Happy Valentines

Hi there all! Hope all of you have a lekker Valentine's Day and that you are all spoilt rotten by the ones you love ... my bike was not too nice to me, but maybe i'll give her some TLC later. We were woken to true Valentine's delight by the guys from African Routes ... thanks Thor, Wimpie and Henk!!! Lekker pink nail polish and thanks for the silver hearts, packs of biscuits for each of us and Nutella to go with the morning breadrolls!!!

We arrived in Bahar Dar this morning .. we only had a 61km sprint into town ... and are all relaxing before a lekker party tonight. Still have to put together my outfit ...


Not much since Gondar

We have had two fast, quite uneventfull and pleasent days on the road. All well tarred, two big climbs yesterday in a toital if 117km and nothing much to write about our 61km today.

People are still falling prey to the horrid stomach bug everyday ... I think dear Dave from Stellenbosch/Switzerland is the only person not to have had anything at all. I've hadf a brief early morning toilet session four days ago ... thank goodness on the two rest days and have not sacrficed my cycling yet and still hold a position on the EFI team ... for now.


Kids and onlookers

The kids don't seem to be as aggressive as during out second day in Ethiopia - but they can still be a nuisance. Dave had his Polar watch stolen as well. Many a stones have come flying our ways and numerous cyclists have been beaten with a stick or two. I don't think they are specifically violent ... they merely wish to associate and communicate with us and are unable to bring that across. These flashy, colourful, foreigners that come flying thru their districts ...

The most common comments that get muttered over and over are:
Give watch
Give T-shirt
Where are you going or What is your name
Give money or Give Bir
You rich, me poor ... give money
You, you, you, you, you .... (the most common and continuous outburst)


One quarter done

Well that is all for now ... off to enjoy the town of Bahar Dar ... lying at the southern tip of Lake Tanar ... the origin of the Blue Nile. We have officially completed one quarter of our trip ... time and distance wise ... but not effort wise!!!!

In three or four days time I would appreciate a little thought or two ... we will be crossing thru the Blue Nile Gorge. 1000m climb in 22km ... rough dirt roads, heat and lotsa excited kids!!

Be in touch soon from Addis.

Some Pics

Darel introduces a local to toothpaste

the last and the first onlookers yesterday and today ...

A little short on choice ... A local video rental outlet

Castle Ruins in Gondar dating back to 1640s

pick me, pick me!!

Getting High

A campsite with a view

Some of the local onlookers at our campsite

Simon, Alice and Patrick enjoy the views HIGH up in the mountains

Images of Ethiopia

Remy, Alice and Marcus cruising thru Sudan

Patrick and Duncan enjoying long awaited beers at the Ethiopian border

Marc and Remy heading off into Ethiopia

Bahar Dar

Tired Patrick

Tomorrow – Tuesday – we are off towards Bahar Dar … on Lake Tanar, the origin of the Blue Nile. Here we have another rest day, and enjoy a "P-Party". The tour organizers plan quiz nights, dress-up parties and other activities during the trip.

We were unfortunately unable to fly thru to Lalibela … a World Heritage Site, but to be honest most of us were happier to relax than to go trekking and rushing off for a day or two.
After Bahar Dar we head off to Addis … killer hills and more kids – patience will take on a whole new meaning! On the way to Addis we cross thru the Blue Nile Gorge – a major gorge currently being reconstructed – with gravel, steep, long, dusty, hot and VERY high. We have a time trial planned for the uphill on the yonder side of the gorge … yeeha!!

Goodbye Sudan

Sudan was absolutely fabulous! Friendly, beautiful (so far Ethiopia takes the cake for beauty) and endless freedom (in a space and nothingness perspective, not freedom of choice and from political oppression).

Our last few days in Sudan were tough due to the long distances (three days at 150km and two around 130km) and hectic headwinds we experienced. I had a slight tyre malfunction and broke a spoke … another one two days ago … aagghh! I was cycling quite hard and really enjoyed the last few days thru Sudan. Unfortunately a little stomach bug started making the rounds – that has hit nearly everyone to lesser or greater degrees … all the best to Nels who is really struggling and compliments to Andy (Scottie) who really didn't want to give up his EFI status … but passing out twice in ten minutes along the side of the road and not being able to stand without holding onto your bike … ;-) (sorry mate!)

Tough Tough Tough

We are eventually in Ethiopia – Gondar. We have enjoyed two days off – and needed them real bad!!! On the last day more than a third of our participants ended up on the truck/s due to fatigue, injury or illness. I made it alright … just tired and pooped. Ended up hitting the toilet at four in the morning with ragging diahorrea … and ultimately feeling a little sorry for myself yesterday (Sunday)

Ethiopia is awesome! Mountains after mountains and more mountains … and no simple little mountains … huge ones!! We climbed up a 24km dirt road two days ago – maximum gradient 18% and average of 12% … but the best views imaginable!

Unfortunately the beauty of Ethiopia is tarnished by the irritating little brats of kids chasing us along the road and the horrendously useless service at the Gohar Hotel in Gondar.
Along the road, the little children wait … and then beg, push, steal, slap and generally irritate you as you cycle along. The problem is that they are real fit and always wait on the uphills and easily keep up. Once they get bored or if they don't get anything – like money, sweets, etc – they sometimes resort to collecting stones and throwing them at you while you cycle along. The real bullies simply stand in the fields along the road and throw stones as you pass along. Poor George had a run in with them and lost his special cycle computer and cycle lock while he was cycling along.

Ethiopian Kids

Cold Beer

Ethiopian Mountains

We made it thru to the Ethiopian border with a great incentive of cold beers!! Sudan allows NO alcohol. And, promptly on crossing the border … not even thru immigration … we were offered cold beers. We enjoyed cold, clean, refreshing showers at the local brothel and got an introduction to the Ethiopian swarms surrounding our camp who are perfectly content in staring us down for hours on end … and this for the next 19 days!!! Campsites get surrounded by a rope – within which we camp – and the onlookers flood in very quickly to merely surround our circus and stare till well after sunset – when their mommies expect them home. By the time we rise in the morning – the swarm has returned and simply stands and stares for hours at end.

Daryl in Ethiopia

I found a scale at the truck stop/border crossing and clocked in several kilos lighter … roughly 88kg. The full mirror in my hotel room here in Gondar was also interesting … definitely changing shape slightly … sorry no measuring tape as yet to update measurements.