The Final Countdown

9 - 14 May

THE FINAL COUNTDOWN!

Monday: 133km From Feliz Unite to Springbok

Tuesday: 117 km to Garies

Wednesday: 162km to Strandfontein

Thursday: 74 km to Elandsbay on dirt

Friday: 146 km to Yzerfontein

Saturday: 91 km to Cape Town!!! THE BIG RIDE IN


Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika! (meaning God bless Africa and the title of our National Anthem)

So as we cross over the border to South Africa, I cannot help but feel real proud and so damn happy to be in my home country!

For almost four months Nkosi Sikelel'iAfrika has gotten me through the most difficult days on tour. Honestly, not really the meaning, because I do not know it, but it is one of a few songs of which I know the words of. Singing it also reminded of home and it sounds so exotic! It also was the reason for me cycling on my own often - well they say I am no Nightingale..

After completing more than 11,000km and surviving it all, we almost died of the cold in Springbok. It was one of the coldest mornings EVER! There were little bits of frost on my fingers as we cycled out of town. (well it looked like frost to me and I am not used to cold) There was even frost on our eyebrows! After about 20km there was an opening in the clouds were the sun shone through and Sally and I stopped for a while to warm up. It was actually warmer of than on the bicycle! I jumped up and down, while Sally smoked a cigarette while walking circles around me.

Then after a few hours it luckily was warmer and we could defrost.

Some say that it was on purpose, but it was really an accident.
20km from Garies, I thought that maybe I have left my tent in the campsite in Garies. As Sharita passed me in the landrover, I stopped her and asked if they saw it maybe. After she called both the trucks and no one knew anything about it, she turned around and went back to the camp to look for the tent. Her words were of course: " Sure Marelie, I will gladly go and check for you" hehehe... Just the opposite with a few other friendly words

After so much cycling the 162km of the day did not sound like a big deal to me. But in the afternoon I was cycling in a very strong head wind and the time was ticking by. After loads of stops and partying along the way - I only reached the camp after 17:00.

What a beautiful site - Strandfontein is just amazing

Carrie joined me for a dip in the COLD atlantic ocean and as the sun set - we ran in like crazy people. Just before our little adventure, Sharita pushed her cell phone in my ear - telling me someone wants to talk to me. I thought it was our local paper and joked around. It turned out to be someone from Cape Talk.. hope there was not a lot of listeners that afternoon - at least not ones that know me.

Oh yes and the tent : well after my swim and an ice cold shower, Ram, my hero, had picked up the tent in Garies and put it in a spare locker for me. I was very grateful! Even if I had to pitch the damn thing in the dark AGAIN..

Our second last day was loads of fun. Alice and Carrie came with me to visit my aunt in Dwarskersbos, which was on route, just after Elandsbay. She made us tea in proper cups and served Chocolate Cake, Apple pie and Milk tart!

My friend Leon tells the story better from here: http://occasionaladventuresinalcohol.blogspot.com/2011/05/inadequate.html

The last day I felt very excited, but also a bit sad. To end of such an amazing journey and say good buy to all these amazing people I shared so much with.

We were joined by local riders from Cape Town at Kreft Bay after which we cycled on the new bicycle lanes into the city. At the civic centre we were joined by more riders, skateboarders etc! It was chaotic and loads of fun taking over the city.

The final ceremony was at the Ecopark next to the Green point Stadium.


-- the End --

The South Africans are home!

Fun along the way. We were shooting stones with Carrie's slingshot (no - I do not know why she had one)

Into the cold we ride from Springbok

Last dirt road

Carrie and me after our swim at Strandfontein

Pajero - our Lunch truck driver

All the riders infront of the Civic Centre in Cape Town. Here we met up with the second group of local riders

My family made me a banner!

The girls on tour

Beautiful Strandfontein

Me, Alice and Liam on our detour to Langebaan, my home town

And now? That is a question I do not know the answer of yet myself.

As an, ex-lab tech for nine years, now housewife-with-2-degrees for two years, this was the most exciting thing I have done - EVER.

Looking at adventurists who cycle through Africa on their own every year and now Yolandi Rust (yolandi-rust.blogspot.com) who will be the first women to circumnavigate Africa on her bicycle, our supported tour of four months is probable not that hard core... but for me it was a great experience and accomplishment! I pushed myself to the limit and saw what I can achieve on my own.

What I do have - is definitely the best husband in the world and I am very thankful for him making this incredible journey possible for me!

Wet Namibia

29 April – 2 May


Friday: 114km to Weissenfels

Saturday: 124km to Solitaire

Sunday: 83km to Sesriem

Monday: Rest day at Sesriem



Namibia is just amazing! It is really beautiful to cycle through this amazing scenery.

So far we had loads of rain – which is very abnormal for this “desert”. The red dunes of Sossusvlei are actually green. The dirt roads are a bit trickier to cycle on after the rains.

At Solitaire we had the best apple pie! Solitaire consists of a shop, petrol station, bakery and a few camping spots.

the girls going naked for 10km

Ram and Aman playing around

at the Canyon

Rain causes MUD!

3 – 8 May

Tuesday: 139km to Betta

Wednesday: 153km to Konkiep Lapa

Thursday: 126km to Seeheim

Friday: 94km to Canon Roadhouse (Fish River canyon)

Saturday: 172km to Felix Unite

Sunday: LAST rest day at Senqu (Orange River)



From the Canon Roadhouse I decided to visit the Fish River Canyon, which was not on the TDA route of the day. The sweeper said that he will not support us, but the lunch truck will wait.

It was a detour of about 26km there and back and then the 172km to get to the Felix Unite camp. At about 13:30 a vehicle was sent back to go and see where I was… I was still about 30km from the lunch truck. They did not want to wait for me anymore and I was lazy, so I went on the bakkie for the rest of the day.

The canyon is amazing! I definitely do want to go back and do the five day hiking route.

From Zambia to Botswana to Namibia

17 – 22 April


Elephant Highway!

Sunday: 81km – crossing border into Botswana to Kasane

Monday: 159 km + 12km -> bush camp had to be moved because there were two lions and a python on the campsite where we were supposed to camp…

Tuesday: 158 km minus the 12 km – to Nata

Wednesday: 182 km to a Bush Camp

Thursday: 136 km to Maun

Friday: Rest day in Maun ;)

Crossing the border on the Kazungula ferry, from Zambia, you will find yourself within a few meters of a common point of the territories of four countries on the same time. That is Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Namibia!

On the road to the ferry, leaving Zambia, we had an interesting encounter with an Elephant. Only a few weeks ago, the TDA owner – Mr Henry Gold was trampled by an elephant in India while riding sweep. He was badly injured, but it sounds like no permanent damage luckily. We were given a briefing on elephants on the road, to not come within 100meters of so from them. Elephants can reach speeds of 40 km/hr! So as a group of cyclists in front of us pass an elephant, he runs out of the bushes with his ears flapping, making loud noises. What was funny is that he then turns towards us, who is about 200m from that point, and start storming…. I was the first one to start cycling in the opposite direction! Hehe.. fastest I have ever gone. He then ambushed the next cyclist who tried to pass also. After about 10min he calmed down and we could pass.

That was also the last elephant I saw on the road, on this “elephant highway”.

The next day in Botswana, Darell, the lion and elephant walker joined us. He patrolled the road for lions and elephants during the day when we cycled and also the campsites. On Monday our camp had to be moved actually – because there was two lions and a python on our site… hmmm this is at least what Sharita told us.

The roads in Botswana are very flat... and very long… and the scenery did not change much.

I really enjoyed it to cycle with Deon. And off course it was also nice to not pitch my tent for a few weeks..

sunset over the Okovango Delta - view from our plane

the charging elephant -as we were leaving Zambia

at the ferry crossing to botswana

Sarge at a coke stop

Deon on the road

first sign showing SA!!

Primitive modes of transport

Amman, Ribca, Ram and CrisP... calling themselves: "Sharita's nightmare". They showed up like this in the camp. Shopping was done in Gobabis

23 – 28 April

Saturday: 157 km – Maun to a Bush Camp

Sunday: 140 km – to Ghanxi

Monday: 207 km – to Buitenpos, just over the Namibian border  TWO HUNDRED AND SEVEN KILOMETERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THE MOST I HAVE EVER DONE IN A DAY

Tuesday: 162 km – to Witvlei

Wednesday: 159 km – to Windhoek

Thursday: Rest day in Windhoek



Deon left this morning at 8AM already. I am on my own again for the last two weeks...

The Sarge also lost his EFI this week unfortunately, because Namibia requires him to have a visa. He is from Trinidad. He now had to go back to Gaborone to the Namibian embassy there and will catch up with us as soon as he has his visa. I feel very sad for him, because he was very determined to cycle everything and now this. We all miss his enthusiasm around camp.

Strong cross and tail winds did not make the 207km day any easier. We made it to camp at 6PM with a few stops to help repair flat tyres and a long stop at the border.

Things have changed so much now. The camp sites are really luxurious and everything you need is readily available. I think I actually miss all the chaos… we are going back to all things “normal”, things we are used to again.

Traversing Zambia

6 – 11 April
Zambezi  Zone – Lilongwe to Lusaka
Wednesday: 152km – Lilongwe to Mama Rula’s camp (Crossed Border)
Thursday: 177km – to Zulu Kraal
Friday: 141km – To School camp
Saturday: 148km – to Jehovah school camp
Sunday: 104km – to Lusaka
Monday: Rest day in Lusaka

So Zambia is really hilly - Rolling hills all the way to Lusaka. It probably makes the day far more interesting, but so much more challenging for me.  On Saturday we, the five South Africans (well originally – Ryan made Ireland his home a few years ago, Andre just returned from working in the Cayman Islands for 5 years, Peter, the wildcat, is an Australian Crocodile Dundee, who moved to SA in 1973 and Deon and me – well we left SA only for 2 years to live in Ghana as expats) met up with the “Three Farmers and a Greek”, 4 men travelling from Cape Town to Cairo on their motorcycles. 

The day actually needed a lot of organizing from Theresa. We all cycled together from the morning, although we never do as Peter and Ryan are normally in the front. Theresa was in contact with the four bikers all day to find out where they were and a few kilometres after lunch we caught up with them. Us five silent moving cyclists with our skinny, Lycra cycling tights with the four burly South-African men on their big machines. We shared some stories of what to expect on the upcoming routes and took some photos. Then they were off on their motorbikes, making a loud noise and like thunder they went off and you could see the envy in the eyes of the guys. Well for a few minutes and off we went again, pedalling softly on our journey to Cape Town.

Lusaka is a very nice city. It is described as “dull” in the Lonely Planet. But it was actually enjoyable to cycle into a clean, tidy city for a change. We even went to see a movie in the Arcade Mall.


12 – 16 April
Lusaka to Livingston
Tuesday: 158km to Oasis camp
Wednesday: 182km to Ruze Chalets
Thursday: 151km to Vic Falls
Friday and Saturday: Rest days at the Vic Falls

From Lusaka the roads are very flat. So it looks like it is going to be like this all the way to Windhoek. The landscape changed again from luscious forest to more open bush lands.  In Livingston we are staying here at the Waterfront Chalets. It is amazing and right on the Zambezi River.  Yesterday morning we went canoeing for the morning down the River. This time of year after the rain season, the river is very full. So the white water rafting is not done, because of the high level of water. We canoed over the rapids and it was only little movements in the water. We were put in the water in 2 person inflatable canoes, 30min’s drive from our Hotel. Then we drifted down the river for 15km’s. Our morning was blessed with a group of elephants on the banks of the river, lying against the bank and rolling in the sand. In the afternoon we visited the falls. We were sprayed with water and  got completely wet! It was amazing, something like 500 mil litres of water flow over the falls per minute!

Destination Lilongwe

19 – 27 March
Arusha to Mbeya
Saturday: To Maguga, 142km on paved road
Sunday: To Katesh 95km, beginning of dirt road
Monday - Friday: 121, 107, 114, 124, and 124 km dirt to Mangalosi
Saturday:  111km dirt to Mbeya from 1265 m to 2961m at the highest point to end at 2470m
Sunday: Rest day in Mbeya

This was definitely one of the hardest sections of the tour so far, but also my favourite one!  It started off really good with paved road, but where the Shwalbe Marathon PLUS MTB knobblies handle very well on the dirt and mud, they stuck to the tar – requiring more effort with every pedal.  I brought with me only this one pair of off-road 2.1 inch tyres. After the lava rock days in Northern Kenya most of the knobblies was cut off and the blue layer of puncture protection was showing. I continued cycling with this pair of tyres throughout this whole section without any problems. I did also put a layer of puncture protection in. (plastic liners)

On the second day we started with the dirt roads and also the rain started pouring down – heavily! This made the dirt road even more challenging, but at the same time it was loads of fun sliding around in the mud!  We completed the day all wet and dirty. The locals sheltering from the rains seemed very amused by us “mzungu’s”* racing by on our bikes and funny latex gear.

At camp the rain did not stay away and we all stood under the tarps of the trucks having dinner.  I learned a valuable lesson about the ground sail under my tent: It must be smaller than the tent; otherwise if it sticks out on the sides, the water will flow in between the sail and the tent and come into your tent from the bottom! This will cause you to lie in a puddle and your clothes and back to get very wet…

Every day we cycled in the most amazing sceneries – like the Africa of your dreams would look like! Dirt roads, luscious plant growth, friendly local people who work on their farm lands.  Apparently there are not a lot of these roads left in East Africa.  Unfortunately it seems like the Chinese are tarring every road…

The last day was very challenging over a big distance and climbing so much. I cycled until 17:40! Arriving in Mbeya, tired and finished, Alice luckily already organized a hotel room for us at the Livingstone Hotel.  The Doctor was not in.

28 March – 5 April
Malawi Gin – Mbeya to Lilongwe
Monday – 128km
Tuesday – 123km to Chitimba beach camp
Wednesday – rest day in Chitimba
Thursday – 135km to Mzuza
Friday – 125km to Luviri
Saturday – 109km to Kasungu
Sunday – 130km to Lilongwe
Monday and Tuesday – Rest days in Lilongwe

On Monday, Deon (my husband) joined me. He will be cycling from Lilongwe to Windhoek with me. Already he has cleaned my bike “properly” – as my efforts of yesterday did not make his standard… He also fitted my tyres the right way, as I did it with the arrows of the Shwalbe’s showing backwards. hehe Think we are going to have loads of fun!  I also made him shop for 2 hours.  After the 8 very tough days in Tanzania, the 2 riding days and then the rest day at the beach camp was very welcoming! This was a proper rest day – as we lay around all day on the coaches next to the beach with a perfect view over the Lake Malawi with Tanzania on the other side.  I did nothing but read my book, eat and nap.

The rest of the week was tough again for me with a lot of climbs! Saturday was a treat however, with more downs than ups… and I arrived in camp at 11:15 already. Along the road we met up with loads of interesting locals. From the children who beg for money, for “TWO PENS”, a playstation? Then there was Smart, yes that is his name, who explained to me and Beate what the white chip form stuff next to the road is, what we thought are cheese. It is actually cassava that they dry and then deep fry in oil and flour. Cassava is the root of a tree and it looks like a mix between a carrot and a sweet potato.  Also met Benjamin that cycles a “bicycle taxi”, like a lot of other locals.  He has a nice seat with a cushion on the back rack of his bicycle, even with handlebars at the back and place for the passenger’s feet. He asks 2500 Malawe Kwacha (about US$13) for a ride from the one town to the next that is almost 20km.

*what we are called in Swahili

A special team member joins

Tomorrow our heroine will be joined by husband Deon in Lilongwe.  He will be cycling on his own bike, they won't be on a tandem.  All the way to Windhoek (I think).  Will fresh legs beat tired ones?  Will the thousands of training kilometers mean the newbie will be left behind?  Watch this blog for all the details.

South Kenya into Tanzania we go!

 
8 March



115km onwards from Marsabit


The thing about corrugation is that the other side of the road always looks better. You then spend loads of energy to get to that side, just to realize that it is the same and then you spend loads of energy to go back again. The road 100m in front of you also always looks flat… but do not be deceived, when you get there it is still corrugated. If you go fast it is painful, if you go slow it is painful. So I try to go faster to get it over with faster, but I have only so much energy.. .


So hippidi-hop-hop you go all day dreaming of a flat road around the next turn!

Our camp is where the dirt meets the tarmac – what a lovely site indeed!

The local Masai people are dressed in colorful materials with lovely beads and copper headpieces, just like you always see on the Discovery Channel. Although we all wanted photos of these interesting people, we were warned that we WILL be thrown with spears or rocks… I decided that a photo from the National Geographic will have to do. Some people managed some photos for payment.

9 March


158km to Isiolo



A local cyclist racing us



Today we were all shocked by a serious of unfortunate events. A group of local men threw a stone and fired a shot at a one of the ladies in the group. The stone hit her below her left shoulder on her back, presumably to get her off her bicycle and make her stop. She kept calm and raced to get out of the danger zone. It was later determined with X-Ray scan that she fractured a rib, but otherwise was fine. The same group of men also robbed six of our other riders while they stopped next to the road, because they heard the shots and thought it wise to continue in a group. Several shots were fired at them and the one woman was hit with the front side of the gun on her ear. Money, food and water were stolen and thankfully no one was seriously injured.

I missed the incident by probably 5 minutes. I accompanied the injured lady to hospital and stayed with her until the TDA staff caught up with us at the local dispensary. The rest of the people was stopped at lunch and then driven to the end point. Some of the racers had already passed and finished the ride without any trouble.

The feedback that we received from the local wildlife authority was that the farmers in the district became very desperate the last months after being hit by a very bad drought.

climbing lane?? hehe - and did we climb!

10 March


71km to Nanyuki

Today was changed to a non-race day to let everyone relax and cycle in groups to get over the stressful experience of the previous day. The morning had a tough climb over the side of the mountain to lunch. Although the road looks flat, you are climbing! It is very misleading and makes you think that there must be something wrong with your brakes. After lunch it was mostly downhill and a great ride!

 
11 March


105km to Sagana

This morning we crossed the Equator.
 

We are camping at the Mike Sayage camp which is against the river from where white water rafting is done. It is a beautiful camp under trees on grass and most importantly – warm showers and flushing toilets – and yes, COLD beer!
 


Camping against the river



12 March

136km to Naroibi

The last 50+ km was planned to be done in convoy into the city, but after careful consideration by the TDA staff it was decided that because of the hectic traffic and all the road construction it is not safe for us to cycle. Another two overland trucks were rented and we, with our bicycles, were driven into Nairobi. Some people was really upset that they could not cycle, but the EFI status was not effected and the distance must be seen like the ferry fide from Egypt into the Sudan.
We had a feast at the famous Carnivore restaurant for dinner. We cyclists probably had a bit more meat than the average tourist...

13 March

Rest day in Nairobi at the Indaba camping site

Nairobi is a modern African city with big shopping malls and very good shops! It felt great to walk into a normal supermarket where everything you want is available.

Start of MASAI Steppe section

14 March

160km to Namanga

Six sectional riders from Egypt, one each from Germany and South Africa and two from Poland joined us today and were thrown into the TDA with a nice 160km to start with! They all did pretty well with their “fresh legs”.

Cycling on tarmac feels soooooo good! Even thought we had some bad potholes in the morning and cycling next to the road on the dirt was better (ironic don’t you think?)

The 14km cycle out of Nairobi was CHAOTIC in Monday morning traffic with taxis doing what they like and just general peak traffic chaos.

Again we camped on green grass with hot showers and flushing toilets! Things are sure changing this side of the equator!

15 March


118km to Arusha (Border crossing to Tanzania in the morning)

After lunch we had a good climb next to the mountain for 10km. The worst part of the day was again dodging the traffic coming into Arusha.



16, 17 and 18 March

3 rest days in Arusha ;)

Alice and I are sharing a room at the Karama lodge in Arusha. Lovely wooden huts located against the mountain overlooking the town. They have a lovely restaurant and dinner is great with nice South African red wine.

Wednesday afternoon we were picked up by landrovers and taken to the Ngorogoro area to overnight in a tented camp. Canvas tents were pitched for us and mattresses were provided. The next morning we were taken into the crater. It was raining in the morning and very misty and you could not see into the crater, but as soon as we reached the bottom it was cleared and the weather was perfect. Zebras, wildebeest, buffaloes, gazelles, hippos, galore! Then to top of the day, two lions lay in the middle of the road!

We were back in Arusha at about 6pm.

Through Ethiopia and beyond!

22-27 February  Addis Ababa to Aber Minch

Unarmed children

It is 23:00 and everyone in the camp is already asleep. I just backed up all my photos from this section and as I look through them again I feel a bit sad looking at the children. They look so poor and so dirty.
These four days had its ups and downs, with the children and the hills. Cycling on my own through a town, I was hit by five stones at once. The one even hit my brake rotor so hard that it was bent and I had to replace It. Luckily I did bring a spare rotor for the back.

Then at the one Coke stop my iPod was taken from the table in front of me. After I asked around and the young waiter denied taking it, I asked the owner to please phone the police. The waiter took the owner around the shop and he returned with the iPod, so he must have not liked my choice in music.

Bob enjoying the view from our campsite

In Aber Minch we stayed at a hotel for our off day. We camped in the front of the hotel on the grass. The hotel had the best view ever over the lake, but no water and no electricity.  I took a shower under a hose pipe in the open with my shorts and sports bra on.  After a few days of cycling and no washing, it felt great! That water was soon finished too and we had to scoop water from a tank.

28 February   Start of MELTDOWN MADNESS SECTION
Today I could only cycle to lunch at 62km, because of an upset stomach again. During the afternoon I started vomiting also etc.. To be so sick in the bush in your tent is really not nice and I felt very sorry for myself. Never in my life was I so thirsty, but every time after I drank water – it had to come out via projectile vomiting. Then diarrhea and so it continued.  The advice from the medics on tour is to wait at least 2 to 3 days before taking the antibiotics, but I am just so soft… so I started my second dose of antibiotics (Cifran).
After almost 2 months on tour it seems so normal to talk about bowl movements as it is to talk about the weather. It is the main topic over various dinner meals. I will need some adjustment back in the normal society.

1 March
Today I was in the truck. The cycle was very tough and some people finished after 17:00. It was also gravel and a lot of climbing. We are in a little town and staying at the Yebello Motel, an oasis in the middle of nowhere. For only $17 I am sharing a room with warm water and electricity! The perfect place to recover. I slept most of the afternoon.

Kristian and Elvis going down the "singing well"

2 March   126km
The locals from this region are the Oroma folks and are much friendlier than the Ethiopians we have thus far experienced.  We only had an 857 m ascend to do and enjoyed the ride.

Our camp tonight is called the “singing bush camp” as it is near the singing wells. Just before dinner Sam, Kristian and I decided to go and have a look at this singing wells that sound like whales. We found the well, but heard no sound coming from it.. We then made sounds into it and Kristian even climbed down in it to see what is going on down there. Luckily Elvis showed up and explained that the name originated from the women who sing while collecting water from the well.   ughh not the well itself.

3 March    83 km to Moyale – Border to Kenya
Today was the last cycling day in Ethiopia and I was really looking forward to enter Kenya.

4 March   79 km
Today was a “warm up” on not to bad dirt roads. I really enjoyed it and had a great day. After lunch the road was a bit corrugated so I got off and cycled next to the road on the camel path. What an adventure it was! Real mountain biking over heaps, dodging thorn trees, I felt like I was in an action movie!

5 March 84 km
A very rough morning of corrugation, loose rocks, corrugation, lave rock, loose rocks…
I decided to try out the camel path again adjacent to the bad main road. At some point the road split and I took the nice path to the right, because it also had two bicycle tracks on. Then after about 5km on a single track path, thinking I have made the best discovery yet! No corrugation and maybe a shortcut? I had a great time between the trees on the track. I cycled past a group of ladies leading a whole group of camels in single file. They were very amused by my cycle outfit and felt my helmet while I tried to explain what it is for. Then I met up with three local Kenyan men… eating PVM energy bars.  With their Swahili they tried to explain that two of my kind was also on this track and it is not the road to Nairobi – I have to turn around. Eight kilometres later I was back on track. Claire was riding the sweep for the morning and was very surprised when I caught up with her, as she is supposed to be behind the last rider.

Sarge waving good buy to Ethiopia - on the road just before the border to Kenya

6 March   87 km to Marsabit
I thought that the two cycling days in Sudan on the badly corrugated dirt was the worst ever. But in Kenya – lava rock, loose stones and a strong head wind was added!! 
In the morning about 20 cyclists decided to rather get on the truck than have another tough day on these roads, but I decided to try it and see how it goes. It was a very tough morning and after lunch I did about 16km in 2 hours! When the lunch truck caught up with me, I decided I had enough and the thought of a cold beer waiting at camp was just too alluring.

Ethiopia

Internet connection dodgy in Ethiopia, but a mail came through from Marelie. 

1 February

Yesterday we cycled 30km/hr and then 37 km/hr to catch up with a faster group; we then did a few kilometers with them at a good speed of 30km/hr. We completed the day with an average of 29 km/hr. I was exhausted after the day and did not even take photos and decided to take it easier the next day.

Today we also had a good day of easy cycling. On the way, about 10 trucks with army tanks on passed us on their way to the north. We speculated that they must be on their way to man the border to Egypt.

Tonight we once again camped in the desert. The most difficult thing is to dig a hole in an open desert, so you have to wait for the dark so that no one can see you.

The stars are so lovely every night out here, and I even saw the Southern Cross. The Southern Cross in the north?

We are camping near a little town and walked over for a soft drink in the afternoon. The locals are very polite and friendly. Not all of them can speak English. We bought some dried dates at the one little shop and as we came out of the shop a new white land cruiser stopped next to us and 4 Sudanese men came up to us. They were all dressed in the white dress and head banners. The one man asked us where we are from and said that he just came from Johannesburg for a conference, and asked what we are looking for and whether we have been helped. I showed him my dates and he said it looks a bit dry but is OK. This he demonstrated by tearing open my plastic bag of dates and biting into one demonstrating it is good. The other locals then later said that they were government officials

Chef James out did himself tonight again with barbecue chicken, noodle salad and sweet pumpkin – delicious!

4 and 5 February

Start of Section 2 – The Gorge

First 2 days of 145 and 148 km was very hard. The first section was definitely just a warm up.

7 February

85 km – off road – mostly very corrugated

Early in the morning it was already warm and at lunch time 45oC! Cycling on the corrugated road was very difficult and my whole body was in pain. After lunch I went slower and slower which just made things worse and then I only finished at 17:00. We passed two very nice towns and in the evening the minister of the Dinder region came to our camp to bid as welcome. 

 8 February

The off road corrugation and heat of 50oC continuous! I was cycling with a cold for a few days and by now I was so tired, so tired. I cycled all day and only finished after 17:00 again. 

9 February

The day I Lost my Virginity aka EFI status..

I decided to rest today and rode on the truck for a rest. It was very nice to cross the border to Ethiopia early and we arrived at the Ethiopia camp at 14:00. 

Mentally I feel a lot better and think the rest of the tour is going to be more enjoyable again. I proofed to myself that I can get through pretty tough days.

10 February

Today we had a climb of 1200m. It was mostly rolling hills and a very enjoyable ride. So far the Ethiopian landscape is very beautiful and I cannot believe how fast it is changing from the Sudan desert. Tonight we are camping near a village and all the locals are surrounding us. The little children walk around the tents and made everyone a bit nervous. The women are very entrepreneurial and brought beers and Pepsi to us for sale. A lot of people were very sick during the night and there was a lot of diarrhea and vomiting. The campsite looked like a minefield the next morning.

11 February

Today we had a climb of 2200m! The morning was lovely and I enjoyed it to the lunch stop at 60km. Here most of the climbing was done. The country is very high populated and everywhere you see a lot of children. They are friendly and we talked. I could only go 5km/hr at times on the tough hills and then they would walk next to me, push me up while trying to unzip my saddle bag and take some stuff from there, One girl even tried to open my handlebar bag and tried to take my water bottles even. Friendly children. The when you ride away from you, you get a stone or 3 thrown at you. The Ethiopian children are very good with stone throwing – accurate and very hard over very long distances they will still hit you! They are also very good runners , at 11km/hr, they could still easily keep up with me and even op my saddle bag to take my tube.

10km after lunch at 70km I was depleted of all energy and then I let the lunch truck take me the last 30km to Gonder.

12 + 13 February

Gonder – I got the Ethiopia diarrhea stomach thing and was in bed for a whole day.. Stomach cramps etc! Luckily I had a hotel room – and the luxury of my own toilet! Only had to share with my roommate, Alice… shame, poor her!

14 February

15 February

Only one cycle day and then another rest day in Bahir Dar!

Tonight we had a party with the theme: “Where are you go?” After one day of cycling in Ethiopia you will have heard this 1000000000 times! 

Most people got dressed in traditional Ethiopian dress.. Teri as a woman??  Some dressed in SA soccer.. we are going to SA!

17 February – 21 February  Bahir Dar to Addis

Riding days from 167 km to start with to 89 km to climb out the Gorge!

This was a hectic week of hills, hills and more hills – or Rolling hills as Sharita calls them…

The Gorge was magnificent…the view of it that is! We started at 2460 m, then at 48km we descended 1860 m, then at 69 km we started the ascent of 1881m over 20km to finish at 2473 m! That is 13m higher than we started! It took me 3h40m to do the 20km climb! I had a few coke stops, water refreshers and an orange stop in between. The best time by the racers was 1h22min.

This week I was hit by a stone on my arm. The skin was actually broken, although I had a long sleeve top on and the area around the wound was swollen. While we were descending down another crazy hill at about 50km/hr a rock from out the trees hit my arm. The little sh*ts must have been waiting there in the trees. When I stopped, a few meters after the incident – they were already gone. Don’t know exactly what I would have done if I got them. I do have dreams of them bleeding and I get a smile on my face.. 

I think I got the stone throwing under control now – when I see a child with a stone, I point and scream at them and then they seem too afraid to throw! Otherwise if they have thrown the stone, I stop, but they just run away.

The convoy into Addis was a steep downhill. I could not feel my fingers any more after 10km of braking!

We are camping on the grass in front of an old hotel. There are no rooms available in the hotel.. They have been revamping for 2 years now or something. We do have a toilet and a shower that is a huge luxury now.

We also had very good pizza, burgers and fruit juices so far. All within walking distance from the camping are.