Tanzanië - Arusha

Tipiese straattoneel / Typical street scene in one of the Tanzanian villages.

En dit is Kilimanjaro. Slegs die voet van die berg steek onder die wolke uit.
Kilimanjaro, cloud-covered. What a pity!

Ek het gedink my fiets is oorlaai / I thought my bike was carrying too much.

Vrydag 28 Maart

Beginpunt: Segera

Eindpunt: Arusha

Afstand: 367 km

Vanaand is my laaste aand in Tanzanië.

Ek het kuier-kuier tot in Arusha gery. Na gister se groot afstand (vir my in Afrika) was dit lekker om net te sit en ontspan.

Kilimanjaro was toe onder die wolke. Wat ‘n jammerte!

Ek is nou in Arusha en gaan my vanaand met ‘n lekker ete bederf. Miskien Chinees.

Ek begin die wear en tear van twee weke op die pad te merk. My rybaadjie ruik nie net nie, ek kan selfs die vuil aan dit sien. Dit geld ook vir my t-hemde. Ek gaan in Nairobi werklik moeite doen om alles skoon te kry.

Ek wil nou eerder oor die KLR skryf.

Ek gaan die fiets in Nairobi diens, olie en oliefilter vervang, en sommer net goed deurgaan. Miskien ook die remskoene vervang. Ek ry ‘n stel saam, en as mens dit nou insit, is my bagasie nog ‘n stukkie ligter.

Die fiets doen nog steeds meer as 20 km / liter. Die ryspoed speel ‘n groot rol. Nou na meer as 5 000 km sedert die laaste diens was dit nog nie nodig om enigsins olie by te voeg nie. Die olieverbruik was minimaal.

Ek het vandag besluit om bietjie afstand te rek wat petrol betref. Ek het glad nie langs die pad volgemaak nie. Die fiets het nou 367 km op die tenk gery en nog glad nie op reserwe (na ongeveer 17 liter) gegaan nie. Dit beteken dat ek teoreties nog ten minste 6 – 7 liter in die tenk het wat nog voldoende sou wees vir ‘n verdere 120 – 140 km.

Die bande, Michelin Anakee, en die ketting en “sprockets” is nog steeds in ‘n goeie toestand. Ek behoort Kairo daarmee te kan bereik.

Ek hoop dat Kawasaki die 21 jaar oue model KLR nog lank in produksie gaan hou. Ek raak net al hoe liewer vir die groot eensilinder.

Ek het nog net so 300 km van relatiewe goeie pad oor voor die eerste groot toets kom, Noord-Kenia. Nie net is dit ‘n klipharde klip woestynroete nie, daar is ook nog die Somaliese afvalliges wat daar rondswerf.

Groete!

PS Arusha is die halfpadmerk tussen die Kaap en Kairo.

Tonight is my last night in Tanzania.

I rode totally relaxed today. After the long distance of yesterday I enjoyed every minute of the ride today.

I couldn’t see anything of Kilimanjaro. What a pity!

I am in Arusha now. I am going to spoil me with a good meal tonight. Perhaps Chinese.

I start noticing the wear and tear of two weeks on the road. My riding jacket not only smells, I can see the dirt on it. That includes my t-shirts as well. In Nairobi I will make an effort to get everything clean.

I am going to service the bike in Nairobi, oil change and oil filter. I am also going to replace the brake pads. I was carrying an extra set until now. Using it will make my luggage lighter.

The bike still averages more than 20 km per liter. The biggest contributing factor is the riding speed. The conditions and speed limit limit one to 80 – 90 km/h. It is more than 5 000 km since the last oil change. It wasn’t necessary to add any oil during the trip. The oil consume was minimal.

Today I decided not to fill up petrol along the way. I reached Arusha after 367 km without going on reserve, which is normally after 17 liters. That means the bike has at least 6 – 7 liters still in the tank, if not more, which would be sufficient for another 120 – 140 km.

The tyres, Michelin Anakee, and the chain and sprockets are still fine. I should reach Cairo without problems.

One can only trust that Kawasaki will keep the 21 year old KLR model in production. I am getting more and more fond of this big one cylinder.

I still have about 300 km of relative good roads before the first crunch comes: Northern Kenya. It is a very hard desert route, especially the rocks and stones. Adding to that there are the Somalian bandits roaming the emptiness.

Regards!

PS Arusha is halfway between the Cape and Cairo.