The Planning - The Lions on the Road: Cycling London to Cape Town - page 15

MyattentionfocusedonwhatIshouldtake.Firstandforemost,Imadeabiginvest-
ment in the rack and the panniers. I asked a friend who was an aircraft welder to double-
weldbyrearrack.Toanycyclistreadingthis,pleasekeepinmindthatitisyourrackthatis
thefirsttobreak(metalfatigueduetovibration).Hence,investinthiswisely.Thepanniers
IboughtwereOverlanderbyCarradice(England).Thesebagsweresensational.Toughand
rugged they survived this tour and several subsequent tours. I also had low-riding front
panniers. These are highly recommended for it puts the centre of gravity lower and thus
allows the rider to have better balance and manoeuvrability.
The rest of the gear I took is in Appendix A so go ahead and take a look.
Health and Fitness
Now that I had the equipment ready, I had to get my vaccinations. Since I had pre-
viouslycontactedtheembassies,Iknewwhichvaccineswererequiredforwhichcountries.
I then made a list of appointments with various clinics to optimize the time needed before
entrytoahazardouszone.ItookshotsforTyphoid,Cholera,HepatitisA,PolioandYellow
Fever. I then purchased my Malarial tablets (Paludrine and Nivaquine). All this informa-
tion was recorded in an immunization/vaccination card and carried along with my passport
(some countries wanted to see the immunization card before the passport.)
I visited the local library to research fitness and nutrition. I learned the importance
of salt intake and the prevention of dehydration. I researched survival techniques in both
desert and mountains. I also learned the possible locations of water in the desert: in cactus
plants and its roots, the lowest point of a sand dune and the outside bend of a dry stream. I
learned that without water, one could go 25 miles at night, 5 miles in the day (with 2 litres
of water, one could do 35 miles and last 3 days.) If I did run out of water, I learned how
to build a solar still to collect 1 pint of water in 24 hours (just in case.) For food, I learned
how to test foreign plants for consumption. So, for those thinking of traveling in remote
places, take this advice: plan in advance especially if you will be heading out to the middle
of nowhere. Finally, I started a two-day workout routine which included jogging one day
and upper body the next.
Climate
I did look into the climatic conditions more on an interest level than anything else.
I looked at the countries' temperatures and humidity levels, the rainy seasons and when/
where to expect typhoons.
Personal Safety Pledge