Zambië - Petauke

(English below)

 

Wat 'n wondelrike dag! Die son het geskyn en vir die eerste keer sedert Saterdag het ek nie natgereën nie!

 

Ek gaan net kort skryf want die laptop se battery gaan binnekort leeg wees.

 

Die dag was alles wat ek van so 'n toer wil hê: 'n Kronkelende pad deur die mooiste bos en berge met verskuilde dorpies langs die pad

 

Die afstand van 413 km tot by Petauke het my weer die grootste deel van die dag geneem. Daar was alles op die pad: Kinders, varke, fietse, bokke, honde, en nogmaals voetgangers. Slegs die laaste 70km het baie slaggate gehad.

 

Ek het in klein dorpies gestop, Coke gekoop, broodjies (vars van 'n houtvuur) geeët, op die brug oor die Luangwarivier 'n Jood ontmoet wat vanaf Tanzanië nou Suid-Afrika toe ry met sy motorfiets. En nou kamp ek langs 'n rietskerm op groen gras (al my Kwachas is op). Ek het vir 'n swart gesin gevra of hulle nie bereid is om vir my pap en groente te maak as ek hulle met Dollar betaal nie.

 

n die verte sing die vrouens, en ek het netnou eers besef dit more Goeie Vrydag.

 

My enigste vrees vir die dag was petrol. Ek het in Lusaka volgemaak, en my eerste petrol was eers weer in Nyimba, 340km van Lusaka. Die KLR het nie eers 15 liter geneem nie!!

 

More behoort ek in Lilongwe, Malawi, aan te kom.

 

'n Baie geseënde Paasfees wens ek julle almal toe!

 

 

I had the best day of the trip! It was a sunny day with no rain, the first time since Saturday!

 

I am going to keep it short. The power of the laptop is nearly finished.

 

I couldn't ask for a better day. Again a lush green bush, small villages hidden in the bush, a road snaking through and over mountains, and spectacular scenery.

 

I covered only 413 km today but again it took me nearly 7 hours. The road to Petauke was quite good except for the last 70 km. The problem was children, pigs, goats, pedestrians and many cyclists swerving over the road. One had to keep the speed down.

 

I stopped in a number of small villages, drank Coke, bought fresh bread rolls from the fire. On the bridge over the Luangwa river I met a Jew who was travelling with his motorcycle from Tanzania down to South Africa. And now I am camping next to a reed wall on green grass. I have used al my Kwachas and could not change on the route to Petauke, as there were no banks. I asked a black family whether I could buy porridge and vegetables from them and pay in Dollar. They are now making me something to eat.

 

In the distance I hear women singing. I only realised now that tomorrow is Good Friday.

 

I became a bit worried today. I filled up with petrol in Lusaka, and the next filling station was only in Nyimba, a good 340 km further. Fortunately the KLR took only 14.4 liters, still 8 liters to go before it would have been empty.

 

I should arrive in Lilonge, Malawi, tomorrow.

 

I wish you all a blessed Easter Weekend!