Day 375 Swaziland/South Africa 12/11/2011, Big Bend – Shayamoya lodge, Pongola. 42.35miles/67.81km, 3hr40minutes, Av 11.5mph.

Sadly the fans never did succeed in cooling down our room last night and worse still we woke to an absolutely scorching day. The forecast cooler weather has obviously gone elsewhere.

Having eaten a less than spectacular breakfast at the restaurant, we set off into the blazing sun, helpfully assisted by a tail wind. As a cyclist you should never complain about a tailwind, but when it is very hot you get no cooling effect at all if the wind is at your back.

Sweating our way through the thankfully rolling landscape we sped towards the border. Saying goodbye to the mountains has also meant saying goodbye to the spectacular views. For the main part it was very much like riding through savannah again.

A diversion to the slightly monotonous landscape came in the shape of several private game reserves. While riding along one of the fences trying to spot some wildlife, we encountered an ostrich that seemed to think that we were chasing it. It would rush ahead, then stop to check where we were and then speed off again as we got near. Eventually it headed off into the safety of the bush.

The border town of Lavumisa was pretty much like every other border town we have been through. Not a place that you wanted to spend any time, which is why after a cool drink we headed straight through the border. Timing going into immigration just as an overland truck full of German tourists arrived wasn't the best planning. Fortunately the queue moved quite quickly and leaving Swaziland and entering South Africa is simply a matter of getting two stamps.

Back in South Africa, and if anything it felt even hotter. Climbing a long hill from the border was hard work in the heat and we were hoping that we could find somewhere to stay soon.

Having had limited internet in Swaziland (Vodacom has no network), the only place we could find was a B&B approximately 10km from the border. Passing through Pongola game reserve didn't help with any other options as the fences put a stop to any hopes of a free camp. Stopping outside the expensive looking Shayamoya lodge, Debs phoned the B&B who said that they had seen us on the road and would send someone to pick us up. We had been quite happy to ride, but Debs was told that the track was steep and bumpy. Somewhat surprisingly a guy arrived from the Shayamoya lodge gates in a game viewer and introduced himself as Gavin. Perhaps the B&B shared a driveway with the lodge?

Loading the bikes and bags on the vehicle we drove up to the lodge somewhat puzzled as to where the B&B was. It soon became apparent that we were to be staying at the lodge, the only concern was how much was it going to cost! It turns out that the lodge and B&B are all run by different members of the same family. For whatever reason we have been given a beautiful room at the lodge for the same rate as the B&B. Perhaps travelling by bicycle has come up trumps again, we have certainly lucked in with the accommodation!

Since arriving, Gavin has been great; we are clearly a bit of a novelty as most of the lodge guests are apparently old wealthy tourists. We had barely got unloaded before he asked if we drank whisky, saying that he would get a bottle and share it with us tonight. Then after we had had lunch he dropped by our room again to ask us if we wanted a short game drive, as he and Julian (one of the guides) were going down to the dam to do some fishing. At 4pm we set off, complete with a cool box full of beer, for a very enjoyable couple of hours of chatting and wildlife spotting. No fishing actually took place as the wind was far too strong, so we just sat and watched the rhino, giraffes, zebras, warthogs and impala instead.

Having eaten a very nice three course dinner, we returned to the room where we were joined by Gavin and later Julian. It was clearly a terrific night because we ran out of whiskey! The only downside, if we can say that considering our surroundings, is that we are going to have to stay another night.

Day 374 Swaziland 11/11/2011, Ezulwini Valley – Big Bend Backpackers, Big Bend. 64.78miles/103.90km, 5hr53minutes, Av 10.9mph.

Thankfully the hot weather of the last few days had gone this morning and we woke to a grey cloudy morning; brilliant cycling weather! Ending up staying for another night because it was too hot to cycle would have been a bit annoying. Especially when we knew that the concert that we wanted to go to was happening down the road without us.

With a reasonable distance to cover ahead of us, we got ready early, said our farewell to Nigel and the other guests (the ones that were up at least!) and hit the road by 7am.

Today's road was just what we needed, a series of gentle climbs interspersed with some nice descents and a goodly amount of riding on the flat. In truth some of the climbs were a bit steeper than I have eluded to, but they certainly weren't in the same league as the ones we had previously encountered in Swaziland.

A combination of the cooler weather and easier cycling conditions meant that we were making excellent progress. It was a good way to remind ourselves that we could put in the distance if we needed to.

The locals that we encountered along the road today were a bit of a mixed bunch. Generally we have found that you have to wave or speak first, but that doesn't always guarantee a response. When we stopped for a drink at a small supermarket, we had timed it perfectly for the kids coming out of school, not all of them friendly. In fact, when Debs was buying the drinks, some of them tried to get me to go into the shop saying that she needed me, while another one attempted to take stuff from the bikes. Having travelled together for so long I knew that if she needed me, she would have come outside.

We are not in the habit of leaving the bikes unattended. Deciding that I better check she was alright I poked my head round the door and then immediately turned round to see an individual grabbing at my bar bag and then, when he realised he had been spotted, pretending that he was just looking at my map. He then had the cheek to ask if he could take my bike for a ride! Quite how stupid he thought I was, is beyond me. Fortunately our next school children encounter was an entirely positive one. They happily crowded around the bikes and then ran alongside as we headed off.

As always seems to be the case, the last 15 to 20 kilometres were the toughest. Our saddles never seem too bad until the 80km mark and then they just get continually more uncomfortable. The fact that the road had levelled out, went some way to easing the pain though.

Our arrival outside Lismore lodge, where we planned to stay, came not a moment too soon. Sadly the lodge was full and having seen their prices that probably wasn't a bad thing. It did however present us with an accommodation dilemma. The receptionist was great and phoned another lodge for us, but they only had a single room available. Luckily we had seen a sign, somewhat unexpectedly, for a backpackers place near the lodge. The receptionist wasn't sure what the situation was with the backpackers, but contacted someone who came to meet us. We were then taken up to see what is essentially a collection of converted porta-cabins. The guy who showed us round was really helpful and we were soon settling into adjoining rooms with a shared bathroom. Better still it was at a fraction of the price of the lodge. Our accommodation problems were solved. The only downside is that they are extremely hot and the fans are struggling to make much of an impact on the temperature. Still every cloud; the lodge's bar is lovely and cool and the beer is even colder!

Having had a nice, but in my case quite spicy, dinner we headed back to the rooms for an early night. We will be back in South Africa tomorrow and have another longish day ahead of us. Fingers crossed the weather cools down again by the morning.

Day 372- 373 Swaziland 09/11/2011– 10/11/2011, Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary. A game ride, traditional dancing and relaxing in beautiful surroundings

To say it as been hot for the last few days is an understatement. The weather forecast on the news described the conditions as 'extremely uncomfortable' and that is pretty accurate.

Our game ride through the park was very enjoyable but very hot. Which is probably why the hippos are all hiding in the water or shady undergrowth. As it turned out we were probably lucky to see any at all. Hippos aside, we encountered quite a lot of antelope, zebra, warthogs complete with tiny babies, crocodiles and a variety of bird life.

In the end though, it has just been too hot to stay out. Thankfully the cool waters of the pool have been available or we may have wilted entirely.

The lodge has been a great place to just while the hours away. The gardens are lovely with an abundance of bird and wildlife, including a large amount of beautiful Agama lizards.

In fact if it wasn't for the useless staff it would be one of the best places we have stayed. It seems that the common room area belongs to the staff not the guests, as the seats are normally taken up by them sitting around watching soap operas. The renovations team work for half a day and glare at you if you go into the kitchen area and then spend the rest of the day playing pool. The pool although lovely, hasn't been dredged since we have been here so you have to brush aside the debris while swimming. The whole site seems to be suffering from a lack of a manager.

The situation here is by no means unique, It is something that seems to affect every place where there is no management. Black Africans have a very different work ethic and idea of customer service to we have in the west.

Away from the lodge we went to a Sibacha (traditional) dance show at the main site. It was thanks to one of our fellow guests driving us, that we saw the show at all. Having arranged it with the staff, they went home without leaving the keys to the shuttle van and the evening staff member who was here wasn't overly interested in taking us anyway. The show however was very entertaining and well worth going to.

Getting tickets for the concert on Friday night unfortunately didn't happen. We returned to House on Fire on Thursday only to find out that they had sold them all the day before! Sometimes things are just not to be, so we will be leaving Friday morning instead. It would have been nice to go, but there are plenty of other things that we can do as we head south along the coast.

Problems aside it has been a lovely place to spend a few days. We have met some great people, enjoyed the scenery and of course sunk a few beers.

Unless something comes up, we will be heading out of Swaziland within the next few days and back into South Africa. Our internet has not been working here, so it will be good to get the blog up to date again!

Day 371 Swaziland 08/11/2011, Legends Backpackers – Sondzela Backpackers, Mlilwane wildlife sanctuary. 6.4miles/10.38km, 50minutes, Av 7.7mph.

It was very warm this morning. After a leisurely breakfast we packed up our gear and set off on the short ride to Mlilwane wildlife sanctuary. The ride to the main gate took about 30 minutes where we paid our conservation fee and headed to Sondzela backpackers lodge. The sanctuary is a beautiful part of the Ezulwini valley and the short ride to the lodge was very nice, if quite steep and bumpy in places. Along the road we encountered warthogs, impala, wildebeest, a crocodile and a few other types of antelope. There are no big cats in the sanctuary so riding through is quite safe, although it still feels quite strange being so close to the wild animals.

Arriving at the lodge we were shown round and then went to pitch our tent in the very nice camp-site. As is to be expected by now, Nigel was already here. At some point we will arrive at a lodge or hostel and not find him there. Thankfully after we leave here, we are heading south and he is going north.

The camp-site and facilities are very good, or at least they will be when the quite extensive renovations have been completed. Self catering takes a bit more effort than usual as the workmen have currently removed the kitchen. There is a temporary gas cooker, but the whole area is a bit of a mess. Plus considering the very few people who are staying here it would be nice to know why the fridge is full.

Having got settled, we set off on our bikes to the Malandela complex to have a look round the 'House on Fire' music venue. The venue is about 3km from the sanctuary and is well worth a visit. The building walls, artwork and fixtures are very Gaudi-esque. Unfortunately the concert that we were interested in going to is sold out, which is a shame. Hope has come in the shape of an overheard conversation, where the manager said that more tickets are going to be released on Thursday morning. Having heard this, I chatted to the guy on the way out and he confirmed that there would definitely be 150 more tickets available.

Having had a nice lunch at the complex, we headed off to a nearby Shoprite to get some supplies for our stay here. The supermarket was further away than we had been led to believe, but soon we were heading back to the camp. With the day just getting hotter, there was nothing to do but spend some serious time in the pool.

Despite the less than ideal cooking conditions, we made a nice dinner and then settled in for an early night. Tomorrow we will go for a ride around the park and see what animals we can spot.

Day 369-370 Swaziland 06/11/2011-07/11/2011, Legend Backpackers, Ezulwini valley. Galleries, planning, hot springs and a trip to the cinema.

Despite our concerns about the security surrounding the camp-site we have had no problems. Perhaps there is very little crime in the area, Swaziland certainly seems more laid back than South Africa.

The Ezulwini valley seems to be Swaziland's tourist mecca. The area is filled with craft shops, galleries, cultural centres, game reserves, hotels, restaurants, and a hot spring. Seeking excitement we have visited two of the gallery/craft centres and have bought some jewellery made of silver and giraffe hair and an elephant hair bracelet. The Guava gallery is a quirky affair with a nice coffee shop, although the reason we really visited was to see the Yebo gallery. From all we could find out the Yebo gallery looked really interesting, but unfortunately they haven't fully completed their move to the Guava gallery site so there wasn't much to see.

The Mantenga craft centre which is opposite the hostel is an interesting collection of craft shops and where we ended up buying the jewellery from. I also found a suitably cool t-shirt to replace one of my fading ageing ones that have endured the journey from England.

A visit to the wonderfully named 'Cuddle Puddle' hot springs was a relaxing affair and Debs treated herself to a well earned back massage. The springs aren't up to the standard of the other ones we have visited on our trip, consisting of only one warm pool, but it was still a nice way to soak our tired muscles. To continue the relaxing we then went to the cinema where we watched the pleasantly entertaining 'Tower Heist'.

Tomorrow we are heading off to a nature reserve where we will spend a few days. If we can get tickets for a gig on Friday night at the famous 'House on Fire' music venue, then we will extend our stay in the valley for a bit longer. We are enjoying our time in Swaziland immensely.

Day 368 Swaziland 05/11/2011, Maguga Dam – Legends Backpackers, Ezulwini valley. 41.81miles/67.17km, 5hr17minutes, Av 7.9mph.

One of the disadvantages of staying near the Maguga dam is that we have been looking at the surrounding mountains in the knowledge that we would have to ride over them to get out. The road leading up out of the valley was right beside our camp-site and no matter how many times you looked at it, it didn't lose any of its steepness.

Leaving the lodge this morning, we began the slow climb out of the valley, safe in the knowledge that we would soon be turning off on to the dirt road that would take us quickly to Mbabane. We hadn't expected the climb to go on for so long, 10km later and we were still heading steeply upwards.

Worse still, there was no sign of the dirt road that we had planned on taking. At the 11km mark and still climbing, Debs was pointed to a track by a local woman and told that this was the road to Mbabane. Unfortunately I had already cycled past so Debs raced to catch up. Unsure about whether this was the correct road, we decided to ask some other locals who told us that the road was about 400m further along. Needless to say 400m further there was no sign of the dirt road, but we did find the main road that we had been hoping to avoid! With no choice we carried on and once again started to climb and this continued for a further 10km. Unexpectedly it turned out that we would be climbing as high as we had on the road from Barberton to Bulembu.

With very tired legs and in my case not the most positive of attitudes, we ploughed on towards Mbabane. Unlike the previous road we had been riding on, the hard shoulder disappeared and we were suddenly at the mercy of the thankfully light, although not altogether cyclist aware, traffic. Once again though we had the beautiful scenery for company, which went some way to making us forget our aching legs.

After about 30km we reached the main free-way to Mbabane and happily found ourselves climbing again. Another 6km later and the road finally started to descend, as it turns out all the way to the city. Finding our bearings in the city, we arrived outside one of our potential accommodation options, only to find out they were full. Our next choice turned out to be a long way from the city.

What had started as a fairly simple day, was becoming anything but. Not really certain what to do next, we headed to the city centre to get some lunch. After some food, we decided that we had little choice but to carry on to the Ezulwini valley where there are plenty of backpacker options. Hoping that we didn't have many more hills to climb, we set off and were pleasantly surprised by a steep 7km descent. Before too long we were riding into the valley and shortly afterwards found ourselves outside 'Legends Backpackers'.

As we went to check in, I recognised a bicycle in the yard and low and behold we had bumped into Nigel again! There was always a chance we would bump into him again, but it was still quite a surprise considering the amount of hostels in the area.

After checking in we went to set up the tent in the back yard. Having come from South Africa where every backpackers seems to be in a secure compound, the security in the camp-site seems a little lacking. We are visible from the road, the back gate is open and very low and at night they lock the back door into the hostel. Admittedly we have the combination to the lock so we can get in, but it seems strange that the hostel is secured yet the camp-site is ignored. There is a security guard, but we are not sure that he does much patrolling round the back of the property. Having said that it seems an alright place even if renovations have closed the bar and chill out area. Fortunately as we are only 10 minutes walk from a supermarket, restaurants and a bar, the closures don't matter too much.

Having had a tiring day we decided to forgo cooking and went to the pub and grill for dinner, where we both had an enormous meal. The home made steak and kidney pie that I had was of epic proportions and it was two very full people that walked back to the hostel.

Dinner and the exertions of the day made Debs call it a night early, while I stayed up a bit later chatting to the other guests. We plan to do some exploring of the area tomorrow.