Home » Malawi Mozambique » Cycle to the Summit Part 18 - Lilongwe to Maputo

Rather than take the popular Tete Corridor the team made their way on worsening roads to the Southern tip of Malawi. Mozambique proved much more undeveloped and remote than expected, often in the early days only passing through one small town a day with very limited supplies. But help and hospitality was at hand, from a much appreciated and unexpected source. The Indian Ocean was reached again after many testing days cycling and with it civilization 'as we know it' was slowly restored.

Cycle to the Summit Part 18 - Lilongwe to Maputo

Toby Hammond
2006-06-25 20:20:17

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along a well-graded dirt road. All the bicycle wheels have polished a track, winding its way around the worst of the potholes. It felt quite hypnotic following the path, a bit like running along sheep tracks on the moorlands back home. We camped at the side of a small collection of mud huts, were we feel safest.

Thursday 11-Jul-02 Caia to Road Construction Camp 155 (near Matondo) 72km

We hit the now familiar sight of road works and were allowed cycle on the hard-core surface of the new road that seemed marginally faster than the diversions. Cycling at our own and different speeds, we all missed our turn-off independently, instead following the road works on some new route heading West. Owy the advanced party was informed of our error but was told the road of our original choice was covered in silt and there were unconfirmed sightings of lions on that route. Apparently we had inadvertently all taken the most suitable route and one of the construction workers Freddy further convinced us of this by offering us hospitality in their camp. In fact there was little else around apart from a tiny villages with very few provisions on offer. The South African construction workers' camp was small and Mike a plant engineer gave us our own tent and invited us to dinner. I have never stayed in one of those expensive African National Park canvas hotels but this was probably the next best thing.

Friday 12-Jul-02 Camp 155 (near Matondo) to Base Camp (72 km) 82km

After one of the best breakfasts we have had we hit the road refreshed with complimentary packed lunches and the promise of fresh new tarmac in 30 km and the possibility of accommodation at the village by the next camp, in a comfortable 70 km. I met a South African supposedly walking around Mozambique, Zimbabwe and back to South Africa, but none of the others saw him so I think he must have forgotten his principles and hitched a lift. He was feeling down as because ...