I had a good sleep but woke up to absolutely everything still soaked and covered in red grit. It's been a while since I've enjoyed the feeling of putting on wet socks and shoes in the morning, its not particularly favourable!
I resorted back to my old faithful cycling shorts as they were dry. There was no way I was going to endure the wet friction rash out of choice. I packed up and pushed Nigel over to the bar where I had breakfast (a step up from the reception desk!) The breakfast wasn't bad, both meals I've had have come wrapped in cling film so something tells me neither were exactly fresh.
Today would be my first full day in Zambia and I was hoping for a little less rain and a little more progress. I had no idea where I would end up. My "plan" states "bush" as the destination for the next three days. I think my plan is a little optimistic as I know I have 600km to cover so I would say, depending on the terrain, I could take 5 days to get to Lusaka.
Having an unknown destination can work both ways as I've found out on my ride. If i know where I'm going then i like having a target to head towards, although I tend to mile watch and if I don't know where I'm going I could end up cycling myself miles and miles into an exhausted grump as I have done previously. Having a rough mileage to meet each day is ok but you can never be sure to stop at one place which looks ok or head a few more miles to the next place which could be alot better...or alot worse. I guess that's the joy of it!
I set off and immediately made a traveller's error that Ray Mears would not be happy with. I had no water and for some reason just bypassed the first shop. Ray tells me to "top up water at every available stop" I didn't, and I was left with a fair old cycle before I found a village that did sell it. Sorry Ray. He would also not of been impressed with me washing my bottle with soap powder which I was still annoyed about as it tasted like I was sucking on clean damp clothes. My teeth look whiter though, although that may just be my face getting dirtier.
The bike ride was not the best if I'm honest, I wasn't expecting it to be. Almost every building was closed down, the terrain was pretty flat and the landscape was just green. There really wasn't much else to report. The people were very nice and the greetings have developed from shouts and demands to actual greetings like "hi" and "hello." "How are you" is still a crowd favourite and it must be said at least 3 times even if you've answered the first one. When I don't answer at all, its said nearer 5 times so I can't win really.
I did well to fight the boredom today. You find yourself thinking about the same things over and over and I really have to try to change the subject. It's a real treat if you can think of something new that lasts a while because that means you have another subject in your artillery to go back over at a later date. Today it was humerus baby names for people that I know considering their surnames and different things that I would say if I were best man at each of my friends wedding's. Sad aren't I, but I've already got my first meals when I get back nailed down!
As the "half century hump" was fast approaching I was welcomed by two other cyclists. The three of us were all going at roughly the same speed and before I knew it, we had ourselves a Zambian pelaton! We were raking in other cyclists like lost sheep and it took me a few minutes to realise, but the guy leading was wearing a yellow t-shirt. I found this hilarious as I sat at the back of the group whilst the others helped me out with the slipstream.
Tour de Zambia went on for about half an hour before the pack broke up and I was left to continue on my own again. I've noticed that nobody likes it when someone is cycling right behind them (including myself) Everyone tries the whole "look to the side and check behind you out the corner of your eye" trick. I don't why I don't like it, there's hardly anything they can do when you're both travelling at 15mph and my brakes aren't good enough to experience a bicycle rear ending!
Not long after that I decided to call it a day. I had cycled around 70 miles and I had arrived at a place that from local knowledge, I gauged as being the biggest/best town within a 30 mile radius. I initially cycled through it. When it come to towns and villages and I'm looking for something like a restaurant, shop that sells water or Guesthouse, I do a slow driveby first. You have to be very focussed when you do this and not get distracted by the increase in whistling, hollering and local's waving at you. I could stop and ask them, yes, but i prefer finding the place myself or waiting for a sign to jump out at me. If I don't spot anything I normally carry on to the next place as I know if its meant to be, its meant to be.
Today was no different and the town of Sinda offered me alot of surprisingly open businesses but nothing that jump out at me so I cycled straight through it. As I did so, I wasn't holding my breath at the likelihood of a nice campsite or lodge waiting for me within the next 30 miles but sure enough I found a rogue Guesthouse just a mile or so past the town. The building was big and red, had one window and closed steel doors but it had Guesthouse written on the roof so I gave it a go. I walked up to the window which was a little shop selling biscuits and fizzy drinks (standard) I hesitantly asked if they actually had rooms and she said yes!
After celebrating with a fanta, she opened the side gate and I walked around the back of the building into a huge open garden area where there were crops growing and a line of 4 very well built guest rooms. I had stumbled across another little gem! There was no restaurant or anything like that but they had an outside shower and the longest drop I've ever had the displeasure of looking down!
I had a nap and then walked back into town for food and football. Finding football was easy, I just followed the sound of commentary and then at HT I was directed to another decent place for food which was also playing the football. I didn't know whether to watch both games and wander back in the dark or just the first one and walk back as the sun set. My decision was made for me when a power cut struck a few minutes into the second game and I took that as a sign to make a move.
Boy am I glad I did make a move as my walk home was surrounded by three electrical storms all shooting bolts down in front of me. It was amazing, I was walking in a very mild and temperate atmosphere but I could enjoy some mega lightning storms without getting wet.
When I got back to my room I sat on the porch outside for a while and watched Mother Nature do her thing.
A good ending to another day on the calendar. Whilst cycling to nowhere is hard as you can't really appreciate the mileage your doing on a map. It's a necessary requirement when you're covering vast expanses of nothingness and I know it won't be long till I'm in the hustle of Lusaka and probably wishing I was watching a thunderstorm whilst sat on a porch in the middle of nowhere!
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