Day 8 | Ekwendeni to Vwaza Marsh Nature Reserve Distance: 61.3 km | Terrain: Tar then gravel, rolling plateau, reserve tracks Not far in, I missed my turn-off completely and carried on happily down the highway until the map started disagreeing with reality. Had to backtrack close to 5 km. As soon as I hit the dirt, I met Marco, a friendly Malawian cyclist, full of energy and stories and happy to ride together. Then came the mechanical drama. A dramatic impact with some rocks left me with a deflated rear tyre, which had lost its tubeless seal. We walked to a nearby farmer's house, asked for a bucket of water, and sat in the dust dipping sections of the tyre under water until we found the problem. Fresh sealant from my kit, a half-broken pump from Marco, and we reseated the tyre. I gave the farmer all the biscuits I had left as thanks. I said my goodbyes to Marco at the top of the next hill, thinking he wouldn't keep up on his rusted single-speed. A few hundred metres later he rolled up beside me again, laughing. He was absolutely determined to ride with me today. Inside the reserve I checked into one of the old chalets. No electricity, only cold water, cracked floors. But there's a bed, a mosquito net, and no need to pitch the tent. Walked down to the lake to watch a pod of hippos. On the opposite bank, what I first thought was a log suddenly shifted. A crocodile.