TDA cyclists rode into the dusty city of Khartoum in convoy yesterday, marking the end of the first of eight sections of the full Tour d’Afrique. Pharaoh’s Delight is now officially something of the past and riders have already notched up almost 2000km on their odometers. One down, seven to go and things are still running smoothly.



It has only taken two short weeks to change riders’ perspectives about themselves, their fellow riders and about Africa and with almost 18 weeks to go, it is safe to say these participants are going to return home different people. In less than a week a 100km day became known as an “easy” riding day, the value of a good shower has increased exponentially, friendships have been formed and most have learnt to not only respect and appreciate a fellow rider but to support them… the saying, never leave a man behind, comes to mind.



Through Egypt roads were flat and smooth. Legs were fresh and times were improving as everyone’s muscles became accustomed to the everyday hammering of long days on the road. The Egyptian way of doing was different than anything most of them ever experienced and most realised that patience was going to be a valuable commodity on this trip. Everyone began to appreciate that they need to expect the unexpected because this is, after all, Africa.



Crossing over into the Sudan the friendliness of the people was the first thing everyone noticed and thanks to the welcome we received it didn’t take too long for most to decide this was their favourite country thus far on the trip. The days spent in Sudan has accentuated the value of slow travel as riders have been invited into locals’ homes for tea and bread and got to experience this country that many don’t know a lot about. The differences between Egypt and Sudan are subtle but very apparent, thanks mostly to the subtle changes in landscapes and the vast differences in people. The thought of getting to experience eight more border crossings and seeing how things keep changing as we head ever further south is an exciting prospect.



Though most are proud of themselves for getting through the first section, and rightly so, it is important to stay humble and also realise that it still is early days in this trip. We still have a long way to go to reach our final destination. This was a good introduction, now to get down to business. It’s time for unpaved roads and hills… Bring on The Gorge.

   -- Catharina Robbertze

The other day while riding sweep I caught up with rider Ian who stopped on the side of the road to talk to some locals. The man’s name is Abudi  and he invites us into the village for a cup of tea.  We are only a couple of kilometres from lunch and it’s only 12:30 – the general rule is that riders need to aim to be at the lunch truck by 1pm. 



We wander into the village and inside the concrete buildings the temperature is surprisingly much cooler than outside.  Abudi was born in the village but now lives in Khartoum, and has returned for his brother’s wedding which was the day before.  The village normally is home to 14 people but because of the wedding, the day we are invited in there are many more.



Abudi brings us a huge plate of Nubian cornbread and we sit on the mat on the floor to eat it.  We meet the prince of the village, and all of Abudi’s family.  He takes us for a tour to meet the women who congregate in a separate building to the men.  Some of them are busy cooking, others are busy resting, all of them are very pleased to meet us.



By the time we have finished meeting the entire village it is 1:30 and we are running late for the lunch truck!  Abudi gives us his phone number and makes us promise to give him a call when we get to Khartoum so he can show us around!



This my third visit to the Sudan and each time I am amazed at the genuineness of the hospitality offered by the Sudanese people.


   - Claire Pegler

A lot can be said about slow travel but it is difficult to explain just how you get to experience a place in a different manner when you’re only travelling approximately 120km per day as opposed to the possible 1000km when in a car.



For the first time on this trip the riders could really appreciate how you get to experience the essence of a place when you’re biking through it. As we entered the Sudan you could immediately sense things slowing down. The people walk differently, the drivers are more considerate and even though we’re still in the same desert as three days ago it just seems different. Many people have shown their surprise that a border – a fictional line – can make such a difference in the way people interact, but the reality is it is probably these differences that caused that fictional line to develop in the first place.



It only took the riders about one hour to fall in love with Sudan. Song and dance, organised especially for us made us feel right at home and as we rode into town the smiling faces next to the road was only the start of Sudanese smiles all round. The difference between Egypt and Sudan is vast but at the same time very small. The landscape is still mostly desert but different from Egypt’s desert. The people hold the same beliefs but the way they look at you is different and the things they say to you also.



Overall, the Sudan experience has been friendly, serene, majestic and hot.  It is a magical place thanks to the moon-like landscape, but much more so, because of the people.


    ---Catharina Robbertze

When boarding the ferry between Aswan, Egypt and Wadi Halfa, Sudan a few days ago most riders were ready to say goodbye to the craziness that is Egypt and head for quieter shores. There was one last hurdle to overcome before they could to that though… getting onto the ferry and making your way across Lake Nasser is an experience in itself and something to write home about any day of the week.



The ferry only runs once per week and it seems everybody in Aswan wants to be on it. It is scheduled to leave at 2pm but it is quite normal for it to only depart at 7pm. Saying that, to make sure you get a space, especially when you’re travelling in a group of more than 50 people with bicycles for every one of them, you have to be on board by 11am and play the waiting game for the rest of the day. Even this is not simple though and it took a lot of shouting, shoving, pushing and being pushed to make sure everyone’s things are on board and we’re all accounted for.



Nevertheless, everyone claimed a spot for themselves for the next two days, making themselves comfortable for the show that was about to unfold before them. For the next 8 hours the ferry was loaded and loaded some more. Whenever you thought that has to be it, there can’t possibly be any more space on board, another person arrived with anything from a refrigerator to a queen size mattress arrives and somehow manages to find a space in the already crowded vessel. Riders were entertained endlessly as they looked down on the show from the deck.



Every time you went downstairs from the deck you had to squeeze past more people and clamber over more things that were stowed everywhere. You also had to get someone to look after your space whenever you left because when you returned chances that someone else took your place was pretty high.



Navigating at night was a whole new adventure as people slept everywhere, under stairs, on top of tug rope, inside lifeboats and in passage ways and every now and again you’d feel the soft squish as you stepped on someone’s leg or tummy. As we eventually set off into the sunset we had to make our way downstairs a few times in order to fill out one emigration form after the other but eventually all was done and we could curl up in our sleeping bags for a night under the stars.



Arriving in Wadi Halfa the unloading process was a lot more civilised. Whether this was because we waited for all the locals to unload first before we attempted it or whether things in Sudan are just more relaxed and happens at a slower pace is still a mystery but the most important thing was that all of us were safely in Sudan and ready for the next stage of TDA 2012.


   -- Catharina Robbertze

When in Egypt the experience of being haggled by taxi drivers, shop owners and many others on street can become a lot to handle at times. However, sometimes, when you’re lucky you get to experience real Egyptian hospitality and all the bad experiences start to disappear for a while. One of the full tour riders, Michael Paull from Canada, was lucky enough to be on the receiving end of one such experience and shared his story with us.

Hello, my friend

By Michael Paull

This saying is very common in Egypt, perhaps too common. Wherever you go, the people greet you this way. Sometimes it comes of nicely, other times it sounds aggressive. In Luxor  - where we had our first day off - that saying was everywhere and aggressive. At night, one of the other riders, Herman and I wanted to go for dinner, so Mohammed, our horse-drawn carriage-taxi driver, said he would take us to a very nice place. We also used him so we wouldn’t be bothered by everyone else on the streets while getting to the restaurant.



We had a great dinner and when we came out, Mohammed was there to take us back home. The next morning when I left the campsite Mohammed was there so we could walk together. We went to the local market, and after, to his house for a cup of tea and so I could meet his two daughters (age three and five), his wife, his mother and his brother. After, we went to the tourist market. From there he took us to the Luxor temple, then lunch (sugar cane) and then back to the campsite. When I told my story to other TDA riders they all asked how much this had cost me. It didn’t cost anything because Mohammed was my friend.

With the campfire crackling in the background, this year’s TDA riders are enjoying the end of what was their first rest day in Luxor. They now have only two riding days left in Egypt before they board the ferry to cross Lake Nasser and enter the Sudan. In a few days they will be able to tick off their first of ten countries and their first 1000km will be done and dusted.



It has been smooth riding on the Egyptian tarmac and with roads mostly flat and wide there was ample opportunity for racing. As always, not all riders see themselves as racers and most just want to experience the African continent from their bike but a select few are there to vie for the title of TDA champion. After six days of racing the leader board is dominated by European riders with Germans Raffael Schrof and Rudiger Muller in first and second place, followed Bryce Walsh from the USA. The women’s field is considerably friendlier but the strongest women have already stepped up and showed their mettle. Femke Nelissen from Holland is in the lead at the moment, with Jennifer Davenport from the UK and Esther Borg from Australia in second and third places.



Riders and staff are settling into the daily camping routine of setting up camp every night and attempting to fit their luggage into their bags again, come sunrise.  Evenings and mornings have been anything between crisp and freezing and everyone is looking forward to warmer temperatures in the Sudan as well as the official TDA trucks that are designed specifically for riders’ needs.



Even though the daily routine is beginning to feel familiar everyone knows that this is only the beginning of a very long journey. Thousands of kilometers still have to be covered and more than a hundred days of their TDA adventure still lie before them. The show is on the road and everyone is hanging on to stay a part of it.


   - Catharina Robbertze

Check out Jacob Warner's video on his 2010 Tour d'Afrique experience!

                                        Tim (middle) at the end of the road

Hello All,
 
When you think of Africa, what comes to mind?
 
The 2010 Tour d'Afrique is complete and I would like to thank you all for your contributions to SELF; for helping to spread the word; and for following my progress.  Your involvement has touched me deeply.
 
I would like to say that in the past four months, I experienced an intimate discovery of African culture.  I did experience an intimate view of some African roads, traffic and majestic landscapes; but the tour dynamic was my focal point, which seemed to leave little time to immerse myself in the African cultures. However, I did get a lot closer to Africa's vibe than my usual perch which can usually only see the likes of the New York Times or the BBC.
 
So what does the word "Africa" bring to mind?  I'm guessing - poverty/war/corrupt dictators/lions and elephants.  While I saw some lion and elephant, I saw no poverty I haven't seen in New York City, I didn't see any fighting, and I didn't meet any dictators(that I know of).  This doesn't mean Africa does not have any of the above, it's just that those images should not define this large complex continent.
 
I chose to raise money for SELF - an NGO whose mission is to help developing countries improve their infrastructure.  After my journey, I am even more optimistic that SELF's model will be more productive - then simply giving money - for Africa's future. As I experienced first hand, if you give a person some cash, they spend it to satiate an immediate desire, which is soon forgotten, but yet the expectation for a handout is even stronger.  However, if you give someone the opportunity to make something for you, they might drive a hard bargain, but they take pride in the work they have done.  Instead of exploiting Africa's resources, what if the developed world helped Africa learn how capitalize its own natural and intellectual resources?
 
Africa is the 2nd largest continent (bigger then North America and Europe) and it has 54 countries, where 2000 different languages are spoken by a billion people - this is what I found on wikipedia.  What I found on our bike ride, is the people are proud, friendly, hospitable and willing to work for their future....If left to their own devices.  
 
Thank you again for your support.
 
Sincerely,

Tim


www.thisisafrica2010.com

How do you describe the best/worst/most intense 4 months of your life?  I’ve been asked to write up a little thing about the Tour D’Afrique, a four month-long bike ride from the top of Africa to the bottom.   Ever since I was a boy I’ve dreamed of going to Egypt.  Pictures of pyramids and mummies and The Sphinx captured my imagination.  Now not only was I going, I was going to begin a huge journey there.  On a chilly January morning, myself and about 60 other riders were taking off on the adventure of a lifetime.  Bicycling from Cairo to Cape Town seemed like a good idea at the time.  How hard can it be to ride a bike down a continent?  Why do I do things like this?

Earlier today another rider and I were discussing the fact that we only have 747 more kilometres to go.  This used to seem like a pretty big number to me.  Now I’m not even remotely fazed by it.  It almost seems too easy; is there a catch somewhere?  There always is.  We’ve ridden over every type of terrain imaginable: sand, loosely packed gravel, corrugated dirt roads, lava rocks, and occasionally even paved roads in good repair.  We’ve ridden on bright sunny days, horrendous thunderstorms, bitter cold mornings, and I even got hailed on once (hail? Aren’t I in friggin’ Africa?).  We’ve ridden through the deserts of Sudan where there wasn’t another soul on the road (I was listening to my ipod one day and forgot about the folks on the lunch truck that drove by; they had a good laugh at my expense when they caught me dancing whilst riding).  We’ve ridden through Ethiopia where each and every child in every single village expects you to smile and wave at them (they’ll pelt you with rocks whether you wave or not).  We’ve ridden past the pyramids of Egypt, the waterfalls in Malawi (life doesn’t get much better than getting off the bike and soaking yourself under a waterfall on a blisteringly hot day), and the barren wasteland that seems to compose most of Botswana.  We’ve seen elephants, zebra, giraffe, springbok, and an entire barrel full of monkeys.  We’ve met starving children in Zambia (I tried to give them my broccoli... Mom, they didn’t want it either).  We’ve gotten rides in tuk tuks, cabs, backs of pickup trucks, matatus,  the odd dump truck, and a few guys even rode camels for a bit.  We bungee jumped from Victoria Falls (well I didn’t, I’m far too much of a coward to do something like that), climbed Kilimanjaro, visited monasteries in Ethiopia, went swimming in the Nile (never try to skip a stone when you’re wearing your keys around your wrist; swimming isn’t always just for fun) . We went on safari at the Ngorogoro Crater, and stayed in tiny villages where everyone who lived there was at least distantly related.   We went from huge cities where no one noticed us, to small towns where all the people would come out and watch us stop and drink Fanta, and rode through the suburbs of Nairobi which look identical to suburbs everywhere.  We’ve suffered from diarrhea, saddle sores, broken bones, back pain, leg cramps, and daily exhaustion.  We’ve complained about poor service in restaurants, long days, each other, people watching your every move, each other, overly inquisitive children, mobs of unruly boys, and each other.  Yet each day we’re up and ready to start again.  Every day on this trip has brought some new adventure, which is kind of amazing since every day is fairly similar:  wake up far too early, eat breakfast, ride your bike a ridiculously long distance, eat lunch, ride even further, eat dinner, then go to bed. 

The one thing that has made this trip truly unforgettable is the people, individuals from 20 or so countries with nothing in common other than being idiotic enough to sign up for a trip like this.  It sounds like the tag line to a bad reality show.  People that you normally wouldn’t acknowledge if you passed them on the street suddenly become you’re best friend.  I now know more about many people on this trip than their own relatives do.  When you have a 6 hour day ahead of you, with nothing to occupy your time other than pedal and repeat, you start talking to folks quite a bit.  You discover their dreams and aspirations.  You discuss what really matters, because there is no TV.  You also discuss your favourite episode of MASH and why Dick Sergent was better than Dick York.  These are people and conversations that will stick with you for life.  However, these same people wouldn’t recognize you if you were to get a different shirt, because they only know you in the three you wear every day. 

I’ve been asked if I’d do this trip again, the answer never varies, “Not in a million years!”  However would I recommend this trip to others, without a moment’s hesitation.  This trip will make you appreciate what you have at home.  It’ll also make you realize what your life has been lacking.  It will make you weep with both joy and sorrow (occasionally at the same time).  You will feel more alive than you’ve ever felt, often when wishing you were dead.  You will be ecstatic to crawl into your tent every night and eating oatmeal in the morning will be the best thing you’ve ever tasted.  You will never want to go home, but miss it with all your heart.  I could never do this again, but in my head, and for the rest of my life I will be doing it daily. 

   -- Dave Arman

Down to the Final Four – that is last four countries of the Tour d’Afrique and at this point, there is so much to tell you, and not sure where to start……….?!?!??!?!  

At the beginning of the tour, and what seems like an absolute age ago, there was a whole lot of pain, sickness, suffering and punishment. The word “miserable” became a catch phrase of this trip as it was used so often. Now as we travel south, it was all worthwhile - this part of the tour is sensory overload, sights, sounds, places to see, absolute fun, lots of laughs and everyday I am having ohhhhhhmigawwwwwwwwwwwwd experiences!!! And all from the seat of my bicycle…!  

Last blog we were on our way out of Malawi (minus the Madonna sightings!) and heading towards the Zambian border. Before I left, a couple of the South African contingent of the tour, Michelle and Andre, invited four of us to have dinner with the South African High Commissioner to Malawi. The High Commissioner didn’t know them, but had become aware of their fundraising efforts. Not knowing what I was in for I gratefully accepted the invitation. We were picked up in the biggest blackest (I mean REALLY black!) chauffer driven BMW…complete with the South African flags on each corner of the vehicle. These blew in the wind as we were whisked through the city of Lilongwe – nothing like a fast moving vehicle and a couple of flags to feel VERY important!  We arrived at this very razzy restaurant that was of course run by South Africans, and had an exquisite dinner with the High Commissioner and her husband. Hubby was no slouch – he was the previous South African Ambassador to Iran. They met long ago as members of the South African Parliament. When he was fulfilling his Ambassadorial roles, she played the role of “spouse” and mother and now that he had retired, it was her time to shine. They laughed about the “payback” and he was wonderfully supportive. It was a great story, love it! Anyway, amazingly interesting couple who were very open, generous, interested and warm. The following day, the TDA Foundation donated 70 bicycles to charities in Malawi and the High Commissioner was so supportive of what we are doing that she cleared her diary and came and added a whole lotta star power to the event! Fantastic!   Just before we crossed the border the following day, a group of us broke the ride up by calling into an orphanage which was en route. I got a huge kick out of the warm response we received. The children and staff were chuffed that we were so interested to meet and see what they were up to. We hadn’t made an appointment, we showed up on our bikes and they were so welcoming. They sang and danced for us – a wonderful experience I will always remember.

We crossed the border into Zambia and the capital of Lusaka provided much excitement to the group…… this was our first real sign of Western influences. There were shopping malls, movie theatres, fast food chains in abundance and things that we take for granted back home were absolutely coveted! Not unusual to come across a bunch of riders onto their fourth or fifth milkshake, all consumed in one sitting…..!! Haha!

We then made our way towards Victoria Falls, known as Mosi-oa-Tunya in the Kosolo language - “The Smoke that Thunders”. For me, this was been one of the absolute highlights of the tour so far and lived up to its name.  The Zambezi River at this time of year is flowing really rapidly. The huge volumes of water create a mist that shoots up towards the sky and creates the most magnificent sight and spectacle. Not only was there huge anticipation, but we also had two rest days rather than the usual one…Ahhhh! There was so much to do and see in the town of Livingstone. Top of the list for me (and probably of little surprise!) was the helicopter flight over the Falls – well, this did not disappoint and was absolutely knock your socks off, brilliant!!! I loved it!!

With a group of other riders, I traveled over the border to Zimbabwe to stay at a safari lodge that is run by &Beyond (formerly C&C Africa). This company is privately owned by the Rothschild family and has a number of private game parks throughout Africa.  It provides guests with the most exquisite, personalized and amazing African experience. Their modus operandi focuses on ecotourism, animal conservation and giving back to the local community. It was an absolute treat to stay there…the elephants popped by my villa at four in the afternoon and the hippo’s came and grazed on my front lawn at night!!! This was their home and I was just lucky enough to witness it!! The days were filled with safari game drives that I can never ever get enough of…!

We then headed east towards Kasane and Chobe National Park. Again an absolute viewing bonanza for African wildlife. What made this different though is that we did a river safari down the Chobe River. Here we able to see the animals come to the river at sunset. Not only are the African sunsets brilliant, but the interaction of the animals with the waiting crocodiles was something that I had not witnessed before…

Next stop Botswana. When describing Botswana the tour books usually start with something like….. “Botswana is an arid country, drought prone in most areas…..” Just as we experienced in Eqypt and Kenya, when the TDA comes to town that is all mucked up….we experienced seven days of torrential rain and even hail. NOT fair! This section of the tour has the longest days and distances….roads are dead straight and mind numbingly flat and the scenery is not exciting. Our average day is about 180kms of nothing-ness. We skirted around the Kalahari desert, so the vegetation was similar to that in Australia - low shrubs, dust and dirt….blah!

The highlight was when we reached Maun and saw the Okavango Delta…Holy smoke it was HUGE! We chartered a plane and did the Delta from the air – we felt it would be he only way to get a true feeling of the size – from here the animal viewing was prime time also!

This week was really special too, as the oldest rider on tour had his 71^st birthday! Yep, correct 71…good going huh? His name is Bill Nelems and he is a Canadian man who was born in South Africa. He is passionate about everything that he does, passionate about Africa and passionate about life! He is a leader in the medical field and was the first doctor in Canada to do a lung transplant. He now places his time and energy into an NGO that he started that educates and trains local doctors and nurses in the Western Provence of Zambia. It has had extraordinary success with the myriad of health issues that affect this very poor country, so much so that the government has requested that the program be rolled out to other areas of Zambia.

Anyway, Bill decided that he was going to fundraise for the NGO by doing the Tour d’Afrique…and it just happened to coincide with his birthday! The day of his birthday he rode the whole 208kms and crossed the border of Botswana to Namibia. At the border post, the immigration officials were so blown away with what he was doing (and his age!) that they broke into spontaneous song! He has so many wonderful and interesting stories about his time spent in Africa and I have learnt so much about the health issues that riddle and affect this huge continent.  His history lessons are always dead set entertaining too! He is really an amazing man who is sharp as a whip, quick witted, loves young people, funny and has boundless energy. I have loved getting to know Bill and he has inspired me in so many ways – but to ride your bike across Africa on your 71^st birthday?? WOW!

We are now in Windhoek, the capital of Namibia and the feeling on the tour is a little mixed. There is this HUGGGGE excitement that in just over two weeks we will be in Cape Town, be seeing loved ones and the tour will be over. But then the other side is that it will be sad when this whole experience and the adventure is over. We have spent 24/7 with the other cyclists for the last three and half months. We have seen each others good sides and we have seen the flaws, there has been many fun times, lots of laughs and there has been fights……all to be expected when we have lived in each others pockets for so long. Life long friendships have formed and relationships have blossomed, but in three weeks time it will all be over and we will have all gone our separate ways… back to the different pockets of the globe and will never again get the opportunity to be together as a group again. In some ways this is very sad. In other ways, that is life and we realise that we have been so incredibly lucky to have had such an amazing experience and one that we will cherish fondly for the rest of our lives!  

Onto Cape Town we ride….!



   --- Annalise Thompson