Third day on the Liemba: Arrival in Kasanga and trucking to Sumbawanga

September 25, 2015

"I'm feeling nostagic for the Liemba", says Jill, the British backpacker we have shared the last week together with, as we are bouncing around inside the cab of a long-haul truck. To get away from the lake, the road is steep and rough with pockets of the fine red dust. We were able to quickly arrange transportation to Sumbawanga, 100kms away from Kasanga, yet it takes us 3-4 hours to get there. Only the last 20 kms are paved, before then the road climbs over 700 meters, then levels off through a forest briefly before returning to a desolate landscape.

The day started with another beautiful sunrise. The arrival time for the Liemba into Kasanga had never been clear. At breakfast, we heard 9am, then 950am...a Tanzanian in the next door cabin who seemed to be in the know, said closer to 11am. It seems most people got off the boat sometime during the night, the forward deck is almost empty of cargo and people. People begin to line up on the side of the ship, so we move our stuff out of the cabin and reload the bikes. It's noon when we dock.

Only there is no jetty or gangplank...instead, we are tied to a ship that is between us an the dock. So we have to shuttle our stuff up a couple of feet off the Liemba, carry it across the deck of the other boat and then down a precarious metal ladder to land. At the same time everyone else, passengers and porters of cargo, is doing the same. This was a time when it was nice to have Jill as extra eyes to keep track of all the gear. An official approaches Patrick as we are about to disembark on the ladder asking for a port fee. "I'm not paying it! If you provided some kind of service like a gangplank or help with carrying gear, that would be one thing, but there wasn't," Patrick says. "No I"m not paying it", he repeats. The official gives up.

A guy had approached us on board and asked if we wanted a ride to Sumbawanga, and he also ended up helping carry some of our gear. Once off the boat, Patrick negotiated with him and the driver of a large truck a fair price (equal to or less than the bus fare). So within a half hour, we were loaded and on our way. We are very happy not to be cycling this road, the scenery doesn't change much from the hot harsh landscape and the road condition is what other cyclists have described as trying to cycle through snow.

Around 4pm, we are dropped off in Sumbawanga about a 20 min walk to the hotel. Rachel's bike has suffered another assault. Besides all the once clean panniers covered once again with dust, Rachel's handlebar tape on one side is gone. The paint on the bikes are more scratched up. Our gear is looking pretty rough.

We make it to the hotel, arrange for tomorrow's transportation to Mbeya and enjoy a very nice dinner.

Bow of the Liemba cutting through the water.

The boat has pretty much emptied out overnight. Our bikes look rather lonely on the front deck.

Sails are made from woven plastic baggs.

Before arriving in Kasanga, we bring our gear and bikes down to the main deck and re-assemble everything. It is easier to keep track of all our things while they are on the bikes.

The Liemba ties off next to a cargo ship. We need to unload our bikes, hoist them on the much higher adjacent ship, and then down to the dock. To add insult to injury the harbor master (Patrick thinks that's what he was) asks us to pay for the priviledge.

MV Liemba leaving Kasanga without us. It was a great adventure traveling with her.

Bikes are loaded on a truck and we are off for Sumbawanga.

Arrival at the hotel in Sumbawanga. Our nice clean bags are filthy again.

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