20 April - Four seasons in one day..

Rich said today that one thing that he cannot get over on this trip is that so much happens in one day that it becomes easy to forget what happened in the morning, and where we stayed last night… so true. A huge amount happened today: I lost my sleeping bag somewhere along the road (huge hit!); we got utterly drenched from head to toe; we had the most unreal little lunch on a table that we moved outside the restaurant not two meters from the road; we spent the afternoon with our bikes giving them the much needed TLC after an epic day of cycling in slush; I cooked a pasta dinner on coals in the back of a makeshift restaurant with a wonderful young woman who didnt speak a word of English (yes indeed, Didi is becoming more domestic!); I drank a cup of coffee at the local café… and all this before 9:30 so that I can get to bed early so that we can wake at six for more chapatti and chai…

Today was the first day that we have actually dealt with solid rain. And when I say rain, it was so bad that what once was soft sand littered with rocks, was now deep slush that did its best to jam into every nook of our derailleurs and cassettes. Each revolution ground as more grit wore against the chain. And all this amidst heavy concentration in keeping on the bike, choosing the best line and then gunning it into the mud. I was cold, wet right through and a beautiful sight. But it was awesome fun! It felt a little like duck-diving with bikes and it becomes all about confidence – you lose confidence in this terrain and you’re gone before you know it… hold a line, back yourself and peddle right through. Ignore the fact that the road is fast becoming a river and that a puddle of gigantic proportions and monstrous depths is hurtling towards you… great fun! Awesome day! 80km under the belt and we are told it is an easy 80 down hill into Dodoma. I translate that to 110km of flat with a few small hills. It seems that the locals don’t have a cyclist’s eye for the terrain.

We are staying in a lovely spot which has kerosene lamps and cement floors, but it is comfortable and has a great feel to it. I have had a wonderful day.