A few days ago I came across this old photo. It reminds me of my natural wanderlust and I’m thinking it is being reawakened. Back in 1984 I spent a few months cycling around East Africa on a heap of junk called a second hand BSA bicycle I had as a school boy.
For now it has brought back all kinds of memories. So you know, I was on my own, I had a tent and a sleeping bag but didn’t use these very much. It was quite an adventure and here just a few points….
- one of the best things I’ve ever done, I’m sure it helped shape my outlook on life, even now
- people have asked whether it was dangerous. Perhaps it was sometimes but I was reasonably sensible and I was worried a few times
- I loved chatting to people. Travelling on your own makes this easier and I think people are more willing to help you, or feed you or accommodate you when you are on your own
- I found the Police very hospitable in Kenya, only too happy to let me put my tent up in their grounds. In Tanzania they weren’t nearly as helpful
- I cycled for possibly thousands of miles and only had two punctures
- My faith really deepened while I was there
- The hardest part was cycling from Mombasa on the coast to Nairobi, 300 miles inland. I did it in 3 days and there were lots of trucks on the road, plus swarms of flies following me in places. It also meant gradually climbing 6000ft
- Nutrition was sometimes tricky, especially on the road. I often ate rice and sometimes it was like gravel. But I survived and so did my teeth. I drank lots of Coca Cola as it was always clean. I had my first cigarette while I was there, something I’m not very proud of
- I enjoyed the amazing landscapes everywhere. The highlights were Mount Kilimanjaro and riding up to 10,000ft on Mount Kenya and seeing snow. I also enjoyed the highlands for their cool climate and lush landscapes
Finally, for now, I posted the same photo on Facebook and you can see below the comical dialogue my friends there often have.
