Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
As corny as it may sound, I made some simple cycling rules for the tour. You may
wish to so the same or adapt them if you are hiking.
1. Cycling curfew. I promised myself that I would start to seek shelter an hour and a half
to two hours before sunset. I did not want to cycle at night. There were no real bene-
fits: you can't see the views and the risk factor for injury goes up exponentially. (I did
this 99% of the time.)
2. Take care of wounds no matter how trivial as soon as possible- even scratches. (I did
this 100% of the time.)
3. Drink before I am thirsty. (75%)
4. Eat nutritiously (rice, pasta, fruits, bread, etc.) (Depended what was available.)
5. Keep money and passport in my money-belt and on me at all times (out of view!)
(99.9%)
6. Know my cycling limits and stay within them. By this I mean speed, distance in one
day, ability to negotiate steep roads and tight bends. (95%. I'll elaborate the times I
didn't.)
7. Maintain the bike periodically: cleaning, lubricating, and fixing any small thing before
it becomes an issue. (99.5%)
Final Word
I think there is a fine line between being prepared and being over-prepared. You
must keep in mind that on a bicycle you have limited space and weight you can carry. You
also can't anticipate everything that may happen to you or the bike. You could worry your-
self sick and may ultimately not go. Or, you would waste a lot of time in the 'what if…?'
trap. And if you do, your imagination will take hold and may end in an anxiety attack!
Let me illustrate. As I planned this tour, co-workers would ask, “What if you get a
puncture (flat tire)?”, “What if your wheel buckles and you're in the middle of the desert?”
and“Whatifyou'reattackedbyaherdofelephantswhocrushyourbicycleandbreakyour
leg?” My answer was simple: I don't know…but when I get to that bridge, I'll cross it. I
couldn't worry about every single bridge that I may cross.
I must add here, however, that as the tour unfolded, I did keep my ears open. I
listened to BBC World Radio for daily updates as much as possible. So please, don't turn
a blind eye and deaf ear to the current events. Keep in mind that some things in Africa
change rather quickly.
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