“We have to leave early for Catandica. Its a long run, 106 kilometers.” At 07:00 we were at the crossroad to Tete. Perfect overcast weather to spare us the heat, with a tailwind boosting us from the south. We were sure to be in Catandica before three that afternoon.
By 11:00 we breaked for a cup of Rooibos, amazed by the distance we had covered. Sixty kilometers before lunch, forty six to go, hey, easy as pie!
Then came the roadworks and gravel detours, it was a slight delay and it did slacken our sails.
Along came fifty kilometers, no Catandica.
Out came Aunty Garmin which told us we still had 20 kilometers to go, but the map said 106km to Catandica.
Guess what? The map was wrong. The surveyor must of fallen asleep during the 20kilometers of hills and roadworks.
Now 127km is not that far unless you walking, pedaling a bicycle, or a clown on his unicycle. Now because of the advancement of the combustion engine, we really do take for granted the distance. Most towns in South Africa are not more than 60km for a reason. It was the average distance one would travel a day on horseback without abusing your steed. A fact that was mentioned in the beginning of the tour in the Karoo.
Nevertheless, it was our new record distance for a day.
Our hosts in Catandica were Elizabeth Sikoya and her husband Peter. We were treated so well and fattened up on pap, chicken, prawns and the creamiest spinach.
Peter is a farmer and horticulturist. His work is renowned throughout Mozambique and his new project is founded by the government.
He is training prisoners in farming and building in order to rehabilitate them once their sentences come to an end.
They both play a large part in the Anglican Church in Catandica and have a project to help travelers passing through with a safe place to rest. Breakfast was a feast. The first time we had eaten mealie meal porridge on tour. It was so good,only missing ingredient was a dollop of butter,but a good measure of condense milk fixed that.
So now we are on the dust roads north to Tete. Should be a breeze if the maps are correct.
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