To Livingstone: record day and our first flat tire

October 23, 2015

"Oh, really?" Patrick says when Rachel shouts "a flat tire". We had gone 51kms and just left Zimba after a short rest break when the tire went flat. It's the first flat tire after 8316kms.

In 2000, in South America, we had one long push to get to La Paz Bolivia with the promise of a margarita at the end of the day in order to keep going. Today is a "margarita day". The distance is 120kms (ended up being 126kms) to get to Livingstone with the promise of a beer and a rest day tomorrow.

Zimba was the only town on this stretch. We had been told there was nothing here but it did have two guesthouses and shops. Otherwise, this was a lonely road with more rolling hills. Not much activity going on.

The wind was nice to us. Early afternoon, we reach Livingstone and the JollyBoys Backpacker and Camp. Patrick goes into register and Rachel spots the two French Canadian Girls we met in South Luawanga National Park. After settling into the room, showering, we make our way to the poolside and restaurant for late lunch.

It's been awhile since we've seen so many muzungus in one place. This is a backpacker's paradise. There are all sorts of tours to sign up for and a free shuttle every morning to Victoria Falls. The best part, there's a book exchange! Yes, we are old fashioned and still like paper books.

Tomorrow we go to Victoria Falls.

The sign is 6 km off, from here it is another 106 to Livingstone.

Us and our shadows, rolling down the road.

Our first flat tire! After 8316km Rachel has a flat rear tire. We can't complain though, that was a pretty good streak.

Our luxury room at Jolly Boys in Livingstone. Very expensive compared to the last couple of nights, but the place is full of muzungus, has a bar, swimming pool and restaurant.

Today's ride: 126 km (78 miles)
Total: 8,391 km (5,211 miles)

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Günter HankI like your daily trip reports very much. I slowly read myself into an African cycle trip.
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1 year ago

Rachel and Patrick HugensHi Gunter, you'll love to cycle in Africa! Keep us posted, let us know if we can help with information. Will you have a journal here on cycleblaze??
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1 year ago

Günter HankThank you very much for your answer. I will eventually come back to your offer for information. I am now going day-to-day through your daily posts (I am currently in Ghanzi). I write down my questions and put them over to you in one shot. Most probable in January time-frame. To your journal question: I am from Munich/Germany and a member of a German journal (where I have published several travel reports - also including India). But when I tried to find a real good trip report about Africa there was none. So I started shopping around and luckily found your so inspring reports.
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1 year ago

Günter HankDear Africa-Lovers, your travel experience gave me a lot of motivation over Christmas. I now think about a cycling tour from Daressalam to Windhuk. I plan roughly two months for that. Starting in May to beginning of July. Question 1: What do you think about this plan? Countries: Tansania, Malawi, Sambia (following your "footsteps"), Botswana, Namibia. But: I want to avoid Zimbabwe. Question 2: Is it possible to go directly from Sambia to Botswana? Question 3: How did you prepare and protect yourself against Malaria, Dengue,... all these potential Moskito-bite viruses... Thank you very much for your expertise.
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1 year ago

Rachel and Patrick HugensHi Guther,
2 months seems pretty quick, but you could always skip some sections by hitchhiking or busses. We did not cycle between Dar es Salaam and Mbeya so cannot comment on that, but I understand the road is busy. In Malawi don't miss Livingstonia and the Nyika National Park.
2) From Livingstone (Zambia) you could cycle to Kasungula and cross directly into Botswana. The road from there south to the junction at Nata is known as the "Elephant Highway". Search it to read some other cyclists experiences before you decide to cycle it. There are lots of overlanding muzungus in 4WD in this part of Africa though, you could fairly easily get a ride with them.
3) We used a once-a-week Malarone prophylactic and also carried our own travel mosquito net. We would stretch a clothesline across the bed and sleep under our own net. The one we used has a plastic ring at the top that folds up the way you would fold a bicycle tire.
Let us know if you have more questions, Patrick and Rachel
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1 year ago

Rachel and Patrick HugensTo Rachel and Patrick HugensMosquito net: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01ID7E7B4?tag=wimarketinglt-20&geniuslink=true&th=1
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1 year ago

Günter HankTo Rachel and Patrick HugensHi Patrick and Rachel, thanks again for your message. You may be right, it is a bit ambitious to do this in 2 months. As it is my first tour in Africa I don't want to start to aggressive. My new plan (time still 2 months): Start in Lusaka (Sambia), take train/bus down to the VicFalls, cycle through Sambia to the South Luangwa NP and on to Malawi. Following pretty much your trail, but from South to North. Then on to Tansania and Mbeya (heavy mountains..). There it is possible to take the train (TARAZA) to the east (Daressalam). I checked with TARAZA people, they accept bicycles on this train. Maybe I drop off before Dar and go north to Arusha/Lushoto. The return flight should be from Sansibar (Emirates). Here my questions: 1)What do you think about this plan? 2) Did you take a water filter for water purification with you? 3)I saw in your day-to-day reports that there were quite some flat tyres. Would you recommend to go tubeless? Thanks again for your guidance.
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1 year ago

Rachel and Patrick Hugens That is a good plan, you will enjoy Zambia and Malawi. Southern Tanzania is mountainous and beautiful with tea plantations. Definitely carry a waterfilter, there are many wells to pump water from, but it is better to filter it or tap water (in towns) before drinking. We did get quite a few flats, but I think it was because our tires were getting old by then. There are a lot of thorny plants in Africa. I have no experience with tubeless, but what I understand is that you need a compressor to reset the tire if you ever loose all air. That might be a problem.
Enjoy your trip, please let us know if you have a journal so we can follow you.
Patrick
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1 year ago