When I got to the Thorn Tree camp last night I went straight to the bar for a beer as I had not drunk all day again, actually I had a warm coke in some village. Anyhow there's a guy in the bar in a fancy shirt and slacks and we start yakking and he's from Salt Lake City, with one of the NGO's over here just visiting for a week, certainly no Mormon I come to find out. I showered and came for some chow and a beer and my buddy now has a lady with him at dinner, obviously there on official business I imagined. He asks me if I will be there in the morning and I said no I am gone at seven and he wishes me goodbye and buys me a beer almost happy he is not going to see me again. I wake up at sparrowfart as usual , having breakfast way after seven and then the lady from the night before comes out of his room, soon followed by him, he ducked and ignored me and never had breakfast. He told me that he and his wife paid for a borehole at the school, which is a generous thing to do, wonder if his wife knows he is boring some holes of his own. Since I can't stand being illegal in a country, I went to the Immigration Office, the owner drove me there as he was concerned and was a real help. I explained to the officer that I did not see the border office and no problem they stamped me in. Then my import papers for my bike I obviously did not get , but that is Customs and they don't have an office in Kasama, so after a phone call I was cleared and they will inform the border customs officer. Once again I was legal and heading North to Tanzania on a beautiful tarred road thanks to the Chinese, but it abruptly ended and then on dirt the rest of the way to the border. The custom guy knew all about me and I was gone in no time . The Tanzanian officers were quick , did my Carnet and Immigration , did not need insurance or road tax, nothing, seemed to simple. Going through a small village a cop pulled me over, showed me my speed 41km, and welcomed me to Tanzania and said have a good day and safe journey. Went to the Moravian Church Centre where I got a nice room for $4.34 and dinner was $3.40. Walked around town and had a Tusker Beer at a fine downtown bar , I don't think too many mazunga's do that cause they just stare at you. Anyhow went to bed and and up at 3am, bloody roosters going their gums , can't fall back asleep. After breakfast I headed for Kipili on Lake Tanganyika, 105km North East and only took 3 hrs with 50km of tar and the rest fairly good dirt road. Had a damn milk container break in my top box which made a bloody mess of everything. Campsite is just behind the bungalows on the lake, very , very pleasant. People are real friendly and theyall greet you and then welcome you and then tell you their name. In Zambia they always ask you" how are you ?" The kids don't seem to beg here as much as in Zambia , but the poverty is endless. It is a sad state of affairs seeing this day in and day out , and who wouldn't beg ?
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