Day 343 Mozambique/South Africa 11/10/2011, Maputo – Kruger view backpackers, Komatipoort. 66.65miles/107.62km, 6hr18minutes, Av 10.5mph.

Getting out of Maputo this morning would have been easier if extensive roadworks hadn't turned the city into a warren of one-way streets. Eventually we ended up riding the wrong way down one of the streets to get to a large roundabout, that thankfully found us back on the right road out of the city. Fortunately there were no further diversions and we slowly made our way through the suburbs and into some of the most boring countryside we have cycled through.

There is very little else to say about the rest of the day's cycling to the border. We managed to avoid paying tolls at two gates, by first cycling round the side and then secondly being shown round by a kind toll-gate operator. Without the novelty of the toll gates there would have been nothing to write about. It has been a long time since we were on a road with absolutely nothing on it. So it was a good job we had enough water and food with us.

The Mozambican border town turned out to be a right dump, so we quickly headed for the South African side. Crossing the borders was one of the most straightforward we have done and we were soon in South Africa, our 19^th country!

There is an immediate difference as you cross the border; it was quickly clear that we had entered a more western, wealthier country. For the first time in a while the road was lined with fields full of crops and agriculture on a commercial scale. When we stopped at a petrol station, the attached precinct had a supermarket, off license, fast food joint and bank. It seems that we are unlikely to go hungry while we are on the road here.

Having got out some money from the bank, we rode the last few kilometres to the town of Komatipoort where we planned to stop for the night. Finding Kruger View Backpackers wasn't too difficult, aside from the fact that we were nursing tired legs.

We are now happily settled into a very nice hostel which has a view over Kruger National Park. It may be slightly dearer than we have been used to, but the standard of accommodation is considerably higher. Having had enough of dorm beds for a while, we have both been heavily bitten by insects (bed bugs?) over the last few days, we opted for a private room.

We have a nice little wooden cabin to ourselves, where hopefully we will catch up on some missed sleep. A lay in is definitely on the cards, but not tomorrow as we have decided, thanks to some persuasion by Dave the owner, to take a game drive into Kruger National Park.