Onwards to Vwaza Park

Heading out of Mzuzu I covered the first 20 km in good time. Flat with occasional hills quickly turning to arterial roadside townships which were handy for on the go food and drinks. The writeup I was following suggested heading for the quiet singletrack making up the settlement connectors without a specific point of entry. I stayed on the more reliable dirt road with villages as waypoints. My target endpoint involved camping at Vwaza Park, which would incur park fees and campground fees. Alternatively a small village nearby would be cheaper, and have at least 1 shop to replenish before a full day in the park, on more challenging terrain. It took some convincing of the locals that this was a better option and eventually I was taken into a residence, which looked like it was once a lodge, and fed a simple meal of rice and eggs and a leafy green side for $10. 1/3 the cost of the mealess alternative. Again local kids were to the fore and after a few minutes were shooed away by my newly (self) appointed local guide. The room was basic, required contortions to get a decent layout on the mozzie net, and was poorly ventilated. Making for a warm night. There was little reason to sleep in, and I got moving the next morning promptly.
Arriving at the park entrance I noticed a letter similar to the neighbouring Nyika Park version prohibiting bicycle and motorbike travel. I could ride to the shabby camp area and camp but go no further. That was a blow. Fortunately the guard let me go into that section without the park charge. I could see how in a camper setup you'd be in for a treat with the lakeside setting. You wouldn't sit out in the ground though, due to the Tetse fly situation. I moved back to the gatehouse, reported a distant elephant herd, which caused excitement and set course for Rumphi. 30km away. The 20km of dirt road slowed a mainly downhill run but I arrived by 11 for brunch . It was Mothers' Day in Malawi which meant as I was finishing my meal, groups of Malawian females were arriving in their best outfits to lunch together, presumably away from the hubbie and kids, neither present. I kept going anticipating a mid afternoon park up with a fair chunk of the distance to Livingstonia chewed up. Lula at a further 45km had a comfortable guesthouse a helpful local had volunteered. It also sat after the 1st of 3 big climbs.
3km after Rumphi the T305 turnoff arrived. This was the old way to Livingstonia, before the M1 and it's smooth bitumen became the main route. It was rough house in many places clearly needing grading and fill applied seasonally. This meant it was largely quiet, although some hardy small truck operators persisted with the route, to the likely destruction of the vehicle. Arriving at Lula the was no obvious guest house so I headed to a civic looking building I failed to register that the cluster of young people indicated school premise, but was quickly infirm they were learners, the regional version of students. A teacher was summonsed and a brief conversation identified I could ride onto the next village, the actual a l purported location of the guesthouse or he was happy to put me up for a night in his on site accommodation. Never look a gift horse in the mouth.Читать далее