Tanzania

Kasumulu, border MW/TZ

Monday, February 25 before leaving Malawi I stopped in Karonga to spend the last kwachas, MWK, by putting diesel fuel in the tanks. I arrived at the border between Malawi and Tanzania at Songwe around 8:30 where I was alone. My passport received the exit stamp and the two vouchers of the carnet de passage en douane were duly filled and stamped. After the bridge over the Songwe River the customs post of Tanzania, here, accommodated me without drum nor trumpets but although I was always alone, waiting was long for obtaining the 90 day visa for US$50, then the filling of the carnet de passage en douane and finally the payment of the tax of use of the roads for two months for US$45 to pay at the bank. I leave the enclosure around 10:00 i.e. 11:00, time zone of the East Africa, UTC+3. But at the gate a guy provided with a red apparatus delivered me a ticket of toll of 10,000 Tsh, TZS, for the use of an end of road crossing the village of Kasumulu!

Mbeya

The road from the border to Mbeya climbs up to +2000 meters high to go down again to 1757 meters altitude at the entrance of the city. As to each entry in a new country I proceeded to the three usual purchases, the SIM card for Wi-Fi, the diesel  full of the three tanks and, of course of the supply in food for the driver. During the purchase of the SIM card a violent storm fell down on the city; I waited in the shop to expect a lull. Between two downpours I found a parking behind a small public garden to spend one peaceful night.

World's End Viewpoint

Tuesday, February 26 I decided to go to see World's End Viewpoint praised by Lonely-Planet. The road curves up to +2400 meters of altitude in tea plantations. The point of view is located on a peak connecting two hills where a large carpark is to bivouac. I settled for one night at 2102 meters of altitude dominating a landscape resembling a spinach dish. At the beginning of afternoon the thunder thundered announcing a storm. In one moment the carpark was in the clouds.

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Nyororo, Lake Nzivi

After a resting night at 2102 meters of altitude I went down to 1843 meters at the edge of the Lake Nzivi by hoping that the rain will not be too abundant making the track muddy. The road from Mbeya to Nyororo is without much interest quite to the contrary, there are many villages which are preceded by three times five bitumen rolls  separate by 20 meters making vibrate the vehicle to announce an elevated pedestrian crossing to take at very low speed. In end of the day I was harassed with this constraint and very anger. I felt sorry for the truck drivers. At all events speed is limited at 80 km/h and in the villages at 50 km/h. The road curving in the mountains the mean speed is lower than 50km/h on the 240 km than I traversed to bivouac at the edge of the lake.

The Old Kisolanza Farm House

Thursday, February 28 I left the edges of the lake Nzivi for Isimila Stone Age Site. It is a deep gorge alas dominated by pylons of electric cables, excavated by the erosion which cut gigantic pillars called chimneys of fairies in France. After the climbing of a gullied and stony track I approached a balcony overhanging the gorge and the pillars; then after a painfully descent I walked on in the river bed twisting between the structures. The river dug a tunnel which I cross with precaution by depositing all my implements. The return to the entry was always carried out while walking on in the muddy river bed. A small museum exhibits artifacts dating back to 60,000 to 100,000 years. This visit lasted approximately two hours. I turned back to install my bivouac in the Old Kisolanza Farm House during two days to have rest this visit at 1662 meters of altitude to make lie the cardiologists but alas to make right to the rheumatologists.

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click on the pic for opening the gallery

Iringa, Gas Station

Saturday, March 2 the town of Iringa did not hold my attention solely to make wash my truck. Moreover the road which goes up to the city is sown with rolls of bitumen which make dance the samba to all vehicles. Who are the dummies who decided this installation. It would be necessary to encourage the bus, truck drivers and other vehicle drivers to be expressed with a yellow waistcoat.

Iringa, Clock Tower	Iringa, gas station

Dar es Salaam

Sunday, March 3 was a long driving day to go to Dar Es Salaam; not having found any bivouac close to the city I stationed in front of the entry of Mercedes-Benz to take appointment to make the routine maintenance of the truck.