Long days on fine African roads, from Iringa to MwanzaAfter arrival in Tanzania from Malawi and a stop in Makambako to get a local SIM-card, it was easy riding on some nice tarmac to Iringa, where I spent the first of many nights in Tanzania in a small roadside hotel with a hair-raising steep entrance 3 meters below street level, a friendly and welcoming manager who did not let me carry any ever so small item of luggage into my nice room, and a bed & bedfast rate of just below USD15. The promised WiFi did not work, but with my new SIM-card (see above) I had fast Internet together with a late dinner - I almost forgot to turn my watch forward one hour from Malawi.

Iringa itself is currently a huge mess with the main road under construction, so I was a bit worried the next morning about the 260km stretch of road to Dodoma - on all maps shown as "upgraded" or "under construction" - but a pleasant surprised awaited me: Another brand new road all the way, with almost no traffic! So I was able to get through this mostly flat part of the country much quicker than anticipated - despite a security stop and red lights on the Mtera Reservoir Dam, a main source of water and power in the region with nice views (see below).

A brief fuel, bank and people-watching stopover in the bustling town center of Dodoma and it was on the road again. This time to Singida, and again it was a pleasant almost new stretch of tarmac with slightly more traffic. Time to sing, whistle, yawn and think of friends and family at home while going 120km/h through the African landscape.

And since I was already in the right rhythm and mood, I decided to go even further: I calculated on the way, that maybe I could make it even to Shinyanga or Mwanza! But that would mean stretching my luck and potentially having to ride into the night - something I wanted to avoid after the scary experience in Malawi and not having decided for a place to stay. So when I got closer to Nzega I decided it was time to stop, this time at a lovely little roadside hotel which caught my eye when I entered the outskirts if this little town.
I asked to see the room, which was clean and with a nice bed (at this time I did not see the blank wires hanging in the shower..) and the price of USD10 for a bed (& breakfast? The lady at reception shook her head and just pointed to the small building a few meters away with "restaurant" written on the doors) was more than okay.

They even insisted I park the bike underneath the awning right in front of the entrance, and after a hot shower (without an electric shock - although I thought I it felt a bit electrified when I switched on the boiler..) I had a nice cold beer at the open air bar also on the grounds.

Nobody understood or spoke more than the bare minimum of english, but I managed to order dinner from the chef, partly with the help of the ICOON dictionary app and with pointing to the chicken or beef meat I wanted to eat which was piled up in a fridge - which might have cooled it, or maybe not..

The next morning I found out that breakfast was actually included - and after a photo session with the two ladies from reception and my bike, I hit the road again for a short ride up to Mwanza, on the shores of Lake Victoria.

Riding: 720km from Iringa to Nzega in 10 hours on perfect roads!
250 km from Nzega to Mwanza, with increasing traffic and some crazy driving
Overnight Nzega: Roadside hotel, of which there are plenty in each town, they gladly show the rooms before you decide to stay.
Weather: Sunny, around 30 degrees, took plenty of water in the camel bag stored in the tankbag for easy access - no need to carry it in a backpack.

African sky at Mtera Reservoir, between Iringa and Dodoma

Covered parking at Nzega