We would like to offer a little perspective on the issue of Ethiopian children throwing rocks at the cyclists during the Tour ‘d’Afrique from our Brazilian colleague, Christiano Werneck…  

“The stories and videos about the rock-throwing kids in Ethiopia caught my attention. That country has been always a part of my dream about riding in Africa, as something very different from everything I have ever seen.

A couple years ago, a small group of friends and I started a night ride. The idea was to do something different from other groups we have here in my city. It was going be for free, for everyone, and without a support car. We called it RUT's, abbreviating something like Thursday's Night Ride, and playing with the word ‘roots’ in English. Roots because we were back to the most simple way of cycling. Get together and ride. No police cars, no stopping traffic, nothing, as bicycles do not need cars or people stopping traffic to be respected. We put our advocacy to it.

I stopped going a year ago, and during that time, they had to change the meeting and starting point, and it ended up being great. A lot more people have been going. I went last Thursday night, and there were more than 80 people. It's a very unstructured thing. Each week, someone chooses a route. Anyone can be the guide.

It ended up that, because of all those factors, they have been occasionally going through some sections of the city where the other night rides never go - distant neighborhoods, slums, etc.  It's nice. Last Thursday I heard a guy saying to another: "The nice thing about this ride is that we get to go to places in the city we have never been and would never go, if it wasn't for this". Anyway, as we rode through a very infamous slum on a brand new avenue which now crosses it between two fancy neighborhoods, it rained stones at us. And as we talked about it later drinking a nice cold beer, I was told that this was not the first time nor the first place this had happened during a RUT ride. It's not common, but it has happened sometimes as the group got bigger. And to think I had gotten so excited to talk about it happening in Ethiopia - as if it was something very alien.” 

And it is also instructive to recall the wise words of our own Miles MacDonald posted in 2008…

  “Within our time in Ethiopia many cyclists have experienced the peculiarity of having stones thrown at them by children. Bizarre in one right, explainable in another. Occasionally the gap between wealthy tourist and half naked child brings such a degree of miscomprehension that stupidity ensues. Though the purpose of traveling by bicycle is to slow down and step beyond the doors of a Toyota Landcruiser; it is still too quick a mode of transportation to bridge the distance in understanding. Days, weeks or even years are necessary for a foreigner to understand the intricacies and beauties of this culture, let’s hope a few stones don’t deter any curious souls from riding a bicycle here, or from taking the time to learn.”

Another section of Tour d'Afrique has been completed and that means new section winners.  This section saw rough terrain that had never been cycled through with Tour d'Afrique before.  The riders beat down three days of off road between Khartoum to Gondor.  The off road section was a defining moment in the race for The Gorge Section title winner.  Marcel Van Zwam (Netherlands) experienced 12 punctures on his fast and light cyclecross bicycle through Dinder National Park in South Sudan.  Initially this may have set him back in the section but he was able to enjoy the bonus rest day in Gondor and set a blistering pace for his competitors.  Completing the 1525km in 65:03.  The women's race for the section was more spread out then the previous race.  Gisela Gartmair (Germany) was the female champion for the section.  Gisela was previously only one minute behind Pharaoh's Delight winner Juliana Austin-Olson.  This time the pint sized mountain climber Gisela was able to spread the gap by almost an hour.  Gisela was also the female winner for The Blue Nile Gorge Time Trial. 

Gorge Stage Winners

Men Gorge Stage Placement

1. Marcel Van Zwam  65:03
2. Frans Smit 69:30
3. Stuart Briggs 69:38
4. Jethro De Decker 71:18
5. Daniel Spasojevic 73:18

Female Gorge Stage Winners

1. Gisela Gartmair 78:22
2. Juliana Austin-Olson 80:05
3. Erin Sprague 87:38
4. Jennifer Crake 105:21
5. Stephanie Sleen 109:27

Capetown's Jethro De Decker won the Valentine's Day Stage -  February 14th 2010,  117km from Gondor to a Farm Camp outside of Bahir Dar. De Decker slaughtered his competition with a tricky maneuver.  The mountain biker passed his larger geared road cyclists at lunch stopping only briefly for a banana.  De Decker, who loves to climb the mountain around Cape Town used the two climbs in that stage to achieve his win  - "the roadies have less of an advantage on the climbs, they can't use their big gears".  De Decker is quickly becoming on of the racers to beat moving from 9th overall in the Pharaoh's Delight Section to 4th in the recently completed Gorge Section.  Jethro also finished 4th in The Blue Nile Gorge 20 km Time Trial.  The cheeky De Decker credits his win to "honour, limits and rules, in other words, don't take long lunches just because the roadies do".

  -- Kelsey Wiens

It's our first rainy bike day.  Some riders like Jethro and Frans seems to thrive in the muck other like Simon and Tim can't wait for a warm shower.  Sorry boys you'll have to ride one more day before (hopefully) warm showers. We are reaching the end of our stay in Ethiopia.  The vistas and hills have been stunning; the rock throwing children and the upset stomachs however we will be happy to leave behind.  Today took the riders 133km through some serious hills.  One over 20km climb before lunch (fortunately for the riders tomorrow we will lose most of that elevation before we arrive for our rest day. Jen Crake described today as her favorite ride of the tour so far.  We'll try to find some more hills for you Jen! In the meantime we are drinking lots of chai, trying to stay warm and drying or our tent when (and wherever) we can.   - Kelsey Wiens

Overview

Wedged between the Arab world and Sub-Saharan Africa is Ethiopia. We're still on Earth, but we're miles from the familiar. We'll be in Ethiopia for three weeks, longer than any other country on the tour. By the end you'll swear you'll never eat injera again. But enjoy it while you can, as three weeks gives you barely enough time to sample the dizzying array of foods to offer.   After three weeks, you may find yourself a little sick of injera. Fear not, in the wake of their failed conquest, the Italians left something of their culinary legacy. Try spaghetti on injera for the ultimate in fusion cuisine.

  Staple Foods

Injera - No that isn't the hand towel they're eating. It's injera. The fermented crepe like flat-bread that is the staple food of Ethiopia. As with sourdough starter, ground teff is mixed with water and allowed to ferment for several days. The resulting batter is then  poured onto a traditional clay plate which is placed over a fire. In some households an electric stove  does the trick. When food is ordered from an Ethiopian restaurant it almost invariably arrives served on a large piece of injera. Again the injera is eaten with the right hand only; the basic process being to tear off pieces of the bread, then use these pieces to grab bits of food. When all the bits are eaten, you eat the injera which has soaked up the delicious juices. It is considered polite to feed your friends the best bits; the bigger the bit, the better the friend.  

Teff - is the staple grain of Ethiopia. It is the primary ingredient in Injera, and nearly one third of the land mass is covered by this remarkable grain. As you cycle along, you will pass vast swaths of land covered in what appears to be a golden hay; this is teff. Teff is the smallest grain in the world, fifty grains of teff can fit inside a single grain of wheat. It is a nutritional powerhouse, contains all eight of the essential amino acids, is high in calcium and iron, and is suitable for celiacs. Teff has remarkable abilities with regards to drought resistance; producing substantial harvests when other crops fail altogether. It prefers to grow at altitude and flowers best with twelve hours of sunlight; making the horn of Africa an ideal climate for this incredible crop.

Berbere

Ladies! If you're looking to land yourself a quality Ethiopian man, you better start by mastering this ubiquitous spice mix that gives Ethiopian food its distinctive flavour. According to Ethiopian culture; the woman with the best berbere has the best chances of getting a good husband. Aside from the obvious chilis, berbere contains several other spices including ginger, cloves, coriander and allspice.    

Street Food / Snacks

The basics of Ethiopian cuisine can be broken into three basic categories: 

Wot- a basic stew that starts with cooking onions until soft then adding berbere powder and desired meat or vegetables; which can include anything from chicken, beef, lentils and chickpeas, to swiss chard, carrots and potatoes.  

Tibs- another broad category of Ethiopian food is tibs. Basically any meat or vegetable that is grilled or sauteed as opposed to stewed.  

Kitfo-I bet you didn't think you'd get steak tartar in Africa! Directly translated kitfo means minced or chopped finely. Kitfo can be catergorized depending on the level of doneness. In order of less cooked to more cooked (less recommended to more recommended) they are kitfro tre (completely raw) and kitfo leb leb (rare)   The fasting platter (an oxymoron no?) is my favourite offering. While it will contain a mixture of tibs and wots, it gets special attention because I like it. Ethiopians observe several days of fasting throughout the year, including every Wednesday and Friday. During these days no meat is to be eaten, but any vegetarian offerings are fair game. Loaded with plenty of lentils, chickpea purees and vegetables, the fasting platter has all the good stuff you need to keep you going through the day.    The layered drinks of Bahir Dar: Don't think too hard about how they make these delicious layered drinks which include your choice of mango, papaya, pineapple, and avocado. The avocado is a must, its unlike anything you've ever tasted. 

Drinks

While Ethiopia may be the supposed birthplace of humanity; it is more important to note that we have Ethiopia to thank for coffee. The history of coffee in Ethiopia dates back to the 9th century, and was largely confined to Ethiopia until the Arab world began to expand its trade horizons. To not drink coffee in Ethiopia is a culinary crime. While much of what we drink here will be coming from modern Italian coffee machines, it is an incredible experience to be part of, or observe a traditional coffee ceremony.  

Alcohol

After the last stretch through Sudan, many of us are ready for a cold one. Thankfully St. George is waiting for us. While lack of refrigeration facilities generally means that your beer will be ambient, it's still a beer.   Tej is an alcoholic drink made from the fermentation of honey in water. It is also known as honey wine and is similar to mead; variations of which can be seen all over the world, and were likely developed independently in ancient times. Like orange juice and champagne, Tej makes a very acceptable breakfast drink on rest days.   While some would say that an apology to France and the other great nations of the wine producing world is in order; others will happily sit back and work through a bottle of Gouder with not a word of complaint. It is made from a blend of grapes and has a strong dry taste. The cost is certainly a drawing point, the lack of any other options is another.

The classic saying that "French wine is good, but Ethiopian is Gouder", bears little truth.   

What you can expect from the TDA kitchen

chewy meat
sour oranges
a bit of fish in Addis Abeba
lots of smiles      

   -James McKerricher

This dude gets serious points for originality. On Friday, with the spectacular panoramic views of the Blue Nile Gorge in front of them, sectional riders Georgina and Marc got engaged! The charming pair leave the Tour d'Afrique today, having completed the challenging “Gorge” section of the tour, but I couldn't let them sneak away without dishing the goods on how Marc popped the question. I tracked them down for an interview during lunch amid the green rolling hills of Ethiopia, where we found a spot amongst the cows and resting bicycles to tell the tale.

Allison: How did Marc propose?

Georgie: Marc had been violently ill the night before. I banned him from riding that morning, but he went ahead and rode in the afternoon anyway.

A: He had a mission...

Marc: Exactly.

A: Where did you do it?

M: It was about 10 minutes into the descent (into the Blue Nile Gorge). I said, 'oh here's a nice spot. Let's stop and enjoy the view.' G: I was a bit annoyed because I didn't want to stop, but Marc insisted, so we sat and overlooked the Gorge. So, yes, we were sitting, there was no kneeling involved!

A: Exciting! How did he word it?

G: Marc said, 'I wonder if you could carry something for me?' - which I thought was a bit mean really – I was slightly confused! And then he said, 'will you marry me?' and i didn't say yes, I just cried, and I think he said, 'I'll think I'll take that as a yes!” Then I had to climb the Gorge of hell – but I did it with a big smile on my face. Some people get to toast their engagement with champagne; we toasted with electrolyte drink.

A: Marc, what made you decide to propose on the Tour d'Afrique, 10 minutes into the epic 20 kilometre Blue Nile Gorge descent?

M: Georgie loves Africa; it's her favourite place in the world and I thought it would be perfect with the stunning views...
G: ...and I am over the moon! It couldn't have been more perfect. The Gorge was the whole reason we chose this section. And I have to say, having survived it, and Dinder National Park of hell together, we can survive anything!  

Georgina and Marc joined the Tour d'Afrique for “The Gorge” section, from Khartoum, Sudan to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The couple of two and a half years live in Gerrard's Cross, near London, which sounds pretty darn cute. We wish them all the best.      -- Allison Barnes  

Half a dozen Ethiopians are watching Drew Barrymore and Cameron Diaz having a water fight. A few glance away from the television only briefly as I step down into the dark, sunken cafe to escape the suffocating afternoon heat. Prince seems to be a prime interior decorating influence; purple satin curtains and gold fixtures contrast dusty artificial mango trees and burgundy walls. Bushels of fake green hay are scattered along the steps and floorboards for decorative appeal (although frankly, it gives me the urge to sweep). I'm grateful for the soft breeze of a giant white ceiling fan, spinning vigorously as its blades slice through the hot air. It's a relief to be less interesting than a bad Charlie's Angels remake. No one cares that I'm here. After a frustrating morning of being hassled at the nearby market I had nearly given up and gone back to our hotel in Bahir Dar, the fourth rest day destination of the tour. But that won't be necessary.

The menu at the Tselalo Cafe Bar & Restaurant is written in Amharic, but the charmingly polite owner speaks perfect English. I order the fasting platter and he asks if I'd like to wash my hands. I always do, especially now that I'm living and working amongst a community of poster children for gastrointestinal upsets. I pass through a sunny courtyard into what looks like a woodshed, with walls as black as shoe polish and a dirty chrome sink along one wall. A man stands next to me, his face, hair and hands covered in a thick lather of pale pink soap, and I watch as the last sliver dissolves into his skin like disappearing ink. Water alone will have to do. Shortly after returning to my table a large silver platter arrives draped with injera, the thin grey flatbread made from fermented grains of teff considered the staple food of Ethiopia. Tiny air bubbles give injera the appearance of honeycomb or tripe - its rubbery, somewhat soggy texture a perfect conduit for scooping up the various delectable offerings of the completely meat and dairy-free fasting platter. No less than 12 items are perfectly arranged in tidy, equidistant piles along the edges of the injera like colourful globs of paint on a palette: brilliant purple beets, stewed green swiss chard, crispy french fries (!), tomato salad, pickled radish, semi-translucent cabbage, a green jalapeno-like pepper stuffed with onions, and a selection of bright red, yellow and orange chickpea and lentil purees. A large pool of spicy burnt orange sauce sits in centre. I gleefully dip and tear into the meal with gusto.

The food is immensely filling but so good I persevere and finish the entire plate. I can feel the familiar symptoms of a food coma coming on; the antidote must be administered quickly. A machiatto arrives within minutes and I stir together the layers with the precision of a nurse prepping a syringe - a thick blanket of milk beneath black as tar espresso. It has far too much sugar, but lately I've developed an insatiable thirst for these tooth-decay specials. The bill comes to 20.5 birr including the 1.5 litre bottle of water I take for the road. Not bad for less than $2 Canadian. I step out onto the scorching pavement and recoil like a vampire exposed to the sun. I'd keep vampire hours if I lived in Africa. It's just too damn hot to do anything during the day other than sit in a darkened lair and wait for the sun to go down. Hats off to the cyclists who ride in this heat every day.   
        
The next day I wake up early after a late night of dancing and a few too many celebratory rest day beverages at the annual TdA Bahir Dar dress-up party. This year's theme was Mardi Gras and the mood was appropriately festive. I splashed some water on my face, found Chris, the TdA mechanic, and headed out on a mission to find eggs and dose of Ethiopia's famed layered juice drinks. Let it be known that I have a shameless addiction to fruit in all its forms. That morning I slurped back my third juice in less than 24 hours, and before leaving Bahir Dar that number would be six. If you ever get the chance to try one, you'll understand why. The juices come in one size, served in a thick, clear glass mug on a dish with half a lime and a spoon (and sometimes a straw). Purists may stick with only one or two flavours, but I prefer the quad: mango, avocado, pineapple, banana (substituting papaya or guava for one of the last two is acceptable). The mango is sweet and gelatinous, the pineapple and banana clean and unaltered, while the creamy avocado is truly the star - just a hint of sweetness and the texture of soft-serve ice cream after ten minutes in the sun. I don't know how they do it. Satiated, I returned to the sanctuary of my hotel room and indulged in an epic four hour nap. I woke up ravenous. Being that I'm a creature of food habit, I went in search of a layered juice fix.  I locate a trio of juice bars laced together like conjoined triplets not far from the hotel.  Each bar was bustling with customers, and I was curious to know the key to their success despite such market saturation. There was only one way to find out. I went to all three (careful to jump from the third to the first and then the second, so as not to appear conspicuous). The verdict: no discernible difference. I have a hunch six juice bars could open right next  to one another in any city in Ethiopia and they'd all be packed. The stuff is just that good.

We're now in Addis Ababa, where I'm about to venture out on another rest day juice mission. As I type slouched over a carved wooden coffee table in the hotel office, the smell of damp earth fills the room, like the scent of a garden hose soaking dry soil.  The tiny office is tucked away amongst ferns and vines close to a small outdoor washing area where riders are furiously scrubbing their spandex chamis in blue plastic buckets. I keep my headphones on to minimize distractions, and the lack of appropriate audio cues makes the flurry of activity around me that much more surreal. Four to five hotel workers come and go throughout the morning, taking turns tapping away at a large mustard-yellow 1970s table-top accounting calculator sitting on a brown desk. An Ethiopian soap opera flickers from a television in the corner. A woman in a navy skirt and blazer flutters around the room pouring dribbles of water from a large plastic bottle onto the floor then sweeping them into the scarlet carpet. She takes thirsty gulps of water from the bottle in between sweeps, stopping to sit on the couch and watch her programme every few minutes. The hotel appears happy to have us, despite having no rooms to rent to our riders. The hotel lawn is the temporary home for the EFNT (Every Night in a Tent) among us, and it's a decent lawn, as far as these things go. It's a much quieter morning than usual. The rest of our crew have migrated to one of the nearby hotels, descending on the purveyors of hot water, soap and fluffy pillows in Addis. Tomorrow they'll get back in the saddle for our last week in this beautiful country. It's going to take at least that long to mentally prepare for the lack of layered juice after Ethiopia.              -Allison Barnes

Its been a busy week in the Ethiopian highlands for riders on the Tour d'Afrique and communication problems have meant that we haven't seen many photos or updates from them.

That will all change today and tommorow as they arrive in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa for a one day break. You can expect a flurry of blogs being updated, tweets being twittered, and pictures being posted.

Stay tuned...

After wrestling with some themes for the traditional Bahir Dar party, it was decided that we would leave the spandex tucked away for the evening and break out the beads.  It's Mardi Gras!  Riders were treated to a short 67km ride into Bahir Dar.  Some treating it like a time trail, others enjoying the chance to enjoy the views of Lake Tana. Riders search the second hand shops and the market of Bahir Dar before gettting into their party clothes for (another) well deserved night out to blow off some steam.  It has been just over a month since we left Cairo.  It was time to shake things up.  Some favourite costumes of the night included; Dave's tight lime green pants (watch out for the view from behind); Marcelle's elf hat; Martijn's spaceman costume.  Martijn somehow was able to track down plastic toy whistles for all the riders.  The whistles provided entertainment for the evening as well as defense against those tiny rock throwers when we are on the bikes.  Tour Director Paul was the best dressed staff member.  I think all that cycling has done wonders for his legs! Many of the riders took in the opportunity to check out the monastaries on the small islands of Lake Tana the following morning.  The rest took the chance to sleep in, have brunch, swap out tires and nap.  We are headed out on a 5 day stretch into Addis.  (also known as the Sheraton Stop!) Next excitment is the Blue Nile Gorge Time Trial!    -- Kelsey Wiens

I am siting in camp, drinking some delicious soup and chatting and laughing with a few riders about the day's easy and beautiful ride, spinning up hills to accomplishment and breathtaking views, and tearing down 4 kilometer long downhills passing goats and cows and children wearing long scarves and carrying sticks to lead their cattle with.  As I slurp up the last bit of my soup, I decide to go for a walk.  Barely out of the camp perimeter, I am completely surrounded by children asking me for my shoes and my shirt and pens.  I decline and they take my hands and continue to beg as I find a way to continue to walk.  Soon, some older boys who speak English quite well join us and I sit down surrounded by these children, answering their questions about what I am doing here, where I have come from, which country is best out of Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia, where I am going, what grade I am in, where I am from, how old I am, what my parents do for a living, if I am married, if I have children... the list goes on.  In turn, they answer the few questions I am able to squeeze in about what they study in school and what they do when they are not in school.  (They study 10 subjects: math, English, biology, chemistry, physics, Ahmeric(the local language), gym, history, and two more I cant seem to remember or find, and they only go to school in the morning; in the afternoon they work alongside their parents).  They are most impressed with how white the skin is on the underneath of my upperarms, which get little sun exposure, and the fact that I have no religion.  This seems to horrify them and they ask puzzled why I am wearing a necklace then (a simple little seahorse on a black string my sister gave to me before I left).  The children here almost all wear crosses around their necks, most of which are wooden.  Finally, I decide to make my way back to camp and try to explain to them that I want to go alone (it is common that the children steal from us and so we try to discourage them from coming too near our camp).  They get the idea and I say "chow!" and head back to camp.  Little do I know that the adventure tonight in discovering the local culture has hardly even begun!
 
Back in camp, my fellow rider Dana, whom visited a local village with me before, asks me if I know anything about the commune nearby we had briefly heard about. After some investigating we find three more people who are interested and our Ethiopian support staff generously offer to take us there, help translate and bring us back!  Set, we all load into the van and are off!  After a stretch on a narrow paved road and then another stretch on a narrower dirt and stone road, we roll into a small village.  Instantly, a sense of peace that brings us back to the deserts and villages of Sudan washes over us.  Wondy, our confidant, well informed and friendly Ethiopian support staff leader, speaks with a woman and within 2 minutes our tour is under way.  The woman is a teacher in the community and speaks English quite well.  She and Wondy explain to us the short but inspiring history of the community as we make our way toward the school house.

In 1980 of the Ethiopian calendar (1987 of the Gregorian calendar used in the west), Zumra Nuru moved to the area we are visiting (all land in Ethiopia is owned by the government and loaned out for 100 year periods) with the intention of founding a community based on his vision of a paradise on earth.  Today the population of what is now called Awuraamba Community is 412 and anyone at all is invited to join, provided they meet and accept the criteria: no lying, no stealing, no corruption, and treat everyone equally as human beings.  The last criteria is the big one that the whole community is based around.

Unlike most of Ethiopia, where there is segregation in household roles performed based on gender, in Awuraamba, no matter what your gender, age or background, your abilities determine your job.  In this self-sustained community both men and women tend to the cattle, farm, cook, look after the children and weave cloth.  The children's days are broken up into thirds: school, work (helping their parents) and play.  Education is highly valued here.  The children start their education young learning the alphabet as well as the community's values and customs ("Why wait for education?" asks our guide).  Once they are eight years old, they attend a government school in a local village.  If an adult joins the community, they are equally granted an education: the community teaches them to read and write and then funds their education in a university nearby.
 
As the tour progresses from the school house (an endearing mud and thatch building decorated with colourful drawings) to the library, we learn a little more about how the community is able to fund such things as education and acquire things they cannot make themselves, such as books.  Since the community is now recognised both by the Ethiopian government and the United Nations as a distinct community, books and some funds are donated to the community. Individuals and groups donate as well.  Also, as we see later in the tour, the community makes excess cloth items to sell to people outside of the community (and adults can make extra extra after they are done their community work for some extra personal income) . We leave the library, where the children were remarkably focused, hardly taking notice of us at all.
 
Next, we move on to the elderly quarters: another mud and thatch building, the inside a series of cubicles for the elderly or ill inhabitants to sleep in made from the same mud as the walls as seamless protrusions.  Our guide explains to us that in the community, when people become old or ill and cannot work, the community takes responsibility and cares for them. Zumra Nuru felt that when he were to grow old and tired, he would like to be taken care of, and so he will do the same for others.  "Why not have paradise on Earth?" our guide asks simply, and a slow smile forms on our lips.  I shake hands with a couple of the calm elderly folk who are resting in the shade and am hurried to join the group, where we find ourselves inside one of the 119 houses.
 
Before I describe this ingenious house, I want to add that in the community, people are also not segregated into families.  Everyone looks after one another.  This house we enter is a cooking hut, and I am taken away by the creativity that emerges from the mode of thinking that Awuraamba is based on.  Again, made from the same mud as the walls is a very interesting protrusion that has three main parts to it: one part to bake ingera (a crepe-like slightly sour bread that is the main staple in Ethiopian food), one part to make sauce (ingera is eaten with difference sauces or pastes made from things like chickpeas and lots of spices), and the last part is a chimney which lets the smoke escape into the outside air, with a little flap on top, from which water can be boiled from the steam, or it can simply be left unblocked to warm the house up if it is cold. Under all of this is a space to burn wood in to heat it all, which is done very efficiently. Brilliant!  Also, I say that the walls are made from mud, but as we learn here, they are in fact made from one part dirt and three parts soot, since soot can't burn.
 
We are nearing the end of our tour, we have only one building left to visit.  As we walk nearer to it we hear a loud curious humming and soon we find ourselves in the cloth making factory!  It is mezmerizing!  The room is busy and colourful as men and women are either spinning thread into rolls or spinning them into cloth!  We are led into a small shop where we all end up purchasing a cloth shall, scarf, or bag.
 
The tour is now over and as we leave the cloth making building, we meet up with a bunch of children, with whom we play ball (made from plastic bags and rope).  If you drop the ball, you are out, and when I do, I go over to a bunch of children.  One of them takes my hand and gently pulls me down.  I croutch down and smile and laugh a little and the whole bunch of them erupt into a fit of giggles!
 
It is almost dusk, and we prepare to leave, but first we shake hands with the founder and his wife who have come out to greet us.
 
Our tour ends, but before I leave you too, some last very important pieces of information: Firstly, in this community, there is no one religion.  People do not have to give up their religion in order to become part of the community, but no one religion is openly practiced and instead, the strong belief that every human being is equal translates into many customs and values which are upheld by numerous various committees. Because there is no religion, there is also no ceremony for marriage.  If two people decide to be together, they won't date first, they will simply decide they want to be together and then sign a piece of paper.  Also, people are free to marry anyone from within or outside of the community, and people are also free to come and go as they please.  As for the children, once they are eighteen, they can decide to leave the community if they wish.
 
If ever you decide to visit Awuraamba, I am pleased to let you know that we actually visited one more building.... a hostel!  Anyone passing through the area is invited to stay the night, wrapped in colourful cloth bedding and a sense of care, peace and joy, complete with a mosquito net for 20 birr a night!  The group of us opt to head back to camp instead, where we eat another  fabulous meal (in huge portions) that was set aside for us, and crawl into our tents to rest up before another day of cycling!

  -- Andra Nadeau Jakobson

Sitting on faded green canvas camp chairs in a farmer's field in Ethiopia, Patrick Cantwell and Wayne Woodward are surrounded by tents, their domes peppering the sun-scorched grass landscape like brilliant cocoons of blue, yellow and orange.  The pair are attempting to complete the Tour d'Afrique, an epic 12-thousand kilometre bicycle race and expedition travelling from Cairo to Cape Town in just four months.

Chatting as the sun sets amidst a mobile village of more than 60 spandex-clad riders after a hearty spaghetti dinner at camp, the couple from Sydney's Surrey Hills suburb speak candidly about the challenges they've faced one month into the tour. At 42 and 55, Cantwell and Woodward are not the youngest riders to attempt the journey, but fitness and discipline are something the pair take seriously, and it shows.  "We had a trainer who basically got us on the bicycle as much as possible, cycling every day twice a day. Two hours in the morning and one hour in the evening," says Cantwell, describing their rigorous pre-trip training regime. "We stopped weight training and focused on endurance and cardio... sacrificing our muscles," adds Woodward with a chuckle.
While no strangers to the gym, both were relatively new to cycling before signing up for the tour. "At first, it was the physical aspect that appealed to us," says Woodward, "which cannot be underestimated. We expected it would be difficult and it is. This is about pushing ourselves beyond our limits, doing something we wouldn't normally do. You deal with saddle sores and muscle fatigue early on, but also mental tiredness and emotional meltdowns. Cycling more than 11 hours in 40 degree heat is rough. But that's part of what this is about - finding more when you think you've got nothing left on those long days. "

Cantwell read about the first Tour d'Afrique in 2003, clipping the article about an unusual journey travelling through ten African countries (Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Botswana, Namibia and South Africa), averaging 125km of cycling per day. Eight years later, the paramedic is living out his own chapter of the story, coming face to face with the great pyramids of Egypt, pedaling past camels over scorching pavement in Sudan, and tackling the breath-taking mountainous terrain and lung-busting climbs of Ethiopia. "It's scary how much we're eating," admits Cantwell with a look of genuine concern.  "Just incredible quantities, and I'm losing weight. Ten kilos so far. You go searching for calories where ever you can get them. A couple of chocolate bars, ten Cokes...it's just burn, burn, burn."

Aside from the physical challenge and the opportunity to experience different cultures, the couple of more than 16 years are hoping to give back through their web site and blog, www.wayneandpatrick.org, raising money for both the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia as well as the Tour d'Afrique Foundation, which donates bicycles to health care professionals in Africa. "We want to help people in the communities we're cycling through as much as possible," says Cantwell.

The oppressive heat of the afternoon begins to fade, lending a mood of calm reflection to the early evening. "These are my favourite moments," says Cantwell. "This hour each day, sitting beneath an African sunset...the light is perfect. You've achieved the day." But one doesn't reach this level of post-cycling bliss without preparation. "Ride as much as you can before you get here. Just don't bring a new saddle you bought just before you got on the plane, like I did," stresses Cantwell, wincing. "But having said that, you can only prepare so much for four months of cycling across Africa." Woodward agrees, "You can prepare yourself for the end of the earth and this would still surprise you. But that's what's so great about it." 


   -Allison Barnes