Gabon - The Lions on the Road: Cycling London to Cape Town - page 188

the town and went to the post office to finally send my postcards. On my way to the post
office I punctured my tire and ended up walking back. When I returned to the mission, I
repaired the flat tire just outside my room. I chatted with the community of priests and the
Bishop ofOyem (onebrother was celebrating over60years inthe religious life the follow-
ing Sunday). After dinner, we watched Dieppe, a documentary on WW2 and I went to bed.
I slept poorly again and not because of my lower legs for the cream the sisters gave
me was excellent. This time, it was because oftwo nightmares that jolted me awake during
the wee hours of the morning. I decided to get out of bed at 6 a.m. and had a light break-
fast with Peter, a Belgian carpenter who was volunteering in the mission. We went to mass
andafterward, Ireturnedtohaveasecondbreakfast withthereligious community.By8:00
a.m., I started my day's cycle.
IwantedtosavourmylastfulldayofcyclinginGabon.Theroadswereinexcellent
condition and the scenery was a splendid continuation from the day before. However, one
striking difference was the absence of people. I passed through 5 small villages but saw
veryfewlocals.TheonesIdidseeweremainlyelderlywomencarryingmassivepacksand
smoking pipes. Also, for the first time, I came across a road construction crew. It was nice
to see that the infrastructure was being maintained.
I arrived in Ndendé in the early evening and found the Catholic mission in no time
at all. The groundskeeper told me that the priest was out and took me to the sisters. They
told me to return to the church and wait for him there. I did and fell asleep near the main
doors. The sisters arrived a while later with a key to the guest room. As I was settling in, I
met a young French volunteer, Benoit, who was living there. He asked me if I was thirsty
or hungry and I told him that the last time I ate was at 1:00 p.m. He led me to the kit-
chen where he prepared a feast: fish fingers, steak and potatoes, bread, cherry pie and fruit.
Needless to say, I was one happy person. What a wonderful last supper for me in Gabon. I
borrowed a fan and waited in my room for the priest to arrive. I fell asleep waiting.