November 4, 2024

Karibu sana Lake Tanganiyka

With our awesome value for money R10 breakfast loaded and the oil change done on my bike, we said goodbye to the Moravian Church Community Centre. We really enjoyed our stay here. We noticed this morning that one of the bolts used to adjust the chain’s tension on my bike was gone – must have rattled out on the way here. We went back to Babuu’s Car Decoration Shop where we bought oil yesterday and within a matter of 2 minutes they gave us two brand new bolts for only R5 and fitted it – really cool!

We set off for Kipili after that and had about 160km of gravel to cover today. I must say it was much much better doing it in the daylight! A few kilometres outside of Sambuwanga we came across a man and bike stranded next to the road and stopped to see if we could help. The bike was a Skygo and looked exactly like ours…

Helping a local 2

The man explained that the electric starter was not working and he was trying to get it going with the kick starter. Francois investigated and quickly figured that the fuel level was low so he switched to reserve, then saw the choke was fully opened. The bike then sounded better, but finally Francois noticed that the kill switch was in the off position and the combination of all three sorted the problem and within a few minutes the man was off smiling and riding again. It was really nice to be able to help him – well done Fran!

Helping a local
We stopped at a beautiful spot and spent a bit of time here to make some two-minute noodles…

Lunch
With about 70km to go the road (not the actual road but the views :o)) got really really beautiful. We took some time to take some photographs here…

Tania and the donkey
Francois on the way…

And Francois from behind…

Francois from the back
We passed through some rocky sections on the way but reached our next destination in Kipili at about 16h00. I battled a bit still today as my arms and back are still a bit sore after our previous drive, but it was so worth it to come along this way as we had our first glimpse of Lake Tanganyika. We are staying at Lake Shore Lodge for the next two days and it is a stunning lodge next to the lake owned by South Africans. We are camping under some huge mango trees and will post some photos for you tomorrow – our connection is very bad at the moment so let’s hold thumbs!

Thumbs up

7 thoughts on “Karibu sana Lake Tanganiyka

  1. Jis franna, well done met daardie Fault-Finding op die Skygo! Daai ou sou seker nou nog geskop het as julle nie gestop het nie.
    Groete vanuit Grandwest!! Lekker rus!

  2. Ditto, Eon! Geniet die welverdiende 2nag-rus langs die langste varswatermeer in die wereld! Kan nie wag vir more se foto’s. Groete uit ‘n koue Boland. XX

  3. Pragtig Francois dat jy die man kon gehelp het!! Het gehoop julle het ‘n beter pad vandag. Wow Tnnia so met alles ‘smile’ jy nog steeds! Hoop jou seer lyf herstel met die paar dae se rus by die meer.
    Julle moet dit geniet en ja ek sien ook uit na die foto’s môre. Onthou staan maar op Fr se skouers vir hoogte om ‘n sein te kry. Lekker rus!!

  4. Yes julle! Ek’t vanaand ‘n praatjie by Karoo Cafe gehad en bietjie oor inspirasie gepraat. Julle twee is nou officially my nommer EEN inspirasie!! (en met Madiba, Ewan-hulle en Braam en sy buddy wat die wereld plat hol was daar taai kompetisie!) 😀
    Dis amazing wat julle doen en ek kan nie in woorde sit hoe lekker dit is om elke aand te lees wat julle beleef nie!
    D A N K I E ! ! !

  5. Jip – ons stem! Lees (BAIE) eerder julle nuus as dit wat in Beeld of Rapport beskryf word. Die wêreld is so siek en deurmekaar en daar is net slegte nuus in die koerant of op TV. Julle “nuus” is vars, gesond en lekker om te lees. In ons harte wil ons almal so-iets doen, daarom is dit lekker om te deel sonder om die “swaarkry” gedeelte van die tog te beklemtoon. Ek onthou hoe die Brit wat oor Route 66 deur Amerika per motorfiets gery het ( World’s greatest Motorcycle) aanhoudend gekla het oor die reën, die hitte, die verkeer, die klein dorpies, ens. Julle doen dit juis nie en daarom geniet ons julle kommentaar elke oomblik van die tog. Gaan aan, hou aan glimlag en geniet dit!

  6. Ek ek stem saam met Abie – ek het julle nog net sien lag! Frankie, jy word nou ‘n bike mechanic – dalk ‘n nuwe besigheidsgeleentheid as jy terug is in die Kaap. He he. Lekker ry julle.

Comments are closed.