Dodoma Road

The pics above show you some of the more torrid stages of the Dodoma Road from Arusha, via Dodoma (capital of Tanzania) to Iringa ... lots of getting stuck for the trucks and lots of cleaning of bicycles every evening.

The roads now are basically tarred all the way to Cape Town ... and quite good quality so far. We have all slipped our slicks/smooth tyres back on and our average speeds and effort outputs have changed considerably. Malawi should still be fairly hilly ... or "rolling hills" - which can be quite confusing if you use that term for both Dutch riders and Canadian riders ... they seem to have different perspectives of that term. Zambia and Botswana are quite flat and in Namibia we will get a brief section of dirt roads again around Ai-Ais.

welcome to Mbeya

We crossed the half-way mark last week ... I was thinking of doing the trip as a Duathlon?
The sunsets out here are absolutely stunning

Hi there all!

Arrived in Mbeya at about 11h15 ... had an amazing ride! Although only 94km today - it ended with a 25km climb ... and what a climb it was! I'm feeling real strong again and really enjoying the riding at the moment ... not that I stopped enjoying it, just that I was real irritated with the little niggles and complaints of my aging body.

The countryside here is very lush, green and lots of wonderful rolling hills. It has been quite a bit cooler over the last three days - a bit of night showers and overcast during the day ... thank God, cause the sun here is real brutal and intense when it does pop out of the cloud cover.

We have one night here in Mbeya and head off tomorrow for Malawi. Friday night we will be on Lake Malawi ... YEEHA ... swimming!!! And Andre will be visiting with half a bike shop of spares for fellow riders and some sweets and newspapers for me. And yes I can afford to eat the chocolates Oli ... I am whithering away here and need to get some fat back on my bones.

Dodoma Road

What a road!!! The road from Arusha south thru the capital - Dodoma - and on to Iringa is an absolute nightmare ... especially in the rainy season. The road is a dirt road, in poor condition and becomes an absolute mud bath when the rain comes down. We were lucky as it only rained the first day and firat three nights ... enough though to make it an intersting experience ... photos at a later stage will show more.

The first two days were real tough going, the trucks got stuck ... real deep in the mud for several hours ... and therefore only arrived at camp real late ... with food, tents, clothes, etc. On the seond day of delays and logistical problems we lost three riders, who went too far along the road and were not traceable on the same day ... they luckily had cash for a hotel (of sorts) and made their way on to Dodoma the next day.

The rough roads have also led to several falls, tumbles, scrapes and bruises. Walter seems to be the worst off with a nasty infection to a wound on his elbow and he is out of riding for a good week ... so decided to take the week off in Zanzibar ... you lucky devil you.

Infections seem to be a big problem at the moment ... lots of infected wounds and tiny scrapes. Basically due to the mud and dirt, us being real tired, the heat and the humidity.

The great thing though is the absolute beauty of the countryside ... Tanzania is lush, green, open, less inhabited than most places on our route, friendly and simply amazing. the roads have been fun ... sometimes less so if you arrive in camp sweaty, muddy and real dirty and have to wash down with wet wipes due to water rashining in a bush camp ... ;-)

Some other little comments:

• The world is small ... Phil came to me the other day and asked "what can you tell me about Naomi Folb?" ... Naomi was at school with me and we still keep in touch. Phils mom was hiking in Scotland recently and started talking to Naomi ... they soon put two and two together and found a common link.
• Trina and Marc both have "HERO" staus on this trip. Trina for supplying M&Ms in the middle of Tanzania, on a hot night in the middle of the bush and Marc for supplying a chilled bottle of 2001 Stellenzicht Cab Sauv on the same night ... awesome!
• I'm STILL real happy! all is well, and looking forward to the weeks to come!!

cheers all and lots of love ... ex-fatty patty

Alive in Iringa

Well howdee all. No pictures this time ... the computers are all a little slow and not too practical.

I'm well, strong and really enjoying the riding again ... not that i was not enjoying it as such - it was just a bit irritating being unwell and not doing what i wish to do. My stomach has settled very well and i'ver been riding very well again ... possibly too well and fast over the real shit roads ... getting some bruising and blood in the urine ... but that seems to be par for the course on this trip ... one ailment after the next ...


We arrived in Iringa yesterday and have a rest day today ... after seven days of tough riding. Iringa isn't anything amazing, and we are mainly using the day to relax, re-pack and major bicycle repairs, ceaning and conversions to tar roads again.

We have crossed the 6000km mark this week ... and have therefore passed the half way mark in kilometers ... yeeha!! BUT ... we only have 39 more riding days left and six rest places to relax in between ... which means an average of 150km, per day from tomorrow onwards ... aagghh ... that will be fun. The roads are more or less all tar - in reasonably good conditions. I therefor spent the morning putting slicks on my bike and had to rplace my saddle and removed my suspension seatpost. The bike also needed a real good clean after six days of mud, rain, dust, bumping. grinding and general abuse!!!

We said goodbye to Eric last week ... he has decided to return to Nairobi, where he was really taken by a hospital and the many AIDS orphans. He has achieved and experienced the most important aspects of this trip and feels he has another calling elsewhere ... good luck Eric and if you change your mind ... PLEASE do come join us for the last section ... we miss you.

We also say cheers to Richie, Donna, Trina and Ruth ... four sectional riders who just did Arusha to Iringa ... you definitelly chose the most amazing and beautiful section on the route ... cheers and keep reading here ...

Well, I'm looking forward to the tar roads again ... they definitely suit me better than the off-road ... although the last few days have been great fun!! I'm looking forward to seeing Andre (my brother) in Malawi in a weeks time ... with all the goodies I ordered!!

Pics

From Arusha onwards

Well I've had a good three days rest ... well, relatively good. Been sitting on the toilet more than the last two months combined ...

I have been able to relax though. The camp has been very pleasant and quiet with a good 22 riders off on the three day safari ... I presume they will be back when I head back to camp just now. Didn't do too much yesterday and basic admin and necessary stuff today.

Tigers!? In Africa!?

Tomorrow we head off on a tough seven day stretch before our next rest day in Iringa ... and seven days of gravel roads - which turn to mammoth mud baths when the rain comes down ... which it will. Two years ago the truck with the rider's tents and equipment didn't make it to the next camp till after midnight ... great. On the plus side though - it is apparently the most beautiful section of the whole trip!!

I don't have much more to say for now ...

No gnus is good gnus

... cause I didn't do too much. Got some sad news though ... one of the (really nice) riders has decided to leave the tour ... can't divulge the name yet, but I'm definitely gonna miss em ... if you get to read this, please consider coming back in a couple of weeks ... ;-)

That is all for now folks ... gotta get back to clean my bike, which has been sitting in the rain and mud for three days!!

Ciao

Ngoragora Crater

I've had the worst stomach runs ever ... still feeling shitty and lost shit loads of weight!! aagghh. otherwise real well and happy.

Here are some pics from Ngoragora Crater.

Cheers,

ex-fatty

Pics

ICE CREAM!!!

One Legged Cyclist

Zzzzzz...

Post Lunch snooze for Patty

Patty's Tent

The Equator!

Photos of Kenya

Party pics from way back in Bahar Dar, Ethiopia

Patrick as the pope and Eric as Patrick FAn and Shanny as Patrick

Several Ps All Round

This is SO embarrassing!

Half Way Toga Party

Duncan, Elaine and Shanny

POK, Wimpie, Miles

Remy and Wimpie

More Pics

Dave

Dirty, tired Chris

Wimpie

The Next Day or So

Well ... I'm going to relax ... trying to find a TV now to watch the cricket and then just chill for two days! YEEHA!!

Ngoragora Crater

BEAUTIFUL!!! The crater lies 180km from Arusha and borders onto the Serengeti. I opted not to do the three day Safari ... firstly I want to do the Serengeti when they have the Migrations and secondly I wanted to rest totally on the second and third days of my three days rest in Arusha.

The crater is from a 2.5 million year old eruption ... the ash falling in a northerly direction scorched and created the plains of the Serengeti. The crater itself is 20km in diameter and several hundred meters deep. A large lake lies in the base covering about 30% of the floor.
There are no major trees and you see animals in pockets here and there as you decent the rough and bouncy roads to the base.

We got to see elephants (only males in the base of the crater ... the females are all up on the rim), buffalo, Gnu, Impala, warthogs, nine lions ... trying to hunt, hippo ... and more. Also far too many Game vehicles ... racing far too fast all over the place.

A thoroughly enjoyable and beautiful trip ... but give me Etosha or Kruger ANY day!!

The trip was slightly tarnished by the drivers really dangerous driving ... four wheel drive Toyota minibus ... fast, overtaking on solid lines, over blind rises, etc and all that with poor brakes ... I did politely explain to him later (after a brief outburst during the drive as he tried some major stunt) that it was not appreciated.

Kenya ... that was quick

That seemed real quick ... Kenya seemed to fly by!! Not a bad country at all ... but didn't see or experience anything real major and fantastic! The city ... i.e. Nairobi was large, busy and neither beautiful nor ugly. The countryside was great ... but nowhere close to as beautiful (consistently) as Ethiopia or Tanzania so far. The Masai and others were all very well dressed and interesting ... but closer to Egypt in their overbearing want and need to sell and force themselves on you ... BACK OFF!!! I want to relax and enjoy ... not be forced ...

The children were not the problem we originally expected ... it seems that Isiolo was just a real severe outpost of "civilization" and the locals grasped to anything they could get from the tourists at this stage.

So overall ... from what I experienced and saw ... Kenya "WAS". Yes, it merely "was". I'm a little disappointed ... I expected more of it ... it always seems to BE Africa in the books and movies ... but in the end (admittedly flying thru) it was nice ... like a cup of tea.

Welcome to Tanzania

Well, we are resting up for three days ... yes a whole three days ... YEEHA ... in and around Arusha, just South of the Kenya-Tanzania border.

It is a relatively bustling, lively town ... the departure point for basically ALL Safari trips to Kilimanjaro, Serengeti, Ngoragora, etc. It is also home to a long term UN led Rwandan War Crimes Tribunal ... set to run on till 2010.

We are staying at a nice camp site, just outside the city centre ... nice bar, lounge and food available ... clean toilets and HOT showers!!!

Our second more major bought of stomach ailments is making the rounds ... and this one really did get me laid low! And running ...

We've had three new additions to the EFI loss list ... the saddest one going to George ... sorry mate, I really wished you could go all the way. George has fought severe back spasms, stomach problems, children from hell, major butt sores and more ... and just kept going. Until this week ... aagghh.

Sitting in Nairobi

Hi there all. Rest day in Nairobi. Feeling a lot better, still a bit snotty and bunged up ... but have been cycling again after one day off earlier in the week.

From Nanyuki we went a slow 2km thru to the Equator ... yeeha!! It seems stupid and simple, but it is psychologically lekker to be back in the Southern Hemisphere ... and just a tad closer to home. We stopped off at the Equator for some photos ... and several loners in our group simply cycled past and didn't bother sharing the moment - everyone to their own, but it is a bit weird how some people are so distant and separate from this group ... one wonders why they even bothered doing the trip in this way??

The landscape has turned much more green and lush since then ... the temperatures have risen and we have noticeable humidity. Although the roads are tarred ... they are rather appalling in places ... not just the odd pothole ... but cracked up and crumbling severely in places.

The night before Nairobi we camped again in a nice over lander camp (something - Savage) ... green, lush, pool, river and DSTV ... got to watch the Sharks give the Cheetahs a lesson in the Super 14.

The ride to Nairobi was fine till we started our convoy ... 42km outside of Nairobi. It was painfully slow and painful. The town itself is nothing great ... lots of big open, green spaces ... but really rather common. Traffic is plentiful and crazy enough - but we have had so much worse before.

This morning we had a little press conference and charity angle to the tour. We have handed over several bikes to local organisations and presented the general charity angle of the trip to the press, with input from several sponsors and affiliated charity organisations.

We are currently in town - bustling and busy on a Monday morning/lunchtime ... done our shopping (and money just seems to fly), had lunch and need to get back to camp to clean and fix my bike just now.

Douglas - the blind cyclist, cycling with Josh on a Tandem (both are from Nairobi) - has invited us all for dinner tonight ... so hear goes ... still have a lot to do.

cheers

Impressions of Kenya

Well, to be honest I cannot give you too much details about Kenya (am planning to do a little summary of the first four countries when I get to Arusha) we really have not seen much ... Northern Kenya is arid, dry, hot, empty and has real shit roads!!! But immensely beautiful!

One sees very few people ... but dressed very nicely in traditional garb. Unfortunately they really do not like photos to be taken and get very aggressive if one tries.

There is little to no electricity in the small villages we passed thru ... i.e. no cold drinks. The first real town, and noticeable civilization was Isiolo yesterday. It was quite disappointing with regards to hagglers trying to sell stuff, and many, many beggars and street children.

The children here are very scruffy, don't smile, beg continually and are all sniffing glue and other drugs. It was quite disappointing ... but we'll see how this changes further south.

On a positive note ... we DID get ice cream ... YEEHA.

cheers for now!

Nanyuki

Hi there all ... am eventually able to enter my own blog directly onto the net again.

The hell roads of Northern Kenya are eventually behind us!! They have been real bad ... corrugated, rocky, painful and no chance to get into any rhythm ... plus temperatures around the 45 degrees!! We ended the off-road yesterday - pulling into Isiolo - with cold cooldrinks and beers ... first time in a very long time!

I'm still suffering from my bloody cold/flu/virus ... it goes well for a couple a days and then I get laid low again ... currently painful and blocked sinuses ... went onto antibiotics so will hopefully kick it in the butt real quick.

We arrived in Nanuki this morning ... travelling past Mount Kenya ... and will cross the Equator first thing in the morning. Oh yes ... we have a swimming pool at this hotel ... YEEHA ... first one of the trip. Toga Party tonight!

Basically a Half Way Party ... not close to half way regarding our mileage - but two months down, next week!! We then also have three days off in Arusha ... we need the rest!!

general pics

Empty plains of Nothern Kenya

Betsy ... our lunch truck

The Marsabit (one of them) Crater

Wimpie (African Tours, tuck driver) getting help with his monthly bath

More Ethiopia

Cowds around our camp site

Termite hills of Ethiopia

Macus in Moyale ... happy to be leaving Ethiopia

Highway thru hell ...

hi there all again!

I'm still doing well, happy and enjoying every second of the trip. Once again the internet options here in deepest, darkest Africa is well below par ... so sweet Phil has been burdened once more with entering all the data. I'm sending some pictures ... painfully slow and I cannot promise on many will come thru.

Lake Languna

All the best to everyone doing The Argus Cycle Tour and Ironman South Africa ... here is very jealous and missing it big time!

Highway to Hell!!!

The roads of Northern Kenya, the arid landscape and the weather have made the last few days much like hell. The roads and areas are sparsely populated, all vehicles need to travel in convoy … or get police escorts … due to problems with bandits.

The roads are compact dirt, changing to rocky nightmares. The last 100km to Marsabit are real rocky … larva rocks thrown all over from the Marsabit volcano explosion … somewhere in the past. Severe winds, heat and dryness made it all the more fun.

lake koka

I felt as strong as an ox for the first two days on the dirt roads in Kenya and felt like real shit yesterday into Marsabit … coughing phlegm, blocked sinuses and just pap … so opted for a ride on Doris (the large truck) when she passed on by. Although I think I made the right decision … it was definitely the toughest day of the trip so far, and I just wasn’t feeling strong … I did feel a little excluded when everyone was overjoyed at completing the tough stage and comparing war stories.

patrick getting TLC while sick

Onwards from here

The next three days back down from the crater are to be similar, but a tad better in road quality. We then head over the Equator … yeeha … have our Halfway Party and roll into Nairobi in six days time (from today).

We then have two days cycling – over the border to Tanzania – and then a well deserved three days rest in Arusha – double YEEHA! I was planning to interrupt my trip and go up Kilimanjaro … but that’s probably not the world’s greatest plan if I am still not feeling 100%.

Marsabit

Welcome to Kenya … we crossed the border four days ago … into hot, arid and empty Northern Kenya. Marsabit – on top of an exploded volcano - is warm, green, humid and noticeably wetter in vegetation. There are still severe regional water shortages … a man was apparently killed last week over a spat for water rations.

We left Yabelo – our last rest day and had our last two days of (poor) tar road. I had the pleasure to ride with Remy again … loads of fun and a good pace setter. The countryside got dryer and redder as we progressed along, and kids were few and far between ...

The border town of Moyale was quite a happening place – we got in early and spent our last Bir (Ethiopian money) on Cokes, lunch, snacks and an attempt on a poor internet connection. Camp was on the Kenyan side … yeeha, back to driving/cycling on the left hand side … at the Kenyan Wildlife Society Camp. All the non-South Africans were totally excited about the ostriches running around the camp … boring!

camping rules

Miles … you stupid guy … ;-)

Miles … our cook/management staff from Tour d’Afrique … was as usual up to his stupid little pranks – which eventually, and still, had us in absolute hysterics.

We had to use a little hosepipe, coming out of a big water tank on the campsite, to do our “showering”. While I was busy cleaning – a local employee walked by and kept staring very noticeably at me … but whenever I tried to make eye contact and greet him he always quickly looked away. On me greeting him, he quickened his gait, mumbled a response and disappeared. I noted his odd behavior, but didn’t think any further about it … merely thinking he might have been really shy – or embarrassed about admiring my chiseled cycling body ;-)

Later while chatting with Miles, and several others, it transpired that Miles had been speaking to the same gentleman while they were standing next to an ostrich and had me in their sights in the distance. Miles told the guy that I was as strong as a bull, could out run an ostrich and was basically an extremely powerful guy … but unfortunately I had been in a severe car accident and was not completely right in the head. He told him that I was not dangerous … but I may behave odd, scream or mumble nonsense as he passed me.

That seems to explain his peculiar behavior on passing me.

Tuesday 27 February – REST DAY Yabelo

Well, by the time you read this we will have traveled on for quite a bit … I presume another two weeks or so. Northern Kenya doesn’t have too much on the information network … especially not where we are staying.

We are currently camping at a truck stop – two days cycling north of the Kenyan border. The last week has been really awesome … views, people and feeling much better. I am still not 100% - still have a scratchy throat, hugely swollen gland on my right throat/neck and still a little tired. I cycled the first two days out of Addis Ababa – and didn’t enjoy the cycling at all, basically feeling real shit, sore and tired still. I rested up in the truck on the third day and been feeling real good and enjoying the riding tremendously since then.

addis market

The route has been extremely hilly! Or rather mountainous!!! Two days ago we climbed more than 2000m through the most amazing lush countryside. Yesterday we still had lots of climbing … for those of you that still haven’t grasped … Ethiopia is not hilly – but rather mountainous in every direction!!! But yesterday we also dropped considerably … leaving the cool, lush, dense vegetation … and the highly irritating and persistent children … and drop thru savannah areas into fairly arid red soil thorn bush area.

Our rest day in Yabelo has been perfect … basically nothing much to do. Cleaned my bike thoroughly, went into the village to look around and buy essentials and off to re-pack and chill out. The riding is to get quite a bit tougher in the next week … not too hilly, just really bad roads in the north of Kenya!!

The plague of children in Ethiopia …

What is the problem?

Although it is not only the children … they do make up the majority of the “Faranji Hysteria”. As we traveled thru Ethiopia they merely appear from everywhere – they run towards and along with us, they scream, shout, touch, nick anything loose on your bike (while you are cycling), spit at us, whip us, hit us with sticks, slap us and most commonly throw stones at us.

Although the violent acts are not too severe and too regular (besides possibly some stone throwing) the screaming and constant questions become a real righteous pain in the neck. The problem with the comments/questions is that the majority of the children have learned certain phrases in English and have no idea what they are asking or what our responses are … so they repeat the same thing over and over again – even after we have answered them.

The continuous comments are:

You, you, you, you
Where are you go?
How are you?
Where are you from?
Give me money/Bir!
Give me pen/bicycle/t-shirt …

Now I can hear many of you say … well that is not so bad – why is everyone complaining??? Imagine cycling off every day and every five seconds you get the same comment/question … no structured exchange of conversation or real need to hear an answer … just the same comment over and over again … yes, every five seconds for the whole six to eight hours of cycling!!!

The situation is the worsened by the regular stones that are thrown and the occasional more severe acts of aggression.

What is interesting though, is the fact that they will never attack you – verbally or physically – once you get off you bike and stand, interact or sit around. They will though, ALL come over stand and stare for hours on end. They will also try stealing anything removable off your bike. The second you are back on your bike – they will start with the comments all over again.

The situation with the children has been very controversial around the camp. Some in our group openly and vehemently hate the country and its people. These people are openly racist in their comments and attitudes – which has led to interesting debates and some unhappy conversations and accusations within the group.

I personally find it very sad that certain people look at Ethiopia so narrow-mindedly. I love the country and feel that the problem with the tourists and our treatment is to some degree associated with our lack of communication and their frustrations in not being able to interact with us. Here we are racing thru their villages on fancy, colourful bikes – we are something real special and unique … which they would love to meet a little closer and understand.

Besides the treatment on the bikes … we were never treated badly, never felt threatened in any way and everyone was very hospitable and giving/caring.

The country of contrasts

As I may have said before … Ethiopia is amazing! It is probably the most beautiful country in the world – going by my opinion and several other persons on our trip, that have traveled quite considerably.

The beauty and general friendliness of the country is contrasted – and possibly tarnished – by the extreme crowding, persistent badgering and noticeable poverty.

The countryside varies from near desert aridness, through savannahs and typical Kruger Park vegetation to lush, thick, green jungle in the higher altitudes. The greater part of the population crowds into the cooler, lush areas where one easily finds water, fresh fruit and vegetables. The lower areas are by no means lacking water and fruit/vegetables … but it is not as frequently displayed on ones journey thru the countryside. The notion of famine and starvation due to drought is definitely wrong. The country is very fertile and water sufficient. The problems lie in the poor infrastructure, overcrowding and poverty evident everywhere.

ethiopia

Half the population is currently sixteen years and younger! The culture also expects that every person duplicates/replicates themselves … and that means not just once. They are definitely sitting on one major time bomb … with little time left. The greater problem here is that the culture is one of reproduction and family growth which cannot be changed easily due to the level of literacy, education and the availability of radio or TV publicity in the rural areas. There are many billboards and posters about AIDS and safe sex – but none about family planning or similar (at least not what we could see or read).

The overcrowding, lack of schooling, huge numbers of children and definitely a lack of communication between locals and tourists has resulted in immense numbers of children (and adults) readily available on the sides of the road to badger us as we speed or coast along. The problem of the badgering children has sparked many a debates in our campsites … from those saying they are “animals”, “vicious”, etc to those of us that can understand their (the children’s) frustrations and annoyance and therefore behave the way they do.

Another contrast is the widespread poverty and begging … contrasted to Egypt and Sudan, where we didn’t see much begging or disabled people on the road and in the villages. The (blatant) begging here (Ethiopia) seems to be isolated more specifically to young children badgering and screaming for Bir (local currency) as we come by and to the real elderly and disabled who seem to be in real need and desperation for the few Cents they can scrape together from anyone around.

kids & cows

Although I do admit I’m quite glad to be leaving Ethiopia at this stage … both looking forward to a new country and experiences, as well as a bit of peace and quite while cycling along … I will honestly say that it is a country that has to be visited – and I didn’t even get to see so many of the truly beautiful and memorable temples, etc. The poverty, begging, badgering kids/people and grimy capital city are totally overshadowed by the immense beauty, friendly people, value for money and varied possibilities of Ethiopia.

another cairo to cape town race?