice and beans with some chicken. Then on our way back, we went to the same guy and got some eggs with fries so that we could have them for breakfast and lunch tomorrow. Took forever so we watched the guys play pool for about an hour. We were quite the spectacle. Pretty sure we also saw our first group of queer men that were very ornately dressed.
Back in our room at 7 PM to chill and check socials.
Ready for bed at 8:30am.

85.47km/538m
Total: 951.75km/8,231m

Day 11: Kalangali > Rungwa > Mbeya, Tanzania

Up at 7 to eat in our rooms for breakfast. Got some chips and egg fritters last night and bought some Jambo juice.
Slept decently. Definitely woken up late into the night by an over exuberant couple in a room close by. At least I know there are condoms available…lol
No head coverings on the women at all and seems to be a bit of a tribal dress with some men. Rubber boots, toques and wraps, bangles.
First hour was pretty decent riding, strong side winds but the terrain was OK. Second hour we hit some pretty decent washboard so we slowed down quite a bit. A lot of the same same dusty roads villages.
Stopped in Mwamagembe for buns and chai. Different but decent.
Met Digna who moved here from Arusha because she likes business and wanted to cultivate. So she moved here. We put her in touch with us via IG so we can connect them with iDe.
Had more shitty road and then the teste flies emerged. I was pretty tired and frustrated.
Got a bit too close to PL’s bike and our bags locked and I bailed. Hard onto my right shoulder and side.
Stunned, I laid there. PL cleaned me up a bit but I’m worried about my shoulder/collarbone. Had to ride another 15km to get to town.
Funny that my book “Wild” finished as soon as I rolled into town at 4pm.
Stopped at the first hotel to check it out. PL will ride to check out the other one and then come back.
I’ll need medical so we will try and find something. This could be the end. So frustrated.
There was a doctor near the hotel so he walked me over to the clinic to get checked out. Got cleaned up. Looks like I could have a dislocation which is pushing my collarbone.
Looking to arrange transportation to Mbeya to go to a hospital with a private vehicle. It’s expensive so we are negotiating. The doctor is helping us. He knows we are a charity so he’s asking about cost.
He has agreed to take us in an ambulance.
Finally got to our hotel at 11 PM. Was crazy having the two of us in the front rocking around like crazy. The roads were terrible.
We grabbed a hotel on Booking with good ratings, but there was nothing about the road to get there which was uphill and 4 x 4. And the Wi-Fi is terrible.
Just need to get to bed. I have to figure out how to shower though…lol.
Had some lukewarm showers, and rolled into bed around 12:30 AM.
PL and I chuckled a little bit, as he knows how to take good care of me in such a loving way when I’m hurt. It’s one of his best qualities..

112.6km/746m
Total: 1,064.35km/8,977m

Day 12: Mbeya, Tanzania

Woke up at 8am and felt better. Went down for breakfast at 9am right before it was finfished.
Was funny, after it happened I thought I’m so ready to go home. We had a four hour off-road ride in the ambulance Land Cruiser, with PL and I squished in the front. I just closed my eyes whenever we went through any of the villages as the guy was just flying. And it was at night, so it was dark. But it did get us three days ahead, and nothing about any of that riding would’ve been easy.
I’m a little bit more optimistic this morning as I feel a bit better, but we’ll have to wait and see what x-rays say to see if I can even keep riding.
Hung out by the router to try and figure out how to get to the hospital. It’s so slow we can’t make any calls or anything. Trying to get the manager to help us but there is no network.
On our way to the hospital because we can’t call anyone. The tour guide who works at the hotel took us there in a tuk tuk.
Saw the doctor, went for an x-ray. Nothing broken, dislocated or separated. Just strained the tendons badly. So the inflammation is causing all the pain.
Recommended a sling and rest for one week. Bought some bandages and a sling and then some fresh food to make guacamole for wraps.
Kiliani, the guy who works here with the hotel, left us his phone to hotspot so we could upload our photos and do some research.
Back to more head coverings and mosques.
Chilled out and tried to get our photos uploaded. PL hung out with Killiani while I laid down. Trying to decide where to head to next.
Had to use Killiani’s hotspot the whole time. Paid him money to get more data. Will try and get some of that back from the manager.
Had dinner with Ugali for the first time. Fun to eat with our hands again. Then up to our room. I had a quick nap while PL arranged transportation for tomorrow to Malawi.
Then we watched the England-Argentina game. Then off to bed.

Day 13: Mbeya🇹🇿 > Chitimba

Up at 7 to get ready for breakfast and then our ride at 8:30am.
Loaded up and diving out by 9am with our driver Gifty and Killiani as our guide.
Hit the bank and then off we went.
Donuts are mandaz.
A lot of hiking around here. Mt. Rungwe, Mt. Kieyo and Ngozi Crater Lake, Uporoto Mountain Forest Nature Reserve.
Getting out of Mbeya would’ve been ridiculous, but the ride from there would’ve been beautiful.
A lot of potato farming, banana plantations. A lot of pollution because they’re in a valley. Smoke as well as the trucks. Swahili chai tea farms. Got to the border at 11:30am and were bombarded with money exchange & SIM card guys.

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