After a very stormy night we woke to a cooler misty morning. Aside from the visibility issue it looked like a good day to be cycling. Nigel was up and about before us and said his goodbyes while we were getting breakfast. We may well meet him on the road in Swaziland. Everything was set for a early getaway, until we went to load Debs' bike and discovered a flat rear tyre. I quickly repaired the tiny puncture and we set off into the mist, not terribly unhappy to be leaving Big 5 backpackers behind. It may have been the cheapest place we have stayed, but it was also the least cheerful.
After a rapid 5km descent, we began a long climb through a succession of townships. Despite the cold damp weather, we were soon sweating heavily which seemed amazing considering the temperature. Riding through the townships had the added bonus of a constant stream of people who almost universally waved and greeted us warmly.
As the mist began to lift, we were treated to some beautiful views of the surrounding landscape. Considering the hilly road we were getting along really well, until we hit one particularly steep hill. Fortunately it was only 1km long but it came out of nowhere and was a real struggle to get to the top. From there on in, it was a pretty straight ride to the town of White River. We had originally planned on staying in a lodge before the town, but couldn't find the link road/track that we needed to take to get there.
Slightly disappointed that we couldn't find the road, we stopped for a spot of lunch at a mall just outside White River. While getting ready to leave, a guy appeared pushing a Cotic cycle (one of my favourite British steel bike frame manufacturers) and showed an interest in our bikes. He introduced himself as Matt and said that he worked for a small bike shop that is the only distributor for Cotic cycles in South Africa. Matt and his friend Grant? (sorry if you read this and I got it wrong) were very impressed that we were cycling through South Africa and wished us well on our journey.
Realising that we were only 19km away from Nelspruit, we decided that we may as well carry on and stay there. After a steep climb through White River, the road levelled out and we were soon racing towards Nelspruit. Heading up a gentle climb we spotted Nigel up ahead and quickly caught up with him!
Despite his leaving earlier than us, he had taken a longer route to White River. We hadn't expected to meet him this early, so we decided to wait for him (Debs was too speedy!) and ride into the city together. Riding into Nelspruit was traffic-heavy but pretty straightforward and we soon arrived at Nelspruit Backpackers. Despite having some very nice dorm rooms, we decided to camp. Zip troubles aside, it is about time that we put the tent to some use again.
Nelspruit backpackers is a vast improvement over Big 5. The owner Paul and his wife Natalie are lovely as are their three children, Josh, Leah and Luke, who Debs has been happily entertaining with card games. Plus the hostel is really close to a shopping mall, which makes a change from having to cycle to the shops.
Having got settled in we headed to the shops, bought some beer and wine and returned the hostel. Using the well-equipped kitchen we had a nice dinner and a few beers until we considered it cool enough to go to the tent. There is no real shade in the garden, so we are relying on cool nights to get any sleep. Torrential rain, thunder and lightning took care of the temperature for us and thankfully we remained leak free.
I was just checking you photos and it seems that you bikes and bags all still look pretty new, are you sure you are riding not just putting them in the back of a truck!
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