Friday, 27th April 2007

In Mbeya

Stayed in Mbeya in order to accomplish some errands. My only bike riding was riding around Mbeya and back and forth to my lodge. The errands included:

1.) Get a new tire for my bike (as the ones that had been sent from the U.S. had been donated to TDA, because we couldn't find them on top of the truck when I left in Lilongwe) - tick!
2.) Do some internetting and blogging - tick!
3.) Make my phone work so that I can make phone calls, as I'm supposed to be able to do within East Africa - NOT tick!

However, while spending hours in the vodocom (Tanzanian telephone network) shop, trying to get my phone sorted, I did become friendly with the fellow who was trying to help. A loudspeaker on a truck kept going by outside, advertising oldies music at the Mbeya Hotel for the next night (Saturday). I asked him if he was planning to go and he said "yes". I said that I'd really like to leave the next day, but that if he insists on not getting my phone to work, then I may have to stay, in which case we may see each other at the dance place.

By the end of the day, my phone was not working properly.

-------------------- TODAY ---------------- TOTAL
Cycled ------------- 12 km (8 mi) ----------- 4,798 km (3,004 mi)
Lift ------------------ 0 --------------------- 2,660 km (1,768 mi)
Total -------------- 12 km (8 mi) ------------ 7,458 km (4,772 mi)