Day 50: Morogoro – Mbaya

I’m getting bored of saying ‘What an amazing day’, but today has been pretty cool. And it’s amazing the different experiences you can pack into one day.

On the road by 0700, there isn’t much to report initially. Quite a few baboons kicking about, but nothing too exciting, until we pass through the Mikuni National Park. I get held up by wild giraffes who are hanging out with a couple of zebra! I’m so excited, a brilliant start! We also see some other type of monkey and some gazelle.  Although the gazelle are too flighty to be caught on camera.

The weather’s good, and we’re having a really nice days riding. Tanzania is a funny country, I keep thinking it doesn’t have much to offer, cosmetically, and then I remember Kilimanjaro! There are some small mountain ranges to give me some eye candy, and I’m offered some graceful mountain roads. Not as much fun as Ethiopia’s, but a good effort.  It’s not all good though, I am forced off the road three times today by oncoming buses/trucks. And these guys weren’t slowing to help me out either. I can see how easy it would be to have a head collision if you were momentarily checking out the scenery...

After the mountain roads it’s just cruising south, passing through various small villages, within one we get another ticket. Same process as before...

A few miles later, we stop for fuel. And bump into three other motorcycle overlanders. They are  a German couple and a Belgian guy. We say our hellos, have a brief chat about conditions where we’ve come from (they’re heading north) and then they’re off. They’ve advised me of a massive section of road works and an accident ahead. And they’re not wrong. Brilliantly, the road is being built and used at the same time. Luckily I can skip the tail back (about three miles) and ride through the road works. Safely out the other side, there’s the oddest situation I’ve ever seen. The embankment on my right is very steep, and it seems a lorry has driven close to the edge and it’s trailer has started to slip down. So a truck, going the same way, but on the other side of the road has tied it’s trailer to the one trying to depart down the slope. Brilliantly, the trailer going down the slope is obviously heavier and has pulled the second trailer almost onto it’s side. It’s been stopped though, by a third truck, going the same way as me. This truck is tied to the other side of the second truck’s trailer. And now, you have three lorries blocking the road, tied together, with lots of people standing around and no one knowing what to do without losing the first trailer. Yikes!

Later on, there are hugely evil clouds hanging above the mountains ahead. We’ve skirted around them most of the day, but it seems we’re heading through. And the rain is immense, massive drops smashing into the tarmac and me. Thankfully I threw my rainsuit on mere minutes ago, but the tip of my nose is just exposed and the odd droplet smashes into that too. Ouch! I’m now riding with my left hand covering the tip of my nose, it’s really sore!

60 miles to Zambia tomorrow, fingers crossed for an easy exit and entry!