The Hot Desert

31 Jan

Today was our first day in the real desert. While the morning was still nice and cool we were hit by a head wind and temperatures in the mid 40s. (It felt more like 60!) It was like cycling into a hair dryer. While riding along I was taking in Sudan - literally. Through my nose, mouth, and ears. There is sand and dust everywhere. And dead camels next to the road. Usually one smells them before they can be seen. I am completely spent today. Riding in this heat seems to take double the effort.

1 Feb

 A day in our life ...

You may wonder how a normal day here looks like: It is all pretty much organised and structured but if you think I'd thrive in this environment you are wrong. I feel like I am the most caotic person on this trip.  Morning routine is dominated by breakfast which we can get from 6.30 to 7. Meals are obviously essential here - even if it is porridge day in day out. First though tents and kit need to be packed and stored away in the little locker on the truck. Challenging if you are not a morning person. I normally arrive just in time to scrape out the pot and swallow some cold coffee

 2 Feb

Around 7 we hit the road. That's more or less at sunrise and there should be some great pics on the website. We ride between 60 and 80 kms to lunch. Here in Sudan the ride is not very spectacular as there is little more than sand, sand, sand, and some camels - dead or alive. It’s a major highlight when we come across a little coffee shop and fall in like locusts to empty their stock of luke warm coke. In the afternoon we repeat the whole thing. I can tell you for anyone who ever wanted to learn how to meditate this is the place. If I stare long enough at the yellow line in front of my wheel I start hallucinating. The whole exercise takes between 5 and 7 hours plus whatever breaks we take.

3/4 Feb

After 4 days of cycling and camping in the desert we were all looking forward to the day in Khartoum to recharge our batteries and scrub several kilos of sand off our bodies. The camps between the rest days usually have no facilities and - if the Nile isn't close - no water to wash. We have been quite inventive though and discovered showers in a back yard at a village we passed or pots with water at the side of the road - not safe enough to drink but great to throw over your head. Whenever we approach a big city we ride in slow convoy accompanied by police and lots of security. They bring the traffic of a multimillion city to a complete standstill just to get us through. The campsite is a dusty field at the outskirts of the city which was already occupied by lots of people. So the efh club went off to find a place to stay downtown After a stroll in the city, dinner and a good night sleep we invaded the breakfast buffet this morning for about 3 hours (and are now busy recovering).

5 Feb

Every time we get used to the challenges we come across on the trip a new one gets thrown in. Today it was traffic. 160kms with constantly passing and oncoming busses, double trailer trucks etc - and no space to overtake. We were hopping on and off the road like yoyo's. Very stressful. We are east of Kharthoum now and the area is more populated. Can't exactly see why as the landscape is as 'deserty' as in the north.