Google Navigation Challenge III: from Cape to Cape

Jan Magnussen · Post by **Rob Dylan** » 15 Apr 2024, 07:58

Day 4 - Michael Palin and documentary crew have left the party.

24 MANSELL has crossed over to Mozambique. No recordings exist from this day.

Shadaza · Post by **Shadaza** » 15 Apr 2024, 12:30

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/RM3P%2B ... ?entry=ttu

The coast of Angola is where most of the people and facilities are, so that is where Shadazy is heading.

It's super hot, but the people are friendly and coffee shops are numerous.

just under 9 hours of driving today to clear all penalties, I feel in good shape.

I'm staying in this small modern settlement of Quibalau.

My two drink stops along the way were a petrol station listed as "A good place to meet friends and have a coffee"
And a mega supermarket. So drinks should be no issue.

NickyDustyOwl · Post by **NickyDustyOwl** » 15 Apr 2024, 15:30

Timestamp: 11:30AM EST, 15th of April

Post by **Frogfoot9013** » 15 Apr 2024, 20:21

Day Four route:
Stopping point: Ngundu Rocky, Ngundu, Zimbabwe
This route avails of the additional minutes I am entitled to per rule 18.

Timestamp: 2024-04-15, 20:21 UTC

pasta_maldonado · Post by **pasta_maldonado** » 15 Apr 2024, 20:52

Timestamp: 21:33 BST
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Pelican ... &entry=ttu

It'd been a tough two days. The blackout had been the worst of it. Apparently, Boris Johnson had caught wind of the endeavour and was using twitter to track down the bus. Probably for the same reasons as our gang of heroes...

Still, nothing a bit of red paint can't fix. A stop at a hardware store in Francistown secured the can, and a few moments later the bus looked like any other traversing the African bush. Twitter had gone dark, but as the sun set at the lodge this would be the last of the group's problems...

Heading into Zambia, Angela's phone was blowing up with twitter notifications. Only this time, it was from an 'old flame' who desperately needed to chat. Unfortunately, the Zambian police at the Kazungula border crossing didn't take too kindly to a coach rolling across the boundary with the driver distracted. Or maybe it was the bomb-based verb choice in this paragraph.

Being pulled over wasn't the sketchy part. That was the group realising they'd not bothered to take out any Zambian Kwacha, clumsily handing over fistfuls of South African rand.

Somehow, the border guards were placated by the cash. Or distracted enough to not realise they'd stamped fake passports. Only time will tell if this will catch up to the gang...

Ducktanian · Post by **Ducktanian** » 15 Apr 2024, 21:10

Day Four One

Well, better late than never.
After arriving at the Cape good and early, I pick whatever junk of a car has been left at the Cape of Good Hope starting point and head to the WeBuyCars dealership whilst the roads are still relatively decent to trade it in for a car that isn't completely trash. Also there's a Burger King there. After refuelling myself, I refuel the car at the nearby petrol station and we are ready for the long drive north out of Cape Town on the N7. I make a few stops and a few local petrol stations and hear rumours of a SuperSpar at Springbok. I have to stop and check it out. Then I see it. THE NISSAN DEALERSHIP. Time to swap to the tried and true Nissan brand. Now I'm truly set. At this point after buying 2 cars, its getting very late and Vioolsdrift Lodge near the border closes at 9:30pm so I do the final hour and stop at the Lodge. Good thing there's a Mini-mart nearby too.

Oh yeah this is the car btw

The image is from the South African Nissan site.

Nessafox · Post by **Nessafox** » 15 Apr 2024, 21:22

Updated weather forecast (this is not the actual rng)

Forecasts (i will add rng results later)

South Africa
Weather (% rain) 2% west 2% east
Political unrest (% of something happening) 0-5%
Lesotho
Weather (% rain) 7%,
Political unrest (% of something happening) 0-5%
Eswatini
Weather (% rain) 44%
Political unrest (% of something happening) 0-5%
Namibia
Weather (% rain) 0%
Political unrest (% of something happening) 0-5%
Botswana
Weather (% rain) 8%, possibly thunderstorms
Political unrest (% of something happening) 0-5%
Zimbabwe
Weather (% rain) 2%
Political unrest (% of something happening) 0-5%
Mozambique
Weather (% rain) 2%
Political unrest (% of something happening) 10-20%
Angola
Weather (% rain) 5%, more than 30°C
Political unrest (% of something happening) 5-10%
Zambia
Weather (% rain) 2%
Political unrest (% of something happening) 0-5%
Malawi
Weather (% rain) 3%
Political unrest (% of something happening) 0-5%
Madagascar
Weather (% rain) 6%
Political unrest (% of something happening) 0-5%
DR Congo
Weather (% rain) 58% west, more than 30°C 9% east
Political unrest (% of something happening) 20-50%
Congo
Weather (% rain) 44%, more than 30°C
Political unrest (% of something happening) 0-5%
Tanzania
Weather (% rain) 52%
Political unrest (% of something happening) 5-10%
Gabon
Weather (% rain) 5%, more than 30°C
Political unrest (% of something happening) 0-5%
Equatorial Guinea
Weather (% rain) 7%, more than 30°C
Political unrest (% of something happening) 0-5%
Rwanda
Weather (% rain) 24%,
Political unrest (% of something happening) 5-10%
Burundi
Weather (% rain) 33%
Political unrest (% of something happening) 10-20%
Uganda
Weather (% rain) 11% ,
Political unrest (% of something happening) 10-20%
Kenya
Weather (% rain) 15%
Political unrest (% of something happening) 20-50%
Somalia
Weather (% rain) 48%, more than 30*C,
Political unrest (% of something happening) 20-50%
Cameroon
Weather (% rain) 8%, more than 30°C
Political unrest (% of something happening) 20-50%
Central African Republic
Weather (% rain) 4% more than 30°C
Political unrest (% of something happening) 10-20%
South Sudan
Weather (% rain) 1%, more than 30°C
Political unrest (% of something happening) 20-50%
Ethiopia
Weather (% rain) 13%
Political unrest (% of something happening) 20-50%

Post by **tommykl** » 15 Apr 2024, 21:36

April 11th

"Did we pay for the cleaning fee?" asked Yulia. The northwestern "style" of AirBnBs had irretrievably damaged the pair's perception of the brand, and the reassurance that no, this place really just is that cheap, was enough to make their day before it had even begun. Given the road ahead was likely to be difficult, they knew that a good amount of optimism was just the ticket to avoiding despair.

Traffic in the city of Gweru was hellish, but nothing to truly worry about, as even with their pending 45-minute penalty, there was vanishingly little chance that it would change their chosen accommodation. As the route began, identifiable roadside attractions got even less frequent than they already were. A couple of toll booths and petrol stations were all that could even be remotely worth mentioning until Kwekwe, the day's second city, where they could stop for a meal at Steers and their 100% REAL BURGERS.

The world brightened up once more passing Simunye Gardens on the outskirts of Kwekwe, with local families gathered to celebrate a happy couple's wedding. Tom grabbed Yulia's hand, softly. The incredibly cliché CD in the car moved to the next song...

There are words we both could say
But don't talk, put your head on my shoulder
Come close, close your eyes and be still

Brian Wilson's croons faded away, but the road kept coming by the dozens of kilometres. The A5 continued north, bringing with it nothing but an army reserve barracks and the occasional chicken restaurant. A few hours in, Harare was just the distraction needed to bring some variety back into their life.

The National Stadium, just opposite the National Heroes Acre, combined to give the first impression of a metropolis since... hell, since Cape Town, three days previously. The way out of town was through the undoubtedly fancier bits of town, the preserve of the few remaining white people in the country and the friends of Robert Mugabe. Accordingly, brush gave way to a bit more forest, a preview of what was to come in the following days.

There was little else to report until the Mozambican border and, truth be told, little more on the other side of it. Some words were said to the effect of "the Portuguese must not have bothered all that much with the northwest of the country", certainly in the region of Tete, but then the city itself approached.

The Samora Machel bridge, named after the country's first president, took the Land Rover across the Zambezi river, ensuring that southern Africa was now behind them. Spars and Shoprites reassured them that this was truly a city with all the expected amenities, which could be enjoyed once stopped. An hour remained on the clock, but with nothing but wilderness and the odd miniature village down the road, there was zero chance of taking it further than the edge of town. The Hotel Natura would be the natural end of the road for the day, barely more than eight hours in.

The Farmhouse, Gweru (Zimbabwe) to Hotel Natura Tete (Mozambique)

8h15 without traffic, plus 45 minutes penalty (35h44 total)
668km (3068km total)
15 dollars, 6350 meticais (£1052 total)

Loadsamoney · Post by **Loadsamoney** » 15 Apr 2024, 21:40

bathplug YEAH MONSTER TRUCKS: Log ???
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/Lavu ... &entry=ttu

DigitDan7 · Post by **DigitDan7** » 15 Apr 2024, 21:51

Day 4: La Costa de Angola

MATEO: Honestly? I was expecting worse from that inn.
ERIS: While the bathroom was... subpar, the beds were acceptable.
AMETH: Don't think too hard about the bathroom & you're good!
MATEO: Okay, route for the day. My original idea was to head to Lubango, then go northeast from there to Huambo.
AMETH: Right.
MATEO: But I started looking into other options & oh boy am I glad I did.
AMETH: Go on...
MATEO: What we're actually doing is heading north after Lubango towards Benguela & running along the coast. We can get a lot closer to Luanda that way.
ERIS: Please tell me we're staying near the coast.
MATEO: Yep! Found a beach resort in Porto Amboim where we're staying the night.

ROUTE:

Start: Pensao Cahama Guest House, Cahama, Angola
End: Resort Casa Branca, Rua da zona industrial, Porto Amboim, Angola
Distance: 836km
Time: 9h 51min (photo was taken before I added the detours)

Stop 1: ShopRite, Lubango, Angola
Stop 2: Tudo na Brasa, Benguela, Angola

Total distance: 3428km
Total time: 36h 49min (+2h 35min delays)
Countries: South Africa, Namibia, Angola

Locale of the Day: Rio Caculuvar

MATEO: This race has been great so far, but imagine doing this with a Raid-spec vehicle from The Crew.
MATEO: And now I'm sad.
AMETH: Why's that?
MATEO: Just remembered that Ubisoft are scam artists who legit took away a game from people who paid the full 70 Euros for it.
AMETH: Oooh, I think I've read about that.
MATEO: It happened in your universe as well?
ERIS: Yeah & I think you'll like how it ends in our world.
MATEO: Continue.
ERIS: It ended up being a landmark case for videogame preservation, which Ubisoft LOST.
ERIS: They were forced to create an official offline patch & several regulatory agencies were created as a result.
MATEO: If this universe's The Crew fans get a W even a quarter as big, we'll be ECSTATIC.

At Porto Amboim:
MATEO: And with that, Day 4 is done!
ERIS: You've really outdone yourself with our accomodation today.
MATEO: Thank you, Eris!
AMETH: Hey Eri, let's go for a swim now!
ERIS: Ame, wait, I'm not DrEEEEEEESSED!!
MATEO: Don't stay too late, we still have a race!

Nessafox · Post by **Nessafox** » 15 Apr 2024, 22:20

The big news on day 4 is that we got a new entrant, Ducktanian, who already did a quite good job on the first leg. The bad news is that Forti didn't manage to start today. However not much is lost.

Tactically the westcoasthuggers are still having difficulties nagivating Angola and are slowly losing their advantage to the Eastcoasters. The eastern participants seem to be stuck in 3 different groups in 3 different countries. And well the monster truck is somehow still in south-africa.

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit? ... 883806&z=5

Regarding the eco challenge (least distance covered), this obviously now goes to Ducktanian, who just joined.

When it comes to most countries crossed, Klon and Frogfoot are ending up in a rivalry that is friendly so far. Both have crossed 5. The last one here is obviously Ductainian who just debuted.

This leg was won overwhelmingly by Digitdan7, who's currently the only one to score points every leg.

25 DigitDan7
18 NickyDustyOwl
15 Kinnikuniverse
12 Ducktanian
10 Frogfoot9013
8 Nessafox
6 Klon
4 TommyKl
2 Girry
1 Rob Dylan

It is to no-one's surprise that he currently takes the lead, especially since a lot of the other favourites have had quite some setbacks today. We have also unjectficications to celebrate for Ducktanian, Kinnikuniverse and Frogfoot. The Brexit bus is now last because they had plenty of setbacks.

53 DigitDan7
45 Aislabie
43 NickyDustyOwl
40 Shadaza
39 Girry
31 Rob Dylan
26 TommyKl
26 Kinnikuniverse
20 Pinkd56
20 Forti
16 Nessafox
12 Frogfoot9013
12 Ducktanian
6 Loadsamoney
6 Nuppiz
6 Klon
4 pasta_maldonado

Anyone can still win this!

Rng for today:

South Africa
Weather (% rain) 2% west 2% east
53 and 28, no time lost
Political unrest (% of something happening) 0-5%
38 no issue
Lesotho
Weather (% rain) 7%,
100, it couldn't be more dry
Political unrest (% of something happening) 0-5%
51 and it is safe as well
Eswatini
Weather (% rain) 44%
72, cloudy but dry
Political unrest (% of something happening) 0-5%
19, no issues
Namibia
Weather (% rain) 0% no rng needed, dry
Political unrest (% of something happening) 0-5%
91, people enjoyed your stays
Botswana
Weather (% rain) 8%
60, cloudy but dry
Political unrest (% of something happening) 0-5%
77, relaxed athmosphere
Zimbabwe
Weather (% rain) 2%
73, cloudy but dry
Political unrest (% of something happening) 0-5%
38 carpe diem

Mozambique
Weather (% rain) 2%
9, dry
Political unrest (% of something happening) 10-20%
51, nothing going on here

Angola
Weather (% rain) 5%, more than 30°C
43, dry, and hot, stop twice to hydrate
Political unrest (% of something happening) 5-10%
Political unrest (% of something happening) 5-10% general Cabinda 20-50%
General 13, you insulted Ricardo Teixeira, their national pride is hurt, but realise he was actually shite. You leave unharmed.
Cabinda 73, If you are that lucky, you're defenitely going to win this race.

Zambia
Weather (% rain) 2%
40, some clouds, dry
Political unrest (% of something happening) 0-5%
31, safe
Malawi
Weather (% rain) 3%
45, some clouds, dry
Political unrest (% of something happening) 0-5%
25, safe
Madagascar
Weather (% rain) 6%
69, the weather is one thing that will remain dry.
Political unrest (% of something happening) 0-5%
77, you wasted so much time here that you get nationalised
DR Congo
Weather (% rain) 58% west, more than 30°C 9% east
west 71, it's humid and hot, you need to hydrate twice, but it remains dry
east 78,well the weather is at least fine
Political unrest (% of something happening) 20-50%
Political unrest (% of something happening) 20-50%
4, Officials are going to check your car, individual rng as to what they found and how much it impacts you.

Random object generator: clay pot

Rng8 @Nickydustyowl has found a new hobby. We're not sure if this is really the right time.

@ Loadsamoney monster truck rng for damage
Chance of hitting something rng: 3%
Rng results: 2, just when he tought he was invincible!
1-20 just a traffic sign, no witnesses
1-40, hits a car, just a scratch, nobody notices
40-60, hits a mirror, will have to get to a car parts store and back to the hotel tomorrow to fix it
60-80, major car damage, will have to get to a car parts store and back to the hotel tomorrow to fix it. Is blacklisted from south-african hotels (you'll need other types of sleeping accomodations)
80-85 It's just a Tesla, Elon Musk haters cheer you on and reward you with gifts and blessings.
80-90 Total wreck, taken to the nearest police station for interrogation first thing in the morning, you have to add this to your route. Still have to get back to the hotel to get your car back. Is blacklisted from south-african hotels (you'll need other types of sleeping accomodations). . Second rng of how many hours you lose
90-95 Major infrastructure damage, taken to the nearest police station, will spend at least a night there. Still have to go back to the hotel to get your car back , you have to add this to your route . Is blacklisted from south-african hotels (you'll need other types of sleeping accomodations) Rng to see how many days you are stuc
96-99 Car gets impounded, rng to see when you get it back.
100 Kills someone, rng to see how many months he'll be in jail.

Rng: 5 Whomever takes the same road after you gains 30 mins because the speed restriction is gone.

@Pastamaldonado leave bus rng for getting stuck somewhere
Chance of getting stuck rng 6%
Rng results 10, your driver skills have significantly improved.
Rng of time lost: n/a
Rng chance of attraction unwanted attention: 6%
4 You are on a telephone with Toto Wolff, you have to temporarily hold the line, theres an idiot in front of your bus, It's Rivers Cuomo blessing the rains down in Africa. You narrowly avoid crashing.

Day 5 is now open, you have until Wedsneday 17th of April 23:59 GMT+1 to post your routes.

Aislabie · Post by **Aislabie** » 15 Apr 2024, 22:42

PREVIOUSLY: PART ZERO (

) | PART ONE (

) | PART TWO (

) | PART THREE (

) | PART FOUR (

)

Day Five

Peter and Hanse's route today:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/GZr3rze1wbJDXKt78 (edited because I slapped the wrong link in initially - this is the one that was shared with Nessa via DMs)

As always, I will get to the narrative later on.

Nessafox · Post by **Nessafox** » 15 Apr 2024, 23:31

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Palmvie ... &entry=ttu

The hotel yesterday was comfortable, the hosts were nice (though a bit cautious considering my police car) and the food was absolutely great. After a good night rest we got up again, we choose for a light breakfast. Not for any particular reason, but look how adorable this is!!! Nyiiii!

Well time to go again with my belly filled. Well so we tought, an angry person was on the phoning shouting german insults at us. Well anyway, we continued. Zimbabwe was defenitely pretty but we realised we were really in the middle of nowhere now. And in the middle of nowhere we found... this turkish restaurant??? It has zero reviews and it's in the middle of a forest. What could possibly wrong?

Well thankfully my breakfast was pretty light. We continued our way. After a long winding drive, we crossed the capital Harare, a big contrast compared to other towns we passed, for certain. We kept driving trough even more middle of nowhere till we reached the borders of Mozambique. Again the guards were pretty friendly when they saw we got a police car. So far nobody noticed it says New York, it seems...
We were aiming for Tete near the mighty Zambezi river. But since we had time we decide to get to a supermarket and a bank. It might come in handy later. The supermarket had mixed reviews, but it'll do. Then we crossed the Ponte Zamora Machel, a really nice feat of engineering there. Interestingly the bridge has a 4 star review, seems you can review everything today...

We still had PTSD of having to sleep at the Satellite dish in the Brazilian jungle previous time, so it's time to face our fears! Well with a different kind of dish, a restaurant. It had good reviews but wasn't cheap to Mozambiquan standards.

Since we're pretend cops, we obviously can't drink beer, so we had a bottle of Heineken instead.
There were quite a lot of hotels in this city, but we decided to get as far as possible. The Condominio Vale dos Embondeiro has good reviews so that's where we'll stay tonight. Some parts were still under construction but the parts that are finished seem to be nice.

Across the road they were waving Belgian flags again... what's up with this guy's popularity? They must have confused him with the racing driver with the same name..

Nessafox · Post by **Nessafox** » 16 Apr 2024, 01:19

As per consequence of rule 18, i have deemed that at this time, Frogfoot, Klon, Nuppiz, TommyKl, Pastamaldonado and loadsamoney have been negatively affected by this, they'll be allowed to add 25 mins to their route today.
*Frogfoot has already done this yesterday.

The participants who stayed close to the Namibian border did not fall under this rule as the time they lost was not due to weather.

There been a problem with @DigitDan7 sleeping at Pensao Cahama Guest House, Cahama, Angola as that hotel doesn't exist on google maps and i forbade others to sleep there. I will not change his points or km's as it doesn't affect the standings, but i'll have him had canonicall sleep at the same place as the other 2 guys over there, meaning he overslept 37 mins as per rng. He can take this penalty today instead of yesterday.

Klon · Post by **Klon** » 16 Apr 2024, 11:50

African rain is bringing out the worst in me. I rang up the organisers, yelled at them in German (which they probably do not even speak), blaming them for "making it rain". I need pills and I need to apologise. Or the rain to stop. Or both. Wooo, the rain has gone away. However, this in turn only led to an earlier issue coming back up. Mozambique's tourism industry is ... underdeveloped. Note to self: ask German politicians for more developmental aid for that region. Took an eternity to find something. Well, time to take a penalty, I guess.

Time stamp: 2024-04-16, 13-39-10

Kinnikuniverse · Post by **Kinnikuniverse** » 16 Apr 2024, 16:11

https://maps.app.goo.gl/MLnp6GFg8SErDpEG8

Cape Town-Norway Cannonball Run - Day 5

Oof, what a day. It all started in my hotel in Benguela, where i met this pimped faced ass named Ricardo Texeira, who couldn't stop bothering me with how he was in Formula 1 as a test driver for Lotus or something. I could tell he was drunk, but still, i asked who he was, since i don't remember seeing him in F1. Eh then started making all sorts of vroom vroom noise in anger before he fell over the balcony and landed into the pool down below. Serves him right.

Anyways, i left for a nice little place called aldeamanto turistico pagasaradanabekdna or whatever. It was near Angola's Capital, Luanda. Driving down the cost line is a lot more fun, lemme tell ya. It actually makes the heat more tolerable.

Along the beaches and the ocean, i arrived at pasagarda with no problem. Its such a relaxing place, lemme tell ya! The staff was very nice, and i have soke really.nice chairs and my room was positioned so i could get a view of the ocean. Here, have some pictures:

oh yeah, that's right, an army of cows ran after me, for some reason...maybe because my Supra is White and they think it's one of their own...

Next up: beautiful Congo. I can't wait to visit the locales that Tintin went to! And apparently, they named their capital after Shinsuke Nakamura's new name for the Boma Ye. Sweet! I did hear that there are wrestling shows in Africa. Wonder if i could find an Indy show over there...

Post by **Nuppiz** » 16 Apr 2024, 17:11

Leg 5: Outskirts of Monze, Southern Province, Zambia -> Gomani, Eastern Province, Zambia

723 km in 10 h 18 mins at 20:04 (UTC+3)

Idk why it says I'm going through Mozambique, even in the nearest point (Luangwa Bridge) I'm still a few kilometres off the border.

Day 5: At the start of the day we were greeted by the pleasant news that the race organisers had granted us 25 minutes of extra time for the day. The initial plan for today was to head north-northeast, past Lusaka and into the more rural regions of Zambia. The first large town we passed by was Mazabuka, which had been our original plan for yesterday had the weather been more favorable. Nothing particularly interesting to report there, just your average large African town. While the railway goes directly from here to the next large town (Kafue), the road makes an odd large curve to the south before going back north again. As we crossed the Kafue River we passed by some waterfront restaurants and bars that looked very tempting, but resisted the urge as it wasn't lunch time yet. Our original plan was to keep heading northeast and directly towards Tanzania, but while looking at a recently-printed map during a short gas station break in Lusaka, we noticed that the roads in the southeast towards Malawi were in slightly better condition, thus increasing our chances of maxing out our travel time for the day. So instead of continuing on the T2 road, we headed on the T4, making sure to refill our stocks in everything as there was a long stretch of road ahead of us before any decently-sized towns. Indeed, after exiting Lusaka and passing Chongwe there was pretty much nothing of note for nearly the next 300 kilometres, except for crossing the Luangwa River near the border against Mozambique. It wasn't until Nyimba that we reached a decently-sized town where we could take a break and stretch our legs a bit. We noticed from the map that there would be more towns along the way, so we didn't refuel our car as we wanted to do it closer to the end point of today. 150 kms further along the road, we reached the town of Katete which we figured out would be the last major settlement we could reach today. We refilled the car and our groceries, and continued on. It was a close call, but just before our extended time ran out we found a roadside motel near the village of Gomani, not far from the Malawian border, and immediatedly headed to the beds after an exhausting drive of over 700 km.

Forti · Post by **Forti** » 16 Apr 2024, 18:06

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Shopr ... ?entry=ttu

Shadaza · Post by **Shadaza** » 16 Apr 2024, 18:28

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/CENTRAL ... ?entry=ttu

Our last day in Angola, a country which has surprised me with its beauty and coffee culture. With starker gaps between rich and poor areas than even South Africa.

First stop for the day was Longa market,

We followed the coast and got a good view of the enormous city of Luanda. Stopping off at KFC

Two chicken stops, (where drinks are purchased!) and seemingly a different world between them!

Here is where I'm staying tonight, it may look like something you'd find in the Korean DMZ, but inside it is actually really nice.

Ducktanian · Post by **Ducktanian** » 16 Apr 2024, 18:51

Day Five Two

After dealing with border post we start the morning heading into Namibia. Its a long boring drive north up the B1 but I'm glad that I can lazily follow the road north whilst I still can.
After 3 hours of a boatload of nothing we make our first stop in Keetmanshoop. I make sure that we're topped up on fuel and stop at the Barrelhouse Bar & Restaurant to have lunch.
Now refreshed, I continue on another long boring 3 hour stretch to Mariental. I park inside the convenient car park outside the local SPAR and head to the coffee shop that's situated inside.
All refreshed again, I continue north to Windhoek when I notice a shopping centre at Rebohoth and decide to stop and take a look around. There's not much to see so I continue north for the last hour into Windhoek.
For the evening meal I stop at Joe's Beerhouse and have a lovely Beef Steak before staying the night at the Londiningi Guest House.

Good old foodposting.

Pinkd56 · Post by **Pinkd56** » 16 Apr 2024, 21:33

DAY FIVE:
It's the fifth day, and my third in Angola - I think I'll be here for a fourth. I feel refreshed having stayed in a non-shitheap, and ready for a long trip today. Unlike a lot of the guys in the race, I had decided a few days earlier to stay away from the coast - and I'm fairly confident this is the way to go. A short trip into Huambo leads me onto the EN120 motorway - which I end up following most of the day. I roll into the town of Quibala - to the Restaurante Benfica for a brief drink and food break - before continuing up the EN120. I take a second break at the Restaurante e Hamburgueria do Pedro Isabel in Ndalatando.

Lucala

I turn off the highway in Lucala, and head up a slightly more rugged road onto my planned destination. Once I get to Negage, I check into the relative luxury of the Hotel Pamplona and am reminded of a dream I had of a Fernando Alonso-ran racing series where the competitors had to compete in a bullrun. It was a fever dream.

I'm not entirely sure why there is such a lovely business hotel in this provincial town - but I'm glad of it. I am pretty sure I'll be out of Angola tomorrow - but I feel like I've got a bit of affinity for the place now. Obrigado.

START: Cáala Hotel, 4HX3+HW2, Unnamed Road, Caála, Angola

FINISH: Hotel Pamplona, 67P7+J9M, Hotel Pamplona, Negage, Angola

TIME ELAPSED (TODAY): 9h46m
TIME ELAPSED (TOTAL): 43h25m

DISTANCE (TODAY):745km
DISTANCE (TOTAL): 3837km

COUNTRIES VISITED: 3

Post by **tommykl** » 17 Apr 2024, 10:36

April 12th

Sleep was not easy. The hotel had advertised plentiful airport shuttles, but it had not occurred to this narrative's heroes that this meant the airport was within earshot. Thankfully enough collective shut-eye was found, and a surprisingly bountiful breakfast was just the first boost of energy they needed to head out onto the road north.

Part way through the previous day, motorways had given way to more normal roads, and the average speed had diminished accordingly. Tete, and its fantastic views of the Zambezi, had treated Yulia and Tom rather well considering, but there was more road ahead. This time, the organisers (who seemed to be following the couple's route one day behind) had confirmed that time lost in traffic could now be banked, and as the move towards east central Africa progressed, this would only prove to become more critical.

Shortly after their departure from Tete, it became clear that despite the road being ostensibly a national one, it was not paved. The surface was good enough to average a decent clip, but self-evidently not as fast as tarmac. It also twisted heavily, between fields and forests, winding its way through village after village only comprising a couple dozen houses and a church (whether it be Catholic or Jehovah's Witness).

300 kilometres had passed before they reached the border to the next country: Malawi. Immediately road conditions improved, though they were still dirt rather than asphalt. A couple more km down the road, the town of Waliranji came with the M12, and the messianic return of a paved surface. The M18 followed, then M1. Villages became large villages. Large villages became small towns. 450km into the day, a stop for petrol and food was finally possible in Kasungu at the Thiwi Stop Over and its suspiciously wide array of alcoholic drinks on sale.

The vibe had imperceptibly shifted from the earlier days of South Africa and Botswana to these roads, in the way that things evolve over time without being noticeable, but which is clearly laid bare when comparing the two back-to-back. There hadn't been a store that could sell road distractions since Harare, and those parlour games had run out shortly after Tete. The roads themselves kept conversation going, in their own inherently limited way.

"I spy, with my little eye, something beginning wi-"
"is it a church?"
"...yeah"

A reprieve from the early effects of madness arrived over 500km in, the Kahingina National Forest providing a 5km straight run through dense trees, punctuated with a stand selling honey, and announcing the crucial upcoming point in the road that is the town of Jenda. Knowing they were ahead of several other teams on the eastern path, and with the Zambia-bound teams unlikely to come via Malawi at all, a brief moment of border syzygy had given Yulia an idea to gain some ground in the country rankings while retaining an advantage overall.

You see, the Malawi/Zambia border is not particularly well-manned, and a side road out of Jenda, towards the northwest, spent a small but non-negligible amount of time in Zambia, in the style of the Saatse Boot. Only adding a few minutes to the driving time, the Land Rover turned left off the main highway, then left again onto said small road. Barely crossed over into Zambia - but enough to register the border crossing - they pulled a quick U-turn and went back on their merry way, all smiles and high-fives, the dread of a lack of entertainment kept safely at bay another while longer.

Mzimba had been their early fallback plan, but the rule clarification and their time credit gave them the margin they needed to push to the next major city. North they persevered, soon rewarded with the striking decor of the Viphya plateau, specifically the Uluru-esque wonder of Elephant Rock. This was the last source of wonder they'd need to tide them over to Mzuzu. Only a handful of minutes remained on the clock when the Freelander rolled up, and with enough lodges lining the main road, they thankfully had their pick. Turning north to keep following the M1 on Lubinga Road, time expired just as they pulled in to the Wakasanga Lodge... just opposed the city's airport.

Realising the airplanes' roar would be combined with a lower-budget aesthetic than the previous few days, Yulia's face took on a distinctly Slavic expression.

Hotel Natura Tete (Mozambique) to Zambian border at Jenda - 8h47 without traffic

Zambian border at Jenda to Wakasanga Lodge, Mzuzu (Malawi) - 1h38 without traffic

10h25 without traffic, including 25 minutes credit (46h09 total)
684km (3752km total)
71500 kwacha (£1085 total)

pasta_maldonado · Post by **pasta_maldonado** » 17 Apr 2024, 17:54

Timestamp: 18:54BST
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/-16.801 ... &entry=ttu

ItStory to come later...

Post by **Frogfoot9013** » 17 Apr 2024, 19:12

Route for Day Five:
Stopping point: Selfmed Guest Lodge, Chirundu, Zimbabwe

Timestamp: 2024-04-17 19:12 UTC

NickyDustyOwl · Post by **NickyDustyOwl** » 17 Apr 2024, 19:50

https://maps.app.goo.gl/c9yYo1nUSAvEVdNe9

Timestamp: 3:48 PM EST

Someone please remind me to get things back on track with Kondo's log LOL

DigitDan7 · Post by **DigitDan7** » 17 Apr 2024, 21:36

Day 5: Bit of a Setback

MATEO: What's the matter, Eris?
ERIS: I think we have a flat tire.
MATEO: Hold up, WHAT???
AMETH: Since when???
ERIS: Does it look like I know?
MATEO: Yeah, that's a flat. Must've happened yesterday & we never noticed.
AMETH: Damnit, we don't have time for this!
MATEO: Okay, here's what we do: I have a spare in the back, we change the tire & leave ASAP.
ERIS & AMETH: Got it!
Half an hour later...
MATEO: Okay, that's half an hour gone from our race time.
ERIS: Can we still make it to M'banza Kongo?
MATEO: Uuuuh... it'll be tight, but I think so. No time to waste, let's go.

ROUTE

Start: Resort Casa Branca, Rua da zona industrial, Porto Amboim, Angola
End: Hotel Perola do N'Zeto, N'Zeto, Angola
Distance: 546km
Time: 7h 6min (+37 min delay)

Stop 1: Miradouro do Mussulo, Ramiros, Angola
Stop 2: Bar de Gosto Mambo do Etoo, Tentativa, Angola

Total distance: 4074km
Total time: 38h 55min (+3h 12min delays)
Countries: South Africa, Namibia, Angola

Locale of the Day: Autódromo Internacional de Luanda

MATEO: We actually stopped very close to a racetrack today!
AMETH: You mean the bar?
MATEO: Yeah, Autódromo Internacional de Luanda. It got a nice bit of investment a couple of years ago & host national races.
AMETH: What about F1?
MATEO: Never happened, although that was the plan back in the 70s.
ERIS: Sounds like a pipedream.
MATEO: It was. Actually, what does F1 look like in your universe?
ERIS: Well, it's no longer called Formula One, but I'm guessing you already know that.
MATEO: Let me guess: Formula Earth?
AMETH: You'd be right!
MATEO: Over here it's a mad Discord server with a BIZARRE F1 alternate history.
MATEO: What's the current season like? I don't remember off the top of my head.
ERIS: Temirzhan Ershin & Red Bull are defending champions.
MATEO: One of the less cursed years, I see.

At N'Zeto:
MATEO: Ok, we're stopping here.
AMETH: This isn't M'banza-Kongo...
ERIS: And we still have a couple of hours left.
MATEO: We're not making it there in time. Not under the speed limit, at least.
MATEO: Damnit...
AMETH: Ok, we're a bit behind schedule. Nothing to be worried about.
MATEO: Problem is, we'll have to stay somewhere in the DRC tomorrow.
ERIS: Oh. Not good.
MATEO: That damn flat tire cost us more than we thought...
MATEO: Ah well, moaning won't change anything.
AMETH: So what do we do now?
ERIS: Well, we're low on fuel, so we'll refuel the car & then maybe hit the beach again?
MATEO: Sounds good!

Nessafox · Post by **Nessafox** » 17 Apr 2024, 22:26

Leg 5 Roundup

Day 5 is done now! Let's see on the map of anything of note happened!

On the westcoast, everybody seems to be doing their thing, but some differences are starting to appear. Whilst Forti lost a day and Ducktanian started later, they don't seem to be a massive lot behind. The latter benefitting from the vastly improved weather conditions.

On the Eastern front, there seems to be 2 major routes, a bunch going trough Zambia, and another Bunch taking the more scenic Lake Malawi route. Old fox TommyKL seems to have the advantage here on first sight.

At time of writing, old Nige isn't to be seen anywhere, which is worrying us a bit. Possibly a technical issue with the transponder?

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit? ... 278126&z=6

Penalty times:
*Klon is 21 minutes over his maximum, this will give him 105 mins less on the next stage.

Regarding shortest distance, Ducktainian and i are still catching up, so that's misrepresented a bit. Forti obviously suffers a bit from missing Stage 4.

1546 Ducktanian
3042 Rob Dylan*
3075 Nessafox
3199 Forti
3225 Loadsamoney*

Regarding most countries visited, Klon remains in the lead, but has a new co-leader, as TommyKl made a lot of progress.

6 Klon
6 TommyKl
5 Frogfoot9013
4 Loadsamoney*
3 the rest

This leg was won by Klon, who is making up for his slow start. Ducktanian and Shadaza end on the same mileage, but Shadaza wins the tiebreaker by submitting his route earlier.

25 Klon
18 Shadaza
15 Ducktanian
12 Forti
10 Pinkd56
8 Nuppiz
6 Frogfoot9013
4 Nessafox
2 TommyKl
1 NickyDustyOwl

Shadaza now takes the overall lead, Aislabie and Girry's drop in form are quite concerning, and Ducktanian shoots himself up to place 11 with 3 stages less than others! The Brexit bus is lingering around in last place...

58 Shadaza
53 DigitDan7
45 Aislabie
44 NickyDustyOwl
39 Girry
32 Forti
31 Rob Dylan*
31 Klon
30 Pinkd56
28 TommyKl
27 Ducktanian
26 Kinnikuniverse
20 Nessafox
18 Frogfoot9013
14 Nuppiz
6 Loadsamoney*
4 pasta_maldonado

There is yet an asterisk to the standings as we lost contact with Rob Dylan

Weather RNG for day 6

South Africa
Weather (% rain) 2% west 2% east, 100 abd 62n dry, no time lost
Political unrest (% of something happening) 0-5%
41 safe
Lesotho
Weather (% rain) 7%,
3 some light drizzle, you lose 5 minutes
Political unrest (% of something happening) 0-5%
52 safe
Eswatini
Weather (% rain) 44%
39, some regular rain, you lose an hour if you pass the whole country, 5 minutes if you barely passe the country
Political unrest (% of something happening) 0-5%
76, nothing to see here
Namibia
Weather (% rain) 0% no rng needed, dry
Political unrest (% of something happening) 0-5%
22, it's gonna be ok
Botswana
Weather (% rain) 8%, possibly thunderstorms
60, dry
Political unrest (% of something happening) 0-5%
31, safe
Zimbabwe
Weather (% rain) 2%
38,dry
Political unrest (% of something happening) 0-5%
55 safe
Mozambique
Weather (% rain) 2%
45 dry
Political unrest (% of something happening) 10-20%
35, safe
Angola
Weather (% rain) 5%, more than 30°C
66, dry, don't forget to hydrate twice today
Political unrest (% of something happening) 5-10%
67, safe
Cabinda 20-50%
39, oh dear, you're in trouble. you get abducted for ransom money. Since nobody who knows you has any money, your kidnappers die from hunger. But you lost 3 days and you have no idea where you are.
Zambia
Weather (% rain) 2%
9, dry
Political unrest (% of something happening) 0-5%
98, things are going suspiciously well in Zambia today
Malawi
Weather (% rain) 3%
75, dry
Political unrest (% of something happening) 0-5%
93, good for you!
Madagascar
Weather (% rain) 6%
12
Political unrest (% of something happening) 0-5%
46, despite the safety, they are very, very dissapointed nobody went there
DR Congo
Weather (% rain) 58% west, more than 30°C 9% east
west: 51, some decent rain, you lose 1 hour, you also need to stop for hydration twice
east: 91 things are dry in the cobalt mines
Political unrest (% of something happening) 20-50% west 73, safe east 80, safe, at least today
Congo
Weather (% rain) 44%, more than 30°C
very very cloudy and humid but it remains dry, stop twice for hydration
Political unrest (% of something happening) 0-5%
72, best congo?
Tanzania
Weather (% rain) 52%
22, some light rain, you'll lose half an hour
Political unrest (% of something happening) 5-10%
17, the tension is clearly visible as you drive trough, but nothing happens.
Gabon
Weather (% rain) 5%, more than 30°C
69, the roads are dry, but...
make sure to wet yourself, i mean hydrate yourself twice today
Political unrest (% of something happening) 0-5%
78, they give you the weirdest looks but overall think you're inoffensive.

Random object generator: computer
RNG: 5 @aislabie will need to buy a computer

@ Loadsamoney monster truck rng for damage
Chance of hitting something rng: 47%
Rng results: 96, how do you keep doing it?

@Pastamaldonado leave bus rng for getting stuck somewhere
Chance of getting stuck rng 56
Rng results 67, you're starting to get the hang of the dimensions of the bus
Rng of time lost: n/a
Rng chance of attraction unwanted attention: 63

80 You're left alone for a change, seems the paintjob is working for now.

@aislabie and @pinkd are sleeping in the same hotel again: exhaustion rng: aislabie overslept 3 minutes, pinkd overslept 35 mins.

Day 6 is now open, you can post until friday 19 april 23:59 GMT+1

Nessafox · Post by **Nessafox** » 18 Apr 2024, 01:53

So yeah, that kebab house in the middle of the forest was a mistake... i'll better find somethng else when i get to Turkiye, if i ever get there.
Awkwardness ensued as i had to call room service to bring me some extra toilet paper. Then i somehow managed to clog the damn thing. But since i'm a hard worker, i helped them unclog. However my appetite was certainly gone so i went for some simple cereals and a bunch of coffees. I left as soon as i could to avoid further embarassment.

The road was similar as yesterday, fairly green with only tiny villages around. The landscape got a bit mroe open as we reached Malawi. But on the last minute we decided to dip into Zambia a bit.

Just like our fellow Belgian competitors noticed, the only thing to see at the road were the churches. There was a bit of competiion between the Catholic and Anglican churches in one village. With the blessing of both Jesus and King Charles , we continued forward! Stopping at the supermarket yesterday was a good idea as there weren't many places to stop for food at the roadside, and we didn't want to bother the locals too much. As we approached Lake Malawi, even the churches dissapeared along our route. Being alone in a vast wilderness was a little scary, not gonna lie. I might have this big tough car and all. But still. We were starting to wonder if there was even a place to sleep here. But thankfully we found the Kasito-1 lodge at just the right time. It was just a camping place, not a hotel, but it would have to do. I did forget to buy a tent, but thankfully the owners provided me a small one. With a lack of proper matress, i had to sleep on the ground. That will prove handy. And right... theres no food here either, it seems i'll have to resupply soon.

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/VJR9%2B ... &entry=ttu

Shadaza · Post by **Shadaza** » 18 Apr 2024, 15:44

https://www.google.com/maps/place/PAUL+ ... ?entry=ttu

Angola roads may have been slow going, but it was otherwise incident-free and beautiful.

I enter the Congo rainforest and it is indeed a very rainy day, but no less hot!

It's slim pickings finding somewhere to stock up on drinks until I hit the busy city of Kasangula and find "Le Bon Burger"

I miss the Angola street chicken already

I was warned DRC could be dangerous, but the way the leg works (more through luck than judgement) I am able to pass through Kinshasa and take a ferry into Brazzaville!

I don't know who "Paul" is in "Paul Congo" but he cooks a good meal, more than making up for the other place

.

The last hour of the day is spent travelling a bit further north to Residence Ikia hotel. I didn't even know the Swedish flatpack firm did hotels.

- Shadazy out.

(South Africa - Namibia - Angola - DRC - Republic of Congo)

Loadsamoney · Post by **Loadsamoney** » 18 Apr 2024, 17:13

bathplug YEAH Thank Jehovah for MONSTER TRUCKS: Log 003

I don’t have time to write much of a log. Unlike the last few days, it’s not been out of being drunk or being depressed, it is out of devotion to the lord. Since my stopping point at Jehovah’s Witness Kingdom Hall, I have seen the light. Praise Jehovah.

Oh, also Ron Burgandy got shot in that national park a couple days back. It is fine however. Since my faith was restored, I have come to realise he was a wretched sinful drunk who is rotting in the pits of hell, so no tears will be cried for him. Still a grim sight though, I mean it’s not very nice to see a man get shot, but Jehovah has assured me it will be ok. I must get back to praying.

Wait, when did this become kilometres? I won’t complain, but when… MAYBE JEHOVAH DID IT OH MY GOSH THE LORD REALLY IS WITH ME

(just saying this is a joke to prevent me from going to hell. i mean it won’t help but it’s the thought that counts. Also I don’t even know if what I’m writing is in any way accurate to these people, I’ll research tomorrow or something)

Post by **Nuppiz** » 18 Apr 2024, 18:18

Leg 6: Gomani, Eastern Province, Zambia -> Karonga, Northern Region, Malawi

651 km in 9 h 46 min without traffic (with traffic at 21:16 UTC+3: 9 h 51 min)

Ducktanian · Post by **Ducktanian** » 18 Apr 2024, 18:19

Day 6 - Leg 3

Well today was all about getting into Angola so I continued north on the B1.
I knew I would need supplies for Angola so I stopped at Otjiwarongo, firstly at a nice bar, followed by stocking up at the local Superspar which should have me sorted all through Angola and into the Congo.
I then stop at Tsumeb at a nice coffee shop to refresh before the long trek to the border.
Just before the border I decide to check out this Hungry Lion restaurant chain I've been seeing.

Gotta make sure I've got me Chicken!
After crossing the border I make sure I'm fully fuelled for the long journey through Angola.
Finally I stop at a small inn at the edge of Xangogo ready for a long few days ahead.

Nessafox · Post by **Nessafox** » 18 Apr 2024, 18:22

Clarification:
Loadsamoney sleeping location is only allowed if he converts to this religion (only in-game)
Shadaza was close enough to the Congolese border to skip the hydatrion thing.
Ducktanian was required to stop 2 times in Angola, but since he stopped 4 times in Namibia instead, i'll count it as sufficiently prepared for the heat in Angola.

Klon · Post by **Klon** » 18 Apr 2024, 19:29

Äpfel. So viele leckere Äpfel... *sabber*

Time stamp: 2024-04-18, 21.26.47
[/quote]

Pinkd56 · Post by **Pinkd56** » 18 Apr 2024, 20:01

DAY SIX:
I set off from the Hotel Pamplona, once again late due to being disturbed by the Fiesta pickup which seems to be following me across the continent. Before I leave, I see there's a lack of facilities on the road north - so I stop off at the Mercado to stock up on fluids.

I make my way along the twisty road towards the DRC, and leave the Lusophone behind - and after a short stop at customs I'm in a Francophone country for the first time!

I make a first stop at the Jardin Mater Vitae in the city of Kisantu. Not only is it a beautiful botanical garden, they had a café!

A second break beckons, and I stop for a meal at Le bon berger in Kasangulu. This is a quick comfort break, as I'm up against the clock. As my clock hits zero, I manage to find my lodgings for the night at the rather spartan Concession holdings empire. I'm slightly disappointed to not be staying in any of the more business-like hotels in Kinshasa, but this will do.

START: Hotel Pamplona, 67P7+J9M, Hotel Pamplona, Negage, Angola

FINISH: Concession holdings empire, G6H8+6JW, Kimbondo, Kinshasa, Congo - Kinshasa

TIME ELAPSED (TODAY): 8h25m
TIME ELAPSED (TOTAL): 51h50m

DISTANCE (TODAY):496km
DISTANCE (TOTAL): 4333km

COUNTRIES VISITED: 4

Kinnikuniverse · Post by **Kinnikuniverse** » 18 Apr 2024, 20:21

https://maps.app.goo.gl/4zzo7rrvMUmKr3PN9

At long last, i left Angola and i arrived in beautiful...and Rainy Congo!

You know, i'm starting to get tired of coastal views. I mean, beaches and the ocean is fun, but when it's been several days of that, you'd like to see shitholes, occasionally. My first stop at N'Zeto, though, allowed me to refresh at a nice little alcoholic bar named Ativieto porco or soemthing like that. Their virgin caesar tasted really good, but yeah, i'm tired of Angola.

And its with that mindset that i traveled east towards the Congolese border. Oh god, i'm so excited! Tintin in Congo made me interested in Africa, and hopefully, i'll get to see lots of gorilals and take part in a safari over there! Plus, i would finally.speka french!

But first off, i was thristy, so.i stopped at a gas station in Mbanza-Kongo to drink some water. I was starting to run low on water. Hopefully, at the congolese border, there is some duty-free cases of 24...

Mbanza-Kongo is actually pretty interesting. Apparently, it was the old capital of the original kingdom of Congo. Wonder what happened to turn it into three countries...it's always weird when countries are split. Why can't we be united?

Anyways, i found some ruins of this ancient civilization around town:

Man, it's crazy. To think such primitive tribes and civilisation were able to forge a decent life for themselves...makes you wonder what would happen if our ancestors left them and the indians alone, if they would be able to progress to modernity on their own...

As i went to the border, it started to rain. Nad by rainong, i meant by alot! The rural roads still offered some.nice views, and what the bathplug, how are the cows still running after me? Are they cows disguised as lions??

I finally shook them off...or.maybe because the congolese border patrol fired duds at them to scare them away, i dunno...but yeah, i finally arrived at the Congolese border, where i can finally speak French. The customer, who's name was Yannick, was a nice chap, though he inspected my car thoroughly for what seemed like ages before finally clearing me. I asked him why is there two congos, and Yannick told me "too bathplug complicated, brother. Ask people in Kinshasa."

I made sure to stock up on water and food first at the Boutique Orang Lufu in the border twon on the other side of the border first before going to my destination in Kimpese. God, Congo is so beautiful! The rainforests, the chameleons, all sorts of animals...a shame.i didn't see any gorillas yet, but man, i hope i see some, soon.

Once arriving in Kimpese, i ate some local congolese fish dishes at the NTV Restorent. So weird, naming your restaurant over a japanese TV channel...and not even offering sushi...oh well, it was delicious nonetheless.

hey, look! A Gorilla! Donkey Kong is here!

And so, i slept at the Hotel Dynastie, a nice little hotel complementing the small.town quietness of Kimpese. Next stop: Kinshasa, and beyond.

Post by **tommykl** » 18 Apr 2024, 22:41

April 13th

Day six's early morning brought with it a creeping sense of dread. Almost a whole week in, and the teams weren't yet halfway up the length of the African continent. Not only that, but the boredom of the early roads - briefly transformed into the anxiety of the unknowns of dirt roads - was now beginning to morph into a less well-defined fear. They were still several days away, but neither Yulia nor Tom was stupid enough to ignore the very real threats of some of the countries ahead. It's a strange, inescapable feeling, that. Close enough to the danger to be apprehensive, but far enough away not to get carried through the experience by the sheer power of adrenaline.

Putting aside most logic (as one must to continue pursuing such a folly), they settled their hotel bill and once again headed north. Malawi's peaceful atmosphere had been welcoming for sure. It being the quickest way north was only mostly the reason why they wished to remain in the country as long as possible, and it just so happened the country's elongated shape lent itself precisely to that endeavour. Tom filled the Freelander up with diesel, Yulia stocked the boot up with snacks and a couple of newspapers (entertainment was growing scarce), and they resumed the drive up the M1, past Mzuzu University.

About 85km in, the terrain got far more mountainous, at the very least providing a driving challenge for Tom and some amusement for Yulia, who would lose 25 years of mental age and go "weeeeeeeeee!" every time the increasingly twisty bends in the road were tackled at a fair speed. A good 30km of joy were extracted from this before one final hairpin spat the Land Rover unto the straighter M11 and, most importantly, the shores of Lake Malawi.

The enormity of experiencing their first (though hopefully not their last) of the African Great Lakes brought another silence to the inside of the 4x4, though this time it was a blissful, content silence. The accommodations - so sorely lacking in previous days - were plentiful by the beaches of the lakeshore, but as they had come to expect, these would not be their final destination.

Said final destination for the day was still a topic of discussion at the start of the day, and a stop in Karonga was the final opportunity to come to a decision. They got some food of course, but their eyes were most captivated by the Karonga Museum, exploring the full history of northern Malawi from dinosaurs to modern freedom fighters, via uranium mining. With its own radio station and performing arts centre, the museum came off as the kind of place that had its act together.

In its own weird way, this encouraged the couple to go for the riskier option. Instead of continuing straight north along the lake, they got back on the road and turned west. This move brought the predictable return of mountains and winding roads, and the supply of human settlements dwindled to a measly trickle compared to the heady days of earlier in the day, when it had been a village a minute on the lake. Shortly before finally reaching the city of Chitipa, it was then time to head back north onto a dirt road, and into their seventh new country: Tanzania.

The road turned back to asphalt immediately upon crossing the bridge into Tanzania, and Isongole town spat them right back onto a main road. A quick stop to change SIM cards and scarf down some fantastic barbecued mystery meat, and it was time for the last stretch northwest.

It turned out this region of Tanzania was significantly more crowded than either had expected. Mpemba was already reasonably-sized, Tunduma even larger. The hope was false, and the road quickly revealed the next large city would be Sumbawanga, desperately far away. Road conditions, affected by recent rainfall, was also slowing them down. It would be a close call whether or not they could reach any hotel in time, let alone their planned destination for this scenario. Village after village passed, each equipped, at most, with a school, a hospital and a store, none of them with a single point of accommodation. Laela was an exception, but with more than an hour left on the clock, it was time to gamble and push ahead. As if the shift west hadn't been a big enough gamble already...

An entire university campus passed by, then another solid half-hour of driving before approaching Sumbawanga, and as they prepared to take a penalty for being a few minutes late to the Itwelele Mount View Resort, a sudden sign advertising "Jjeggoen Amaizing Place" stopped them in their tracks. A hidden hotel! One single minute before the deadline! Truly, luck had shined on them today. How much did a room cost? They weren't entirely sure, but hey, beggars couldn't be choosers.

Wakasanga Lodge, Mzuzu (Malawi) to Jjeggoen Amaizing Place, Sumbawanga (Tanzania)

9h29 without traffic, plus 30 minutes delay (56h08 total)
605km (4357km total)
161000 shillings (£1135 total)

Forti · Post by **Forti** » 19 Apr 2024, 00:34

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Caf%C ... ?entry=ttu

Post by **Frogfoot9013** » 19 Apr 2024, 19:25

Day Six:
Stopping point: ANGEL HOTEL: Sakania, DRC

NickyDustyOwl · Post by **NickyDustyOwl** » 19 Apr 2024, 19:47

https://maps.app.goo.gl/Wsv2LY7pRqukYXnr8

Timestamp: 3:46PM EST