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Irishman cycling 12,000km from Cairo to Cape Town November 2018


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I've heard of cyclists take the anti maleria tablets yet they still suffered from maleria...

I don't take malaria tablets when I go to Tanzania... Buy that's inland and they generally spray where I stay.... But..if I do go to coastal cities like dar es salaam I do take. My recommendation is to take malaria tablets... Rather take the necessary precautions. The routine for taking the proper ones is also quite stringent and starts about a month before.. So bear that in mind. And don't forget your yellow fever jab.
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I don't take malaria tablets when I go to Tanzania... Buy that's inland and they generally spray where I stay.... But..if I do go to coastal cities like dar es salaam I do take. My recommendation is to take malaria tablets... Rather take the necessary precautions. The routine for taking the proper ones is also quite stringent and starts about a month before.. So bear that in mind. And don't forget your yellow fever jab.

 

I haven't looked at all the injections as of yet; on my to-do list... I don't like injections so I'm trying not to think of them yet ha. But I know I'll need a good few of them. 

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Hi Tomás,

 

I rode from the U.K. to Cape Town in 2014/15, I was in east Africa from Kenya, then followed much of what turned out to be some of the tour d’afrique route.

 

I had a blog which is still online, www.longbikeride.co.uk

 

Are you wild camping? It’s what I did 90% of the time.

 

Tanzania, local hotels are dead cheap, I wouldn’t even attempt to camp unless caught out, the prices include breakfast for about £5.

 

I’d recommend riding around Kilimanjaro if you have the time.

 

Malawi, nightmare for camping until south of Mzuzu, lots of people. The lakes beautiful, Livingston is worth a visit and a stop at the mushroom Farm hostel. View is spectacular.

 

I crossed into Zambia at chipata. No need to go via Lilongwe in Malawi, I took a shortcut on better road with plenty of wild camping spots.

 

Just north of Chipata, there’s a good lodge, and north of there a camping game reserve where you can see tons of wildlife including leopards. I woke up with a hippo next to the tent, monkeys everywhere and elephants walking by throughout the day.

 

Schools are good places to stop. Ask for the headmaster and offer to show the kids your bike and tells them about your trip.

 

Livingstone in Zambia is worth a stop, depending on time of year you can walk across Victoria falls. Google devils pool, there’s a free one. Easy enough to find if you look at my photos.

 

I crossed onto Botswana on the kazangula Ferry, the elephant highway has nowhere to stop to talk of. It’s a very long day to get through in one. Tons of wildlife again.

 

If you have time, get to Cape Town via the garden route, dolphins, Wales and unbelievable scenery.

 

Use warm showers website.

 

Be open to people, they are very friendly, the less people have the more friendly they were (the exception tonthatbis South Africans, where EVERYONE is very friendly). You get a vibe for bad people. I only met a handful the whole trip.

 

Have a blast!

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I took Lariam, had side effects from the cheaper ones, doxycycline. Being allergic to sunlight in Africa isn’t fun.

 

When there, buy Coartem, it’s cheap, it’s what you will be subscribed with if you contract malaria.

 

If you feel like your coming down with a bad cold, take them, if your better in 24-48 hours it was likely malaria and you treated it, if not, it’s a cold. Was given that advice in Mali by a South African munitions expert who travelled the whole continent making safe unexploded ordnance. It was very good advice.

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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I haven't looked at all the injections as of yet; on my to-do list... I don't like injections so I'm trying not to think of them yet ha. But I know I'll need a good few of them. 

 

Might want to consider the rabies inoculation too.

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Hi Tomás,

 

I rode from the U.K. to Cape Town in 2014/15, I was in east Africa from Kenya, then followed much of what turned out to be some of the tour d’afrique route.

 

I had a blog which is still online, www.longbikeride.co.uk

 

Are you wild camping? It’s what I did 90% of the time.

 

Tanzania, local hotels are dead cheap, I wouldn’t even attempt to camp unless caught out, the prices include breakfast for about £5.

 

I’d recommend riding around Kilimanjaro if you have the time.

 

Malawi, nightmare for camping until south of Mzuzu, lots of people. The lakes beautiful, Livingston is worth a visit and a stop at the mushroom Farm hostel. View is spectacular.

 

I crossed into Zambia at chipata. No need to go via Lilongwe in Malawi, I took a shortcut on better road with plenty of wild camping spots.

 

Just north of Chipata, there’s a good lodge, and north of there a camping game reserve where you can see tons of wildlife including leopards. I woke up with a hippo next to the tent, monkeys everywhere and elephants walking by throughout the day.

 

Schools are good places to stop. Ask for the headmaster and offer to show the kids your bike and tells them about your trip.

 

Livingstone in Zambia is worth a stop, depending on time of year you can walk across Victoria falls. Google devils pool, there’s a free one. Easy enough to find if you look at my photos.

 

I crossed onto Botswana on the kazangula Ferry, the elephant highway has nowhere to stop to talk of. It’s a very long day to get through in one. Tons of wildlife again.

 

If you have time, get to Cape Town via the garden route, dolphins, Wales and unbelievable scenery.

 

Use warm showers website.

 

Be open to people, they are very friendly, the less people have the more friendly they were (the exception tonthatbis South Africans, where EVERYONE is very friendly). You get a vibe for bad people. I only met a handful the whole trip.

 

Have a blast!

 

Wow, thanks for messaging. I'll reply via email.

 

I took Lariam, had side effects from the cheaper ones, doxycycline. Being allergic to sunlight in Africa isn’t fun.

 

When there, buy Coartem, it’s cheap, it’s what you will be subscribed with if you contract malaria.

 

If you feel like your coming down with a bad cold, take them, if your better in 24-48 hours it was likely malaria and you treated it, if not, it’s a cold. Was given that advice in Mali by a South African munitions expert who travelled the whole continent making safe unexploded ordnance. It was very good advice.

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

What kind of side affects if you don't mind me asking?

 

Might want to consider the rabies inoculation too.

 

Absolutely, thanks!

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  • 11 months later...
  • 2 months later...
  • 3 months later...

Thomas is now in Namibia making his way down to South Africa on route to

Capetown due to arrive mid May and as of yet he does not have any accommodation booked in Capetown and will also be looking for as bike box so he can get his bike Back to Ireland.

 

So any offers of assistance would be appreciated, you can message him on twitter or instagram or facebook. I can also relay any offers of assistance

 

twitter feed: @SearsToms

facebook: https://www.facebook...masafricacycle/

Intagram Searstomas

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