The nite out on the road seemed to revive me. I felt real good in the morning and had a great ride back to Mporokoso. On the road i meet some workmen with a broken down tractor. I stoppped as they waved to me, they asked me to tell their boss at the town of their problems. On getting to Mposokoso i found the boss of the boys id meet to relay the message, i also found the correct road and headed to Kasama, a day out but well and happy with my new tyre.

Just before Kasama is the turn of to Chishimba falls, i would come back that way and spend a nite after refueling, cashing up and having a bit to eat at Kasama.

Back at the Chishimba falls i did some cloths washing and viewed 2 of the 3 falls. As has been the case on most of my trip so far i was the only tourist. It makes the camp very quiet but a little lonely. It seems that im a little to early in the year to catch all the tourists that do travel the area.

After another thunderus and lightening full nite i awoke to a clear morning. I was going to be rather lazy and not visit the last fall, im pleased that i did as the last falls where fantastic. So much water, from all angles. The thing about Africa is that the signs, when they exist are generally quite wrong, as in the distance they display. This is quite evident at the falls when the sign said 300mtr, when it was easily 600+mtrs.

From the falls i rode back through Kasama to travel the all bitument road to Mpika. I had some idea that i should find the turn of to some hot springs on that road. It was not to be as i came into Mpika as the clouds took on a rather mean look. At Mpika i hid the bike undercover and sat in the first real bar id seen in many weeks. A great afternoon was spent with the locals drinking and disussing world issues. The rain had come so i felt rather pleased that i had a dry place to be. The day wore on and it was plane to see that i should stop the nite in the town. Just across the road from the pub was a lodge, with reasonably clean rooms and bedding i set up for the nite.

Leaving Mpika the next day i saw one of the locals i was drinking with the day earlier, i asked him about the Hot Springs and he said there just up the road about 30klm. As with the road signs tyhe locals have no idea of the real ditance either. Some 89klm later i came across the turn of to the Hot Springs.

It turned out the Kapishya Hot Springs is one of the cleanest, most lovelyest places ive come across in all my travels. The people where just fantastic, the showers and toilets where like a 4 star hotel and the Hot Srings where just great.
I spent some time in the Springs kicking up the sandy bottom to disturb the worms, then watch as the little fishes feed on them.

From the Springs i contiued nrth. I had to get fuel from plastic containers again and pay rather a lot, by my estimate it came to $2.20 aus. a litre. Later that same day i arrived at the border town of Nakondi.

Luck realy is with me in my life as i had no idea what i was doing other than i didnt want to pay to go to Tanzania to get to Malawi. Id seen a road on my map that went from Zambia direct to Malawi. I talked to a policeman and he directed me to the imigration office. I spoke to one official about the road and he directed me to another. The 2nd guy knew the road well, gave me directions, then said i will need to get my stampout, here and now as there is no Zambian post on that road. That i had done in double quick time, then sent on my way.

The sky did not look nice again so i took refuge in one of the worst hotel/lodges ive come across. It was that bad that i didnt want to sit on the bed or chair. I took out my tent thinking ill set it up on the floor, then i decieded that i could lay out the Fly over the bed and then id feel a lot happier. The bathroom was a bit of a surprise as the toilet was fairly clean, no shower or hot water but i was safe from the rain outside. Id parked the bike in the passage next to my door, all in all we where quite happy.

The next day my ride took me to Malawi via Chitipa. At the Malawi border i was greeted with open arms. I dont think to many tourists use that route and it was rather a novalty for the lonely official. Being the only one there, i was in and out before i new what was happening and at no cost. I must say that the road that id travelled was the worst as in bumps, slowness, and general condition that id used, great fun though.

Karong was the next town on my map, i camped there 2 nites, meeting some other travellers and lunching at a little bar while watching sport on the TV.