Day 8: Lusaka to Musoro & Pilates for Bikers

Day 8: Lusaka to Musoro

Crossing this line meant 24km of deserted jeep track would follow.

I had been driving the tar road all day, flying past village after village, roadside shops, coal sellers, and fruit and veg sellers, etc.  Despite all this natural beauty, I really miss my wife and sons. I love you 3.

I decided, I am not going to make Nakonde (the Zambian town bordering with Tanzania) today unless I drove through the night (not a good idea). I would only get there by 23:00 according to the Garmin. So I decided, "Let's see something significant." Easy enough right? Wrong....

So I check the Garmin and it says there's a 360 degree viewing site nearby. I head that way. I had to turn off the highway and onto a jeep track. Ok so far. I thought, this must improve somewhere.... Huh

A short break on the 24km route

Supper time

Now, adventure motorcyclists like this kind of stuff so this post would appeal to them. the track got worse and worse in places I went through thick sand and almost fell. By some miracle (let's call it skill instead) I kept the bike up and kept on. It was like a treed tunnel goig somewhere.....ok for a while, then sand.... 2km then .... Sand.... A few more ...... Sand. I was so worried because it was late and the sun was setting. It took me almost an hour to make it to the end of the 24km track, to find the most peaceful place ever. The buildings had no walls. The silence vibrated in my ears. I would camp with an American family with the whole place to ourselves.

Sunrise................

I could rent a mattress and thi k blankets fo the night in my tent, and that included towels (hand and bath) because there was a wood fired shower (with no roof). Wow wow wow.

I will stay here tonight then drive on tomorrow. Hopefully 6hrs after leaving I will get to the border.

19:30 its pitch black here and in trying to cook son pasta on the fire. This place is awesome.
The silence is ringing ringing in my ears. The guards walk with shotguns for wild animals.

Since its 19:30 and my neighbors are asleep already, this is my promised update.  I'm writing this from my camp site, beside my fire, in the most isolated place I have been thus far. So isolated I will probably best be able to describe it with co-ordinates because I don't know exactly where I am.

In the morning i meet my neighbors and we chat. They had invited me for pancakes.  These guys were the real deal.  They had started an NGO and their plan was simple.




They would live with a rural village, helping them change mindsets, improve self-sufficiency, and become sustainable.  Once that happened, they could move on.

What a wonderful family, the pancakes were so tasty.  After breakfast a "gang" of horses turned up and tried to steal the last pancakes and flour. We had to chase them away.

Jeremy, Bethany, Katelyn, Bronwyn from NGO, Choshen

I am so far removed from society tonight that I cannot even get a cell phone signal.  The name of the gem is Mutinondo Wilderness and as their website says"Mutinondo Wilderness is ideal for people who love the bush combined with peace and tranquility. Located in the middle of miles and miles of beautiful Africa, this wonderful wilderness is a great escape and refuge from the pressures of everyday life and reminds one of the true priorities in life."

The developers of this amazing facility. 

I hope to be back in cellular signal range soon.
For recording purposes. .. 431km traveled so far.
Cost: camping = 80 kwacha; bedding 35 kwacha

This place was a real gem.......