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https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483165147-R5F9YDUPS6V6ZLG4VER8/DSC_0486.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Return to Zanzibar Lars Helweg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483164852-65NBLENAR3TSIMGC2W2S/DSC_0484.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Return to Zanzibar Woman pot washing: Stone Town, Zanzibar https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483162146-LLVL69OBLBZZPE9HC9VT/DSC_0471.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Return to Zanzibar Bwawani Squash Club, Zanzibar https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483163860-EJ2LMMCXOKPYMRWE2ZFS/DSC_0474.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Return to Zanzibar Squash court at Bwawani https://petergostelow.com/big-africa-cycle-/general-posts/newpost monthly 0.5 2012-10-22 https://petergostelow.com/big-africa-cycle-/general-posts/dont-talk-about-the-weather-re-entry monthly 0.5 2021-03-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483149443-Q73L3RAZII6VP23YR92L/2012-07-09-21.39.45.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Don't talk about the weather: Re-entry Flying back over Africa https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483152050-J4RFYSZK5VNR5F164VVP/DSC_0186.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Don't talk about the weather: Re-entry After the flight https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483154144-S9BEPRATDHJWBP2JZHDV/DSC_0218.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Don't talk about the weather: Re-entry August 2009 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483153245-Y7722NOZ2PJM4PQ7P10D/DSC_0195.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Don't talk about the weather: Re-entry Dorset sign post https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483153644-KYZU8ZLRNMMMVS03M3KV/DSC_0214.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Don't talk about the weather: Re-entry Reassembled and ready to roll https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483152843-0U0V10JIXRVE57KWZG8B/DSC_0187.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Don't talk about the weather: Re-entry Godmanstone Village noticeboard https://petergostelow.com/big-africa-cycle-/general-posts/the-end-of-the-road-cape-town monthly 0.5 2021-03-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483153043-TC3XLH09ZEU53WI4M9NH/P1010460.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - The end of the road: Cape Town and beyond Host in Melbosstrand https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483150029-HQ1HJUB1E71FEPIRLVIU/DSC_0056.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - The end of the road: Cape Town and beyond Along the Cape Peninsula https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483149827-E4QI00M6C3T8SKHJLY77/DSC_0060.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - The end of the road: Cape Town and beyond Looking down to Hout Bay https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483150887-M98G5O0NQGEKRU2QZR1E/DSC_0065.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - The end of the road: Cape Town and beyond Surf along Cape Peninsula https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483150942-EBVELH8KM1PJTT80EWPF/DSC_0072.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - The end of the road: Cape Town and beyond At the Cape of Good Hope https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483154542-W6TNU4B6GV4KNVWU2SF6/photo.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - The end of the road: Cape Town and beyond Riding to the Cape of Good Hope https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483151742-FX8ND23SD6GPKNV3X5W0/DSC_0145.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - The end of the road: Cape Town and beyond Looking down to Muzeinburg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483154852-RVJBV182774Y4NGC3PG3/bubbly.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - The end of the road: Cape Town and beyond Time to celebrate https://petergostelow.com/big-africa-cycle-/general-posts/almost-there-now monthly 0.5 2021-03-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483147545-WADWAAV287WS1I7FVOYN/IMG_7701.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Almost there now Next to Africa https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483135545-PDYDSJ6CFMCBO6X90CVT/DSC_0293.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Almost there now Springbok friends https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483147642-FLOSZK2K3W6VM4VEUKW8/veld.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Almost there now Highway south from Springbok https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483135646-9MWWPY3CWX1NIXJKQZYQ/DSC_0300.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Almost there now Landscape of the Northern Cape https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483136051-R0EBJO7WQWPLLZ67JCER/DSC_0298.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Almost there now Quiver tree in the Northern Cape https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483136544-Q1C8HVNEOVD5IL9C8W9Y/DSC_0312.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Almost there now Road to Lutzville https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483136742-DMZW164EUA56F4JR7TCP/DSC_0317.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Almost there now Road to Strandfontein https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483114945-JGR89VNU65BJUCNTYLPZ/DSC_0012.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Almost there now Surf at Strandfontein https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483137446-HCL0THZAL4A0MUIRGYYT/DSC_0330.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Almost there now Coast at Strandfontein https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483113416-2QNF4JM15H38Q6MJQKMC/DSC_00021.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Almost there now Missionaries in Strandfontein https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483115243-3816TIYYPJZF0QUUFKWK/DSC_0014.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Almost there now Birds Island: Lamberts Bay https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483117745-I5TSHF4AIGQVUDFLB0FE/DSC_0024.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Almost there now South from Eland's Bay https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483118458-XCL7BE3LAUM26YC18SW3/DSC_0028.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Almost there now Watermill near Vredendal https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483146345-SLPNM9ADTBSKZN733NVU/IMG_7655.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Almost there now With Nick and Vick https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483147143-RMCWPKGOSMXW4JQXQY3N/IMG_7656.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Almost there now Whale bone on the beach https://petergostelow.com/big-africa-cycle-/general-posts/south-from-windhoek monthly 0.5 2021-03-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483140745-GXUMXH1X03QZXPHAQDMN/DSC_1381.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - South from Windhoek Self-timing myself https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483133642-Y0RJ12DRETREYWD7R98X/DSC_0273.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - South from Windhoek Wild camping near the Fish River Canyon https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483138642-YSACAHKHVHV7WRYY4MVK/DSC_1319.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - South from Windhoek Sunset from the Spreetshoogte pass https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483137643-M7QC8R7CIUA9ZIWNTW39/DSC_1305.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - South from Windhoek On the Spreetshoogte pass https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483138544-A2U2TEA6OXYAOYL892JA/DSC_1310.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - South from Windhoek Descending the Spreetshoogte pass https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483139645-Z4JEZA5KGB5FNRM7NGXQ/DSC_1326.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - South from Windhoek South towards Solitaire https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483133752-8ST0XCQF5AK8QBA09DA4/DSC_0278.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - South from Windhoek Fencing to nowhere https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483140946-F6T9RA6S5PR73MAQZPCV/DSC_1383.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - South from Windhoek Keep out! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483148144-LM7ZTWEPH8L168RRL2SB/P1010045.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - South from Windhoek Dune 45 at Sunrise https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483144146-KZ9ZXBWQPQOIJNTFICTM/DSC_1470.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - South from Windhoek Deadvlei https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483143744-I4LGLNSET9JVDKNSYSHR/DSC_1467.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - South from Windhoek Deadvlei https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483142742-C6S5U1O7AI7E3AK7W4T4/DSC_1451.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - South from Windhoek Dune at Sossuvlei https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483110944-7V5XLO5JNV9U0V1E77JM/2012-05-20-11.02.321.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - South from Windhoek Sky at Sossuvlei https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483142642-IC5BFXN9LCOD5AV88N37/DSC_1428.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - South from Windhoek Sunrise on Dune 45 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483109944-WW255XWD3DYX7S823NYP/2012-05-20-10.59.591.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - South from Windhoek Resting at Sossuvlei https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483141945-45UCZFUJMA9MHK4BZ1J4/DSC_1399.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - South from Windhoek Scenery near Sesriem https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483144744-96KXTSSB5J54KZV591EZ/DSC_1501.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - South from Windhoek Landscape in the Namib Rand Reserve https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483144460-IPLBU4JNZN8PDWL7HDVN/DSC_1487.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - South from Windhoek Oryx disappearing https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483146142-UMP2ZFEZCIUHFXZ2DBXZ/DSC_15071.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - South from Windhoek Grinding along gravel again https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483121342-ND73GLQIZ4UM5WWQX9Z8/DSC_0052.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - South from Windhoek On the edge https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483122248-J82JI9V5BG8D1QWJUHJ8/DSC_0078.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - South from Windhoek Camping above the Fish River Canyon https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483124244-5Q63WSU9KAY9EZ6Y9XBM/DSC_01171.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - South from Windhoek Fish River Canyon https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483123244-2FNYN1OJK0OXJ7ZD61L4/DSC_00981.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - South from Windhoek Above the Fish River Canyon https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483125852-SGOALQ2IMQ24AQFAJ82X/DSC_01561.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - South from Windhoek Start of the Fish River Canyon https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483126545-8V863EGFEMKRPHNIOYIS/DSC_0158.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - South from Windhoek Descending into the Fish River Canyon https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483127544-4BJZG7W9OTWHK55243E1/DSC_01671.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - South from Windhoek Descending into the Fish River Canyon https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483128746-WFJLYI0TYECWGJFM0MVX/DSC_0176.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - South from Windhoek Moon rising in the Fish River Canyon https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483128443-LA4JG0BUCKXH15PQ9Y1K/DSC_01741.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - South from Windhoek Setting up camp within the Fish River Canyon https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483131157-9CZON5B55UKTPPSQB3BG/DSC_0210.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - South from Windhoek Fish River Canyon https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483131243-HFZCE02JZOL7PM5HV7QR/DSC_0223.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - South from Windhoek Within the Fish River Canyon https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483130643-0AOLJRARZY5GK1XX46PJ/DSC_0195.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - South from Windhoek Morning Reflections https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483132642-QWK15V96MNBSRVNAZENY/DSC_0242.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - South from Windhoek Morning in the Fish River Canyon https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483130143-PF4Y3A7GX09NINABSKWN/DSC_0191.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - South from Windhoek Hiker in Fish River Canyon https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483125246-N07FY1Q5LHO2RBRN4NTX/DSC_0136.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - South from Windhoek Yohan and Nami https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483135443-6UANT0NU3UGFXOLX0T9L/DSC_0290.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - South from Windhoek Fred the Frenchman https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483114542-NL1SCRFRJ81QOC49EXEL/DSC_00032.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - South from Windhoek South from Sesriem https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483119443-VNFY8FNFYO4X7PQFCWK8/DSC_00291.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - South from Windhoek Another puncture! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483141744-NXNBWYPSKTXEQNORCB1E/DSC_1384.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - South from Windhoek Rare spot of shade https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483132746-IU82X5M9CTLWLYPUCH25/DSC_0261.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - South from Windhoek South to Aussenkehr https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483112558-4BZARQ95Y7P8Q1QUXNXQ/CSC_02842.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - South from Windhoek Beer at a bottlestore https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483117447-YUBXHISDOAMOD79IDWU7/DSC_00181.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - South from Windhoek Salt stains https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483134443-YF9OB4HQYOMXEVA0287D/DSC_02871.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - South from Windhoek Into South Africa https://petergostelow.com/big-africa-cycle-/general-posts/radio-interview-in-windhoek monthly 0.5 2012-05-14 https://petergostelow.com/big-africa-cycle-/general-posts/grinding-along-gravel monthly 0.5 2021-03-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483099566-0PSMLLN8WW3SV8N8PQZL/DSC_1104.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Grinding along gravel Heading South to Sesfontein https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483104143-1FD08XRGLPI3X6DKCNC3/DSC_1217.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Grinding along gravel Zebra disappearing https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483100845-LH1YCBVS6R7W5FZNVWYP/DSC_1142.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Grinding along gravel Chameleon https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483104546-NXC9UZM3WD99Z42143K1/DSC_1227.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Grinding along gravel Wild Namibia https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483105656-6PT44MBMFIBXF1XHVWT3/DSC_1239.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Grinding along gravel Gravel road and blue skies https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483104451-AM3HXNWPKVILEZ0AU0AJ/DSC_1219.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Grinding along gravel Approaching Palmwag https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483102045-WKWUXA5FUBKF7RHBYPIF/DSC_1161.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Grinding along gravel Road to Sesfontein https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483107345-BS4XMUE9SX74GHPUZBVM/DSC_1249.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Grinding along gravel Abandoned Mercedes https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483105942-R01LXQ59AAYHEON7KJ9I/DSC_1242.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Grinding along gravel Car wreck https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483100047-3NVBE7E2QZAPP7AIG0HY/DSC_1111.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Grinding along gravel Himba girl https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483100560-ZJL2E6KF2ZPJQX56C97N/DSC_1117.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Grinding along gravel Himba boy https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483100444-R0QQ7L1IWG8U8FIF8YWR/DSC_1123.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Grinding along gravel Young cattle herders https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483106343-XXWH37AAL2YRGLE7QS0X/DSC_1244.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Grinding along gravel Herero women https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483108345-Q1GJMRRWK54X598OW0C3/DSC_1270.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Grinding along gravel Morning departure from Herero house https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483107742-37T67RYN9VJXG2EF0LY4/DSC_1262.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Grinding along gravel Morning departure from Herero house https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483099244-UM91X62798TY6FUCMXQW/DSC_1102.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Grinding along gravel Estonian traveller https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483101844-YAWEK7N857RYPAW953N5/DSC_1153.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Grinding along gravel Road to Sesfontein https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483103246-OQY7MUC5980O14M8WEJD/DSC_1198.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Grinding along gravel Gravel Road to Palmwag https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483105045-8N5VWVC5LKC12Y5W2IMH/DSC_1229.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Grinding along gravel Camping within a Communual farm https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483103543-U7S84PWDR1X4T7I9TKH8/DSC_1200.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Grinding along gravel Camping outside Palmwag https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483102142-55J740CJV3JB5TUW4Y7Y/DSC_1176.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Grinding along gravel Camping in Sesfontein https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483108843-N2KWT9T197CPJQZWFQA7/DSC_1283.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Grinding along gravel German Church in Windhoek https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483108747-D9XQ9055E4YAY5LEDII2/windheok.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Grinding along gravel Windhoek https://petergostelow.com/big-africa-cycle-/general-posts/video-from-the-road-northern-nambia monthly 0.5 2021-03-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483096444-DHP31LWXJVEFPI5M71YF/DSC_1069b.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Video from the road: Northern Nambia Cow company on the road https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483095945-QV545HVG7BOH0EPMSC4A/DSC_1059b.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Video from the road: Northern Nambia Beside the Kavanga River https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483096643-C3NL3D5C2X17QF9SMGB8/DSC_1071b.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Video from the road: Northern Nambia Lunch time company https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483096844-SVOG9K44Y2304LD8MKUQ/DSC_1073b.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Video from the road: Northern Nambia Bottlestore Campe https://petergostelow.com/big-africa-cycle-/general-posts/beers-and-braais-on-the-zambezi monthly 0.5 2021-03-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483090343-WBE27GTFMJK8CK89AWEU/DSC_0968.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Beers and braais on the Zambezi Sunset over the Zambezi https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483092345-68YBGBKDFD78ATBOLZM5/DSC_0997.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Beers and braais on the Zambezi Shane and I about to part ways https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483091654-Q2O52PZJNBWG8FTDZCQ4/DSC_0979.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Beers and braais on the Zambezi Beer time https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483090743-DYQWNBGVP8AYPTX7MC2V/DSC_0974.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Beers and braais on the Zambezi Braai and beer time https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483092844-UH0Q07ZIUMPCZQFB9V65/DSC_0998.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Beers and braais on the Zambezi Along the Caprivi Strip https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483095593-Q540T4FD35TVYNC128ST/DSC_1026.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Beers and braais on the Zambezi The long road through the Caprivi Strip https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483095541-DVDJ72FGBWJA07TYGIPE/DSC_1014.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Beers and braais on the Zambezi Road to somewhere hopefully https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483093443-COOZ7RBKCHEK0K03ETM3/DSC_1000.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Beers and braais on the Zambezi The Caprivi Strip https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483094042-1FQTK59DJ6BKC3JB01DL/DSC_1009.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Beers and braais on the Zambezi Wild camping again https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483094344-IGUC5SVOEWKNJ0DNYX4R/DSC_1010.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Beers and braais on the Zambezi Morning at camp https://petergostelow.com/big-africa-cycle-/general-posts/wildlife-and-waterfalls monthly 0.5 2021-03-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483088349-N14T40T4MGLOL8JKE1P9/DSC_0826.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Wildlife and Waterfalls The British Character https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483081942-J7AJWXW8WXNAUHP2MV5U/DSC_0645.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Wildlife and Waterfalls Victoria Falls Road https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483083146-4JM1MES8N8WWFEY2VRWT/DSC_0718.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Wildlife and Waterfalls On Safari in Hwange National Park https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483083849-VN5MA2YPTXT969T9XMNI/DSC_0740.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Wildlife and Waterfalls Water hole and elephants https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483083643-C9DLFHB3N1VZWC36T8GQ/DSC_0737.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Wildlife and Waterfalls Elephants at waterhole https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483082741-5BHJJYJTX9YS8G9VD0R6/DSC_0708.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Wildlife and Waterfalls Lone elephant https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483082643-FOC2K1DDN8NAZQV0RG5B/DSC_0690.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Wildlife and Waterfalls Impala in Hwange National Park https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483081743-ZMQOEXBSQ5XL7NS4ZMCG/DSC_0660.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Wildlife and Waterfalls Bird in Hwange https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483084943-KVL95WF3PQ48ZWJ0FZF0/DSC_07671.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Wildlife and Waterfalls Sunset behind acacia tree https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483084046-583GGF88V96804J3K463/DSC_0762.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Wildlife and Waterfalls Sunset behind acacia tree https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483085445-7CQOJLFI31VYP2GH47QH/DSC_0773.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Wildlife and Waterfalls Company in Hwange NP https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483085846-SFIA37K75ML1I7J0B0T7/DSC_0784.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Wildlife and Waterfalls Watermelon Stop https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483086547-EUG64ZZBR4EYT26QWFNJ/DSC_0792.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Wildlife and Waterfalls Entrance to Victoria Falls https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483087343-TJSQNN5FV5J8F1XE80LQ/DSC_0810.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Wildlife and Waterfalls Africa's big 4 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483087444-S8KRUNTLLNC4FXZ1QS6K/DSC_0822.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Wildlife and Waterfalls Victoria Falls https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483089544-TL01V8VQPFTMC1A9IS8Q/DSC_0928.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Wildlife and Waterfalls Victoria Falls from the air https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483088544-BLVPN0D33X3LU3YNDYSJ/DSC_0897.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Wildlife and Waterfalls Victoria Falls from the air https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483089844-FA1PDZVCGR4VZK8MKJBC/DSC_0932.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Wildlife and Waterfalls Victoria Falls from the air https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483088843-NB0M39OBGIOTIRBKLZDR/DSC_0914.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Wildlife and Waterfalls Victoria Falls from the air https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483087744-MKD55PFV6Q1606SVVT23/DSC_0890.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Wildlife and Waterfalls Victoria Falls from the air https://petergostelow.com/big-africa-cycle-/general-posts/talking-gear monthly 0.5 2021-03-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483071446-F5HTNN92VW0F1G99C0L4/DSC_08491.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Talking gear: 30,000km Me writing a gear review https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483069545-W6B30DN68MSV0LZI6KFW/DSC_0457.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Talking gear: 30,000km First worn Schwalbe XR https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483070252-EXTRXU14H0ABKXLWB76E/DSC_0628.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Talking gear: 30,000km Another one bites the dust https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483071243-M6J3PTRF3ID0CBBZBTI7/DSC_0851.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Talking gear: 30,000km New front tyre https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483072242-LSXOELMKOES0F2PY4Z27/DSC_0852.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Talking gear: 30,000km Rigida Rim https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483072543-SW3S47IUN6SPNYI81JCE/DSC_0853.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Talking gear: 30,000km Worn brake pads https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483080947-Q2LWD695SLFD3WJDXK2H/sprocket-2-worn-fixings.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Talking gear: 30,000km Worn sprocket https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483077744-DSNWGSY8TA2IF1BH9W4P/bike-pic-1.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Talking gear: 30,000km Sprocket with metal sheared https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483072943-M1MNYUU5YVIISQPALLD4/DSC_0854.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Talking gear: 30,000km Front chain-rings https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483074159-JGPGGNP2DCCVQWI2INH3/DSC_0859.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Talking gear: 30,000km Front chain guard https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483074347-G2V3OUKVKU3M20LS3EF6/DSC_0860.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Talking gear: 30,000km Brooks bar tape https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483075047-53APH7LWYFAU4KPIQYL5/DSC_0861.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Talking gear: 30,000km Side mirror https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483075248-W66OUL89WQ2JNGUI4XFB/DSC_0863.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Talking gear: 30,000km Thorn Expedition Rear Rack https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483073953-GCFGDS0J0B6R0HHL8O3M/DSC_0856.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Talking gear: 30,000km Brooks Saddle https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483074143-RVCJ5UCWIPOBZOZ2R5TK/DSC_0858.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Talking gear: 30,000km Brooks saddle https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483075642-RKFAI6MBXZAKQ3K8ZQYP/DSC_0864.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Talking gear: 30,000km Velbon tripod https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483076544-P0XTZHZAF7BYGKZ1FCVU/DSC_0866.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Talking gear: 30,000km Itouch and speaker https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483076150-NYM6GZJC4FHDKWKWH30H/DSC_0865.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Talking gear: 30,000km Teva sandals https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483078645-353H4PDHODY2B4P5SRWL/hat.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Talking gear: 30,000km My trusted Tilley https://petergostelow.com/big-africa-cycle-/general-posts/harare-and-beyond monthly 0.5 2021-03-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483076946-KHDSNZHP0H1JFPYHRJUR/P3080033.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Harare and beyond Harare hosts https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483077943-OGJULZ758UTQPG2LACID/cheque.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Harare and beyond Old Zimbabwean bank note https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483069943-MFOI9GBHI2Q0QSWMM7MS/DSC_0594.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Harare and beyond https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483080044-5XI4J2VQOW7PTOMM4Q84/me-elephant2.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Harare and beyond Elephant riding in Antelope Park https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483079045-I8LTWJHJZTT25XQ1LLE3/me-elephant-2.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Harare and beyond Feeding the Elephants in Antelope Park https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483080445-AC7HMRTNG7J75W267F2Q/me-lion.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Harare and beyond Walking in the wild, or not really. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483069747-DZ3J2QWO3FTGL2IOOAXO/DSC_0615.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Harare and beyond Besides Cecil Rhodes' grave https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483078843-RLUK35414XCJ79IQIZTK/matopos.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - Harare and beyond Matopos National Park https://petergostelow.com/big-africa-cycle-/general-posts/a-twist-in-the-road monthly 0.5 2021-03-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483068760-8LSBHUBVMH8WNOI4HWLI/05022012_003.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - A twist in the road Before going to theatre. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483070043-C70MWKXW3967HR5XKHHF/DSC_0452.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - A twist in the road Sunset beside the Zambezi in Tete https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592483068445-O3P1OLDM8RTEQIGNFV2W/05022012.jpg The Big Africa Cycle - A twist in the road The wheelchair https://petergostelow.com/big-africa-cycle-/general-posts/show-me-the-money monthly 0.5 2021-03-08 https://petergostelow.com/big-africa-cycle-/general-posts/3603 monthly 0.5 2021-03-08 https://petergostelow.com/big-africa-cycle-/general-posts/3591 monthly 0.5 2021-03-08 https://petergostelow.com/big-africa-cycle-/general-posts/and-the-winner-goes-to-highlights monthly 0.5 2021-03-08 https://petergostelow.com/big-africa-cycle-/general-posts/into-africas-warm-heart monthly 0.5 2021-03-08 https://petergostelow.com/big-africa-cycle-/general-posts/3529 monthly 0.5 2021-03-08 https://petergostelow.com/big-africa-cycle-/general-posts/5-reasons-to-cycle-drc monthly 0.5 2021-03-08 https://petergostelow.com/big-africa-cycle-/general-posts/old-faces-in-forgotton-places monthly 0.5 2021-03-08 https://petergostelow.com/big-africa-cycle-/general-posts/5-reasons monthly 0.5 2021-03-08 https://petergostelow.com/big-africa-cycle-/general-posts/the-mambo-vipi-test-into-mozambique monthly 0.5 2021-03-08 https://petergostelow.com/big-africa-cycle-/general-posts/over-old-ground-south-from-dar-es-salaam monthly 0.5 2021-03-08 https://petergostelow.com/big-africa-cycle-/general-posts/then-and-now-tips-for-surviving-africa monthly 0.5 2021-03-08 https://petergostelow.com/big-africa-cycle-/general-posts/never-die-the-bagamoyo-boat monthly 0.5 2021-03-08 https://petergostelow.com/big-africa-cycle-/general-posts/around-the-green-isle-pemba monthly 0.5 2021-03-08 https://petergostelow.com/big-africa-cycle-/general-posts/bicycle-traveller-magazine monthly 0.5 2021-03-08 https://petergostelow.com/big-africa-cycle-/general-posts/zanzibar-revisited monthly 0.5 2021-03-08 https://petergostelow.com/big-africa-cycle-/general-posts/waiting-for-a-boat monthly 0.5 2021-03-08 https://petergostelow.com/big-africa-cycle-/general-posts/the-kilimanjaro-loop monthly 0.5 2021-03-08 https://petergostelow.com/big-africa-cycle-/general-posts/nairobi-for-a-while-2 monthly 0.5 2021-03-09 https://petergostelow.com/big-africa-cycle-/general-posts/paypal-button monthly 0.5 2021-03-09 https://petergostelow.com/big-africa-cycle-/general-posts/around-mt-elgon monthly 0.5 2021-03-09 https://petergostelow.com/big-africa-cycle-/general-posts/jinja-and-the-source-of-the-nile monthly 0.5 2021-03-09 https://petergostelow.com/big-africa-cycle-/general-posts/a-post-without-much-mileage monthly 0.5 2021-03-09 https://petergostelow.com/big-africa-cycle-/general-posts/anglophone-africa-again monthly 0.5 2021-03-09 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Bangkok - Chiang Saen - Make it stand out On this third trip to Thailand, some 20 years after my last, I realised I had more time to appreciate the temples here. Not in any deeply devout way - more just an interest and respect for the important part they play in Thai culture. Some were hundreds of years old; many others, like this one a short way out of Bangkok, much newer. I often stopped to appreciate, visit, rest and photograph them. They also provided a safe place to rest overnight, once I had asked permission from one of the monks. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/2925605b-a898-4451-86b7-2638cf8c730a/PXL_20251113_040737775.MP.jpg Blog - Thailasia Tour Part 3: Riding North. Bangkok - Chiang Saen - Make it stand out On a totally different, but equally important topic, I was quickly reminded of another important aspect of Thai culture - the ubiquitousness and popularity of the 7-11 convenience store. There were few days during my 11 weeks of cycling here when I didn’t step inside a clean, well-stocked and air-conditioned 7-11. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/6ae2717c-2bf5-414e-8760-c4af646f601b/1000515919.png Blog - Thailasia Tour Part 3: Riding North. Bangkok - Chiang Saen - Make it stand out Thailand has over 15,000 7-11’s. Even when I was on a forest or farm track in what sometimes seemed a relatively remote part of the country, I was probably no more than 20km from a 7-11. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/d9b23cd4-d90a-47af-abec-d1ad0efbfa0f/PXL_20251112_052535054.jpg Blog - Thailasia Tour Part 3: Riding North. Bangkok - Chiang Saen - Make it stand out While Thailand is a relatively easy country to travel through, outside tourist spots there is little in the way of English, either spoken or written down. These days Google translate makes life a lot easier. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/cfdf2d0a-686f-4e87-81cd-0d071bef3e3e/PXL_20251112_052716385.jpg Blog - Thailasia Tour Part 3: Riding North. Bangkok - Chiang Saen - Make it stand out Fortunately I have no real dietary requirements - although try to stay clear of offal and chicken feet - both of which are quite common in Thailand. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/fc416c39-55e8-46d5-8b95-fc40a8a6e907/DSC08334.jpg Blog - Thailasia Tour Part 3: Riding North. Bangkok - Chiang Saen - Make it stand out My first day on the road north from Bangkok takes me as far as the ancient capital of Ayuthhaya. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/766c05e5-7d1c-4f46-aa87-0df18e87460e/thai2-2.jpg Blog - Thailasia Tour Part 3: Riding North. Bangkok - Chiang Saen - Make it stand out Not my first time in Ayutthaya. Rewind to 2006 here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/a7e8bcdb-31ad-4eb6-a302-21a000818364/PXL_20251112_085616193.jpg Blog - Thailasia Tour Part 3: Riding North. Bangkok - Chiang Saen - Make it stand out In popular tourist towns like Ayutthaya there is plenty of budget accommodation. This room 400 baht - around £9. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/70d17b04-f217-455f-b0b8-8aff14b2822f/PXL_20251112_232228628.MP.jpg Blog - Thailasia Tour Part 3: Riding North. Bangkok - Chiang Saen - Make it stand out During the night the rain fell heavily. Ayutthaya sits on the banks of Thailand’s main river - the Chao Phraya, which was already flooded following weeks of heavy rains in October and early November. I’d left my bicycle on the ground floor of the guest house I stayed in. When I stepped outside my room and looked over the balcony, this was the sight below. Fortunately the water level hadn’t risen high enough to submerge the hubs of my wheels. Within a few hours the level had dropped. This rain was in fact the last to fall for the remainder of the trip. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/fe05d52c-fd2b-40b6-9ed0-be76e7ee45b6/PXL_20251113_044217482.jpg Blog - Thailasia Tour Part 3: Riding North. Bangkok - Chiang Saen - Make it stand out After that rain, following some dirt tracks on my second day of riding was a bad idea. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/87fb7913-8948-4df0-9e70-b24459b0856a/DSC08343.jpg Blog - Thailasia Tour Part 3: Riding North. Bangkok - Chiang Saen - Make it stand out The end of Day 2 took me to a large temple on the edge of a village. I had read about cyclists camping in temples before, but had never done this on my previous trip to Thailand. I think I felt that Buddhist temples were sacred spaces only reserved for practicing Buddhists, which is totally wrong. So as the light was fading and I had made no other booking or plan for where to sleep, I rode into the temple grounds and identified a spot that would be ideal to pitch my tent. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/daee7251-bd8a-4808-87b6-48336e574f35/DSC08353.jpg Blog - Thailasia Tour Part 3: Riding North. Bangkok - Chiang Saen - Make it stand out Thai temples are often home to numerous dogs, which are fed by monks and have a better life than they would roaming the streets. An elderly monk had seen me arrive and smiled. I then went to greet him and ask permission to camp. The toilets and shower block were pointed out to me. Once the dogs had got used to my presence they settled down and I pitched my tent. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/b0f88f4f-50d6-438a-aa70-461be245bfc0/PXL_20251113_102128616.jpg Blog - Thailasia Tour Part 3: Riding North. Bangkok - Chiang Saen - Make it stand out I had seen this wooden platform above the ground on one side of the temple grounds when I arrived. It was far enough away from the main temple and other buildings where monks stayed to not feel intrusive. I realised from this point onwards that I could probably camp most nights within a temple if I wanted, leaving a small donation in the morning before I left. The only downside to camping in Thai temples, aside from the occasional barking of dogs in the night, is that the day starts very early. Loud speakers crackle into sound at around 4-5am, playing a buddhist chant on repeat, and any lights nearby are usually switched on. While I would go on to camp in a number of more temples, I realised that they would never be the most relaxing of places to sleep. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/b4926b34-4124-452b-867a-47854395c839/PXL_20251114_091417428.jpg Blog - Thailasia Tour Part 3: Riding North. Bangkok - Chiang Saen - Make it stand out Day 3 and riding north on farm tracks between rice fields. This local farmer accosted me and handed me a cup of rice spirit. I never once had a problem with any Thai people during my time in the country. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/6e75b46e-1bdc-45db-bb68-8be5a7c5b757/PXL_20251115_044851042.jpg Blog - Thailasia Tour Part 3: Riding North. Bangkok - Chiang Saen - Make it stand out Thai teachers. Very few people in rural Thailand speak any English, so it was time to learn some basics from these kids - which really just meant greetings, numbers, some foods and how to ask for them. In the age of google translate doing all the work, learning languages requires more of an effort than it used to. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/83f5ed65-5d1d-42cd-a884-7de63b994e26/DSC08376.jpg Blog - Thailasia Tour Part 3: Riding North. Bangkok - Chiang Saen - Make it stand out Mountains ahead. My first several days riding north were all on flat terrain. I mixed up riding on small rural tracks like these with paved secondary roads nearby. Occasionally the tracks would disappear into a field and I had to backtrack and re-route, but there were usually lots of tracks and roads nearby so that I never had to cycle far. With big wide tyres (Schwalbe All Round 27.5” x 2.8”) I felt the bike was really capable of riding on any terrain here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/83ab9c72-07eb-43aa-bb30-7a094d3f3750/DSC08370.jpg Blog - Thailasia Tour Part 3: Riding North. Bangkok - Chiang Saen - Make it stand out The Tout Terrain Outback has been with me for over 2 years now. It’s time to write up a review after 25,000km of almost problem-free use. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/53b51e42-0ffa-4d50-8aa3-6df7cacd6fab/dji_fly_20251012_031642_931_1763212612663_photo.jpg Blog - Thailasia Tour Part 3: Riding North. Bangkok - Chiang Saen - Make it stand out At the end of Day 3 I camped within the grounds of Si Thep, an ancient city that sees little in the way of tourists. I was a little hesitant to use my drone camera in Thailand. By law, using a drone requires registering with two aviation authorities, having annual insurance, and taking a drone exam. It all sounded like a lot of hassle, so I just flew the drone in mostly quiet and remote places rather than built-up areas and tourist sites where it might have gained attention from police authorities. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/fb5d4384-a1d2-46b3-a5af-a3b6ee99b657/PXL_20251116_100300249.jpg Blog - Thailasia Tour Part 3: Riding North. Bangkok - Chiang Saen - Make it stand out Another 400 Baht guest house at the end of Day 4. Most places like this are on Google maps, so I always looked at the reviews for pics and prices, and rarely booked in advance. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/adeb264a-e7f4-46b7-a27e-82ac64024e08/PXL_20251119_001721704.jpg Blog - Thailasia Tour Part 3: Riding North. Bangkok - Chiang Saen - Make it stand out Before coming on this trip I was uncertain about how much I would use the tent. Budget accommodation is easy to find throughout Thailand, which means that carrying camping gear isn’t a necessity. Yet travelling through a country and not sleeping outside often feels, at least to me, as if I haven’t really connected with the place in the way I want to. I enjoy waking up with the sunrise and hearing the birds. Bringing a tent also brings with it much more freedom, so when I saw this covered pavilion close to a Buddhist stupa, it looked like a perfect camp spot. I usually wait around a short time to get a feel for a place, and then intuition tells me whether it will be OK to sleep here or not. I never felt in danger when camping in Thailand, so as much as I attempted to be discreet and somewhat hidden, I didn’t care if someone saw me. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/f532a3cc-6f7b-4405-b460-f4b5596eef45/dji_fly_20251016_005722_940_1763649847476_photo.jpg Blog - Thailasia Tour Part 3: Riding North. Bangkok - Chiang Saen - Make it stand out Far more memorable than many of the budget rooms I checked into. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/af475786-e976-4a5e-95c0-0ff7fb19f629/DSC08390.jpg Blog - Thailasia Tour Part 3: Riding North. Bangkok - Chiang Saen - Make it stand out One of the more impressive temple structures I passed on Day 6 was this temple. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/d5eacb19-7502-4498-8b16-a61ea05d5206/DSC08403.jpg Blog - Thailasia Tour Part 3: Riding North. Bangkok - Chiang Saen - Make it stand out More mountains and dirt tracks as I continue north towards the border with Laos. The tracks had dried out now that the rains were over. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/a38977be-e6d0-4b7f-8b78-69b99b1535d1/PXL_20251120_002221449.PANO.jpg Blog - Thailasia Tour Part 3: Riding North. Bangkok - Chiang Saen - Make it stand out I sometimes used Google maps to identify temples where it might be possible to camp, especially if the temple had been tagged with photos, which many have. This particular temple was architecturally unique. I saw no other like it in Thailand. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/6b31d51b-5006-4585-a4d8-890b54bc3f99/DSC08405.jpg Blog - Thailasia Tour Part 3: Riding North. Bangkok - Chiang Saen - Make it stand out Perfect gravel. Further north the rice and sugar cane fields were largely replaced by rubber tree plantations. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/67562977-2fd4-4746-8306-1d9ad3897fa7/DSC08412.jpg Blog - Thailasia Tour Part 3: Riding North. Bangkok - Chiang Saen - Make it stand out Approaching the border with Laos on Day 8. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/18faae6f-6ec8-4981-8499-12f0de62a928/PXL_20251121_031106074.MP.jpg Blog - Thailasia Tour Part 3: Riding North. Bangkok - Chiang Saen - Make it stand out Most days now involved a fair amount of climbing - 1000-2000+ metre of elevation gain. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/050867a3-d214-4878-a7b6-602e4940535a/PXL_20251120_103029984.jpg Blog - Thailasia Tour Part 3: Riding North. Bangkok - Chiang Saen - Make it stand out Thailand left, Laos across the river to the right. I cycled through Laos in 2006 and would happily return, but was conscious of time, and decided to just stay within Thailand. To cross over would require a visa ($50 I think) which didn’t really seem worth it unless I was going to stay some weeks. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/17135855-d302-43cd-b999-e341eda8c9e5/PXL_20251120_115954158.jpg Blog - Thailasia Tour Part 3: Riding North. Bangkok - Chiang Saen - Make it stand out Although I was able to get someone to cross the river and purchase a couple of bottles of what is probably one of Asia’s best beers. Cheaper than Thai beer too. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/978d13a4-99d8-441c-abb1-167b10f3c6ca/PXL_20251121_032242368.jpg Blog - Thailasia Tour Part 3: Riding North. Bangkok - Chiang Saen - Make it stand out Steep inclines never look so steep in pics. Many of the climbs in northern Thailand have inclines of 10-20%+. Most days I was soaked in sweat, although the temperatures up here in the north were never that high (15-25C). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/8f4ca9a6-b77f-496e-b09a-9892986f7540/DSC08417.jpg Blog - Thailasia Tour Part 3: Riding North. Bangkok - Chiang Saen - Make it stand out If land isn’t protected in Thailand, it will almost certainly be cultivated. Expanses of pineapple plantations here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/b4685624-153e-484d-85f9-7295a7cdc778/DSC08419.jpg Blog - Thailasia Tour Part 3: Riding North. Bangkok - Chiang Saen - Make it stand out One of the best camp spots in northern Thailand with views over Laos. The campsite was marked on Google maps. A caretaker looked after what was a beautiful location. I paid £2.50 to camp here at the end of Day 10. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/b2b0f23b-cc3e-4ea1-9769-2243497daad5/PXL_20251122_233341531.jpg Blog - Thailasia Tour Part 3: Riding North. Bangkok - Chiang Saen - Make it stand out Morning alarm clock. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/abfc3dd7-477d-4f1c-b6dd-6c1ac5a3ca8d/PXL_20251123_033425830.jpg Blog - Thailasia Tour Part 3: Riding North. Bangkok - Chiang Saen - Make it stand out I saw far more snakes (dead and alive) in Thailand than I have done in most other countries I’ve cycled. This green snake wasn’t dangerous (didn’t actually know at the time) and just stayed stationary on the road. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/991ed97b-9dc2-487e-a274-32dd4e68e17f/DSC08432.jpg Blog - Thailasia Tour Part 3: Riding North. Bangkok - Chiang Saen - Make it stand out Daily dose of Buddhism in the town of Nan. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/c8a0564c-8cde-4bdb-aeed-f725dbb8fba5/PXL_20251124_100600354.jpg Blog - Thailasia Tour Part 3: Riding North. Bangkok - Chiang Saen - Make it stand out Decided to take a rest day here and visit a few famous temples. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/48522d96-67ec-451f-a316-081eac1038a9/PXL_20251126_005112434.jpg Blog - Thailasia Tour Part 3: Riding North. Bangkok - Chiang Saen - Make it stand out Lots of accommodation options as usual. In almost all rooms I stayed in Thailand I was able to wheel my bicycle inside the room with no issues. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/a3819e1e-bd84-4b4c-900a-02654d6d1c26/PXL_20251124_023018562.jpg Blog - Thailasia Tour Part 3: Riding North. Bangkok - Chiang Saen - Make it stand out So when there was a large bathroom there was space for a jet wash using the bum gun. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/a0ced100-9c4a-4408-96e8-183efc69cf03/PXL_20251124_033655706.jpg Blog - Thailasia Tour Part 3: Riding North. Bangkok - Chiang Saen - Make it stand out With all the descent in the first 10 days I had already gone through a pair of brake pads. I had one spare set with me, but wished I had packed more. This particular pad is hard to find in regular bike shops, so I organised ordering some online to be sent ahead. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/8535ebfa-e1a6-458d-b1e8-c4d01fd436b6/PXL_20251125_070654397.jpg Blog - Thailasia Tour Part 3: Riding North. Bangkok - Chiang Saen - Make it stand out Now that I was in Northern Thailand I noticed some differences in the food. Khao Soi is a popular coconut-based chicken noodle soup in a curry-flavoured broth, served with lime and onion on the side. Price around £1.50. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/edfe0a3f-7e6a-4506-97b5-2c40339e5f58/PXL_20251126_021935812.jpg Blog - Thailasia Tour Part 3: Riding North. Bangkok - Chiang Saen - Make it stand out Leaving Nan and another temple. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/9e2f7e55-7e88-456c-bc2a-fa303b7133f5/DSC08451.jpg Blog - Thailasia Tour Part 3: Riding North. Bangkok - Chiang Saen - Make it stand out Lots more climbing on quiet paved roads. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/83a3507d-cfb0-45bf-81ba-ffa7d210c940/DSC08452.jpg Blog - Thailasia Tour Part 3: Riding North. Bangkok - Chiang Saen - Make it stand out With great views east as I followed the border with Laos. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/cc06f135-08e7-48a9-ad13-1cca94cb3e26/PXL_20251129_104056099.jpg Blog - Thailasia Tour Part 3: Riding North. Bangkok - Chiang Saen - Make it stand out Google maps showed an area of forest with a temple structure within it. I decided to ride up here on Day 14 and pitched my tent a short distance from the temple. The temple wasn’t active - so no pre-dawn wake up call, and surprisingly no dogs. A peaceful night. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/c64386b7-d5c6-4ef9-a8e1-8263c2921d82/PXL_20251129_101457563.jpg Blog - Thailasia Tour Part 3: Riding North. Bangkok - Chiang Saen - Make it stand out The forest had some beautiful old trees. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/9595a989-f807-4201-9115-1bb49dfa547f/PXL_20251130_021309696.jpg Blog - Thailasia Tour Part 3: Riding North. Bangkok - Chiang Saen - Make it stand out The morning after camping these three women found me packing up. They had come to the temple to provide an offering. An invite for breakfast followed, so I kindly accepted. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/d91165e7-f57e-45c8-884e-fa6e817d4655/DSC08462.jpg Blog - Thailasia Tour Part 3: Riding North. Bangkok - Chiang Saen - Make it stand out The mighty Mekong. South East Asia’s longest river provides a natural border with parts of Thailand as it flows south. My journey over the following week would now turn west along the northern Thai border with Myanmar. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/27b0602b-b59f-4fef-bcdb-845e11e7329b/PXL_20251130_105745825.jpg Blog - Thailasia Tour Part 3: Riding North. Bangkok - Chiang Saen - Make it stand out Dinner beside the Mekong in Chiang Saen. The cost of eating out here is a fraction of what it costs in the UK. https://petergostelow.com/-blog/thailasia-tour-part-2-unpacking-in-bangkok monthly 0.5 2026-03-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/43558aa9-4c57-40d7-b676-b3bf989677e6/PXL_20251107_174407559.jpg Blog - Thailasia Tour Part 2: Unpacking in Bangkok - Make it stand out Safe arrival. The more I fly with a bike the more I seem to worry. Surely it should be the other way around? An Ethiad flight safely transported my boxed bicycle (bike 17kg, box 5kg - limit 25kg) and additional luggage (10kg paid) to Bangkok. Many airlines allow bicycles to be included as part of checked baggage, with weight allowances varying between 23-32kg. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/716179bf-b4c6-4a6f-a8fa-f3c0af05788d/PXL_20251109_035741832.jpg Blog - Thailasia Tour Part 2: Unpacking in Bangkok - Make it stand out Unboxing. Accommodation for the first night was in an old family home tucked away in the backstreets of Banglamphu - a popular district of Bangkok with plenty of budget accommodation. I’d made a booking online for one night only, uncertain how the guest house would be. While the place was full of old-school character (felt more like a museum inside), I found a better option nearby, so checked out the morning after arriving - happy that the bicycle was intact. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/e8bf072c-8caf-4cd0-bbf2-caedc37bfd83/PXL_20251109_041920603.jpg Blog - Thailasia Tour Part 2: Unpacking in Bangkok - Make it stand out A short distance away I checked into this peaceful guest house. A good place to rest and acclimatise before riding out of Bangkok. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/65a08b45-ec76-4da5-a627-1e7d80c0f7b4/PXL_20251109_071246815.jpg Blog - Thailasia Tour Part 2: Unpacking in Bangkok - Make it stand out Much to my surprise, the guest house where I stayed back in 2006 was still open and appeared unchanged. Tucked away in a backstreet at one end of the well-known Khao San road. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/094a3368-ef8d-4fd7-a34a-d53b019f5b5d/PXL_20251109_071544991.jpg Blog - Thailasia Tour Part 2: Unpacking in Bangkok - Make it stand out Which meant that the rooms looked like they hadn’t been properly cleaned in 20 years either! Very glad to not be staying here. When I asked about the price of the rooms, I think they were exactly the same as I paid 20 years ago! About $4. The room in the much cleaner guest house I stayed for several nights was around $10. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/49131d52-1e87-4b88-aa85-51c881e2cd6b/PXL_20251111_090844673.jpg Blog - Thailasia Tour Part 2: Unpacking in Bangkok - Make it stand out The full kit. I always find it easiest to lay everything out in front of me before starting a trip. I’ve done this many times before, although every trip is slightly different, so I try to ensure that I know where everything is going to go before I actually pack it away. In terms of deciding what to take and what not to take, I go by the simple principle that if I am carrying something for a prolonged period of time (say 1 month) and it’s not being used, I could probably do without it. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/3afee8ae-6095-4b9c-b04b-fc66b4e3143f/PXL_20251111_092425739.jpg Blog - Thailasia Tour Part 2: Unpacking in Bangkok - Make it stand out In one small pannier I packed some tools/spare parts/straps (black and blue bag), my clothes in a dry bag (2x t-shirts, 1x short-sleeve shirt, 1x long-sleeve shirt, 2x pairs of shorts, 1x pair of hiking trousers 1x rain jacket, 3x underpants) and a wash bag. I wasn’t sure whether to take my trail running shoes or leave them in Bangkok to pick up at a later date, but I was glad I took them. There was space in the pannier and I used them frequently - running 2-4 times a week throughout the journey (I cycled in trekking sandals). In total this bag weighed around 3.5kg. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/aa9d4ef4-b891-49e0-a279-fff2636294a6/PXL_20251111_092114716.MP.jpg Blog - Thailasia Tour Part 2: Unpacking in Bangkok - Make it stand out In the other pannier I packed all my electronics (usb cables, travel plug, 2x power bank, spare drone batteries, spare camera lens, head torch, earphones) as well as kindle, tablet, 25-litre day-sack, small hip-bag and water bladder (4 litre). Approximately 3kg here, with plenty of space for anything extra. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/cc8768d7-3010-4966-8135-43c7637962ae/PXL_20251111_091506931.jpg Blog - Thailasia Tour Part 2: Unpacking in Bangkok - Make it stand out In one front fork bag I decided to carry my cooking gear for camping. As I didn’t plan to camp and cook as much, I packed a smaller pot than I have done on previous trips (1 litre) and opted to use camping gas with a small gas stove. The mesh pockets on the outside of the bag were useful for carrying my flip flops. Around 2kg in total. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/781f1506-9715-43c0-a866-49eaf220e687/PXL_20251111_091036400.jpg Blog - Thailasia Tour Part 2: Unpacking in Bangkok - Make it stand out In the other fork bag I packed my sleeping quilt, thermarest pad, pillow, and used one mesh pocket for a small cable lock. Less than 2kg in total. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/86b341e7-47c2-4e05-9a05-0bf0abe690cc/PXL_20251111_093000166.jpg Blog - Thailasia Tour Part 2: Unpacking in Bangkok - Make it stand out My tent went in a dry bag strapped onto the top of my rear rack. For the first time I decided to carry my tent poles separately - strapping them on the underside of the down-tube. The reflective car sunscreen provides protection between the ground and my thermarest when camping. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/6bc47344-553d-42c8-9468-b4cf5e5d4aad/PXL_20251111_091927031.jpg Blog - Thailasia Tour Part 2: Unpacking in Bangkok - Make it stand out This 7-litre hip bag is how I have carried my camera (Sony A6400 +18-135mm lens), spare lens (Samyang 12mm) and drone (DJI Mini 3 pro) in recent years, as well as other valuables like passport and cash. It is always with me when I step off the bike, and I barely feel it on my waist when cycling. Total weight around 1.5kg. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/b4f01dc4-24bc-4831-b25a-3140083fae37/DSC08309.jpg Blog - Thailasia Tour Part 2: Unpacking in Bangkok - Make it stand out Ready to roll. The small handlebar bag contains my drone remote control, and stem bags carry a water bottle in one, mini tripod, selfie stick and snacks in the other. In total around 12-13kg of gear on the bike, minus food and water. If I wasn’t camping it would be possible to tour this part of the world with just two small rear panniers. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/2831f5e6-649c-457c-8242-e5d7a5d38478/PXL_20251111_051400502.jpg Blog - Thailasia Tour Part 2: Unpacking in Bangkok - Make it stand out A contrast in packing from my Canadian friend Mario, who I met during my time in Bangkok. We have been facebook contacts for a number of years, so it was good to finally meet in person. Mario has made numerous trips in Thailand and South East Asia during the winter months. No camping gear in this fully-loaded rig on his Surly Long Haul trucker. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/bf547abf-c514-48b5-be21-938a3ee3359c/PXL_20251110_073711550.jpg Blog - Thailasia Tour Part 2: Unpacking in Bangkok - Make it stand out Bangkok gridlock. I think most cities in this part of the world are the same when it comes to traffic. Moving by two wheels is far faster. With the dense network of roads that exist here, it is possible to avoid most roads like this. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/d89d8c3a-b59e-4f74-9395-8f6153a4f5e0/PXL_20251111_045754540.jpg Blog - Thailasia Tour Part 2: Unpacking in Bangkok - Make it stand out A taste of things to come. A good reason to return to Thailand. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/20f81050-323d-4866-b90c-c199cf04f7cb/IMG-20251112-WA0012.jpg Blog - Thailasia Tour Part 2: Unpacking in Bangkok - Make it stand out Rolling out. I stayed in Bangkok for 5 nights before heading north. I had considered taking a train out of the city, but cycling was not nearly as bad I remember from 20 years ago. Back then I stuck to a main highway as paper maps showed none of the small inter-connecting streets that modern mapping apps do now. https://petergostelow.com/-blog/thailasia-tour-part-1-the-north monthly 0.5 2026-03-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/3f808584-a4a6-4fe8-b246-a386aab87df9/mapthia1.jpg Blog - Thailasia Tour Part 1: Introduction and Overview - Make it stand out Route through Thailand in 2006. I continued north into Laos. My route planning was limited to a simple country road map with little detail. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/c559a309-6a1d-4eb5-9a5d-7e0373b22638/relaxmejkong-2.jpg Blog - Thailasia Tour Part 1: Introduction and Overview - Make it stand out Relaxing by the River Mekong. Pre-smartphone and social media, I read more books in 2006. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/f02b9fe1-36ae-46f5-b0bb-9f51da574a10/1000478009.png Blog - Thailasia Tour Part 1: Introduction and Overview - Make it stand out The original route before I started the tour - just over 5000 km. The final route was broadly the same, with a few alterations. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/a553a34a-e5ce-46d3-878f-45311d72a204/PXL_20251120_011631143.jpg Blog - Thailasia Tour Part 1: Introduction and Overview - Make it stand out I bought a Garmin Edge Explore II a short time before leaving for Thailand, and made sure to download the country map, which can be done free online This is the first bike computer I’ve used in about 6 years. A garmin watch in recent years has recorded all my rides, and I’ve used my phone to navigate. I did envisage mostly just using the Garmin computer to map read, but it’s far easier and faster to use komoot, or any mapping app on a phone, than it is the computer. I was still glad to use the computer to log my rides and let me know I was on the course that had been created on the komoot app and synced to the computer. https://petergostelow.com/-blog/across-africa-part-13-finishing-up monthly 0.5 2025-11-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/ca66548e-0e97-4f95-a613-1214d95ebca0/Screenshot_20251101-185745.png Blog - Across Africa Part 13: Finishing Up. Thoughts And Stats. - Make it stand out Across Africa - and a few other bike rides over the years, dating back to 2008, when I arrived in Egypt by boat from Jordan. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/98d408ef-3f7d-4627-8cd8-f39030ec6cbe/1000265375.png Blog - Across Africa Part 13: Finishing Up. Thoughts And Stats. - Make it stand out Initially I had komoot planning a route from Nairobi to Luanda that was less than 5000km. I always knew the distance would be more. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/cb163ea5-c514-4b57-b160-61bef1ae1071/1000265376.png Blog - Across Africa Part 13: Finishing Up. Thoughts And Stats. - Make it stand out I also realised that the 120 days I initially had given myself as part of a booked return air ticket, might be too short. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/c67d7379-e0c8-4857-81fa-92c702e89e70/1000265377.png Blog - Across Africa Part 13: Finishing Up. Thoughts And Stats. - Make it stand out Less than half the total number of days spent in Africa this time consisted of cycling days. I’ve never been good at travelling quickly! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/e06a3fe3-5aa2-4790-ad00-339e7ea6f218/1000265378.png Blog - Across Africa Part 13: Finishing Up. Thoughts And Stats. - Make it stand out My cycling days were never especially long. Most days I would be cycling for between 4-6 hours, and with a lot of rough surfaces, rarely very quickly. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/4b3d5a2d-6e44-4d61-bfbb-0c917466ea19/1000265380.png Blog - Across Africa Part 13: Finishing Up. Thoughts And Stats. - Make it stand out Zambia was predominantly flat, and I was fortunate for a lot of the time to have a tailwind. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/611d4f16-10ef-42a6-8bef-61b7a83b8776/1000265469.png Blog - Across Africa Part 13: Finishing Up. Thoughts And Stats. - Make it stand out Had I wanted to I probably could have predominantly cycled on paved roads rather than unpaved surfaces, but I always preferred smaller and quieter routes, even if that meant they were much slower and harder. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/57912d17-180b-48fd-8e6b-72892c2ffae8/1000265470.png Blog - Across Africa Part 13: Finishing Up. Thoughts And Stats. - Make it stand out That looks like a lot of elevation, but spread out over 97 days of riding, it only equates to just over 500m of elevation gained per cycling day, which is not especially high. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/f2c5d811-6923-4150-b883-448b59ae2970/1000265381.png Blog - Across Africa Part 13: Finishing Up. Thoughts And Stats. - Make it stand out Most of this trip was done at some elevation. This meant it was rarely particularly hot nor humid - daily temperatures perhaps 25-32°C, and night time temperatures 10-20°C, - much better for camping. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/ac1962f0-c49f-411a-a68e-f0c8976bcea3/1000265384.png Blog - Across Africa Part 13: Finishing Up. Thoughts And Stats. - Make it stand out It was quite easy to work out what my total cost was for this trip. I took $800 with me in cash to change when necessary, else used one of two bank cards (Starling or Revolut) to either withdraw money from ATMs (both cards have free ATM withdrawals) or pay for items where necessary. In most of rural Africa cash payments are still the norm, so I withdrew small amounts where and when necessary. Travel in Africa for most visitors is likely to be far more expensive if it includes any paid for tourist activities, such as going on an organised safari - something likely to cost hundreds of dollars per day. The national parks I did cycle through and the animals I was lucky to see was done independently, without paying. I would have likely seen far more from the comfort and safety of a safari vehicle, had I joined a tour. By predominantly eating local food and staying in budget accommodation my costs were lower. I was also fortunate to have received free accommodation from being hosted by friends and contacts throughout the journey. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/bcbcc66b-f083-4475-9bf1-9c56644b8c2e/1000265388.png Blog - Across Africa Part 13: Finishing Up. Thoughts And Stats. - Make it stand out I camped about 25% of the time on this journey, almost always in the bush, but occasionally pitched my tent inside schools and churches when it rained. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/7d48176d-d0db-47a3-8017-859840781953/1000265389.png Blog - Across Africa Part 13: Finishing Up. Thoughts And Stats. - Make it stand out I camped in many beautiful places, but this spot beside the Calendula Falls in Angola stands out. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/512404c3-1206-40c4-9e16-7b23ef42247f/1000265390.png Blog - Across Africa Part 13: Finishing Up. Thoughts And Stats. - Make it stand out Budget accommodation, costing between £3-£15, can be found relatively easily in Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, and to a lesser extent Angola. I rarely ever booked accommodation in advance. My priorities were just to find a clean and quiet room, and preferably one with enough space to wheel my bicycle inside. These days there are apps like Ioverlander, which have more up-to-date information than would be found in a guidebook. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/a0ab1b92-69d0-4252-b650-ad48a01c09b1/1000265395.png Blog - Across Africa Part 13: Finishing Up. Thoughts And Stats. - Make it stand out I was fortunate to be hosted a number of times, either from people I already knew from my time living in Tanzania, or those I met and/or was put in contact with while travelling here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/a2befa8a-7a8b-4169-98fb-57f9228c605a/1000265396.png Blog - Across Africa Part 13: Finishing Up. Thoughts And Stats. - Make it stand out It was only ever planned as a week stay, but I ended up falling sick with malaria here, then reassessed the end date of my trip while staying with a friendly and welcoming couple (top pic). It became easy to stay. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/50701eac-93ce-4a81-84e2-a4e3f0713b93/1000265397.png Blog - Across Africa Part 13: Finishing Up. Thoughts And Stats. - Make it stand out Twice in Zambia and once in Angola, although the second time was likely a relapse and not a totally new infection. I decided to not take anti-malarial medication, having lived and travelled in parts of Africa before without getting malaria when not taking prophylactics. In hindsight, if I were to have done a similar trip like this again, I would likely have taken mefloquine (Larium) as an anti-malarial, having taken this before at times in the past when I travelled and cycled through Africa without the side-effects which the medication is often known for. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/0f59d18c-e4b8-4b2e-a9df-c391a742b86a/1000265398.png Blog - Across Africa Part 13: Finishing Up. Thoughts And Stats. - Make it stand out Madeg from Canada (bottom pic), who I met in Tanzania and later in Zambia, and Aline from Switzerland, who I met in Angola. I only cycled with both for a short time. Prior to this African trip I cycled in Greece for 2 months and met 19 cyclists. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/74a34825-47c6-46a0-a681-7c27c70b3737/1000265399.png Blog - Across Africa Part 13: Finishing Up. Thoughts And Stats. - Make it stand out Not technically a puncture as nothing penetrated the tyre. The sidewall of this tubeless tyre developed a split where it met the rim, causing sealant and air to escape. Super glue and duct tape held it together for a number of weeks before I replaced the tyres. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/e3a890af-a70a-42d5-b8cc-af297b9ddea1/1000265400.png Blog - Across Africa Part 13: Finishing Up. Thoughts And Stats. - Make it stand out Despite the challenges in communication, Angola was the most interesting and rewarding of countries to cycle through on this journey. People were friendly, many of the landscapes and places I camped were beautiful, and there was some adventurous riding on remote dirt tracks through the bush. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/a7c64a88-6864-40a8-9aad-037a20872a0f/1000265401.png Blog - Across Africa Part 13: Finishing Up. Thoughts And Stats. - Make it stand out That’s 16 refills of my Primus fuel bottle. In countries where the availability of other sources of fuel can never really be guaranteed to use for a camping stove (gas, alcohol, wood), petrol was easily available, even if I ran out and needed some in a small village. https://petergostelow.com/-blog/across-africa-part-12-luanda-and-the-end monthly 0.5 2025-10-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/5035b3e7-97f5-4f8e-b90a-0b9b7f31a149/1000258689.png Blog - Across Africa Part 12: Luanda And The End - Make it stand out The last wiggle. The highway was already becoming too busy 200km away from Luanda, so I headed south towards Quicama National Park, allowing me to reach the coast and travel north to finish in the capital. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/f4270e27-8e90-4a8a-9e86-0d99e9ac1e68/DSC08171.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 12: Luanda And The End - Make it stand out Leaving the town of Dondo, where I had spent a few nights. I didn’t really spend enough time in urban areas of Angola to explore its historical and colonial architecture, which exists most often in a state of disrepair. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/e0359815-d3e0-420f-8bd2-d14c573c7031/DSC08152.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 12: Luanda And The End - Make it stand out Dondo had some old streets with a faded colonial charm, which felt like travelling back in time. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/64b046b9-81b3-4dc6-b602-79a60ed85dce/DSC08157.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 12: Luanda And The End - Make it stand out I really felt I needed to read more about the history here - both before and during its long civil war - to have a better understanding of the country. Outside of Luanda, finding English speakers in Angola is rare. I resorted to Google translate when I needed to, else relied on some of the simple words and phrases I knew, but I was never going to have an in-depth conversation, as I might have done with someone in Zambia. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/80ba313b-8491-4bc9-a403-1bf0c1afd6e3/DSC08168.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 12: Luanda And The End - Make it stand out While the civil war here was long devastating for Angola, it ended 25 years ago, which for over 65% of the population of the country, is before they were alive (the average age in Angola is 16!). I don’t know how the history of the country is taught to kids here, if they do go to school. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/7fcb11c6-bf92-4d45-94ab-0f26be843368/PXL_20250628_102756529.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 12: Luanda And The End - Make it stand out Salaried jobs for most people are few and far between - as they are in many African countries. I had stopped to take a look in the blue bowl on the roadside containing a large fish. A few seconds later this young woman came running out thinking I wanted to buy it. Catfish are relatively common in African rivers (I recall eating such slimy fish on a regular basis when cycling through Central Africa). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/53e9f0fb-f263-4f1f-ae18-6d80009115c2/PXL_20250628_102833064.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 12: Luanda And The End - Make it stand out This one was being sold at around $4. Full of protein and fat, but not the tastiest of fish. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/baf4110f-3571-4623-a7c1-ad3ae71f492e/PXL_20250628_100033842.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 12: Luanda And The End - Make it stand out Now that I had dropped in elevation the roadside had a lot more baobabs- one of Africa’s most iconic trees. The tree bark and the fruit itself have various uses - from producing medicine, to skincare products and making rope. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/0da363c3-725a-44c8-a51a-61013c72d856/PXL_20250628_170306916.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 12: Luanda And The End - Make it stand out A feast awaits. I always look forward to eating after a day on the road. On days when I’ve managed to pick up various ingredients, I usually make a sauce of some description, to be eaten alongside pasta (most often) or occasionally rice. Some foreign cyclists make do with street food when travelling in Africa—which is often poor and limited—or only have the energy to cook simple/quick meals like packet noodles, soups, or eggs, especially if they’re carrying just a gas stove (gas canisters can be hard to find in some countries). With my multi-fuel burner, I didn’t care if a meal took 20 minutes or an hour to prepare; fuel was always easily available. The ingredients above were enough for two or more meals. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/ad055997-254d-48f0-aaf5-fad2eb13cc2f/DSC08186.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 12: Luanda And The End - Make it stand out And I ate that feast beneath this sky and baobab tree. Bottle of red wine and some good company missing! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/6b747594-393d-48f5-809e-d79a288ca7f0/DSC08188.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 12: Luanda And The End - Make it stand out Back over the River Cuanza the next day and headed south. I crossed Angola’s largest river a number of times on this traverse across the country. Here I was around 120 km from where it empties into the Atlantic. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/13b735d6-0945-42ef-951f-8995e5d7cd35/DSC08190.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 12: Luanda And The End - Make it stand out The River Cuanza is almost 1000 km in length, but only navigable by small boats from the sea for 250km. There is little in the way of large boats on the river owing to sandbanks and shallowness during the dry season. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/d3495758-0ee4-4adc-81e2-d4f5592e145c/dji_fly_20250629_182646_880_1751965667711_photo.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 12: Luanda And The End - Make it stand out Located around 150km upstream from the coast is one of Angola’s oldest and certainly most important churches. The Church of Nossa Senhora da Conceição da Muxima was built around 1599 by the Portuguese, alongside a fort which overlooks the river and church. Between the 17th and 19th Century the church was used as a place to baptise slaves, captured from the interior, before being shipped downriver and across the Atlantic to the Americas. Nowadays it is better known as the site of Angola’s largest pilgrimage, an annual event that sees up to 1 million Catholics come to worship the shrine of Mama Muxima - a wooden statue of the Virgin Mary. The statue is venerated for its supposed miraculous intercessions — especially for protection, healing, and peace. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/40748ece-bb4f-411d-b751-766359c8417d/dji_fly_20250629_182742_882_1751965669217_photo.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 12: Luanda And The End - Make it stand out Not much has changed in that view over the centuries. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/99926d01-6e63-496b-8133-b79d229dea48/DSC08198.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 12: Luanda And The End - Make it stand out The church itself was closed when I visited, with just a few people sitting within the shade outside. I don’t think I would get anywhere near it during August/September when pilgrims arrive. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/593afac1-29b9-4fbe-ace2-7bd0e0095581/PXL_20250629_170354613+%281%29.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 12: Luanda And The End - Make it stand out A short distance away I found a suitable spot to pitch the tent, but was soon inside when hundreds of mosquitoes found me. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/d938b574-ff01-4949-9a46-2f31b1735b19/DSC08201.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 12: Luanda And The End - Make it stand out This whole area has thousands of beautiful baobabs. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/db3247bb-ebce-45cd-97e6-200840f8af72/DSC08204.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 12: Luanda And The End - Make it stand out Fast-forward 130 km the following day and I had made it to the coast, just in time for sunset. Most of the day had been spent cycling through Quicama National Park on an empty paved road. Like most national parks in Angola, wildlife was killed during the civil war and animal numbers are far lower than in neighbouring countries like Zambia and Namibia. I saw a few monkeys and baboons - otherwise it was peaceful bush - easy to camp, but I wanted to reach the ocean! For many weeks I had been imagining the sight of the Atlantic. In West Africa you often hear it before you see it - the sound of the large surf could be heard as I rode to the edge, and what turned out to be another great campsite. Luanda was only 100km or so north from here - reachable in a day, but I had been chatting online for a few weeks with another foreign cyclist who was riding south from Luanda the next day, so we agreed on a meeting point halfway. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/e845a9bf-5926-4923-b4a0-d8ad72c3b8f6/DSC08207.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 12: Luanda And The End - Make it stand out My penultimate camp in Angola was another great one - sleeping and waking to the sound of the surf below. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/99f51492-4687-4109-bbc8-28f52143e0cb/dji_fly_20250701_100046_894_1752060545522_photo.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 12: Luanda And The End - Make it stand out Camping on the edge. In hindsight perhaps a little further back would have been safer. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/d03c303f-ea0a-422d-84b4-7ac9068ed695/DSC08217.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 12: Luanda And The End - Make it stand out The following day I met Aline, from Switzerland. Her solo journey had taken her through west Africa in the months prior to this. She was headed south towards Namibia and South Africa, but we had agreed to camp together. She was only the 2nd foreign cyclist I had met during this 7-month trip - a reflection of both the lower number of people cycling through Africa, but also the routes I had mostly followed. The majority of cyclists I read about often tend to follow major routes and take more direct roads to reach places of interest, rather than minor tracks that are likely to be slower and in worse condition. Travelling solo as a female brings with it more challenges. Aline reminded me of these as we rode to find somewhere to camp. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/c98d4f9e-d059-4e3e-9b77-d507990a7897/PXL_20250701_162017565.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 12: Luanda And The End - Make it stand out Down to the beach. The first person I had camped with on this trip. As a solo woman wild camping in Africa - by which I mean totally alone and not in a village/town next to a school/church with people around (as I’ve done many times too) brings with it more risk. There were many times on this trip, and others, where people (both men and women) may have seen my tent before I went to sleep. I rarely feared this, and if I did have a bad gut feeling, for one reason or another, it’s likely I wouldn’t stay. I don’t know how this would feel as a woman, as I write from a male perspective, but while the concept of camping alone in the bush is already an odd concept for many Africans, doing so as a solo woman is likely to bring with it more attention - whether welcome or not. No woman travels solo through Africa (many places) without unwanted attention from men. Aline had almost always camped within villages/towns (she had no stove for one thing so needed to be sleeping in places where she could get food in the evening) so this was one of her first times camping without an audience. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/8776c708-eaa0-4537-97c6-4459da2465f0/dji_fly_20250702_101800_897_1752060618353_photo.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 12: Luanda And The End - Make it stand out My last camp on this trip. Nice to have had company before we parted ways later. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/93fabc65-936c-4746-9756-446408fd306b/PXL_20250702_091412926.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 12: Luanda And The End - Make it stand out Ready to roll. Aline was riding a very different kind of bike to mine. Narrow tyres meant she was almost always on paved roads. It was her first major solo trip and her first time in Africa. She had hoped to get a visa extension in Angola and stay longer, but this was denied as she had not applied for an electronic visa in advance. She continued into Namibia and South Africa, finishing in Cape Town as planned. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/14f9ebbf-b28c-48ba-b8c8-46f76d3c48c5/PXL_20250702_094737318.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 12: Luanda And The End - Make it stand out Saying goodbye. Just 60km for me to reach Luanda - not a ride I was really looking forward to as the traffic would get busier the closer I got (it was never really that bad). For Aline she headed south along the coast. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/e3557668-5bb5-4770-bdc0-0fecd9dd0a80/PXL_20250707_111217799.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 12: Luanda And The End - Make it stand out And relax. For weeks and months I had been in contact with an Angolan who lived in Luanda. I’d stayed in a hotel that he had booked for me, a company compound connected with the conservation project he was a lead in, and even his mother’s family home in recent weeks where I last had malaria. So when I found out that he had organised accommodation for me in Luanda, because he wasn’t going to be there when I arrived to host me, I felt more disappointment at not getting to meet him, than relief at having to find budget accommodation in what is generally a city with a lack of it. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/ff7a9f6b-980d-4209-a23d-7d3b9fa1eb62/PXL_20250706_070015927.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 12: Luanda And The End - Make it stand out This guest house was a bit of an oasis in the centre of the city. Owned by a Portuguese/Angolan family, it had plenty of space to relax for a few days and box up my bike for the flight. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/520c2942-b39b-4701-a153-55843f7bc12a/PXL_20250703_102427801.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 12: Luanda And The End - Make it stand out The hunt for a bike box. While I had seen very few bicycles in Angola, Luanda catered to those living and working here with a budget to buy a bicycle with a value beyond that of a car. I didn’t cycle in the city at all once I arrived, and other than Ilha de Luanda - a flat strip of land protruding from the city, and largely filled by hotels/residences with astronomically expensive land values, I couldn’t imagine anyone wanting to spend $6000-10,000 on a road bike to cycle here (the prices of those pictured were generally in this price range). Fortunately the bike shop did have a few large boxes for the mountain bikes they had imported here, so I took the largest available. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/40a3c6f2-1b60-4668-9161-d3844ffa870c/PXL_20250709_102321681.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 12: Luanda And The End - Make it stand out Somewhat smaller than the one I had used when I flew to Kenya, but it looked wide enough, which was important. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/f7516d38-e080-4814-bd18-29af55f40678/PXL_20250707_101911416.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 12: Luanda And The End - Make it stand out But not long enough to keep my rear tyre on, which I usually do. I ended up having to remove the bottle cages to get both wheels squeezed down the side here. The handlebars were wedged in the front and nothing was moving at all, which in one sense I thought was better than having lots of space and the bike being able to move about. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/52fc8bdf-336d-4b86-a291-8e534f534149/PXL_20250707_101924301.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 12: Luanda And The End - Make it stand out With the wheels really squeezed in I was worried that the cones might break through the cardboard, so reinforced the box sides with extra cardboard. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/b9d2252c-f42f-4807-87cf-d58665ebc0da/PXL_20250707_102521503.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 12: Luanda And The End - Make it stand out An internal geared bicycle like this is much easier to box as there is no worry of damaging the gear system, which would be the case with a derailleur. The belt is left between the chain stays here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/ca113f99-54a6-49d0-bdfb-572f91c49fc6/PXL_20250705_105225502.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 12: Luanda And The End - Make it stand out With bike box sorted I had a few days before my flight to see some of Luanda. St Michael’s Fortress dates from 1576, constructed as a military and administrative headquarters of Portuguese Angola. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/11a86485-cb09-44fb-a407-a3939bd7c280/PXL_20250705_113749047.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 12: Luanda And The End - Make it stand out The views from the fort over the city centre give, in one sense, an impression of a modern and developing financial centre. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/e42c3c88-a06f-4fe0-b027-37525ce4db01/PXL_20250706_160539154.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 12: Luanda And The End - Make it stand out With a new seafront promenade for people to exercise and walk. Like most African capitals, and perhaps many capitals around the world, the more upmarket/developed areas could just as well be in a different country entirely. Interestingly, Angola is ranked as a lower middle-income country, a classification that means that average annual incomes are between $1200-$4400 - a result massively skewed by incomes from oil wealth, which are predominantly concentrated in the capital. One of the first things I noticed when I arrived in Angola, and something that never really changed during the 2 months I spent here, was how much more noticeably poorer it was, in rural areas, than neighbouring countries like Zambia and Tanzania. I had seen very little investment in critical things like education or healthcare, so lower middle-income really just shows how much inequality exists in the country. Luanda certainly wasn’t a city I would wish to live in, but I could say the same thing for a number of other African capitals. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/f83e8ffa-cc21-4a6a-8f44-93577f03f6e0/PXL_20250709_141147432.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 12: Luanda And The End - Make it stand out I didn’t really explore Luanda in any depth. One of the first impressions I had, aside from the mature and overgrown trees lining some of its roads, was how much the smell of urine permeated the air. Lack/absence of public latrines meant almost every roadside and tree was being used as a toilet - something I witnessed while walking around. I had considered finding a medical clinic and doing a malaria parasite test, but there was nothing nearby and I ended up just going to a pharmacy to stock up on a few quick test kits and malaria medication should I suddenly start feeling symptoms when I was back in the UK. As I write this several months later, I feel absolutely fine. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/7cbfed00-bf69-4a10-b89b-e2dcac4d48cc/PXL_20250710_121045317.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 12: Luanda And The End - Make it stand out Colonel Kurtz. While I never got to meet my Angolan contact Kerllen, who was out on assignment in search of forest elephants in the Angolan forests, I got to meet his father, Sergio, in Luanda. A retired helicopter pilot in the Angolan army, my first impressions on meeting this giant of a man was his resemblance to Marlon Brando in Apocalypse Now. Sergio was kind enough to drive me around Luanda and take me to the airport. Perhaps one day if I return to Angola I’ll get a chance to thank Kerllen in person for his help and assistance during my time in Angola. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/cc106e55-3874-49a3-89dd-dee10b53579c/PXL_20250711_133534814.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 12: Luanda And The End - Make it stand out Back in London. My flight was with Qatar Airways, meaning that my baggage allowance was the same generous 2x23kg, allowing the bike to be boxed separately (there was little space for anything else) as one piece of luggage, and a laundry bag with my gear the other. I put the bike back together at the airport and all seemed well, until I rode off and tried to change gear. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/e1eea982-69e2-49ac-a9cf-85677a4ecc93/PXL_20250712_072201350.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 12: Luanda And The End - Make it stand out The gear shifter, which must have been in direct contact with the forks (the handlebars were squeezed in tight) had broken, meaning that when I tried to change gears the gear cable was just slipping. I managed to ride the 50 km planned that day, before completing the journey home by train. Better this happened at the end of a trip than the beginning! I’ve flown many times with a bike and never had a problem. While I initially thought having a smaller box was advantageous (no room for the bike to move around) I think this box was just a bit on the small side, but it was the largest one available. https://petergostelow.com/-blog/across-africa-part-11-big-falls-and-beautiful-camps monthly 0.5 2025-10-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/ef3b12b7-da1e-417f-86b8-7faefe9932fa/1000249488.png Blog - Across Africa Part 11: Big Falls and Beautiful Camps - Make it stand out With time to spare my route took me back east, then north, before turning west towards the coast and capital. Click on the map for a more detailed route. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/c06e2630-6c72-4bc1-8f49-1a80f310cdad/PXL_20250614_163811297.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 11: Big Falls and Beautiful Camps - Make it stand out First camp out of the town of Gabela was another great one. I had seen the boulder from the road and used google satellite to follow small tracks to reach its base, hoping it would be possible to climb to the top. This was one of the first times since I had arrived in Angola where the mobile network was consistently strong (note the mobile phone tower to the left of the pic).‍ ‍ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/5b7c53ad-17d9-4ac6-b9bd-e8aa92a0c1c4/PXL_20250614_171442702.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 11: Big Falls and Beautiful Camps - Make it stand out While the MSR Freelite tent isn’t fully freestanding (the bottom corners need to be staked out) I rarely had a problem finding loose rocks, or even using my bicycle. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/4947d115-3247-4978-8610-cefc8f2c9b57/dji_fly_20250615_083414_769_1750188389509_photo.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 11: Big Falls and Beautiful Camps - Make it stand out Sunrise the next morning. The white marks on the rocks are from cassava, grown in the fields around, being dried and pummelled to make cassava flour. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/bc643e99-42d0-48f6-86d9-5dcb08d3ca25/DSC08072.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 11: Big Falls and Beautiful Camps - Make it stand out Most of the roads I cycled on in western Angola were paved, with little traffic. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/50e9d430-6840-434c-afac-8b8e02670654/dji_fly_20250616_085330_775_1750188380360_photo.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 11: Big Falls and Beautiful Camps - Make it stand out A lucky find the next night, helped largely by viewing the satellite map which showed some bare rock within the bush. I followed a narrow footpath 1km from the road to where the long grass gave way to a perfect platform of rocks. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/e8634aa1-ba97-4183-83bc-ecf53d452835/PXL_20250616_124123884.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 11: Big Falls and Beautiful Camps - Make it stand out Shade stop. It was now June, which is the coolest time of the year. Nowhere was particularly hot, with temperatures no higher than around 30C. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/b1174e2e-36fd-44eb-8130-b4fb0854ed02/PXL_20250617_122708076.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 11: Big Falls and Beautiful Camps - Make it stand out Fuel re-fill. Finding fuel (petrol) for my stove was never a problem. I most often filled up in service stations, but on occasion needed to fill up in villages where petrol is sold in 1 litre bottles like the one pictured. Petrol in Angola is amongst the cheapest in Africa (only Libya has cheaper fuel) with 1 litre costing around 300 kwanza (£0.25). I only needed 500ml, so gave the other half of this bottle back. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/8fac1b9d-ee23-47da-a6f3-5bd373175942/PXL_20250617_144345697.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 11: Big Falls and Beautiful Camps - Make it stand out Another fuel stop. Beer is sold widely in Angola, but rarely in small villages like this would I find it ice cold, which it was. I had already decided where I would camp for the night, so cycled a short way into a village looking for any food provisions and a shop. I found tomatoes and beer.‍ ‍ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/3fa68b46-caf7-4743-9319-8fa651af58cd/PXL_20250617_145522184.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 11: Big Falls and Beautiful Camps - Make it stand out And one for the road, or rather camp. A useful side mesh pocket in my hip bag. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/9cca0243-7834-48d2-9392-e598247a6eee/dji_fly_20250617_170822_787_1750188335975_photo.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 11: Big Falls and Beautiful Camps - Make it stand out Waterfalls over the River Cuanza. I spent another hour trying to find somewhere close to the river to camp. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/6070e3c2-a7fa-4e1b-8b49-8952e1e7ec21/dji_fly_20250618_090142_801_1750792459118_photo.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 11: Big Falls and Beautiful Camps - Make it stand out And found this spot, allowing me access to the river to wash and collect water to cook with. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/01a6486c-c766-46c8-9af1-e8e70e9e8c26/DSC08027.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 11: Big Falls and Beautiful Camps - Make it stand out With a nice sunset view. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/8874c39e-7b47-48c0-ae13-d74161cc63c6/dji_fly_20250618_085726_796_1750792461781_photo.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 11: Big Falls and Beautiful Camps - Make it stand out The river was covered in mist when I woke the next morning, clearing as the sun rose and I took this pic with the drone. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1f4bed75-08dc-4b3c-bc02-e49f51ce572c/PXL_20250618_103053386.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 11: Big Falls and Beautiful Camps - Make it stand out Another tank in the bush. I probably cycled past a few in Angola without noticing them. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/c735b2dd-1c1e-48c5-b5e3-5b9b608e1a99/PXL_20250622_085719144.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 11: Big Falls and Beautiful Camps - Make it stand out The Chinese influence was notable everywhere in urban Angola. These pink hotels beside the railway on the way out of the town of Malanje, were identical to others I had seen in other major towns. None were in use, so just sat there falling into disrepair. Meanwhile Angola has a debt to China that surpasses all other countries on the continent! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/646a690e-88f4-4401-9c22-5296028a047c/PXL_20250622_120513956.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 11: Big Falls and Beautiful Camps - Make it stand out Looks like avocado sandwiches again today. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/cc500d25-df05-478a-b130-acfc68010c65/PXL_20250622_134930451.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 11: Big Falls and Beautiful Camps - Make it stand out The joy of tubeless tyres. No need to worry about punctures, unless you are unlucky enough to ride over something like a nail, which can’t be left in a tyre like this thorn can. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/00d1a704-931d-485f-97dd-dc82508cf830/PXL_20250622_160519047.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 11: Big Falls and Beautiful Camps - Make it stand out Magical camp! One of the reasons I made the wiggle back inland was to cycle to and see this waterfall. Calandula Falls are amongst the largest in Africa, but like most sites in Angola, little-visited. These are much more easily accessed from Luanda by road (paved all the way) compared to others I had seen in Angola, but I had this pitch to myself. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/8c3ecd34-ec43-4730-a3de-3ea8bfb1b46a/DSC08049.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 11: Big Falls and Beautiful Camps - Make it stand out I can’t say I slept particularly well - the sound of the waterfall could be heard a long way from where I had pitched. My tent was soaked in the morning, but I could worry about that later. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/8c5b1179-5f98-4c5e-a628-32f7ed2eac12/dji_fly_20250623_100244_819_1750792447836_photo.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 11: Big Falls and Beautiful Camps - Make it stand out With places like this, Angola has tremendous tourism potential, but the country lacks the infrastructure that many visitors would expect, and can find in neighbouring countries like Zambia and Namibia. Angola also lacks the big animals that the majority of people making a trip on the continent come to see. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/81a9a545-f469-44e9-97f4-c64a1df41373/dji_fly_20250624_083748_824_1750792427393_photo.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 11: Big Falls and Beautiful Camps - Make it stand out A day’s ride from that spectacular waterfall brought me here. The black rocks of Pungo Andongo are relatively well known in Angola, both for the beautiful rock formations and monoliths, as well as their folk history. This particular boulder pictured was something of a mission to scale, requiring me to take the bags off the bike and transport both up to the top separately. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/cd54f6f7-82fe-4131-84d5-0f9599227692/dji_fly_20250624_084036_829_1750792422853_photo.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 11: Big Falls and Beautiful Camps - Make it stand out But it was worth it of course. Sunrise is always magical when elevated from the surrounding landscape. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/7b85365c-4850-49cd-8aab-a8385c288199/PXL_20250624_074041676.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 11: Big Falls and Beautiful Camps - Make it stand out A furry friend had found a home in one of my bike bags overnight. Not so easy to identify, but given its size I wasn’t going to get too close, and managed to release him with the help of a stick. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/425fada0-273d-4191-b090-a5dfc30091cb/PXL_20250624_075709004.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 11: Big Falls and Beautiful Camps - Make it stand out I always find space in a pannier for the things that matter. I consumed a lot of passion fruit in Angola. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/ad88fd48-e8f9-4338-a900-ba26833cba12/PXL_20250624_084352247.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 11: Big Falls and Beautiful Camps - Make it stand out Birds of prey, such as this crowned eagle, are usually where they should be - up in the sky and beyond the reach of foolish humans. At first I thought this bird, sat outside a local shop, was injured. I then realised it was just tied up. When I asked the shopkeeper why the bird was tied up, his explanation was simply so that people can come and see it. Despite the illegality of capturing protected birds, sadly conservation of the environment is something most Angolans have little awareness or education about. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/2dd53550-6d4b-4f0d-8c35-dc0ab070808c/PXL_20250624_084423172.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 11: Big Falls and Beautiful Camps - Make it stand out Especially when many children have no school to attend. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/c2006ca3-d742-46ae-9ba6-f1c9c0d607f6/DSC08118.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 11: Big Falls and Beautiful Camps - Make it stand out More black rocks and another special camp. Before Angola became a Portuguese colony, this part of Africa was part of an African kingdom named Ndongo, made famous by a fearless Queen, who fought to resist Portuguese expansion. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/6a7bdbee-e28f-4ff0-a25d-847281bc2839/ndongo.png Blog - Across Africa Part 11: Big Falls and Beautiful Camps - Make it stand out The Kingdom of Ndongo was an early modern African state between 1518-1683. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/5e73b090-9064-496c-a228-9ca23883f1e3/queen+2.png Blog - Across Africa Part 11: Big Falls and Beautiful Camps - Make it stand out Queen Nzinga is a familiar face in Angola. She ruled the Kingdom of Ndongo between 1624-1663 and is best remembered for resisting Portuguese colonisation and fighting oppression. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/34e51f1e-1e04-424a-a836-7fbb1ac05679/DSC08125.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 11: Big Falls and Beautiful Camps - Make it stand out The night sky didn’t disappoint. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/862e65d1-c6d9-4b88-ba98-d79baf400877/dji_fly_20250624_183202_838_1750792411087_photo.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 11: Big Falls and Beautiful Camps - Make it stand out Aside from their beauty, the rocks here at Pungo Ndongo are also said to hold the footprints of Queen Nzinga. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/b882cf70-1e9f-47ac-a3ab-2690026f8156/PXL_20250625_071502355.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 11: Big Falls and Beautiful Camps - Make it stand out Found! If there were any truth in this, the Queen would have had enormous feet. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/a5c7bb0e-cc82-4dc8-9474-c0212c195766/PXL_20250625_081446910.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 11: Big Falls and Beautiful Camps - Make it stand out Meanwhile the police here were either acting independently in wanting to escort me, or more likely following instructions from other police. After taking my photo and phone number, this guy turned back. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1fffedd6-4e9b-430a-b1a2-f01750bce43b/DSC08128.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 11: Big Falls and Beautiful Camps - Make it stand out A day’s ride from Pungo Andongo, and dropping almost 1000m in altitude, I was back beside the River Cuanza again, and crossing one of the few bridges that wasn’t destroyed during the civil war. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/14e7bed9-453b-428f-968f-05ede3a83547/dji_fly_20250626_092558_857_1750966174419_photo.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 11: Big Falls and Beautiful Camps - Make it stand out Finding somewhere to camp was harder than I imagined. The riverbank was mostly all jagged rocks and dense bush, but I eventually managed to find a soft and flat spot a short distance back from the raging river. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/6653f67d-ff4f-4d15-b328-96c1a9404ee9/PXL_20250626_062614726.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 11: Big Falls and Beautiful Camps - Make it stand out Despite flying this drone hundreds of times, I still get a little nervous launching it into the air, especially over water with birds swooping around. A single clip from a wing could send it plummeting into the river or onto the rocks. Overconfidence led to me losing the same type of drone a few years ago while cycling in Georgia, so I’ve tried to be more cautious with this one. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/ee25f86f-5c0f-4174-8563-f7de45d7b005/dji_fly_20250626_102652_866_1750966172558_photo.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 11: Big Falls and Beautiful Camps - Make it stand out Carrying a drone has allowed me to get a lot of photos that would have been impossible otherwise. The River Cuanza has a few hundred metres of elevation to drop before entering the Atlantic Ocean west from here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/f115dad6-efc9-45e6-b655-3304c9afafbc/DSC08143.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 11: Big Falls and Beautiful Camps - Make it stand out A little more dirt-track detours, but most of the riding I would do between here and Luanda was on paved roads. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/b05e1460-6616-4be7-b123-72545e110d1b/PXL_20250626_131607239.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 11: Big Falls and Beautiful Camps - Make it stand out And relax. Good value for £9 per night, although it was next to the main road leading towards Luanda. The capital was just 200km away, and connected by a road that I imagined would just get busier the closer I got to Luanda. Fortunately I had time for one more detour before I reached the end of this trip. https://petergostelow.com/-blog/across-africa-part-10-granite-giants-of-central-angola monthly 0.5 2025-10-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/4062afbf-18f0-413c-9960-eedd70e89cae/MapChart_Map+%283%29.png Blog - Across Africa Part 10: Granite Giants Of Central Angola - Make it stand out Angola is divided into 21 provinces. Bie, Huambo and Cuanza Sul - shaded in red, are where my journey took me over the following week. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/6a918e3f-17c4-4bbb-bc90-af78ea66d429/PXL_20250603_132458058.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 10: Granite Giants Of Central Angola - Make it stand out Riding west from Cuito. About 40km and the police had decided to turn back. After 1000km of cycling in Angola, this was the first real tarmac I had cycled on in the country. The elevation in Bie Province rises up close to 2000m, so I expected some cooler nights over the coming days. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/7f7f0ec4-3396-4b61-9b18-08c16d376db7/DSC07801.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 10: Granite Giants Of Central Angola - Make it stand out Straight and undulating roads. Many of Angola and southern Africa’s major rivers begin here in Bie Province, including the Cuanza, Cuito and Okavango - the latter of which flows south into Namibia and Botswana. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/bd1c4b17-e7f0-451e-bfb4-b3c8b6cbaae7/PXL_20250603_103918700.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 10: Granite Giants Of Central Angola - Make it stand out Tomato stop. Several women sort through tomatoes at the roadside ahead of transporting them to markets where they can be sold. It was rarely difficult to find tomatoes in Angola. My food pannier usually had several or more in as most lunches and evening meals I made included them. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/972da773-f645-4db4-8b3d-84c2b6721321/PXL_20250603_135212803.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 10: Granite Giants Of Central Angola - Make it stand out Far less common to see were strawberries, sold in the smallest punnets I’ve seen. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/a33e466e-156e-4be8-bf6b-2231e6692fd2/DSC07804.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 10: Granite Giants Of Central Angola - Make it stand out Women walk past a colonial building in the town of Chinguar. The red and green colours here are those of UNITA, one of the two main political parties in Angola. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/159c126b-25a9-4267-8eb2-0f8e4839c911/DSC07812.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 10: Granite Giants Of Central Angola - Make it stand out Chinguar turned out to have quite a lot of murals on its main street as I cycled through. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/aace824e-362e-41e3-9949-8b2b3dd6d67c/PXL_20250603_161859370.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 10: Granite Giants Of Central Angola - Make it stand out My first camp out of Cuito at around 1800m in elevation. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/60138f98-f503-4a47-acf6-6a16a78e6275/dji_fly_20250604_090434_723_1749498822796_photo.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 10: Granite Giants Of Central Angola - Make it stand out Hidden from the nearby road. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/36ec7191-bfed-46b6-82a4-4a1f49b03668/PXL_20250604_074804391.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 10: Granite Giants Of Central Angola - Make it stand out Second breakfast stop. I don’t know if there is a season for passion fruit, but whenever I saw them being sold on the roadside I usually stopped to buy and eat some. One passion fruit cost 50 kwanza - about £0.04. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/de4dc442-15bf-4cc9-9e7c-e297bb5a6fd2/PXL_20250604_075507786.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 10: Granite Giants Of Central Angola - Make it stand out So I happily ate 4-5 there and took another 5 or so with me. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/6a343723-5d25-4e13-bcfb-1f60af72a2f3/DSC07813.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 10: Granite Giants Of Central Angola - Make it stand out The landscapes in the western part of Bie province are notably different. The elevation is higher and gone are the miombo forests and grasslands I was cycling through further east. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/ab216b98-bcae-4c62-af6d-862c155b5464/PXL_20250604_110903462.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 10: Granite Giants Of Central Angola - Make it stand out A good feed for around £2, although this was in a small town where the police had obviously been informed there was a foreign cyclist likely to be passing through. They decided to sit outside and wait for me to finish eating, then follow me for a few kilometres before I explained that I didn’t need them to be following me. There was never any aggression or demands for money from me, nor did I ever feel unsafe when police were not around. I came to realise that as foreign visitors - especially by bicycle - are rare in Angola, there was a heightened sense of wishing to protect them. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/295db218-9a2f-4d8b-a6a6-d9c5d59a66a9/DSC07820.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 10: Granite Giants Of Central Angola - Make it stand out Appearing on the horizon later that day was one of Angola’s most prominent landmarks. At just over 2000m in altitude, Mount Luvili is one of the world’s largest monoliths. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/412c401d-57ee-43b5-887c-4db73f5e4873/PXL_20250605_085039747.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 10: Granite Giants Of Central Angola - Make it stand out And features on the 1000 kwanza note. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/97ff5ab8-603f-4655-8742-a1ed8fe65b41/PXL_20250605_094008438.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 10: Granite Giants Of Central Angola - Make it stand out A friendly time-waster. He’d been waiting for me the evening before, having probably been called by police in the last town that I was headed his way. I hadn’t told the police I would be camping in the bush that night. He asked for me to wait while his superior came. I waited 30 minutes and got the feeling that I could be waiting a lot longer, so gave him my number and explained that he could call me. Surprisingly this was met with no objections so I rode on. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/2d86dde9-f16b-4f74-b365-714539682026/PXL_20250605_154343910.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 10: Granite Giants Of Central Angola - Make it stand out Later that day I had turned onto a dirt track, so was surprised that even the police here in a small village were aware of my presence in the neighbouring province. I just remained patient and polite, insisting I was fine. I knew that if I told them I planned to camp alone in the bush they would consider it to be unsafe, but that’s really because the concept of camping alone is so strange here. So I simply said I was riding to the next town some 60km away, even if that was likely to take 4-5 hours (something I would never do shortly before sunset). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1131a617-35b6-4dfa-bdd2-e4f101463433/DSC07821.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 10: Granite Giants Of Central Angola - Make it stand out About 5km away I passed a large granite boulder, of which the region has many. I climbed up its side and realised the top would be a great place to camp. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1bca25f2-c20d-4536-abbb-dd1b63f44a97/PXL_20250606_051200635.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 10: Granite Giants Of Central Angola - Make it stand out Morning coffee before sunrise. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/f7984bf9-d700-4164-994b-24ee8385f868/dji_fly_20250606_081500_736_1749498796291_photo.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 10: Granite Giants Of Central Angola - Make it stand out The large granite boulders, for which many parts of central Angola are known for, turned out to be excellent places to camp - assuming their sides weren’t so steep that I couldn’t walk and push my bike up. This was the first of many I camped on. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/f0bd6284-53d6-4118-9cc4-52364860d552/PXL_20250606_073156436.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 10: Granite Giants Of Central Angola - Make it stand out Happy to be back on dirt tracks. Whenever I saw an opportunity to detour/deviate from the main roads - assuming the tracks were going roughly in the direction I wanted to - I took them. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/36788686-12cc-43a4-82c5-b9408f4898a5/DSC07830.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 10: Granite Giants Of Central Angola - Make it stand out Out here it’s mostly local motorbikes and people walking. The public transport system in Angola is very limited as far as I could tell, with transport only really existing between major towns. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/c397fe03-8106-4e90-ba51-0e52e785b10e/PXL_20250606_113159659.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 10: Granite Giants Of Central Angola - Make it stand out Another lunchtime favourite - avocado and tomato sandwiches. Bread is a staple in Angola, and as easily found as tomatoes. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/ae095aca-99fc-49ea-9ad4-a05170385139/DSC07838.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 10: Granite Giants Of Central Angola - Make it stand out Burning season. The start of the dry season is often a time when vegetation is burnt. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/8ae90d9e-10e3-4cd6-8ef5-5d03d5667042/DSC07847.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 10: Granite Giants Of Central Angola - Make it stand out Another great camp - one of the best on this entire trip. I followed a small footpath from the main road for several hundred metres, and was about to turn back when I couldn’t find anywhere flat, but pushed on through some woodland to this exposed rock, revealing a beautiful view out over the landscape below. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/05fa0d5b-6f0c-4298-b83c-379d36030cde/PXL_20250606_170207190.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 10: Granite Giants Of Central Angola - Make it stand out Angola was in fact by far the best country on this tour for wild camping. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/d0ea99c9-ae81-4187-8932-c8496623da55/PXL_20250606_162858620.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 10: Granite Giants Of Central Angola - Make it stand out Shower with a view. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/0533e096-49da-43a7-add1-5d1fcde8b1e0/DSC07856.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 10: Granite Giants Of Central Angola - Make it stand out Another advantage of camping on the granite was that I could have a fire without worrying about burning any vegetation around. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/4910ed56-80aa-43ea-91ad-7b27b0fdd793/DSC07869.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 10: Granite Giants Of Central Angola - Make it stand out The fire burnt all night. I was up before sunrise to film and watch it, even joined a short time later by several men walking up from a nearby village towards the road I had come from. While I always tried to ensure I camped in places that were hidden and people wouldn’t see or find me, I was usually accessing the places I camped by small tracks that had been created by people walking. The more remote I was the safer I often felt, although I much preferred if someone saw me in the morning before packing up than before I went to sleep. If I ever felt uncertain or in danger, I would usually not stay where I was, unless it was already dark. That didn’t happen during my time in Angola. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/d6d7cc54-debd-40f1-8467-16a5a8b4e045/dji_fly_20250607_083334_744_1749498778796_photo.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 10: Granite Giants Of Central Angola - Make it stand out Angola and Africa at its most beautiful. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/2b0ec6e5-1bb4-4fa6-b6cd-7a0a4bbf67d8/PXL_20250607_063428221.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 10: Granite Giants Of Central Angola - Make it stand out I continued to use my water filter throughout Angola, filtering the water I had filled up with the day before for camping. This particular filter from Platypus claims to filter 3 litres of water per minute, which is an exaggeration. I found it more like 1 litre a minute, which was still fine. It is lightweight (65g) and easy to clean. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/c6f9bd1d-bfdc-4c5a-bd87-2e8164619c1a/PXL_20250607_103210927.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 10: Granite Giants Of Central Angola - Make it stand out Best when still hot and fresh, as it was here. One roll cost 100 kwanza (£0.08). While I found Angola a little more expensive than travelling through East Africa, it was not nearly as expensive as I had read and was led to believe. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1f4d53e7-28e0-422f-8959-4c16b3e2fc65/PXL_20250607_075040810.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 10: Granite Giants Of Central Angola - Make it stand out Home made bicycles/tricycles/scooters are popular in rural Angola. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/c2f98d05-b040-4dff-b72d-cec07ee7a082/DSC07902.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 10: Granite Giants Of Central Angola - Make it stand out The scenery along this stretch of newly paved road in the province of Cuanza Sul was amongst the most beautiful in the country. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/81807193-a39f-476d-a464-512b27c7286b/DSC07903.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 10: Granite Giants Of Central Angola - Make it stand out Crossing numerous small rivers through a green and lush landscape. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/0c58f827-a839-4ddc-aa99-8f3bc96aeb1a/PXL_20250607_154926602.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 10: Granite Giants Of Central Angola - Make it stand out With a fair bit of climbing. For most of the previous several months I had been above 1000m in altitude, but found myself descending to 500m before climbing back up to 1200m. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/8b68f0ef-9a65-4ba2-a182-778e14f38285/DSC07906.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 10: Granite Giants Of Central Angola - Make it stand out All worth it for the stunning scenery here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/860faea6-71a4-4c82-b449-cae16d4886f9/DSC07910.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 10: Granite Giants Of Central Angola - Make it stand out When the surroundings are so beautiful I usually try to find somewhere to camp that reflects that. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/97535939-03ec-42c6-8949-5a24393655e5/DSC07922.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 10: Granite Giants Of Central Angola - Make it stand out An unfinished/abandoned brick building that stood alone on a granite boulder saved me. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/3da6d62d-5809-4212-abe0-13f8005aed78/dji_fly_20250608_083002_763_1750499573473_photo.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 10: Granite Giants Of Central Angola - Make it stand out Sitting alone like an island surrounded by high grasses and dense vegetation. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/5491c539-2a9f-4222-b3b3-12f0a058cdb3/dji_fly_20250608_082334_757_1749498710416_photo.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 10: Granite Giants Of Central Angola - Make it stand out A memorable place to camp. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/828594e1-dbdd-46f1-822e-91f83f16c288/DSC07940.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 10: Granite Giants Of Central Angola - Make it stand out The beautiful landscapes continued the next day. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/c3d3e5c6-e449-4834-bc97-7d90a846a04b/DSC07943.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 10: Granite Giants Of Central Angola - Make it stand out Which reminded me in parts of the Ethiopian highlands. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/268335e2-a7e5-47ab-932a-323edd2ac9b8/DSC07947.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 10: Granite Giants Of Central Angola - Make it stand out Back up at 1200m and approaching the town of Gabela. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/8e35a886-3892-4566-ab36-72f43c49d8ce/DSC07948.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 10: Granite Giants Of Central Angola - Make it stand out Riding into Gabela. My Angolan friend/contact, who I had spoken to many times, but not actually met, had a place here for me to stay. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/f70a0725-3efd-4c41-9535-09d35daa89f9/DSC07951.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 10: Granite Giants Of Central Angola - Make it stand out The town is surrounded by the granite bounders for which the area is famous. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/ed5fb858-23d0-4eb2-ba5f-78b7f7ebe0bb/DSC07960.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 10: Granite Giants Of Central Angola - Make it stand out Before the civil war, it was also the centre for Angola’s coffee growing industry. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/f80293a4-5123-4da2-ae2a-fc74aff76317/DSC07968.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 10: Granite Giants Of Central Angola - Make it stand out I had no idea that up until 1975, Angola was the world’s 3rd biggest coffee exporter. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/e1539675-20f6-4d14-9601-2e08e1f49432/PXL_20250609_083350307.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 10: Granite Giants Of Central Angola - Make it stand out There has been some revival in coffee growing since the war. While there is no coffee-drinking culture in Gabela anymore, I was able to find some to buy. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/b74032b7-1443-4237-95ae-2f337d216b4e/PXL_20250609_083344237.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 10: Granite Giants Of Central Angola - Make it stand out 500g of ground coffee for about £3. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/7c9ca76d-344a-4b45-9a57-44656f136a54/DSC07967_1.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 10: Granite Giants Of Central Angola - Make it stand out Gabela was an interesting place to spend a few days. It had clearly been a place of prosperity in pre-war years, with many colonial-era buildings lining its streets, such as this cinema. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/9541e7a2-bc1f-4cd4-b3a0-43b18bc147b5/DSC07965.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 10: Granite Giants Of Central Angola - Make it stand out At the centre of Gabela stands its Catholic church. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1a5c041c-13bb-43c5-bf36-29ffba6897d7/PXL_20250608_154618260.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 10: Granite Giants Of Central Angola - Make it stand out I followed directions to a residential address nearby. A cleaner appeared with some keys shortly afterwards. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/7f141019-25a7-4ea9-9e39-d9e3402f709b/PXL_20250614_104340135.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 10: Granite Giants Of Central Angola - Make it stand out The house was empty and I had the place to myself for several days while I took a rest. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/3d05a034-99db-472d-8378-9bb1153dc85e/PXL_20250612_073717714.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 10: Granite Giants Of Central Angola - Make it stand out Although after a few days the tell-tale headache started one afternoon. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/ddb5f312-e2ad-4dcc-b8d5-a7e54a4085a3/PXL_20250612_075902031.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 10: Granite Giants Of Central Angola - Make it stand out It continued overnight so I took a rapid malaria test first thing the next morning. The treble lines shown here suggested it was the same strain as I had before (falciparum) or a mixed infection. I double checked with another test to confirm. The result came back the same, so I didn’t feel any need to visit a clinic/hospital to check any further. I already had the medication to take, and hoped that by taking it earlier this time it would be sufficient to clear the symptoms and malaria from my system, although for the next 24 hours the cold sweats/headaches and fever reminded me that malaria is nothing you would ever wish to have. https://petergostelow.com/-blog/across-africa-part-9-forest-trails-to-cuito monthly 0.5 2025-10-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/9b8c1559-8f00-4523-a5b0-2c47057123d4/angola+centre.png Blog - Across Africa Part 9: Forest trails to Cuito - Make it stand out Click on the map for a more detailed route through this central part of Angola. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/3be3faaf-f342-4b92-98f2-8049876077f0/train+luena+angola Blog - Across Africa Part 9: Forest trails to Cuito - Make it stand out Luena’s train station runs a daily service in both directions — west towards the Atlantic port of Lobito, and east — the way I had come — towards the DRC. Numerous small stations line the Benguela Railway, so I knew that if cycling became difficult for any reason, I could always catch the train instead. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/39d10edc-742a-43f4-88ed-d33ee730104f/tank+luena+%281%29.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 9: Forest trails to Cuito - Make it stand out First tank sighting on the outskirts of Luena. Hundreds of tanks were used during Angola’s civil war. This one sat at the side of the road between a market and primary school on my way out of the city. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/944bf6f4-a548-401f-ae58-57c89805c179/angola+bush Blog - Across Africa Part 9: Forest trails to Cuito - Make it stand out The main highway connecting the provincial capitals of Luena and Cuito. What paved surfaces did exist in Luena were soon replaced by dirt tracks. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/6401364c-74b6-4154-afb7-12c03133f617/bush+bicycle+angola Blog - Across Africa Part 9: Forest trails to Cuito - Make it stand out While Moxico province in eastern Angola is predominantly flat, the landscape began to change as I journeyed west into neighbouring Bié: the elevation rose, and the forested terrain began to undulate. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/fec391a4-6e65-442e-89d1-ac821e990bd4/PXL_20250524_100727632.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 9: Forest trails to Cuito - Make it stand out In total there are 67 stations on the 1866-km-long Benguela Railway. Most, like this one, are minor, but I knew there would always be a sign showing me how many kilometres to the next one, and if there was a station master present, an opportunity to refill my water. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/cc7afa97-9ad1-4096-a899-ad99db18edda/PXL_20250524_130149136.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 9: Forest trails to Cuito - Make it stand out Sardine sandwiches -a staple in this part of Africa when in the bush. Fresh bread and tomatoes are relatively easy to find in Angola. A bit of chilli, cumin and seasoning for a fuller flavour here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/05370a6a-febe-457f-8e56-42879ae8cda6/dji_fly_20250525_085238_678_1748626573897_photo.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 9: Forest trails to Cuito - Make it stand out Camped beside the railway. I had seen no vehicles other than a few motorbikes on the first few days out from Luena. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/6385e60b-8bb8-47ef-a914-f1cb7340bb12/DSC07724.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 9: Forest trails to Cuito - Make it stand out But plenty of stars in the sky at night. Camped at around 1300 m in elevation here. The dry season is Angola’s coolest. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/9ecffe50-4d14-41e8-9c0f-672291e83e54/DSC07728.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 9: Forest trails to Cuito - Make it stand out A lot of the time I found myself on unmarked single track trails running through the forest. Some of these appeared to be old double-track trails that had become overgrown and reduced to a single trail by motorbikes; others looked to have been entirely created by people walking and motorcyclists forging a new path through the forest to avoid what was a sandier alternative running next to the railway. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/85817a15-20e9-4c5d-981b-2e069f552902/DSC07734.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 9: Forest trails to Cuito - Make it stand out So when I saw the motorbike tracks veering off from the main road into the forest, I decided to follow them, trusting that I would eventually re-emerge on the main track where it wasn’t so sandy. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/4f497448-1ed8-4a9c-8b47-856c48cd7614/DSC07737.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 9: Forest trails to Cuito - Make it stand out Like most of Angola, large wildlife was predominantly hunted and killed during the civil war, so I didn’t expect to see any large animals in the forest, although I had heard rumours of forest elephants existing in these huge expanses of land where few people live. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1a6e43bc-eba1-4671-a7fb-ef179954e376/PXL_20250525_080842955.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 9: Forest trails to Cuito - Make it stand out It was quite common to come across armies of ants crossing the forest trails; a reminder when I pitched my tent to always check the ground carefully. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/827e46b5-e6f7-4c3f-a15f-fd2d50702702/DSC07741.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 9: Forest trails to Cuito - Make it stand out No moon and another clear starlit sky. There was almost no chance of rain at the end of May. The nights were quiet and peaceful, but I occasionally heard noises in the forest. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/9ca91331-c027-4b19-a2b9-9abc3c4bf426/dji_fly_20250526_085242_685_1748626538826_photo.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 9: Forest trails to Cuito - Make it stand out The same camp from the previous picture at day-break. I rarely ventured far from the track, and while I didn’t expect to see anyone passing, always insured my tent was hidden. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/a0c78398-ac71-4d7f-90df-bdf669103530/PXL_20250526_095432336.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 9: Forest trails to Cuito - Make it stand out Some stretches of forest trail proved impossible to cycle. Soft sand meant pushing through stretches, then riding again before losing balance and having to push once more. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/74d84b7f-2f2f-4505-b259-3615f97b5b20/DSC07748.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 9: Forest trails to Cuito - Make it stand out |A particularly sandy stretch awaited me one morning, but there was a river not too far away, so I knew that even if I had to push for several hours, I would at least find a water source should I run out of water. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/06f8a811-2ebb-437c-837e-26da17a22fa9/dji_fly_20250526_134942_689_1748626518229_photo.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 9: Forest trails to Cuito - Make it stand out A clearing in the forest as I approached the river. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/c631fc63-0175-47b4-ad88-58e13340077c/dji_fly_20250527_081650_696_1748626495715_photo.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 9: Forest trails to Cuito - Make it stand out Which turned out to be a great place to camp. The Cuiva River is a tributary of Angola’s largest river - the Cuanza, which I would go on to cross several times over the following weeks. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/08101004-06a6-42cf-950d-80e908e496d7/dji_fly_20250527_081938_702_1748626495569_photo.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 9: Forest trails to Cuito - Make it stand out I had arrived a few hours before sunset the previous evening and decided I was unlikely to find a better spot to camp, so made my way down to a sand bank close to the bridge. No vehicle passed during the 18 hours or so I spent camped here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/3f99cdaf-e48e-4863-8519-94f6fecddca9/DSC07766.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 9: Forest trails to Cuito - Make it stand out Had my tyres been much narrower, it still would have been possible to ride this route, but it would have been far more challenging. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1ad93696-86da-47ca-99eb-08ae45ddacbc/dji_fly_20250527_145734_709_1748626493889_photo.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 9: Forest trails to Cuito - Make it stand out A short distance from that river camp the previous evening I arrived at Cuemba Falls, which flows over the same river. In many countries, such a beautiful waterfall would be a major tourist attraction, but in central Angola, with poor roads and little to no tourist infrastructure, it didn’t surprise me that there was no one else here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/0853a3a4-0086-47b2-866f-f40e4f8b96d4/PXL_20250527_121947368+%281%29.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 9: Forest trails to Cuito - Make it stand out Apart from some local kids, who came to say hello. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/0346a56d-9f03-49a6-bdbd-6260e18e306a/PXL_20250527_161804672.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 9: Forest trails to Cuito - Make it stand out I spotted this old quarry close to the road a few hours before sunset. Hidden and peaceful. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/2ddc18a3-62e7-45cc-9f3d-09e7af8e4488/PXL_20250527_165818550.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 9: Forest trails to Cuito - Make it stand out And plenty of dead wood around for a small fire. I was camped at around 1500 m here, so nighttime temperatures were around 10-12C. Most nights I didn’t light a fire as there was too much vegetation around. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/fbe5ee92-4337-43ee-b322-3ef4c9173afb/DSC07797.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 9: Forest trails to Cuito - Make it stand out Light pollution was never an issue when photographing the night sky in Angola. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/c87eae81-ebc3-4ab7-8c73-de11356033fc/dji_fly_20250528_084500_719_1748626464431_photo.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 9: Forest trails to Cuito - Make it stand out The morning after. The sandy tracks through the forest were no more from here as I rode the final 100km or so to the provincial capital of Cuito. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/e5d2de36-79f7-4ca3-9608-033012f31386/PXL_20250528_070117415.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 9: Forest trails to Cuito - Make it stand out Creative kids. I saw more homemade toys in Angola than any other African country on this trip. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/f2c9bc6c-d556-4232-be6f-9bfc1dd899bf/PXL_20250528_070047806.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 9: Forest trails to Cuito - Make it stand out Miniature aid trucks and vehicles made from sardine tins, bottle tops and plastic bags. A lot of kids growing up in places where they are spoilt for choice with what toy to play with would benefit from a day or two spent here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/546f1fd5-bced-4821-9dcc-034e81255ec3/PXL_20250528_083321299.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 9: Forest trails to Cuito - Make it stand out The dry season here is a time for house building. Most rural houses are made from timber, mud and straw, in ways that probably haven’t changed very much in the last century. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/c5ea7f7d-cbb8-44bc-83ee-a9f8dc9ab2aa/PXL_20250528_073725634.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 9: Forest trails to Cuito - Make it stand out If it aint broke don’t fix it ….in other words - if something is working well, there’s no need to change or improve it. That’s easy to say from a position of wealth and privilege. People don’t necessarily choose to build homes like this, it’s more a case of using materials that are available from the land without spending money. Given access to more finance and choice of materials, most people wouldn’t choose to build like this, but use bricks and corrugated iron roofing. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/bfbb55b8-dadc-4b6d-aaad-5793086231eb/PXL_20250528_083544632.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 9: Forest trails to Cuito - Make it stand out In many rural areas people continue to live a life in connection with their environment, whether building houses or making fishing nets like this. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/348ae294-c942-4ff9-8bc6-904529231c54/PXL_20250528_090222304.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 9: Forest trails to Cuito - Make it stand out Fresh fish for sale. In the absence of refrigeration, most fish is often dried or fried to preserve it here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1788615e-ebb2-4826-85ef-8224a2a23515/PXL_20250529_052723952.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 9: Forest trails to Cuito - Make it stand out My last camp before arriving in the city of Cuito was a memorable one - but not for the right reasons. I had pitched my tent in the dying light the previous evening, making do with a patch of flat land a short distance from a track. The night had been peaceful, although I was aware that there were villages not too far away. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/c3f5cad8-797f-4f6e-b69d-f59a0bca569f/PXL_20250529_063557720.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 9: Forest trails to Cuito - Make it stand out Early the next morning, a young man approached and walked a short distance away from where I had just taken a pee. He picked up an animal trap embedded in the ground, baited with a small piece of cassava. Laughing, he demonstrated how it worked—perhaps not realizing that if I had stepped on it, it would have caused a serious leg injury! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/c076ef6c-439e-44e0-9b0f-0a117c3fd609/PXL_20250529_130957890.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 9: Forest trails to Cuito - Make it stand out A few hours later I followed directions to the compound of a conservation company on the outskirts of Cuito, where my Angolan contact had arranged for me to stay. No animal traps to worry about here! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/5d2dad24-9cdf-432a-a9c7-9c4e9b4ba8aa/PXL_20250530_052918876.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 9: Forest trails to Cuito - Make it stand out The view from my window was that of the city’s new airport - the most incongruous sight I had seen in weeks. Newly constructed in 2019, and built by the Chinese. I think there are 1-2 weekly flights to the capital from here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/3191aa30-91e9-4a5e-8b3a-25316b8dfc4c/PXL_20250530_084252339.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 9: Forest trails to Cuito - Make it stand out Aside from taking a rest, my main mission in Cuito was to seek a visa extension from the immigration office. My free 30-day stay in the country was soon to expire in a week’s time, so I requested a 30-day extension. With the assistance of a translator working for the conservation company, I was able to get that extension on the same day, giving me a total of 60 days in the country. This came as a massive relief, as I had read reports of people unable to extend their visa and being forced to take transport to leave the country. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/6c66b140-d3fd-42f1-a922-1205b77cf856/PXL_20250529_155439236.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 9: Forest trails to Cuito - Make it stand out Wine time. Cuito had another large supermarket catering to the 5% or fewer Angolans who can afford imported goods. Among those items was Portuguese wine, which I found surprisingly cheap — at least compared to prices back in the UK. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/518c3865-917d-4596-889e-f07019088850/PXL_20250531_191437302.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 9: Forest trails to Cuito - Make it stand out I found decent wine at £3-4 for a bottle, which is something you can’t do in the UK. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/59c67b64-9998-4474-ac4f-b41df385de60/PXL_20250519_145532716.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 9: Forest trails to Cuito - Make it stand out While wine is gaining popularity among affluent Angolans, beer remains far cheaper and more widespread for the majority. Angola has several brands, with Cuca being the most famous. At £0.25 a bottle, it’s probably amongst the cheapest bottled beers sold in Africa. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/c53d636a-ac18-4e72-83a8-83cc6aae1732/PXL_20250601_155016162.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 9: Forest trails to Cuito - Make it stand out Cuito witnessed a lot of fighting during the civil war. This tank sat a short distance from where I stayed, and directly opposite the new airport. https://petergostelow.com/-blog/across-africa-part-8-where-the-road-ends-into-eastern-angola monthly 0.5 2025-10-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/84f65d72-a879-4e8a-b28f-2df0986675d8/angola.png Blog - Across Africa Part 8: Where the road ends. Into Eastern Angola - Make it stand out Africa’s 7th largest country has a population of 38 million. Like most African countries, it is experiencing rapid population growth, having doubled in population in the last 20 years! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/beecd71f-a016-4724-bd3a-dc2549174bf1/angola+komoot Blog - Across Africa Part 8: Where the road ends. Into Eastern Angola - Make it stand out My route through Angola was no more direct than it had been through Zambia. Almost all the roads/tracks in the east of the country were unpaved. In total, I cycled just over 2700 km during 2 months in the country. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/7b11bd17-5be4-487d-a538-4c8697848261/customs+angola.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 8: Where the road ends. Into Eastern Angola - Make it stand out The border and customs post at Karipande, where I entered Angola, was about as simple and remote as international border crossings go. No power and no mobile network. Few questions were asked as I received a 30-day Visa on arrival stamp in my passport, with the customs official having a quick check of my bags before I was given the green light to continue. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/c7074ff0-4d5f-4a5c-9a8e-b8b17d1e9570/bicycle+forest+angola Blog - Across Africa Part 8: Where the road ends. Into Eastern Angola - Make it stand out The road into Angola was nothing more than a sandy track. 2.8” wide tyres were at their most effective during these first few days in Angola. It took most of the remainder of the day to cover the 50 km to the first settlement marked on my map, with the sandy track cutting through miombo forest close to the banks of the Zambezi River. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/a0e1d9f3-f0b9-4bb4-b5be-5c785bf0d0da/snake+cobra.PORTRAIT.ORIGINAL.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 8: Where the road ends. Into Eastern Angola - Make it stand out Baby cobra on the banks of the Zambezi River. I was looking for a place to camp beside the river, but realised the holes in the sand I kept seeing were most likely those created by snakes. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/e1e8940a-7dc6-4c9b-aefe-d37186745901/zambezi+dusk.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 8: Where the road ends. Into Eastern Angola - Make it stand out Sunset over the Zambezi. Africa’s fourth largest river begins its journey in Zambia, but then flows southwards through eastern Angola for around 280km, before re-entering Zambia. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/7d2569ad-e3ee-42cc-8468-e5cc095518fa/camp+angola+zambezi Blog - Across Africa Part 8: Where the road ends. Into Eastern Angola - Make it stand out The snake holes in the sandy banks of the river persuaded me to set up camp a little further away from the water on my first night in the country. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/650185f0-e5a7-43f2-9ce0-dcc9ce916e50/signpost+angola Blog - Across Africa Part 8: Where the road ends. Into Eastern Angola - Make it stand out Detour time. While I could have crossed the Zambezi here and headed west, concern about how sandy the road might have been for the coming days put me on a 400 km or so detour, meaning I would ride north towards the border with the DRC, before turning west. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/d35b4bf6-2525-46b8-86bd-bc759cf9adec/children+toys+angola Blog - Across Africa Part 8: Where the road ends. Into Eastern Angola - Make it stand out Boys and their toys. It became apparent on my second day in Angola just how neglected this part of the country is. There are no schools in such remote rural areas. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/e06e65cc-4770-46bf-973c-1c4a0eddca7f/DSC07650.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 8: Where the road ends. Into Eastern Angola - Make it stand out Other than a few motorbikes, I saw just one 4-wheeled vehicle during the first two days in the country. I had carried food to last a few days until I reached the first town. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/8970c5b7-d3f3-4532-9956-2f3a66ba3fdd/dji_fly_20250512_093938_624_1747164073589_timed.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 8: Where the road ends. Into Eastern Angola - Make it stand out Water was not so much an issue to find as I crossed a number of small rivers to fill up from. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/f2d0b40c-a782-41cc-9081-9cec7d8fba82/PXL_20250512_141711487.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 8: Where the road ends. Into Eastern Angola - Make it stand out The absence of schools was very noticeable. During the years of civil war many people fled the countryside and moved to large cities where security was greater. This was the first school building I saw, although the school didn’t seem to be functioning. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/42abea37-e408-4e1a-88cc-3a0e12ff1f4e/PXL_20250512_091234301.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 8: Where the road ends. Into Eastern Angola - Make it stand out In the absence of schools it means the majority of children who grow up in rural locations like this receive no formal education at all. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/92217f34-6a2e-4fe1-84fc-877094fefc0c/dji_fly_20250513_084224_638_1747163987991_photo.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 8: Where the road ends. Into Eastern Angola - Make it stand out The high elephant grass on my second camp in the country kept me hidden from the road here. Before arriving in Angola I was well aware that parts of the country still had areas of land that hadn’t been cleared from landmines. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/c5cfa7c1-6d23-42d0-aa0d-2184e8b9be89/land+mines.png Blog - Across Africa Part 8: Where the road ends. Into Eastern Angola - Make it stand out Fortunately most areas that have remaining mines are either so densely vegetated I would never be able to access them, else they are marked with red and white sticks in the ground to show it is an area containing mines. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/f6d27ed9-ecc7-4dd3-89ec-358452a3c003/DSC07661.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 8: Where the road ends. Into Eastern Angola - Make it stand out On the third day the sandy track had become more pronounced as I approached the town of Cazombo. It was now May, and the rainy season had fortunately finished. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/b833def5-8f29-4537-8f96-0c26eba7a4e3/PXL_20250513_152021058.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 8: Where the road ends. Into Eastern Angola - Make it stand out The small town of Cazombo had no accommodation, so I decided to ride to the Catholic Mission nearby and ask if I could pitch my tent. After a short time I met one of the sisters who spoke English. A simple room was made up for me and they invited me to eat with them. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/5346adec-5b15-454c-a58d-fa612afea3ac/PXL_20250513_084126861.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 8: Where the road ends. Into Eastern Angola - Make it stand out Shopping in Cazombo. If you travel in west or central Africa the sight of these red tins is a familiar one. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/76f0e2fe-bce3-4f83-94f7-0219a19316fd/PXL_20250513_084135923.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 8: Where the road ends. Into Eastern Angola - Make it stand out Morocco is the world’s leading exporter of tinned sardines, which can be found throughout west and central Africa, (not east and southern Africa curiously) almost always in these flat-packed red-coloured tins, costing around $1 a tin. Easy to pack and nutritious, I would usually be carrying at least a few of these in my panniers. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/3b9d2166-21d7-474e-8096-7e09239e881f/DSC07670.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 8: Where the road ends. Into Eastern Angola - Make it stand out Crossing the Zambezi at Cazombo. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/8616a4ad-3f4f-47a4-8263-aab2f00a4eef/dji_fly_20250514_110812_99_1747247884978_photo.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 8: Where the road ends. Into Eastern Angola - Make it stand out Old bridge and new. Most bridges over major rivers in Angola were blown up during the civil war, so those that exist date from the last few decades, often with the previous one alongside. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/ce8ba750-fb79-4908-b874-4e1b70138311/PXL_20250514_140649345.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 8: Where the road ends. Into Eastern Angola - Make it stand out Water fill up. There was an absence of bore-holes in eastern Angola, so I filled up water either from streams or wells in villages like this, either filtering it to drink or showering/cooking with it. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/95943fcd-9bcb-49ff-97e6-3e9ebb275cd8/PXL_20250514_140803029.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 8: Where the road ends. Into Eastern Angola - Make it stand out And any stop in a rural village in Angola would draw a crowd of mostly young faces. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/3ed64a6d-b9d7-403b-bd78-c0bd4e50c989/PXL_20250514_150004570.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 8: Where the road ends. Into Eastern Angola - Make it stand out While the rains had finished, it was evident from some of the tracks that there have been heavy rainfall in the weeks and months previously. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/883135a6-009e-47bb-a237-2ba04e98ac1e/PXL_20250514_153701086.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 8: Where the road ends. Into Eastern Angola - Make it stand out A bombproof set up. Such tracks quickly make a mess of a bike, but without a chain or cassette to worry about, no amount of mud really makes a difference on a bike with a pinion gearbox and carbon belt. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/144f218d-3aee-41de-8747-6773c2ed6c1b/dji_fly_20250515_085432_645_1747598410929_photo.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 8: Where the road ends. Into Eastern Angola - Make it stand out Much of eastern Angola is sparsely populated and covered in woodland. Wild camping was not particularly difficult, but I was always mindful of straying too far from worn tracks. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/cc016f3a-fcbc-45dd-8af8-ec16dc970d02/PXL_20250514_140001779.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 8: Where the road ends. Into Eastern Angola - Make it stand out There is little in the way of shops and local markets in eastern Angola. Moxico province is one of the poorest and most sparsely populated in Angola, so options for food outside of towns is limited. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/04944b5a-e3ca-471a-9fca-77847219e6fa/PXL_20250515_073345337.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 8: Where the road ends. Into Eastern Angola - Make it stand out Doxycycline. I started taking this antimalarial antibiotic following my second bout of malaria in Zambia, but noticed my skin becoming burnt in the weeks that followed. Doxycycline is known to increase the skin’s sensitivity to the sun, and despite using SPF 30 cream, I found parts of my body were burning (toes, neck, ears, lips, legs) to the extent that I decided to stop taking the antibiotic after the first few weeks in Angola. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/169774e2-2fd6-478a-bbc4-223534d395de/dji_fly_20250516_080852_655_1747598379250_photo.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 8: Where the road ends. Into Eastern Angola - Make it stand out Camped in high grass a short distance from the border with DRC. In the rainy season much of this land would be impossible to camp on. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/ad2ab54b-967b-4746-8447-bf3849c702f1/DSC07690.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 8: Where the road ends. Into Eastern Angola - Make it stand out Following faint tracks. I had already made a massive detour, so when the opportunity to take a short cut along a disused track presented itself, I decided to take it. Tracks which are no longer used can quickly be reclaimed by the bush, but this 50km stretch through high grass was still rideable for two-wheeled vehicles. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/eb58cee8-1596-4bc5-b98d-cda6a1dd3b45/PXL_20250516_112219595.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 8: Where the road ends. Into Eastern Angola - Make it stand out Meeting the railway. Angola’s railway network was destroyed during the civil war, but its principal line, the Benguela Railway, was reconstructed by the Chinese and is now in operation. The railway connects the DRC with the Angolan port of Lobito. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/467c55e9-11a4-44b7-a78a-3b9971294afa/1000226548.png Blog - Across Africa Part 8: Where the road ends. Into Eastern Angola - Make it stand out The small station of Mucussueje is close to the border with the DRC. My plan for the following several hundred kilometres was to follow it west. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/abd1f91f-7616-4482-bb2a-d05690cf883e/PXL_20250517_091134567.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 8: Where the road ends. Into Eastern Angola - Make it stand out Jimmy the Zambian shopkeeper. Finding anyone who speaks English is rare in much of rural Angola, where Portuguese, or more likely native languages, are more common. So it was a welcome surprise to find this shopkeeper and his brother, who were Zambian, working in a small store beside the railway line. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/8766c528-faf2-49d4-9f20-2fdda75fbb14/DSC07693.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 8: Where the road ends. Into Eastern Angola - Make it stand out Following the railway. While my map depicted a road a short distance away from the railway, I realised there was no actual road when a motorbike sped by right next to the railway itself. So I wheeled by bike a few hundred metres over to the single gauge. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/66ccebaf-6a09-40dc-bfd5-efd75d76c120/dji_fly_20250518_085240_670_1747598303195_photo.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 8: Where the road ends. Into Eastern Angola - Make it stand out And then followed an almost exact straight line on this single track for the next 200 km. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/7059afdb-1d73-4f9c-981d-8544243807a5/dji_fly_20250518_081430_662_1747598339925_photo.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 8: Where the road ends. Into Eastern Angola - Make it stand out The Benguela Railway at this point runs alongside the Cameia National Park, a huge expanse of grassland that forms part of the Zambezi river basin. Despite there being masses of open space and almost no-one living here, finding somewhere to camp proved challenging. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/6b95ce86-6be5-4dd0-9a1d-e3ffcbe3a7ab/PXL_20250518_060108141.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 8: Where the road ends. Into Eastern Angola - Make it stand out For much of the year this grassland is flooded, with the waters providing a source of fish for local communities living in makeshift shelters alongside the railway. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/8958bbe8-8399-40c6-b16e-7c14e6ae4bb5/PXL_20250518_063543936.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 8: Where the road ends. Into Eastern Angola - Make it stand out Bicycles are rare in Angola. Many of those in use are more likely to be loaded with cargo and pushed rather than ridden. This bicycle was loaded with well over 100kg of goods. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/960734d8-c088-4348-8410-7f6e8da0cd7b/PXL_20250519_072031519.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 8: Where the road ends. Into Eastern Angola - Make it stand out Police presence. As foreign travellers remain rare in Angola, especially in rural areas, anyone who travels here independently will attract the attention of police, who I quickly realised were merely concerned and acting for my safety. I was never asked for money, which is a notable difference from travelling in a number of other African countries, particularly those in west and central Africa. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/fdf1929a-720f-42dd-9eba-7ffdd79535f4/PXL_20250520_123436238.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 8: Where the road ends. Into Eastern Angola - Make it stand out Check-in. My Angolan contact had given me the address of a hotel I could stay at in Luena, the provincial capital of Moxico. After 10 days or so in the country, camping except on 1 night, I was looking forward to a few days rest. Most modern buildings like this in Angola have almost certainly been built by the Chinese in the last few decades, although I saw very few Chinese during my entire time in the country. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/fb0762f3-6cf9-438d-bde6-ae58f7052d23/PXL_20250519_134555523.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 8: Where the road ends. Into Eastern Angola - Make it stand out Large, clean and quiet, although somewhat soul-less. I was happy to have a place to rest while I planned my route ahead through the country. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/104d562d-5cf4-444d-bcda-0acc80d9ab92/PXL_20250521_124354079.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 8: Where the road ends. Into Eastern Angola - Make it stand out And happy to find somewhere selling cooked food, which I hadn’t found in the countryside. Chicken, rice, beans and spinach here for about £3.50. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/a92a1411-e98d-4ba0-b260-2af4fb3fa255/PXL_20250519_173341079.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 8: Where the road ends. Into Eastern Angola - Make it stand out Good food and good value. It was about 1200 kwanza to the £1. I went back to this restaurant several times in Luena. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/32744211-8ecd-491f-8517-a569f53a2e47/PXL_20250522_145319664.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 8: Where the road ends. Into Eastern Angola - Make it stand out Relics of the past. The colonial infrastructure, when Angola was still under Portuguese control, remains in places. Sadly I saw little modern investment in revitalising or renovating what is old, preferring to knock down or just build new. Many buildings, like this former cinema, remain derelict. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/98950ec3-d482-4e49-9b31-996b8888b54b/PXL_20250520_151733900.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 8: Where the road ends. Into Eastern Angola - Make it stand out Peace memorial. It was in the city of Luena where the 2002 peace agreement to end the country’s civil war, was signed. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/10621c4a-6769-4430-a0b6-47afc0854a77/PXL_20250519_154900621.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 8: Where the road ends. Into Eastern Angola - Make it stand out Newly built and predominantly empty (I went several times), it was a welcome surprise to find a large supermarket on the outskirts of Luena. I realised that in order for produce to get here there must have been a paved road out of the city. That would have been the easy route out, but my journey through Angola still had plenty of dirt-track adventures to come…. https://petergostelow.com/-blog/across-africa-part-7-tsetse-trails-west monthly 0.5 2025-10-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/7799f5c6-548b-498f-89db-15f1926082d0/Screenshot+2025-09-28+112931.png Blog - Across Africa Part 7: Tsetse Trails West - Make it stand out Kafue National Park is Zambia’s largest. While tourist literature might describe it as one of the best places to see wild dogs, leopards, cheetahs and a wide variety of antelopes, it’s also home to a significant population of tsetse flies, as I would find out. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/677a5969-a5d0-410f-a2f6-5b132e2c8f93/Screenshot+2025-09-30+094402.png Blog - Across Africa Part 7: Tsetse Trails West - Make it stand out The north western region of Zambia has the country’s lowest population density, which is always a good sign when travelling by bicycle. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/b40b8dbf-921d-4c25-ae8a-6e4738b08289/1000182389.png Blog - Across Africa Part 7: Tsetse Trails West - Make it stand out My route through Zambia was a bit of a wiggle. The detour south to Lusaka, before riding north and then west towards a remote border with Angola. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/3dfbf357-0eb6-4272-a528-4e74305ec37e/received_2084505348723681.jpeg Blog - Across Africa Part 7: Tsetse Trails West - Make it stand out Small world. Once upon a time while cycling through the DRC, this guy, who was living there at the time and followed my journey, emailed me with an invite to stay. We never actually met until he stopped his car on this remote track in Zambia (14 years later) and recognised me. Beau, from the US, was driving towards Kafue National Park with his family (he now lives in Zambia) and was kind enough to hand me a cold can of Dr Pepper and some water. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1903c69b-91b7-4e6b-9639-768e5b93baa5/headnet Blog - Across Africa Part 7: Tsetse Trails West - Make it stand out A few hours later I had crossed into the park. There are no limitations on cycling into the park, but anyone who has done it before is unlikely to do it again. The tsetse flies welcomed me even before I made it to the park gate. At this point there were just a few. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/2802f460-2d0c-4b5b-a0ab-3e244495dab0/PXL_20250429_043823806.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 7: Tsetse Trails West - Make it stand out Unlike mosquitoes, tsetse flies fortunately disappear after sunset. I pitched my tent a short distance from the first of two rivers I needed to cross by chain ferry. A peaceful night, but with plenty of hippos grunting in the Kafue River overnight, and a lot of trampled vegetation near the tent, not the best of places to camp. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/b5a2fbec-ecdc-42ea-920a-8f0d9f503dd8/PXL_20250429_053130563.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 7: Tsetse Trails West - Make it stand out First water filter fill up. I realised there would be no villages ahead of me the next morning with an opportunity to fill up with water, so I filtered 2 litres from the River Kafue. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/3240eaef-37e9-488a-8593-d1aae116f9c1/PXL_20250429_053523496.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 7: Tsetse Trails West - Make it stand out ‘Do you see the lion’? said the boatman pointing back across the river early the next morning as the chain ferry chugged across. I zoomed in with my phone camera and watched as the solitary beast moved slowly across the track, a few hundred metres from where I pitched my tent! And I was about to cycle another 85km through the park on a rough track to the next river, demarcating the end of the national park. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/bb6f44f7-8a35-4921-90e3-99e0e7e4903c/PXL_20250429_064537264.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 7: Tsetse Trails West - Make it stand out Layered up but still being bitten. Tsetse flies are quite capable to bite through 2 layers of clothing. They’re also attracted to darker colours, especially blue, which I sort of knew. I wasn’t doing myself any favours. It made cycling through the park a miserable experience. With about 30km to go until the river and the end of the park, a pick-up passed me and the driver stopped to offer a lift. In such situations I don’t think twice about accepting an offer. Aside from the solitary lion, remarkable if somewhat scary in itself, I had seen a lone elephant crossing the track in front of me the day before. For the rest of my time in Kafue National Park it was head down and a battle to swat the tsetse flies. While these flies can potentially carry sleeping sickness, the infection rate is very low, so inflection was much less of a concern than just being bitten iself. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/20e6b267-698d-4699-8d7f-aa169a7d7ffb/PXL_20250429_103922621.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 7: Tsetse Trails West - Make it stand out Across the second river and out of the park. The flies were no more. There is little you can do to avoid tsetse flies in places like Kafue National Park. Wearing lighter coloured clothes reportedly helps, as does remaining stationary (they are attracted to moving objects) and just staying in a vehicle with the windows closed. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/432a4c66-5a6a-417d-92a6-41334440d6d3/PXL_20250429_154321024.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 7: Tsetse Trails West - Make it stand out And relax. While the wooded landscape here was very similar to inside the park, there were no tsetse flies to worry about the next night. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/2dd8b74e-c887-4aed-a414-774260eb4eb0/dji_fly_20250430_075724_573_1746085852047_photo.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 7: Tsetse Trails West - Make it stand out Around 70% of Zambia’s land area is covered in miombo woodland like this. Deforestation for charcoal production and the expansion of mines in the country mean that percentage is decreasing. I could have easily travelled through Zambia and used a hammock more easily than a tent on a number of nights I camped. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/215c3c62-17fb-4046-9616-d82315c301e1/Screenshot+2025-10-03+205058.png Blog - Across Africa Part 7: Tsetse Trails West - Make it stand out Miombo woodland across Africa. Between 2006-2021 this area has decreased from 2.7 million km² to 1.9 million km². https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/34f2fbc3-d17f-489d-b075-dc9e3de08174/dji_fly_20250430_093226_580_1746085805087_photo.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 7: Tsetse Trails West - Make it stand out Outside of Kafue National Park and riding north. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/8f9048f1-0bc3-4299-a10c-e990cbcd87cb/PXL_20250430_080822802.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 7: Tsetse Trails West - Make it stand out It was late April, the start of Zambia’s cooler and drier season. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/7d27d23c-8839-400e-be2c-e4867f00ca69/IMG_20250503_132712_133.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 7: Tsetse Trails West - Make it stand out Eating nshima as per usual when I find cooked food in Zambia. Alongside a plate of beef stew, pumpkin and hibiscus leaves ( former bright green). Simple, nutritious, delicious. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/95dffbe9-470b-43ee-a3bb-385b129f446e/PXL_20250503_152147753.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 7: Tsetse Trails West - Make it stand out Open-air church to the rescue. 30 minutes prior to taking this photo it was lashing down with rain. I sought shelter under the corrugated roof, realising as the ground became saturated around me that it would be as good a place as any to set up camp. While my tent was hidden from the nearby road, I expected someone might find or see me as homes were nearby. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/3e23b291-84c6-46a4-86e6-60afa0fd6157/PXL_20250504_053038276.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 7: Tsetse Trails West - Make it stand out Which of course they did, bringing me a bowl of fresh groundnuts. I found Zambians amongst the friendliest and most welcoming of people in Africa. As English is widely spoken, even in rural areas, making conversation was rarely an issue. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/f857a1f6-76ca-41af-87e9-e3b3adc3e5eb/PXL_20250504_053105801.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 7: Tsetse Trails West - Make it stand out Groundnuts at this time of year are plentiful and easy to buy anywhere. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/331ce494-8921-4d6e-8212-b4466ca51871/PXL_20250504_155100930.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 7: Tsetse Trails West - Make it stand out Another magical camp the following day. I’d seen the River Kabompo (a major tributary of the River Zambezi) on the map and hoped I could find a way to the river bank to camp. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/0d0156f1-b444-45f8-b376-89a705150893/PXL_20250505_042608661.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 7: Tsetse Trails West - Make it stand out Sunrise the next morning. Camping next to rivers is always a big bonus. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/d2e63bc1-c64c-4a3c-878c-148e4b8f354b/dji_fly_20250505_085002_589_1746601591704_photo.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 7: Tsetse Trails West - Make it stand out Far too fast flowing for a swim, but one of the top campsites in Zambia. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/32520f16-4515-471d-af56-2716672ca7ff/PXL_20250505_103353156.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 7: Tsetse Trails West - Make it stand out Like most countries in Africa, Zambia has a youthful population. Over 75% of people are under 30 years old. Small shops, like the one pictured, are usually a focal point in places. If there’s shade, somewhere to sit down, no sight of a village drunk, nor a speaker system wired up to a car battery playing really loud music (there wasn’t here) it makes stopping for a soft drink much more enjoyable. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/92835419-199f-42ea-ad32-3b3b797d2eba/dji_fly_20250506_074946_608_1746601651131_photo.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 7: Tsetse Trails West - Make it stand out Riding further west and my last camp in Zambia. With the population density at its lowest here, finding places to camp should have been easier, but the miombo woodland and high grasses often made me wish I had a hammock. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/c9feb0bf-af41-4d43-8f77-9a551bacba04/dji_fly_20250506_075428_614_1746601641088_photo.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 7: Tsetse Trails West - Make it stand out While the population density is low, the area is not protected, so the likelihood of seeing large wild animals is rare too. I was more concerned with smaller creatures in the high grass. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/aa01104f-f263-45c4-b264-bf331bad70b4/PXL_20250505_094250618.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 7: Tsetse Trails West - Make it stand out Such as snakes. Fortunately this small twig snake I saw the following day was without the camouflage that would usually make it very hard to see in its natural habitat. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/34358178-9541-48e7-84a7-8bf1c3ed6dff/PXL_20250506_102102091.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 7: Tsetse Trails West - Make it stand out Check-in. I usually have a pretty good idea what accommodation will cost when I see the reception. This lodge in the town of Zambezi gave the appearance of a place costing more than the lower budget places I would usually stay. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/86ff4746-a55e-481c-b695-b9611baf9b79/PXL_20250506_103732411.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 7: Tsetse Trails West - Make it stand out So I was happily surprised when I found out the price of a standard room with functioning wifi was little more than £10 per night. Such things make staying an extra day or two an easy decision to make. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/3fd03de0-150d-4ed8-b81e-cc9db9598c87/PXL_20250506_102652720.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 7: Tsetse Trails West - Make it stand out As does a pool and view of the Zambezi below. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/d544b264-608d-44c9-9b86-33b3c55c497a/PXL_20250506_155956356.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 7: Tsetse Trails West - Make it stand out Despite the malaria I really enjoyed cycling through Zambia. No dramatic landscapes, but some fantastic quiet tracks through remote woodlands, beautiful waterfalls and places to camp. And some of the friendliest people on the continent. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1a37b898-f40e-4793-b0ab-22c909a85507/PXL_20250511_074628995.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 7: Tsetse Trails West - Make it stand out A few kilometres before crossing the border to Angola I stayed with Johan, a South African missionary who has lived in Zambia for the last few decades. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/3d85c03d-f951-45f2-905d-0c21786f4dc0/PXL_20250511_091402471.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 7: Tsetse Trails West - Make it stand out Goodbye Zambia. I could tell from the track taking me to the border with Angola that this was not a well-used border crossing. Johan, who had driven this way into Angola a number of times, told me enough to know that it was going to be quite an adventure once I crossed the border. https://petergostelow.com/-blog/across-africa-part-6-down-with-malaria monthly 0.5 2025-09-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/7be7e65e-4497-4521-88f8-92fa7eb778ec/PXL_20250323_093424809.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 6: Down with Malaria - Make it stand out On the second morning after initial symptoms started I took a malaria test. A second red line on a rapid test kit means positive. As it was barely visible, and I wasn’t 100% sure I had malaria rather than something else, I decided to head to a hospital and confirm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/6b61cef9-9ad2-48aa-adfb-b436741dcf6a/PXL_20250323_133435952.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 6: Down with Malaria - Make it stand out The report was conclusive, but by the time I’d received it I’d already argued with a member of staff who’d come to the hospital bed waving a card reader for payment in my face. Perhaps that’s how many private hospitals operate in Africa - pay first, treatment later. Nothing had been done at this point. I already had the medication to take should I contract malaria, so dismissed the hospital’s advice to keep me in overnight and put me on an IV drip. While I had medical insurance, I didn’t feel staying in the hospital was necessary, so discharged myself, a decision I regretted some weeks later. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/0df07d55-d48e-48c3-ad53-05844bbacc71/PXL_20250323_123507633.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 6: Down with Malaria - Make it stand out There are a number of different strains of malaria and antimalarial medications. The most common strain throughout Africa, Plasmodium Falciparum, also happens to be the most serious and potentially fatal. I started this medication pictured the moment malaria was confirmed. The fever and headaches continued for the next 24-36 hours, but within a few days I was feeling fine again. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1d27457f-f494-4cad-b881-9dd59e881002/PXL_20250403_084155239.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 6: Down with Malaria - Make it stand out My host for the first week in Lusaka was a colleague from my years living in Tanzania. Now based at an international school in Lusaka, she invited me to speak to her daughter’s class about my journey. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/11b5f319-2f80-4038-b11a-b08302bc6f6b/PXL_20250403_083717183.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 6: Down with Malaria - Make it stand out Curious and energetic, like most 10 year olds. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1d483262-884b-4674-bb4e-15927a65698d/PXL_20250406_103425752.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 6: Down with Malaria - Make it stand out I then shifted a few kilometres to stay with longer term residents of Lusaka, who knew someone I once hosted in Tanzania. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/a3c0d14d-ea11-4784-921b-9fd6b4bf9fec/PXL_20250402_143903714.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 6: Down with Malaria - Make it stand out And found myself drinking a lot of this over the next few weeks. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/2cf143ef-094f-4777-8186-8c0df76267cf/PXL_20250320_075026687.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 6: Down with Malaria - Make it stand out New rubber. After 5000km or so of use, it was time to change the tyres. While one tyre still had plenty of tread and life on, the other was wearing thin, so it was easier to change both. Tyres like this are not available to buy in Zambia, so I arranged for them to be sent here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/15c165bf-18f0-450b-a57b-919596c2f0e7/PXL_20250320_071832231.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 6: Down with Malaria - Make it stand out I also arranged for a water filter to be sent to Lusaka. While not strictly essential (I’ve managed for years cycling in Africa without a filter), I knew that finding clean water on some of the tracks ahead of me in Zambia, and more specifically Angola, might be difficult. As the filter is so lightweight, I decided it was worth carrying. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/a524d460-5cde-4dde-8e88-aa2bebbbfa51/PXL_20250320_074159710.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 6: Down with Malaria - Make it stand out I also managed to get a new sleeping mattress sent, so no more waking up in the middle of the night with a semi-deflated mat. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/b02c3a37-b9e1-4ee5-acdf-f5af66d4ec0f/PXL_20250401_090054171.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 6: Down with Malaria - Make it stand out As a lot of the ground in Africa is thorny and/or rocky to camp on, I decided to find something to provide an extra layer of protection between the tent and groundsheet to safeguard future punctures of the air mattress. It just so happens that a sunscreen protector for a car windscreen, cheap and lightweight, is the perfect solution. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/12586c07-56e4-4aff-a144-762ba8e3db7e/PXL_20250401_090248901.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 6: Down with Malaria - Make it stand out And would fit conveniently underneath my tent. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/b8bd7551-25cd-432d-a77c-ef0cb2e82428/PXL_20250406_083626698.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 6: Down with Malaria - Make it stand out I also picked up a better mini-tripod. The one I started the trip with broke, and the little silver one was really too small and weak to support my mirrorless camera. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/4461d897-ec39-41c0-8fca-51ff96071c06/PXL_20250406_084236862.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 6: Down with Malaria - Make it stand out I really only use a tripod these days for night-sky photography, so having a much larger tripod (as I used to carry) didn’t seem necessary. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/27ea7604-0622-4a58-a87e-98c403743a62/PXL_20250415_075410099.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 6: Down with Malaria - Make it stand out Leaving Lusaka. A longer stay than planned, but surrounded by good company and an opportunity to rest and relax with kind hosts, I was in no rush to get back on the bike. It was several weeks since I’d recovered from malaria. I had a mild headache on this morning of departure, but attributed that to alcohol the night before. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/8d11c9ac-9f6f-4227-baa0-d20cadbe6e51/IMG_20250415_155101_239.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 6: Down with Malaria - Make it stand out But that first day of riding out of Lusaka didn’t feel right. The headache continued, so I stopped in a village clinic and asked if I could have a malaria test. As malaria is commonplace throughout Zambia, medical clinics are used to dealing with patients requiring malaria tests and medication. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/88472136-d5f0-4c8a-9840-aaea64f96750/IMG_20250415_135550_131.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 6: Down with Malaria - Make it stand out The result came back negative, with the nurse and clinician thinking the headache was more likely a case of dehydration. I spent a few hours resting on a bed in the clinic taking oral rehydration salts. This cleared the headache, so I felt comfortable to continue riding. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/e19d0e05-5158-4fae-a71b-1359e93ee975/IMG_20250415_154827_748.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 6: Down with Malaria - Make it stand out And then the clinic decided to give me more oral rehydration salts and condoms for the journey. I’m not sure why they decided I should carry extra condoms with me, but I left a donation and got back on the road. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/b2f99301-3704-4787-8780-5d45d50ee774/DSC07587.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 6: Down with Malaria - Make it stand out The rainy season, which was coming to an end when I arrived in Lusaka, was now over, meaning the months ahead should make camping easier. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/c4a449aa-0882-454d-be95-98608d8f044d/PXL_20250416_050419728.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 6: Down with Malaria - Make it stand out Morning after the first camp out of Lusaka. I didn’t sleep well and the headache was still there. I wasn’t 100% sure that the negative malaria test the day before was accurate, so decided to ride to the next clinic and test again. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/99b2b0ea-ab17-412e-a6d5-4ac5e8f6001b/PXL_20250417_134538651.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 6: Down with Malaria - Make it stand out The 40km ride to get there was a real effort. Aside from the headache, I had almost no energy. This clinic was bigger than the one I was in the previous day, but like most rural clinics in Zambia, facilities were basic. In recent months, many health care facilities in Zambia, and other African countries, have had to deal with one of their main donors (USAID) pulling funding out of Africa. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/3e558008-0514-4695-a24b-959e08c2a6c7/IMG_20250416_104506_999.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 6: Down with Malaria - Make it stand out It was actually a relief to find out I had malaria again, rather than something else. As it was only several weeks since the initial infection, it’s quite likely I never fully cleared the malaria out of my system to start with. And so my decision to discharge myself from the hospital in Lusaka is one I regretted. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/478b04af-2cf5-4294-b324-c710cad5c962/PXL_20250417_053120437.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 6: Down with Malaria - Make it stand out I had no energy to move so the clinician showed me to a room where I could rest while taking a course of anti-malarials. I explained to the clinician that this malaria was most likely the same infection, so he administered a stronger medication. While it was effective in bringing down the fever over the next 24 hours, I later realised that the dosage given to me was only that for a child. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/596180d9-c6bf-4b0d-8535-c7eb59764474/PXL_20250416_143533846.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 6: Down with Malaria - Make it stand out This is the medication I should have taken in the hospital in Lusaka, but 60mg, which is given to me as single dose, and then repeated 12 and 24 hours later, is the dosage for a child weighing around 25-30kg. As my weight is somewhere between 75-80kg, I needed to be taking a dosage of 180mg each time, which the village clinic does not have. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/61fa740d-687e-4bac-865d-3cea2e7b5190/PXL_20250418_062135520.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 6: Down with Malaria - Make it stand out Despite being under-dosed, I felt strong enough 2 days later to ride again, so left the clinic and thanked them with another donation (they weren’t going to charge me). I was only 100km from Lusaka, and briefly considered returning, but there was a district town and hospital 50km away, which I knew I could ride to in a day, so that made that my plan, hoping they would have better medical supplies. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/99c78d37-90c6-478e-9772-079f8548e38b/PXL_20250421_124458209.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 6: Down with Malaria - Make it stand out At the district hospital I tested again for malaria. I was still positive, despite having no symptoms, but these tests still show a positive result weeks after the initial infection. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/59522ae4-73a4-4721-a5e8-5d8aadefb21a/PXL_20250422_113505955.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 6: Down with Malaria - Make it stand out I was able to find the correct dosage of the medication I needed, then asked the district hospital to administer it 180mg at a time over 3 doses (0, 12 and 24 hours) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/ce6d96aa-4fb9-4fe6-87c9-27d661f6ee71/PXL_20250422_110051245.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 6: Down with Malaria - Make it stand out With the correct dosage, I was more confident this stronger medication would eradicate the malaria from my body. Despite having no symptoms, I decided to stay in the district town of Mumbwa another week before riding again. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/176c138a-541b-4f13-bfa1-fa6721d34c41/PXL_20250428_074301038.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 6: Down with Malaria - Make it stand out Here I go again. Medication finished and feeling fine. I decided I would ride on and continue with the journey, stopping at the next major hospital to check if there were any malaria parasites still lingering my bloodstream. https://petergostelow.com/-blog/across-africa-part-5 monthly 0.5 2025-09-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/52497a64-382e-4fa3-b0cc-5d6e928f82df/zambia.png Blog - Across Africa Part 5: Rain and remoteness in North East Za - Make it stand out Zambia gained independence from British control in 1964, before which it was known as Northern Rhodesia. It is Africa’s 17th largest country and has a population just under 22 million. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/43685e5e-5aa9-4bac-9d03-98a89d8f7156/map-zambia Blog - Across Africa Part 5: Rain and remoteness in North East Za - Make it stand out This route was predominantly on dirt tracks, with several hundred kilometres on an empty paved road close to the DRC. While the north east is relatively remote and little-visited, its proximity to both Tanzania, the DRC and a number of water sources mean that it is fertile and thus more populated than some other regions. The photos here cover the first several weeks as I rode to Lusaka, appearing in mostly chronological order. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/180424a5-c3b9-43fd-a3e8-5d300c47ea65/passport+visa Blog - Across Africa Part 5: Rain and remoteness in North East Za - Make it stand out First things first. On arrival in the lakeside town of Mpulungu I needed to find an immigration office and explain I had arrived in Zambia by boat from Tanzania. Few questions were asked (surprisingly) and I received my entry stamp, providing a 90-day free stay. As African countries go, Zambia is an easy one to visit, providing a free 90-day stay to over 160 nationalities. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/2f5e9769-3927-4d54-860b-31a7a995d243/mosi+beer Blog - Across Africa Part 5: Rain and remoteness in North East Za - Make it stand out New country new beer. Mosi is Zambia’s most popular beer. Widely available and costing £0.50-0.80 per bottle. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/ffde6ef7-9177-405d-ad73-a3214aa6ef1e/zambia+lunch+nshima+fish Blog - Across Africa Part 5: Rain and remoteness in North East Za - Make it stand out I quickly realised that beans, my go-to daily food choice in Tanzania, is hard to find in Zambia. As is rice, which I prefer over ugali (better known as nshima in Zambia) - the white, mashed potato looking stodge here, which consists of pounded maize and/or cassava. A meal in Zambia that doesn’t consist of nshima, is for most Zambians, not a real meal. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/eb8413f6-5517-44ba-bf67-4574cabd09d4/guesthouse+zambia Blog - Across Africa Part 5: Rain and remoteness in North East Za - Make it stand out Check in. I decided to stay several nights in Mpulungu, finding this simple room (£6) right in front of the beach I arrived on. A fan and mini-fridge were very welcome for what is essentially a budget room, but I quickly realised that Zambia has major issues with electricity supply. Most of the country deals with power cuts for long periods of time. In Mpulungu the power started around 7pm, then cut again at 7am. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/5d804c99-4397-4f87-9bb9-a10147d7bf7d/soyachunk Blog - Across Africa Part 5: Rain and remoteness in North East Za - Make it stand out So tasty! Well not really, but I’m always curious to see what’s available to buy in a new country that will be useful on the road. Dried soya chunks are cheap, easy to carry and make a good protein-base for any pasta sauce when camping. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/2ebfe6a2-dfa5-4624-9624-980c3cf82717/stone+church Blog - Across Africa Part 5: Rain and remoteness in North East Za - Make it stand out Old buildings are rare in this part of Africa. Niamkolo church, located in Mpulungu, was built in 1895 and is Zambia’s oldest church. Christian missionaries first came to Zambia in the mid 19th Century, the most famous of whom being David Livingstone. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/6150975d-3dae-4970-81b4-d8d480c30c54/sunset+lake Blog - Across Africa Part 5: Rain and remoteness in North East Za - Make it stand out Sunset over Lake Tanganyika from Mpulungu. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/334b5cd9-e4de-4ad0-983b-f42dd5a1dc1a/tyre+sealant Blog - Across Africa Part 5: Rain and remoteness in North East Za - Make it stand out Before leaving Mpulungu I switched the rear and front tyres around after 4000km of use. I always carry some spare sealant when riding, but managed to find motorbike tyre sealant in the market here. It cost a fraction what branded bicycle tyre sealant does, but I used something similar in Kenya last year, and while not as effective as bicycle tyre sealant, it worked OK. I filled some in the tyres, as well as my 150ml pouch, then gave the rest of the 1 litre bottle to the mechanic whose compressor I used to re-inflate the tyres. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/04134e5e-5ff2-4d5a-91c0-a95e6003ea00/primary+school Blog - Across Africa Part 5: Rain and remoteness in North East Za - Make it stand out My first day on the road in Zambia and dark clouds brought the cycling to an early end when I saw this primary school beside the road. The rain fell heavily overnight, so it was a great relief to have somewhere dry and relatively comfortable to rest. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/18816d10-554b-434f-893f-72a0c9fa5c6b/man+and+girl Blog - Across Africa Part 5: Rain and remoteness in North East Za - Make it stand out Sunday morning ride to church. Zambia’s population is predominantly christian, with a number of different churches. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/bcc66fe9-611b-4954-a1d0-f8d371d5ee75/borehole Blog - Across Africa Part 5: Rain and remoteness in North East Za - Make it stand out Fill up. I almost always trust the purity of water from functioning boreholes. In rural locations like this, when I have no certainty of when I will find another one that day, I tend to fill up my bottles. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/a44f1f5c-dc02-4695-982f-0b8b49581917/northeast+zamibia Blog - Across Africa Part 5: Rain and remoteness in North East Za - Make it stand out Remote and empty north east Zambia. No public transport on tracks up here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/0a40d236-a3f6-46d0-895b-15f89db15696/tout+terrain+zambia Blog - Across Africa Part 5: Rain and remoteness in North East Za - Make it stand out Some of the red laterite tracks here are well graded and smooth to ride. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/ab40976d-3ceb-48f1-a1a6-c1f28d2e879c/hut Blog - Across Africa Part 5: Rain and remoteness in North East Za - Make it stand out Local huts look no different to how they would half a century ago, minus the odd satellite dish or solar panel. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/ada0089a-6cc9-41cb-9809-bb4e783523af/bush+bicycle Blog - Across Africa Part 5: Rain and remoteness in North East Za - Make it stand out Other tracks are in the process of being retaken by the bush, and really only stopped from doing so by local motorbikes. Almost no-one living in this part of rural Zambia will own a 4-wheeled vehicle. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/91868f38-88a6-439a-ab3e-5bdbdd005f5f/forest+track Blog - Across Africa Part 5: Rain and remoteness in North East Za - Make it stand out Any wild animals that do exist up here are often deep in the forest and rarely seen. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/0d8bff75-20fc-47fd-bee1-6b2e95e2133b/canoe+bicycle Blog - Across Africa Part 5: Rain and remoteness in North East Za - Make it stand out I had seen this river on google satellite and guessed/hoped that there would be a way across it. A group of kids followed me to riverbank as I arrived, then yelled for the boatman to come as I stood by a solitary small wooden boat a short distance away. A young boatsman was quick to appear carrying an oar, and a few minutes later I was lifting my bike onto the opposite bank, happy to hand over a 50 kwacha note ($2). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/a5089572-1c59-4003-b371-fab3e0f02a7a/sim+card+zambia Blog - Across Africa Part 5: Rain and remoteness in North East Za - Make it stand out Zambia has several mobile networks, and no single one is better than another. While one network will work in one location, it won’t in another, so after a few days I decided to register with another mobile company. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/17749373-6952-4b5d-84fe-0abcca398f23/blacklabel Blog - Across Africa Part 5: Rain and remoteness in North East Za - Make it stand out Zambia’s other well-known beer is one found throughout southern Africa, and a name familiar to anyone in the UK, although I discovered it was actually first brewed in Canada. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/063db2e6-a459-47c4-ac97-9b18b5ca8139/tent+zambia+gazebo Blog - Across Africa Part 5: Rain and remoteness in North East Za - Make it stand out Saved by a gazebo. More heavy rain fell throughout the night, although it wasn’t the rain that mostly kept me awake. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/115201d0-5417-48b1-b098-bef6a06eb743/waterfall Blog - Across Africa Part 5: Rain and remoteness in North East Za - Make it stand out I was camped a few metres away from Lumangwe Falls. Little known, but mighty impressive, these are the largest falls entirely within Zambia. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/30d8d9c0-d8fd-4772-8009-570647dd7eaf/bicycle+cargo Blog - Across Africa Part 5: Rain and remoteness in North East Za - Make it stand out Bicycles are definitely the predominant form of transport in rural Zambia. They are also used to carry cargo. I was now approaching the border with DRC, so could tell there was a lot of cross-border traffic, predominantly using bicycles to carry charcoal. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/6ccb654c-096f-4e4a-8685-f37e6bf99d3b/mweru Blog - Across Africa Part 5: Rain and remoteness in North East Za - Make it stand out I made a short detour to view Lake Mweru, which shares its shoreline with the DRC. The lake is fed by the River Luapula, which flows north and demarcates the border between the two countries. It is a major tributary in the upper course of the River Congo. Subsistence fishing rather than any form of tourism is the main activity here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/a0fbea82-2300-4a6d-8a0d-cf65ce02660d/river+zambia Blog - Across Africa Part 5: Rain and remoteness in North East Za - Make it stand out My route south then followed the River Luapula for a few hundred kilometres. The riverbank on the other side is the DRC. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/029e2f53-3b3c-4c6c-92ae-b9103ad54dd1/budget+room Blog - Across Africa Part 5: Rain and remoteness in North East Za - Make it stand out Sometimes finding a suitable place to camp isn’t easy. This £3 room kept me dry for a night. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/8be5954a-ad5e-4f7d-beff-2d49d08ad4e1/starry+night Blog - Across Africa Part 5: Rain and remoteness in North East Za - Make it stand out I would much rather be sleeping under the stars, which I did the next night. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/977e3202-9f35-4029-8351-73ed70ef110c/sunrise+camp Blog - Across Africa Part 5: Rain and remoteness in North East Za - Make it stand out On most nights I used my rainsheet to cover the tent, even when the skies were clear. On the odd nights when I wanted to stargaze, like this one, I would usually wake up with a damp sleeping quilt from overnight condensation. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/21031159-37ba-41db-a774-c9e30b3eea93/food+zambia Blog - Across Africa Part 5: Rain and remoteness in North East Za - Make it stand out After a few days in Zambia I realised that finding cooked food for sale on the roadside was much more of a challenge than East Africa. Whereas small eateries are found in many villages in Tanzania or Kenya, in Zambia I was told people go home to eat food. A number of days I just snacked on fruit or skipped lunch. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/69f3b4e5-ebfc-4839-8135-3774d7030298/Mumbuluma+falls Blog - Across Africa Part 5: Rain and remoteness in North East Za - Make it stand out Mumbuluma Falls, on the river of the same name. A worthwhile detour and swimspot. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/5e5f401e-aa98-49c7-a4b2-2945fda39408/shoprite Blog - Across Africa Part 5: Rain and remoteness in North East Za - Make it stand out Not a reason to come and cycle in Africa, but when you’ve spent months on the road and not been to a large supermarket, the sight of southern Africa’s largest branch is cause for mini-excitement. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/82258b26-0c78-47cc-b591-38ee50ee762d/coffee+zambia Blog - Across Africa Part 5: Rain and remoteness in North East Za - Make it stand out Selling items that I wouldn’t find so easily in markets and small shops where I do most of my food shopping. Zambia produces a small quantity of coffee, but nothing in comparison to countries in East Africa. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/55720f7e-51ef-43d3-8b40-6f4e8ecf9c6f/bicycle Blog - Across Africa Part 5: Rain and remoteness in North East Za - Make it stand out Heavy load. I’m often reminded when cycling in Africa that my fully-loaded bicycle really isn’t a fully-loaded bicycle at all. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/5a90a265-c2f6-4f51-a877-60ab0cc597ff/buffalo+bike Blog - Across Africa Part 5: Rain and remoteness in North East Za - Make it stand out A Zambian success story. One of the most popular bicycles on the road in Zambia is this one. Buffalo Bikes are built to carry heavy loads. Since 2007, over 300,000 of them have been distributed in Zambia thanks to World Bicycle Relief. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/c01bfc6e-fd78-4ec5-b3bc-c1f68d9fb5ec/zambia+bicycle Blog - Across Africa Part 5: Rain and remoteness in North East Za - Make it stand out They may have only 1 gear, but Zambia is predominantly flat. Their racks are built to hold up to 100kg of cargo, but I saw plenty carrying well in excess of that. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/0fffda06-5039-4a20-ac2f-457cc5fc3eda/lake+bangweulu Blog - Across Africa Part 5: Rain and remoteness in North East Za - Make it stand out Lake Bangweulu and its sandy shoreline is as close as landlocked Zambia gets to having a beach. The lake is fed by a number of rivers, the largest of which being the Chambeshi River, which is cited as the most remote headwater of the River Congo https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/efafb527-9ecf-43ab-b99d-d6f9a2394ac2/map+africa+congo Blog - Across Africa Part 5: Rain and remoteness in North East Za - Make it stand out Africa’s largest river by volume, the Congo River’s watershed takes up 13% of the land surface area of the continent! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/c2529e6e-366a-44bb-ab89-3c3d0a877fac/watershed.png Blog - Across Africa Part 5: Rain and remoteness in North East Za - Make it stand out For any river lovers. Africa’s major rivers and their watersheds. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/28fea5be-9497-465a-a4ba-17af6b37b81d/river+luapula Blog - Across Africa Part 5: Rain and remoteness in North East Za - Make it stand out The River Chambeshi becomes the River Luapula once it flows out of Lake Bangweulu. What are tiny tributaries of the River Congo would be major rivers in most of the world. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/e4bef86c-10b9-4883-b218-37a7065de5a3/fish+zambia Blog - Across Africa Part 5: Rain and remoteness in North East Za - Make it stand out Fish for sale. While I’m always quick to buy roadside fruit in Africa, carrying fresh fish isn’t so easy on a bike! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/a535b0cf-895e-45fb-8100-974346a71470/tyres+duct+tape Blog - Across Africa Part 5: Rain and remoteness in North East Za - Make it stand out In need of a new tyre. I swapped front and rear tyres around when I arrived in Zambia, but after 5000km of use, what was the rear tyre and is now on the front, develops a leak of sealant between the tyre and the wheel rim (my tyres are tubeless). Duct tape is great for many things, and this fix manages to hold out for the remaining kilometres I have to reach Lusaka. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/cd55b9f5-694c-4762-8884-9a1ad18aba53/tent+in+room Blog - Across Africa Part 5: Rain and remoteness in North East Za - Make it stand out Some of the rooms in Zambia have no mosquito nets, so I used my tent in this particular guest house to ensure a more peaceful night. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/879a239b-933a-45fb-85f5-3ca3e73fe6d1/food Blog - Across Africa Part 5: Rain and remoteness in North East Za - Make it stand out Self-catering. In small towns the options for places to eat are limited in the evening. I find this true throughout much of Africa. You can either wait a very long time for something to be prepared, or make do with street food, if available (chips/fried chicken etc) which will rarely include any vegetables. I often find it much easier, healthier, and more relaxing to just cook in my room, be it pasta, rice, couscous, or stir fry with instant noodles. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/a42b236c-12a8-4e61-b2e6-18b9046a5116/dirt+track Blog - Across Africa Part 5: Rain and remoteness in North East Za - Make it stand out Back on dirt. After several hundred kilometres of paved roads, my last few hundred kilometres towards Lusaka were all to be on peaceful dirt tracks. As Zambia is a landlocked country there are some major artery roads that transport fuel and other goods from countries like Tanzania, which are definitely best avoided. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/592c09bb-7e67-460d-9eb3-87a161d3d452/school+camp Blog - Across Africa Part 5: Rain and remoteness in North East Za - Make it stand out Another school camp on the way to Lusaka successfully keeps me from getting soaked during some very heavy overnight rain. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/5e1b90e4-99d0-42f2-966a-bba936c5e756/school+headmaster Blog - Across Africa Part 5: Rain and remoteness in North East Za - Make it stand out English is widely spoken in Zambia, so staying at schools allowed me an opportunity to chat with any of the teachers around. It was the school holiday, but the headmaster was present, having given me permission to sleep in one of the classrooms the previous evening. I could write an entire blog post about the challenges connected with education in Africa. In short, government schools in rural areas are often those most neglected, most crowded, most in need of support, and usually the ones least popular for teachers to be posted to work in. Parents who can afford it will send their children to fee-paying schools. This, of course, is not just an African issue. Education for the masses is never a priority for a ruling government, whose children will go to the best schools and ensure their opportunities in life are far greater than most who have no other option than a poor education. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/164e42a8-d8a1-44d9-8f29-ee278e1154d1/bicycle+zambia Blog - Across Africa Part 5: Rain and remoteness in North East Za - Make it stand out Chicken man and his Trek, at least that’s how I remember him. He was riding hundreds of kilometres and headed to the DRC where he planned to sell the chickens. He took as much interest in my bike as I did his - a classic model from the early 1990s, when bike companies like Trek made bikes to last! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/9568ef7c-97ed-423c-ac01-3e5479def0bb/DSC07546.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 5: Rain and remoteness in North East Za - Make it stand out My kind of road https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/7fc0bd7b-09d4-4496-bc54-675195917704/tent+camp Blog - Across Africa Part 5: Rain and remoteness in North East Za - Make it stand out Which was headed to the best camp spot in Zambia so far. I had seen a reservoir on the map with some tracks leading close to it. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/b4282f4f-d97c-4537-b1ad-9d863ea12195/showerbag Blog - Across Africa Part 5: Rain and remoteness in North East Za - Make it stand out And a convenient tree to hang the shower bag up from. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/e697be7e-40aa-431b-b193-ec1bcac45c58/camp Blog - Across Africa Part 5: Rain and remoteness in North East Za - Make it stand out Mita Hills reservoir is a few hundred kilometres north of Lusaka. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/ba46a467-893b-4e87-bde3-866ba25dfdc0/camp+lake Blog - Across Africa Part 5: Rain and remoteness in North East Za - Make it stand out And another great campsite the next night at Mulungushi Reservoir. This was actually in the grounds of a Boating Club, which had a faded colonial feel to the place. It was midweek and no-one was there but the caretaker. I paid £4 to pitch my tent, which is the only time I paid to camp on this journey in Africa. Well worth it for the setting and hot shower. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/fb9ff496-18fb-4458-97ef-c206a8701ef7/lusaka+road Blog - Across Africa Part 5: Rain and remoteness in North East Za - Make it stand out Last stretch to Lusaka. Usually the approach to a capital city means sharing the road with traffic, but I was able to ride right to the edge of the city limits on a quiet dirt track. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/9563a6ab-d58d-453f-ac78-649f8415b9f0/beer Blog - Across Africa Part 5: Rain and remoteness in North East Za - Make it stand out And relax. A well-earned beer when I arrived in Lusaka. After several weeks on the road I was looking forward to a rest here. https://petergostelow.com/-blog/across-africa-part-4 monthly 0.5 2025-09-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/cacbc3f2-b5a1-4738-b68d-b7f91c219271/Screenshot+2025-09-12+195741.png Blog - Across Africa Part 4: Red roads and railways - Make it stand out Roughly the same size as Ireland, Lake Victoria is Africa’s largest lake by surface area. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/99f2cc34-f484-4b29-8be4-d8727405f42a/1000137927.png Blog - Across Africa Part 4: Red roads and railways - Make it stand out My route south for the following few weeks was almost entirely on dirt tracks through rural Tanzania. There are no large cities between Mwanza and the border with Zambia, 1000km away. The photos in this post predominantly follow a chronological order. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/ae40eb28-face-4361-b171-18c9968bcd3d/DSC07418.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 4: Red roads and railways - Make it stand out Looking back to Mwanza, and about to ride away from Lake Victoria. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/c7886c1e-9f6b-40fe-ad06-abe058390c2b/dji_fly_20250127_160930_407_1738092751041_photo.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 4: Red roads and railways - Make it stand out Within a few kilometres I was back in rural Africa. While not urban in character, this part of Tanzania is relatively densely populated, inhabited by Tanzania’s most dominant ethnic group - the Sukuma. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/74e21319-0e17-4e1a-b6b4-acc23b6ce06c/tz.png Blog - Across Africa Part 4: Red roads and railways - Make it stand out The lake region of Tanzania is the most densely populated in the country. Maps showing population density are amongst the most useful kinds of maps to get an impression of how a country will be to cycle and camp in. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/6d40b010-5c9c-4bb0-a82e-b6c9e2aa1a13/DSC07422.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 4: Red roads and railways - Make it stand out The land here is fertile and cultivated, predominantly with maize and rice fields. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/e5b413f5-489f-4169-bbab-e672b37e421a/DSC07430.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 4: Red roads and railways - Make it stand out With cattle-drawn ploughing used to till the land. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/b00e9f5c-6e56-4833-a61b-65ed345dae90/PXL_20250128_145839036.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 4: Red roads and railways - Make it stand out One of only 2 foreign cyclists I met during 7 months in Africa. I had met Madeg (Canadian) a year previously in Jordan.We stayed in touch, meeting a few days prior to this in Mwanza. We met again on the road and cycled a short distance together that day. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/3f9e2b03-8a3d-4a52-990d-df486a2984a4/PXL_20250129_093541192.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 4: Red roads and railways - Make it stand out Dates are probably the single best form of energy food a cyclist can easily carry. Wherever there is a muslim population in Tanzania (predominantly along the coast, but most large Tanzanian towns have muslim communities) you will find dates. These had been imported from Saudi Arabia, so I was quick to buy a kilo to take with me. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/596fdda1-54bf-454e-9442-92c64571d389/PXL_20250129_084754806.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 4: Red roads and railways - Make it stand out Another great energy food is peanut butter. Tanzania grows plenty of groundnuts, so buying fresh and pure peanut butter from markets is relatively easy. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/00977c8a-3147-4d4f-87a9-42ffe798c76f/PXL_20250129_083141385.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 4: Red roads and railways - Make it stand out Local medicine. Many people in Tanzania (over 60%) still use and believe in various non-western sources of medicine. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/6956ac40-ba1a-4a75-8da0-052271a2648b/dji_fly_20250131_090922_414_1738417087933_timed.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 4: Red roads and railways - Make it stand out Rural red roads. The main rainy season in Tanzania is typically not until March/April, but in late January there had definitely been recent rains here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/4d333a7b-7c63-4ec4-8016-941b9d2a3bfd/PXL_20250131_102635144.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 4: Red roads and railways - Make it stand out Tent drying. Most days I would wake up with a wet tent, mostly from condensation overnight. Rather than wait for it to dry before packing it away, I would dry it when I stopped for lunch. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/46771ce1-187e-4ec1-a10a-f2a0c63db085/PXL_20250131_103538528.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 4: Red roads and railways - Make it stand out And lunch in Tanzania is almost always rice and beans with a soft drink, costing about $1. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/5c474e82-7f04-4526-bac3-e6d18342e5c1/PXL_20250131_154707942.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 4: Red roads and railways - Make it stand out Amongst the various criteria in finding a good place to camp, is one where there is a tree nearby to hang my shower bag up from. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/53736c6d-6297-417d-b59a-40903f4488a1/PXL_20250131_160545210.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 4: Red roads and railways - Make it stand out Wild camping in this part of Tanzania is not especially easy, mostly because the land is predominantly cultivated or lived upon. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/dcc8b14f-c38a-4a8b-aa54-812c98ba3bb2/PXL_20250201_065903465.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 4: Red roads and railways - Make it stand out Young curiosity. New mesh pockets on the front fork bags were an excellent addition. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/fc37f560-5108-4563-ab1e-17d80632e0e3/DSC07446+%281%29.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 4: Red roads and railways - Make it stand out Reaching the railway, a branch line of one of 2 major railway lines in Tanzania. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/84e94f05-8df9-45bd-8736-17c55a0ecfb2/Screenshot+2025-09-12+210036.png Blog - Across Africa Part 4: Red roads and railways - Make it stand out Tanzania has just 2 main railway lines; the TAZARA, which connects the coastal city of Dar es Salaam and continues into Zambia, and the Central line, which has four branch lines running north and south. Far fewer people travel by rail than they do bus as trains are slower and less frequent. I was headed towards Mpanda. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/732957e3-95af-459d-90ec-812a9085a0da/PXL_20250202_151319571.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 4: Red roads and railways - Make it stand out Church camp during a heavy rain storm. If there is rain forecast or the ground is wet, I often seek out churches or schools as safe and dry places to camp, always asking permission before doing so. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/5274c8a5-0a0e-4ab1-98b5-fbdede9ac264/dji_fly_20250203_082948_435_1738697666848_timed.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 4: Red roads and railways - Make it stand out No way through. The Ugalla River National Park is one of Tanzania’s lesser known and more remote parks. My map depicted this track running alongside the railway on the edge of the park, but what started as shallow water covering the track soon became shin and then knee-deep. With 30km until another settlement on the map, I decided to turn back. Perhaps in drier months this would be passable. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/9847fc4a-0214-4ef4-b1ac-372b2ce84faa/dji_fly_20250203_100454_447_1738697274734_photo.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 4: Red roads and railways - Make it stand out Fortunately the railway saved me, which was raised a metre or so above the water plains surrounding me. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/de68c8a1-d075-4a97-a1cd-2b818129e885/dji_fly_20250203_092236_452_1738697496423_photo.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 4: Red roads and railways - Make it stand out And so I was able to follow the railway south on a narrow single-track beside the line. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/12dd0d1e-e8e6-467c-8a4c-685981b2f45c/dji_fly_20250203_141840_463_1738697219313_photo.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 4: Red roads and railways - Make it stand out And cross the Ugalla River later that day on this bridge. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/78ee7d0a-a5e8-46fd-aa21-a827fdd2dd60/PXL_20250203_125405694.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 4: Red roads and railways - Make it stand out In 1911, this part of Africa was under German control, with the central line railway being part of their colonial project. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/9c766817-8963-4549-abb8-edf88366b5f6/DSC07452.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 4: Red roads and railways - Make it stand out The Ugalla River gives the national park its name. It’s only been a national park since 2019 and there are no tourist facilities here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/cdab191f-b14e-49a7-83f6-176079e83ae7/DSC07456.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 4: Red roads and railways - Make it stand out Out of the national park and riding south to the town of Mpanda. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/5f0a83ee-8a18-4d21-a6bc-d0896f999da0/PXL_20250203_150255761.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 4: Red roads and railways - Make it stand out The population density is lower here, but the land is covered in woodland, making it challenging to find anywhere to camp. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/aa88e6da-042e-422f-8764-9c469f9dc9ec/dji_fly_20250204_060040_467_1738697096175_photo.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 4: Red roads and railways - Make it stand out Fortunately I found this spot a short distance from the track. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/8dd41b43-7471-437c-824f-c0b082f2a63a/dji_fly_20250204_065520_472_1738696942860_photo.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 4: Red roads and railways - Make it stand out The rainy season is approaching, but it’s possible to cycle in this part of Africa at any time of year. In fact I prefer the rainy season as the air is cleaner, the landscapes greener, and there is less dust. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/95706818-952a-45d5-bed2-c2ecf289d86f/PXL_20250204_101747649.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 4: Red roads and railways - Make it stand out Check-in. Finding budget accommodation in Tanzania is relatively easy, with rooms in most places costing £3-10 per night. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/e05953e8-41c1-4eaa-89cf-4f6c34321729/PXL_20250206_111303697.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 4: Red roads and railways - Make it stand out Market in Mpanda. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/ca043d92-0122-449d-b95d-c2c9d4dec5fe/PXL_20250206_114139279.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 4: Red roads and railways - Make it stand out Picking up some local honey. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/9215bd51-db34-4578-a32e-3b782dd5db98/dji_fly_20250209_154412_475_1739449303875_photo.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 4: Red roads and railways - Make it stand out South from Mpanda and its back into another national park. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/cbf4a179-acfc-4cc8-b780-1da962535d5d/PXL_20250210_050211532.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 4: Red roads and railways - Make it stand out Katavi National Park is also seldom-visited, but popular amongst tsetse flies, which can quite easily bite through clothes. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/bb613e0e-95ab-4f49-848e-c18ab1fa795d/dji_fly_20250210_060820_484_1739449240475_photo.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 4: Red roads and railways - Make it stand out Camping in Katavi National Park. A peaceful night, but I was close to a river full of hippos so it wasn’t the most relaxing of locations. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/c6561336-bc13-458b-b2e7-3e57e24ef4c5/PXL_20250211_042607725.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 4: Red roads and railways - Make it stand out Nice to see some mountains again. Western Tanzania is short of them. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/b4e49bd8-4de5-4835-abe8-56178e45a0a8/PXL_20250213_124752614.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 4: Red roads and railways - Make it stand out Despite repairing the thermarest, it still continued to semi-deflate overnight, and I couldn’t find any air bubbles when it was inflated and held underwater. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/b98b03dd-d276-46c0-9a35-94b3222b6608/PXL_20250217_144019070.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 4: Red roads and railways - Make it stand out A place that had been on my list in Tanzania for a number of years. Kalambo Falls mark the border between Tanzania and Zambia. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/9445accf-7ecb-40bb-9ff2-aab0055f855b/DSC07479.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 4: Red roads and railways - Make it stand out Zambia to the left of the river and Tanzania to the right. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/e1d80af3-3f9a-4408-b7de-299a0fac3932/DSC07484.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 4: Red roads and railways - Make it stand out At 235m in height, Kalambo Falls are amongst the highest in Africa. Well worth the hike to get here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/3a6acbcf-0b59-4c71-a4ba-95fb8b457f33/PXL_20250218_043557874.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 4: Red roads and railways - Make it stand out Nearby the falls and my last night in Tanzania. The local guest house was not appealing at all, so I much preferred the option of finding a church and asking permission to sleep inside. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/f97ccef7-9f87-4de9-8bd7-c4c9c9899ad6/PXL_20250218_043818840.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 4: Red roads and railways - Make it stand out Despite this tent not being freestanding, it is rarely an issue to stake out the bottom corners, which is required with such a design. The MSR Freelite 2P weighs almost exactly 1kg, which is 700g lighter than the more popular Hubba Hubba model. While the latter is stronger and more durable, both are effectively 3-season tents and perfect for camping in Africa and other hot places. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1cf204f4-7ec8-43d4-be7f-6364d4bda4ae/PXL_20250218_053154114.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 4: Red roads and railways - Make it stand out Church company. The church caretaker and some kids came to say bye the next morning. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/61707848-cb7c-47cc-8dba-11187f80aa01/DSC07488.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 4: Red roads and railways - Make it stand out Another great lake. Lake Tanganyika is the world’s second deepest (1470m), with its 675km-long shoreline shared by 4 countries (Tanzania, Zambia, DRC and Burundi). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/e427a294-b05e-4a7d-b67f-a5b72dc32c38/DSC07491.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 4: Red roads and railways - Make it stand out Beautifully blue. The plan was to find a boat that could take me from Tanzania a short distance across the lake to Zambia. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/679b09cf-9aa9-4f64-a82e-50496a2feaa1/PXL_20250218_084015201.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 4: Red roads and railways - Make it stand out One of the first things I noticed on approaching the shoreline was that its level has risen. This is true amongst many rift valley lakes throughout east Africa over the past few decades. Increased rainfall, plus tectonic movements have both been attributed to rising water levels. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/be4b231a-7edf-464c-a0c9-b48a91618e77/PXL_20250218_103054711.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 4: Red roads and railways - Make it stand out On the hunt for a boat going to Zambia. There is no official timetable or schedule of passenger boats travelling on the lake, but as many lakeside villages have no road access, boats are commonly used to transport people and cargo up and down the lake. Finding a boat leaving to Zambia wasn’t difficult, and fortunately there was one leaving later on the same day. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/acb166f7-8820-4d2b-af43-c9b9d20ba86d/PXL_20250218_151354456.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 4: Red roads and railways - Make it stand out Aside from some corrugated iron roofing and the odd small solar panel, lakeside villages such as this haven’t changed much at all over the last century. There is no electricity supply and mobile phone network is often weak. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/68f381af-d223-4d87-bce3-d413661e45a2/PXL_20250219_053900615.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 4: Red roads and railways - Make it stand out The journey to Zambia was broken up over two days, stopping at several lakeside villages to drop off and pick up passengers. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/330a49c5-8dc4-4da4-9e87-928c1313f56d/PXL_20250219_062508454.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 4: Red roads and railways - Make it stand out I hadn’t cycled in Zambia before, and only briefly visited when travelling in Africa many years ago. First I would need to visit the immigration office and explain I’d just arrived by a small boat! https://petergostelow.com/-blog/across-africa-part-3-return-to-mwanza monthly 0.5 2025-09-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/34fe2293-da1d-45dd-bc01-73db6d28ae16/1000133576.png Blog - Across Africa Part 3: Return to Mwanza - Make it stand out Africa’s 13th largest country by size and 5th largest by population (70 million puts it behind Nigeria, DRC, Ethiopia and Egypt) Tanzania is perhaps best known for containing Africa’s highest mountain. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/5e36f931-690c-46f3-82fd-e34fa4bf0189/1000133441.png Blog - Across Africa Part 3: Return to Mwanza - Make it stand out Weaving between several national parks and conservation areas which don’t permit cycling (Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, Tarangiri) my route here was predominantly on dirt tracks between Arusha and Mwanza. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/4090ce77-9716-4cdf-bbf0-9db4dc6fcec7/dji_fly_20241229_023620_326_1735704980099_photo.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 3: Return to Mwanza - Make it stand out Hello 2025! Camped in Enduimet Wildlife Area. A magical place to start a new year. And that’s Mt Meru, Tanzania’s second highest mountain (4566m) pictured in the distance here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/9733dea6-3a6e-4915-9f29-dc4fd5e40c77/dji_fly_20241229_042940_329_1735755532335_photo.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 3: Return to Mwanza - Make it stand out As this is a wildlife conservation area, there are restrictions on people living here. While most wild animals are contained in national parks in Africa, there remain pockets of wilderness, often in other protected areas, with animals the continent is most famous for. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/50b3bbc6-2007-4721-9760-8c11d8f5d02a/dji_fly_20241229_044616_335_1735755473901_photo.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 3: Return to Mwanza - Make it stand out These tracks are visible on Google satellite, and with Mt Meru in front of me, I couldn’t really get lost. I was headed towards the city of Arusha, which lies on the other side of the mountain. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/3b296252-1662-4bd0-85b0-4ecacba7b3ef/DSC07333.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 3: Return to Mwanza - Make it stand out As I approach the mountain and leave the demarcated area of land that is protected, there are a number of small Maasai-inhabited villages. Tanzania’s population is split in terms of religious affiliation, with around 60% identifying as christian and 35% muslim, the latter of whom predominantly living in coastal regions. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/c3fbc48a-e16e-4ed5-a315-90103daeabad/PXL_20250101_113531938.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 3: Return to Mwanza - Make it stand out Beautifully colourful, and on her way to church. The Maasai number around 1.6 million in total, with 1.2 million living in southern Kenya and another 430,000 in northern Tanzania. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/955f71bc-345f-492e-8e65-839a6d652884/dji_fly_20241230_051816_343_1735845690395_photo+%281%29.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 3: Return to Mwanza - Make it stand out Approaching Arusha with Mt Meru ahead. The land here is fertile and cultivated, predominantly with maize plantations. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/50d8f583-7d9c-4c51-8a08-d2fbf5c2dad4/PXL_20250102_125011574.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 3: Return to Mwanza - Make it stand out A familiar face. I first met Lelo while cycling in Tanzania in 2011. He followed his own two-wheeled dreams between 2012-2014, cycling through the Americas, Europe and Africa on a journey he called Chile-Kili. He now lives in Arusha and works as a safari guide. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/d74ec56e-a565-4fd5-af22-1f21f5628e0e/PXL_20250109_112721234.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 3: Return to Mwanza - Make it stand out He put his diary entries from that journey into a book, which I read for the first time during this stay in Arusha. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/8ff24a81-5be0-4192-86fa-d25f996c5a46/PXL_20250109_085539307.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 3: Return to Mwanza - Make it stand out Aside from Lelo, I have other friends living in Arusha. Stefan and Rachel are teachers at one of the international schools here, who were neighbours of mine when I lived in Tanzania before. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/3f8e519d-f297-46a6-a10c-7ed69eb8f508/PXL_20250106_183203003.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 3: Return to Mwanza - Make it stand out My stay in Arusha allowed me time to plan the route west from here, although none of the tracks I plan to take show on any of the paper maps here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/3017c71f-d544-4c9f-a52c-46cb1f142926/PXL_20250107_152211501.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 3: Return to Mwanza - Make it stand out Mt Meru looking north. My Tout Terrain bike is set-up for cycling on off-road tracks, which are my focus to follow on this journey across the continent. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/e63947e4-9352-40c3-b9d3-187083b56133/PXL_20250110_060223549.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 3: Return to Mwanza - Make it stand out After 10 days off the bike in Arusha I have company for a few days on the road. Eric, centre, has lived in Arusha for over 30 years. He’s hosted travelling cyclists over the years and continues to ride many of the trails around this part of northern Tanzania. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/9201c758-d986-4b23-b0bc-fbfab141b529/PXL_20250110_082245340.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 3: Return to Mwanza - Make it stand out And Mike, left, was born in Tanzania when it was then known as Tanganyika. Along with Lelo, they know the country, its people and trails far more than I do. Great company, if only for a short time. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/7fcebf2a-dc93-4d02-9a08-9b21d4c3f6e3/PXL_20250110_092521787.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 3: Return to Mwanza - Make it stand out Scouting the trails. Off-road a short distance out of Arusha. This area of northern Tanzania is still principally Maasai-inhabited. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/4b9f4dce-addc-4463-92e4-c58891d8abaf/DSC07335.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 3: Return to Mwanza - Make it stand out Green, wild, but also over-grazed. As pastoralists, Maasai traditionally don’t cultivate the land but keep cattle and goats. Lack of tree cover means that much of this land has degraded. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1ac2aceb-752b-4a15-90f2-528e9258f0f3/dji_fly_20250107_103650_353_1736533329875_photo.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 3: Return to Mwanza - Make it stand out This route takes us around Mount Monduli. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/6f727f82-9c0a-464b-98ab-86877a84ba1d/DSC07341.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 3: Return to Mwanza - Make it stand out And provides a great place to camp, looking back towards Mt Meru. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/e249165a-f991-4182-8d3e-2a14121ef791/DSC07353.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 3: Return to Mwanza - Make it stand out With some company the next morning before riding on. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/9b65af0b-447f-49a8-b389-70137244c6da/DSC07376.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 3: Return to Mwanza - Make it stand out Climbing up the western side of Mt Monduli. Hot and hard work. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/7c713f98-7b04-4b70-b989-3144d6a6d652/DSC07377.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 3: Return to Mwanza - Make it stand out Great off-road cycling in this part of Tanzania. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/bd42fd23-7af1-4842-ae99-7c3f49d52391/PXL_20250111_082322264.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 3: Return to Mwanza - Make it stand out Saying goodbye. Great company for a few days as Eric and Mike ride back towards their homes in Arusha. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/4890fb62-4a56-4303-89ee-04ffd7d64a41/DSC07385.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 3: Return to Mwanza - Make it stand out I push on west of Mount Monduli. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/863cb071-435a-4026-bc55-f270c66a21fb/dji_fly_20250109_023528_366_1736655221107_photo.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 3: Return to Mwanza - Make it stand out Another great wild camp as I ride west towards Lake Manyara. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/e94db675-62a3-4f51-a7e3-2a94a7269e54/PXL_20250112_042603401.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 3: Return to Mwanza - Make it stand out With evidence of elephants, although not when I camped here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/82bec827-bb98-4a25-9f0b-8bc560119647/PXL_20250112_082812166.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 3: Return to Mwanza - Make it stand out Climbing above Lake Manyara. This area of Tanzania is concentrated by national parks and conservation areas, making it the busiest part of the country for tourism. Hundreds of safari vehicles leave the city of Arusha daily, filled with foreign tourists often paying thousands of £$€ for a short holiday. While tourism provides local employment and is an economic boost for the country, much of Tanzania feels no more affluent nor developed than when I first came here over two decades ago. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/3f685848-db29-428c-9f39-62ec42faf9f3/PXL_20250112_134937588.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 3: Return to Mwanza - Make it stand out But as with most countries, when you travel by bicycle it’s quite easy to escape places frequented by tourists. This track is climbing up a rift valley escarpment to almost 2000m in altitude. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/0b57e1b0-228b-4dd8-9fc9-7836a56a1657/PXL_20250113_112542001.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 3: Return to Mwanza - Make it stand out Africa’s most iconic tree is possibly the baobab. I wasn’t expecting to see so many as this track took me towards Lake Eyasi. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/39acf8b0-8b87-4b3d-887f-f335e83f270a/PXL_20250113_154634939.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 3: Return to Mwanza - Make it stand out Extra water storage. I had seen that the stretch ahead of me would have no villages, so filled and strapped on my 4-litre shower bag, giving me over 10 litres of water to camp and cycle for the next day. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/08111cfa-d4c8-4447-ada8-e2e479c50bb7/PXL_20250113_154231845.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 3: Return to Mwanza - Make it stand out Goat-head thorns are easily picked up when riding off-road here. Without tubeless tyres, I would experience a number of punctures cycling here. Rather than pull the thorns out, which could mean a sealant leak, I just leave them in the tyre, letting them fall out as and when. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/17268281-bf13-45e6-a880-fb5313dcdc12/dji_fly_20250111_022634_377_1736885459607_photo.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 3: Return to Mwanza - Make it stand out January is a dry season in Tanzania, but the landscape is relatively green following short rains in November and December. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/ede4001f-7427-42d3-b943-e641e1b5846d/DSC07396.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 3: Return to Mwanza - Make it stand out Full moon camp beside Lake Eyasi. As there are plenty of thorns around in the grass, I pitch the tent on some bare earth, and make sure the ground beneath my tent is thorn-free. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/0de18fb0-b17c-4718-9904-deafe6596874/dji_fly_20250111_035234_382_1736885459147_photo.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 3: Return to Mwanza - Make it stand out Following the shores of Lake Eyasi the next morning, although the water was further away than my map depicted. I’d read that the lake’s level fluctuates between seasons and years. I rode down to the shoreline beside a makeshift fishing village, realising quickly that it wasn’t a place to swim (it’s depth is rarely more than 1 metre). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/2e9e8602-9004-45c7-9a24-d1ad5f823de2/dji_fly_20250111_051238_391_1736885433360_photo.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 3: Return to Mwanza - Make it stand out Long and empty road. This 100km stretch alongside the eastern shoreline of Lake Eyasi was surprisingly remote. Easy to wild camp, but little in the way of shops (I found one) or places to refill with water (the lake is alkaline). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/4d26ea5b-8d98-48cb-ad65-c14b2d8ecb74/PXL_20250114_090902233.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 3: Return to Mwanza - Make it stand out Meeting the locals. This part of Tanzania is home to a couple of distinct ethnic groups, one of which being the Datooga. Far fewer in number than the Maasai (80,000-90,000) they are a Nilotic group, having once migrated from the Nile Valley further north. Much like the Maasai, they retain much of their traditional customs and way of life. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/ef02895f-40f8-4820-91af-c4081eaf4c1d/PXL_20250115_072559252.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 3: Return to Mwanza - Make it stand out Birthday beard trim. It’s January 15th and time for a shave. Barbershops are easy to find in rural Africa. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/6522f4d3-2c4e-4a20-869a-5821411aa60d/PXL_20250116_061637397.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 3: Return to Mwanza - Make it stand out ‘Any plans for your birthday Pete’? Mostly riding my bicycle through rural Tanzania. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/635dea7b-36b4-4358-a416-ff7f956bfe12/PXL_20250115_085835231.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 3: Return to Mwanza - Make it stand out Another year without a birthday cake, but a plate of rice and beans, which is my staple in Tanzania, is fine. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/ed375d3c-5a4e-4a85-83c6-1753f0c1b8b7/PXL_20250116_090324292.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 3: Return to Mwanza - Make it stand out Service with a smile. Almost every sizeable village will have somewhere selling breakfast and lunch in Tanzania. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/800bfac7-2798-430e-aff7-ae02e94a1c66/dji_fly_20250113_023332_399_1737194610568_photo.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 3: Return to Mwanza - Make it stand out Rock camp. As I approached the city of Mwanza the population density began to increase, so it was a welcome surprise to find this place to camp. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/a42826fd-6d35-46d0-b533-ab2eb5c4d62e/DSC07415.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 3: Return to Mwanza - Make it stand out If the sun has almost set and I havent found somewhere suitable to camp, it usually means I haven’t found one, so while it’s nice to stop and photograph a beautiful African sunset, they aren’t always the most relaxing while I am still on the road. Finding somewhere to camp once the sun sets becomes harder as light fades fast. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/dd73617a-2c82-4424-a11f-5dde97f0452b/PXL_20250117_103740030.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 3: Return to Mwanza - Make it stand out Arrival in Mwanza, which sits on the southern shores of Lake Victoria, the largest lake in Africa. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/2cd07455-1507-417b-9c14-230d567cee8c/PXL_20250118_155646652.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 3: Return to Mwanza - Make it stand out And time to catch up with an old friend. Steve first came to Tanzania as a Peace Corps volunteer. He’s lived in Mwanza for more than ten years. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/8d39afdc-1578-4856-a94c-3870f56b40e0/PXL_20250120_075615408.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 3: Return to Mwanza - Make it stand out My rest days in Mwanza allow me to check over the bike. Everything is running smoothly, although I notice this bottle cage needs repairing. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/a3baef4f-3aa2-4095-861d-86ad5b0f97ef/PXL_20250121_080334457.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 3: Return to Mwanza - Make it stand out Which is a simple weld job here. Unlikely to break now. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/4b1adf67-7cf6-45d6-bc07-41b50070c86a/PXL_20250122_115906835.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 3: Return to Mwanza - Make it stand out I also decided to modify my front fork bags by having a tailor sew on some mesh pockets for extra storage, and add a phone pocket to my camping chair. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/19a387d6-91ca-41c0-a36f-b80d7b648301/PXL_20250122_151546889.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 3: Return to Mwanza - Make it stand out It’s great way to carry an extra 3-litres of water for camp showers. Strapping the shower bag onto my bike, as I was doing before, was a bit of hassle, whereas these pockets are strong and easy to access. If I really wanted to I could now carry in excess of 14 litres of water, but that won’t be necessary on this trip. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/6fd5d45a-7f07-4317-ac9b-5bb2dd641f82/PXL_20250123_130633120.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 3: Return to Mwanza - Make it stand out Mwanza’s population has almost doubled since I last came here, which is a scary thought. Once upon a time the city’s growth was partly attributable to the economic opportunities connected with fish in the lake. Fishing is still a big activity here, with small fish like this often transported long distances and sold in markets across the country, but dwindling stocks mean that prices have risen. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/31e34b4e-801c-46a1-aeda-b99a06ad88d0/PXL_20250123_131402412.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 3: Return to Mwanza - Make it stand out Aside from the tiny Dagaa species above, the lake’s two most dominant fish are the Nile Perch (left) which grows to enormous sizes and has decimated smaller cichlid species, and Tilapia, a large quantity of which is now grown in fish farms. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/3ebd72ec-62f3-4b59-b4c8-fb2960e7b435/PXL_20250119_154436717.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 3: Return to Mwanza - Make it stand out Mwanza will continue to grow rapidly in population (it’s amongst the fastest growing urban areas in Africa), although it really just feels like one large village, or a collection of villages squeezed together. After 2 weeks here I’m ready to ride out and head south. https://petergostelow.com/-blog/south-from-nairobi monthly 0.5 2025-09-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/a9e9dc14-b0a0-49cc-9378-465436a62689/nairobi+tanzania.png Blog - Across Africa Part 2: South from Nairobi - Make it stand out Route south into Tanzania. There are 5 international borders between Kenya and Tanzania. I crossed at Loitokitok, a small town overlooked by Africa’s highest and most famous mountain. This was the second time I crossed the border here - the first back in 2011. Click on the map to view in more detail. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/d40d9b25-9f8b-47e8-88c3-7e6af76b30c0/Athens+subway Blog - Across Africa Part 2: South from Nairobi Athens, and the logistics of taking a bicycle and box to the airport. A taxi would have been the easiest way, but I’d made it into Athens two months prior to this by unboxing my bicycle at the airport, then transporting it into the city by train, alongside the empty box I wanted to retain (easier than lifting a box carrying a bicycle!). A €30-40 saving, so here I was doing it in return, aided by someone who was staying at the same hostel as me and also headed to the airport. When he offered to help lift the empty box on and off the train, while I wheeled my loaded bicycle, I was quick to say yes! I gave myself plenty of time before check-in to then box the bicycle at the airport. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/a8aabe13-787c-4994-a52b-67dd6027af65/PXL_20241212_051535088.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 2: South from Nairobi Qatar airways provide a generous 2x23kg weight allowance for flights to Africa, allowing the bicycle to be one piece of checked baggage with no extra cost. My bicycle in the box weighs around 20-22kg (depending on the weight of the box itself) and the bicycle luggage in a laundry bag another 15-20kg. I wish all airlines would be as simple and generous to fly with a bicycle. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/7805561d-54ce-4425-8e84-058e198461c5/bag+scales Blog - Across Africa Part 2: South from Nairobi Just under 16kg of checked baggage, so plenty of weight spare. Additionally I had another 5-7kg in hand luggage. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/37b69fdc-0914-472a-85d8-527e42351faa/PXL_20241212_072123636.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 2: South from Nairobi And relax! It’s always a relief to collect the box and baggage from the other end and arrive at your destination safely; on this occasion my friend’s home just outside Nairobi. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/81637be6-174f-47e0-b9e6-787e02c08f9a/PXL_20241221_061359726.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 2: South from Nairobi Unnecessary clothes for Africa. Having flown to Kenya from Greece in December, where I had just spent two months cycling, I didn’t need to be carrying this 1kg bundle of clothes anymore. I feel that anything that I carry on my bike that doesn’t get used in a month of cycling, probably isn’t a necessity, although I did carry a down jacket over the following 7 months, which only got worn once in Angola, and that’s not because the weather was too cold! I also carried a waterproof jacket, which had minimal use in Africa, but I felt necessary to take. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/8858e741-f563-44f1-8e1c-fe9159fdaa7b/processed_PXL_20241219_065642741.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 2: South from Nairobi Dog sitting duty. My friends were on holiday when I arrived in Nairobi and had asked if I could look after their 2 dogs while away. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/f9ddb693-784c-4d0c-a9df-47a4489d4dc0/PXL_20241222_100311369.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 2: South from Nairobi - Make it stand out Their house was a bit too cosy for 2 adults, 5 kids, 2 dogs and me, so when they returned and invited me to stay around for Christmas Day, I found this nearby Airbnb and shifted. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/664899b7-6ed5-49a9-b72b-187422aba50f/PXL_20241222_100402748.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 2: South from Nairobi - Make it stand out A quiet, simple, secure and self contained little wood cabin for around £10 per night. Perfect. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/5ce18665-9c26-48e5-8002-f2ca56adfc77/PXL_20241225_163030790.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 2: South from Nairobi - Make it stand out Christmas Day. I’ve spent a number on the road alone, but when the invite came to stay for a festive meal with familiar faces, it was an easy decision to make. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/a40b9db9-3b94-462f-8414-a5d30124b48a/PXL_20241225_172106716.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 2: South from Nairobi - Make it stand out The ideal gift. Functional and lightweight. A memorable Christmas. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/0469de90-1566-45e6-9f10-281972bdbad2/PXL_20241227_122701215.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 2: South from Nairobi - Make it stand out First night out of Nairobi. After 2 weeks in the capital I rode south a few days after Christmas Day and checked into this simple and clean room for £6 a night. I rarely ever book accommodation online when travelling in Africa as most of the places I stay don’t have online booking systems, which are usually more expensive when they do exist anyway. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/307f2830-0cb8-4de8-a571-6b7aba119fc0/PXL_20241227_132708964.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 2: South from Nairobi - Make it stand out Post-ride rehydration, or rather calorie replacement. Kenya’s most popular beer. A 500ml bottle sells for around £1.50-£2.00, which is expensive as beer prices go in Africa. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/9f7070a5-a355-4075-a075-cb6ea8db2cab/PXL_20241228_110916937.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 2: South from Nairobi - Make it stand out Lunch stop. Most simple establishments calling themselves Hotels in Kenya are just places to eat. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/4c138ba6-8347-4804-b2ef-a8f0ebb6b613/PXL_20241228_102440966.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 2: South from Nairobi - Make it stand out With fresh food cooked over a charcoal brazier. A plate of beans, cabbage and chapati. Simple, nutritious and cheap (around £0.60-0.80). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/0972b9fb-f311-4470-af7f-871fd61fd0c4/PXL_20241229_035350606.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 2: South from Nairobi - Make it stand out First camp of the trip. I had planned to camp wild in what was a wildlife conservancy, but a local Maasai warned me about wild animals and invited me to pitch my tent within his family boma. It wasn’t just the cattle and their bells a few metres from my tent and the dogs barking that kept me awake, but arriving at dusk the previous evening, I hadn’t properly checked the ground beneath where I pitched my tent. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/fad8649f-bed3-4b5e-919b-475b518a55de/PXL_20241228_202404653.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 2: South from Nairobi - Make it stand out The air mattress deflated at some point in the night. I woke and then blew back into it to re-inflate it, only to wake an hour or so later and find it was flat again! When I turned on my head torch and felt underneath my tent I found the reason why. Goat-head, or devil thorns are found across many parts of Africa. And I had gone and punctured my thermarest sleeping mat in not just one place, but two! A repair job was needed. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/effd49f5-af5d-4290-8ece-43629a85da0b/PXL_20241229_043505507.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 2: South from Nairobi - Make it stand out Saying goodbye to the Maasai family that morning. While I wasn’t particularly worried about wild animals (I saw none until the next day) I was grateful for their concern and invitation to allow me to pitch my tent within their compound. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/d890d003-8f3b-499c-8a76-f4180b0e4479/DSC07289.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 2: South from Nairobi - Make it stand out And those wild animals were ones I wouldn’t have feared even if I had seen them camping. There are a number of places in Kenya where wild animals exist outside of national parks. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/fc3e38f2-44b8-43ea-90d7-562b974eccbc/PXL_20241229_051527182.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 2: South from Nairobi - Make it stand out For the previous few months while cycling through Greece I had camped beside a number of churches. Christianity is far older there than here in Kenya, where 19th Century missionaries first made contact with local tribes like the Maasai. Despite christianity growing throughout much of sub-Saharan Africa, many ethnic groups, including Maasai, continue to practice and follow their own beliefs. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/35ff7e91-17db-437f-a74a-c89ea48b4390/PXL_20241229_133341629.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 2: South from Nairobi - Make it stand out Last night in Kenya before crossing into Tanzania. Another simple and cheap room in the town of Loitokitok. It’s always a bonus when I can just wheel my bicycle inside the room. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/a2f2711f-fe8a-4c1e-999d-2154b7b31a92/PXL_20241230_063941205.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 2: South from Nairobi - Make it stand out Thermarest holes found and repaired with puncture repair patches, which was the best I had at the time. I later used duct tape, but despite the holes appearing sealed, the thermarest continued to semi-deflate overnight, leading me towards seeking a replacement later in the trip when I could. While these mats are very comfortable, I don’t find them the most durable, although it was my fault for not properly checking the ground for sharp objects when I camped. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/641e4823-a6b9-4e72-b2a8-61b647fbb5c3/PXL_20241229_133749218.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 2: South from Nairobi - Make it stand out Shower time. The beginning of the Teva sandal tan lines that I would keep for the remainder of the trip. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/4255127c-4ac9-4fa7-8d7a-1920d14433b4/PXL_20241231_033820630.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 2: South from Nairobi - Make it stand out First night in Tanzania and I pitch my tent inside a village clinic. Other accommodation options were limited (a dirty and unwelcome looking guest house), so I asked permission from someone nearby for a safe place to pitch my tent, who pointed me towards a school and clinic. It was the 30th of December and I really hoped I could find somewhere a bit more scenic and fitting for the following day to see in the new year. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/e43f728c-4702-4b6c-88a3-225c7dbdbd76/PXL_20241231_065202178.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 2: South from Nairobi - Make it stand out Smashed avocado on fresh chapati the next morning for breakfast. Simple, cheap and delicious. I could eat this daily. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/4a008fa5-695b-420a-8fcc-85a0296bd78e/dji_fly_20241228_034158_304_1735705134323_photo.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 2: South from Nairobi - Make it stand out Clear skies over Kilimanjaro, a short distance from where I’d crossed the border. Seeing Africa’s highest mountain is best done early in the morning or just before sunset, but there are many days when it is shrouded in clouds. On the last day of the year it was standing proud as I cycled around its northern base. The landscape and weather can change dramatically in a short distance because of the microclimate created by the mountain. Lush and green here, but I was headed west back into a much drier landscape on the same day. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1c346946-ae2b-40b4-90a5-b0b142646489/dji_fly_20241228_041236_306_1735705134021_photo.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 2: South from Nairobi - Make it stand out I last cycled this same track back in 2011, but rode the opposite way. It was a different time of year and the landscape was dry and barren. Now it was lush and green, and the bush here too dense to camp. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/b787b294-c53e-44b3-afea-64c870480171/DSC07298.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 2: South from Nairobi - Make it stand out Unmistakably Africa. This northern side of Kilimanjaro is very close to the border with Kenya, so it’s not uncommon for animals, notably elephants, to cross between the two countries. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/86e805ae-d228-4b63-bb58-ea0edb9fafca/PXL_20241231_085333914.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 2: South from Nairobi - Make it stand out Back to Masaai-inhabited land. There are a number of ethnic groups living around Mt Kilimanjaro. The Maasai are amongst one of the few of Tanzania’s 120 tribes that hold onto their cultural traditions in terms of how they dress. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/d51e2024-57c8-4c6b-81f1-a0dbdfadc2d8/PXL_20241231_085545351.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 2: South from Nairobi - Make it stand out Their footwear these days are made from recycled rubber from tyres. More durable than my teva sandals. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/6315d1bd-32a9-4fd8-98f1-afb160c3fce1/PXL_20241231_094105709.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 2: South from Nairobi - Make it stand out Entering Enduimet….or not. This part of the north western side of Kilimanjaro is part of a community wildlife management area, which in short means it requires an entrance fee to enter. I had read on their website that the fee was $10, but when I arrived at the gate the guard said it was $50 and that I should have reserved in advance, neither of which I completely believed. I didn’t even have $50 on me, so turned back a short distance from the entrance gate and was preparing to ride back the way I came. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/a9b5f1b5-554d-41a9-a9db-95679dcf0e7d/PXL_20241231_105231003.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 2: South from Nairobi - Make it stand out But then stopped a short distance away and looked at google satellite. The bush was drier and lense dense here, and there were a number of visible tracks which circumvented the entrance gate. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/c2fb9d20-5a05-45ad-b4c6-8025e425a9a5/DSC07304.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 2: South from Nairobi - Make it stand out So I made a short detour on an unmarked path and rejoined the main track a few kilometres beyond the gate. I had entered illegally without paying, which made me feel a bit smug, but also guilty. There were no other vehicles and I didn’t expect to see many people. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/d4548ce6-e8a0-4217-ba02-3f1b514f6b7f/dji_fly_20241228_102152_317_1735705066267_photo.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 2: South from Nairobi - Make it stand out The landscape, green and lush only 20km away, was now much drier. Prospects for a good place to wild camp on the last day of the year seemed more likely now. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/d086f5f2-057c-465d-913f-2c2a00688941/DSC07308.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 2: South from Nairobi - Make it stand out Plenty of these around, which made me think that their main predator, lions, are probably rare here, which I think they are. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/358543d7-6a0f-4548-b9b1-607b387db266/DSC07314.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 2: South from Nairobi - Make it stand out I had seen a lone acacia tree perhaps 1km away from the track and decided to ride towards it. Two eagles perched on the upper branches gave flight. More or less out of sight from any passing traffic, with a clear view west to Mt Kilimanjaro and south to Mt Meru, it seemed like the perfect place to pitch a tent and end the year. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/a3a03562-9612-411d-93f0-0cffacebeb1d/PXL_20241231_155959617.jpg Blog - Across Africa Part 2: South from Nairobi - Make it stand out A few hours earlier I had ridden through a small village and surprisingly found bottled beer. It was warm, but I couldn’t care less. Far from the madding city crowds celebrating the end of the year and start of a new one, it was a memorable place to be. And I was fast asleep long before midnight. https://petergostelow.com/-blog/across-africa-part-1-introduction-and-kenya monthly 0.5 2025-09-02 https://petergostelow.com/-blog/kit-list-for-a-long-bike-tour monthly 0.5 2025-09-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/722ef54e-87f3-4810-ae78-effffd2b6efe/processed_DSC06972.jpg Blog - My kit list for long distance bike travel https://petergostelow.com/-blog/agreekodyssey monthly 0.5 2025-09-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/5bd60775-7fd8-4ee5-bc0b-bef78e816e81/PXL_20221027_151634055.PANO.jpg Blog - A Greek Odyssey https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/7d0e606a-674a-4de6-a003-d8877e9ac154/processed_2024-04-06_08-05-47+%281%29.jpg Blog - A Greek Odyssey https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/e452600c-28c0-474e-aec9-e77fd3a728c1/1000298010.png Blog - A Greek Odyssey https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/51fc0255-8727-4949-b413-4f9d74441884/processed_DSC06972.jpg Blog - A Greek Odyssey https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/d3cbb9d8-cca4-435f-8fed-ac3a1bd6f72c/processed_PXL_20241013_120442244.jpg Blog - A Greek Odyssey https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/7f37197f-ed61-4878-a5ec-5a7275d21e67/processed_PXL_20241010_050704991.jpg Blog - A Greek Odyssey https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/c7641d3f-0e2b-4a6e-af04-2868e7f7b561/processed_PXL_20241203_095100542.jpg Blog - A Greek Odyssey https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/75d8bef8-af87-44b2-a2fa-3bf6ed247f81/processed_PXL_20241017_093810516.jpg Blog - A Greek Odyssey https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/2993c37d-2671-4c1f-a899-9ddf657bd371/processed_PXL_20241205_111350169.jpg Blog - A Greek Odyssey https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/fa1bb059-db09-4b15-91c4-c15f8b4384c9/processed_DSC06951.jpg Blog - A Greek Odyssey https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/2ea24f3c-ac7e-4ccb-a912-d3dd78f83b00/processed_DSC07008.jpg Blog - A Greek Odyssey https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/3b2c92aa-ad3d-46e3-98ff-d2e953dd9dd9/processed_dji_fly_20241016_073114_115_1729061865844_photo.jpg Blog - A Greek Odyssey https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1aa2642a-6391-4c2e-81f0-45699a8683ae/processed_DSC07055.jpg Blog - A Greek Odyssey https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/29873074-78bd-4553-a857-3e7c2185b44d/processed_DSC07070.jpg Blog - A Greek Odyssey https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/2b98ab6a-263b-455c-b2e2-ff15d4da053e/processed_dji_fly_20241104_065626_188_1730985653862_photo.jpg Blog - A Greek Odyssey https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/144b9896-9642-44ec-a1fc-57ca76d7098d/processed_PXL_20241120_051836719.jpg Blog - A Greek Odyssey https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/f3906dd2-25aa-4d46-bb67-bc1a72dfebb4/processed_PXL_20241120_172047376.jpg Blog - 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A Greek Odyssey https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/16d1005f-1944-474c-a680-6d06681cf111/processed_dji_fly_20241126_084624_266_1732981356839_photo.jpg Blog - A Greek Odyssey https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/d4b28e65-9362-4578-9741-06fd19b97a45/processed_dji_fly_20241129_083718_277_1733472277204_photo.jpg Blog - A Greek Odyssey https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/6c282f39-7f48-4c53-9069-1d0f7bd5a1c4/processed_dji_fly_20241201_064958_286_1733472038651_photo.jpg Blog - A Greek Odyssey https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/c3884bd8-ad95-4ae4-8f37-2d1f0e557cc5/processed_PXL_20241119_052825508.jpg Blog - A Greek Odyssey https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/951fdbd5-d3aa-4ad8-b449-7cb7b7fb9eb4/processed_PXL_20241110_090913875.jpg Blog - A Greek Odyssey https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/adf62e47-c8d2-4381-bfa1-b9360ee1f3b1/processed_DSC07144.jpg Blog - A Greek Odyssey https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/0819662b-7e04-4f11-9465-821ea9f06ca8/processed_dji_fly_20241021_073156_128_1729492433912_photo.jpg Blog - A Greek Odyssey https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/6deca6f3-b48a-4673-a54e-3fca9c38c012/processed_PXL_20241015_170841422.jpg Blog - A Greek Odyssey https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/4433b6a2-885e-49ee-8138-a97281ad4c1b/processed_PXL_20241201_134916746.jpg Blog - A Greek Odyssey https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/e245a98d-9a03-4c7e-89db-cd54ffc9b2bf/processed_DSC07153.jpg Blog - A Greek Odyssey https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/38a9bb5e-e1ef-4cf2-83ec-5fedafa5e70c/processed_DSC07152.jpg Blog - A Greek Odyssey https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/4469cea3-1272-41a9-a96b-5f9a74758164/processed_PXL_20241208_104710610.jpg Blog - A Greek Odyssey https://petergostelow.com/-blog/the-old-chalk-way monthly 0.5 2024-10-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/b3d961dc-831a-4483-8cde-1925ac236ce9/Map-of-England-and-Wales-showing-i-the-distribution-of-Upper-Cretaceous-Chalk-Group.png Blog - The Old Chalk Way The route mostly follows this band of chalk from the south coast to the North Sea https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1c1abf08-c7ea-4d4b-a5cd-1aeacac9bfbc/Screenshot+%289%29.png Blog - The Old Chalk Way Not the quietest part of the UK, but I found the trails surprisingly peaceful. Most of the UK public choose to travel everywhere by car. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/49780824-47e0-4331-9bdd-e4969b6f829e/DSC06921.jpg Blog - The Old Chalk Way First night's camp in a woodland near Shaftesbury. And first night in a new tent. The Big Agnes Copper Spur is a two person free-standing tent. A separate blog post on tents is necessary to go into more detail on my choice and review of tents, but this one is light and very spacious. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/9d976898-038f-4e03-b06e-5d07c6f4c0b8/PXL_20240826_083618759.jpg Blog - The Old Chalk Way Gold Hill, in Shaftesbury, one of southern England's most iconic streets, made famous by a bread advert. Cobbled and quite a steep climb on a loaded bike! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/86885f8a-0803-4c18-8362-948f0f52758b/PXL_20240826_184818288.jpg Blog - The Old Chalk Way Camp on the second day. The grass was lush and soft, but a strong wind blew throughout the night, sending my tent pegs flying, flysheet flapping and when the poles dislodged themselves from the tent (I had foolishly staked them into the groundsheet and not the inner) it started to collapse. The sound of nearby galloping horses shortly after sunrise had me packed up pretty quickly. Not the best spot all in all, but that's wild camping for you. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/d0af0af4-57a9-4074-966a-acb312d215b2/PXL_20240828_183900652.jpg Blog - The Old Chalk Way A much better camp at the end of Day 4 near Luton, which is probably the most built-up area of the route. A gap in a hedge leading off the trail just before sunset turned out to be a great spot. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/f7ea45a7-9541-42c5-b3ad-c9211650bc62/DSC06933.jpg Blog - The Old Chalk Way I packed relatively lightly for this trip. Tent and camping chair in red bag, sleeping quilt, mattress and clothes in one pannier, cooking stove and food in the other, with plenty of space left in each. I find using small panniers a far better solution, whatever the kind of surface and riding I am doing, than smaller bags like saddle and frame bags, which are restrictive in what you can fit in them and require more precision packing. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/144ba9dd-559a-4b27-a63f-b1b75ab35615/51187237182_98137b7563_o.jpg Blog - The Old Chalk Way Stonehenge, back in the spring of 2021 when riding another off-road route - King Alfred's Way. I used a saddlebag and frame bag throughout that year, but went back to using panniers the following year, https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/83578a28-3080-4866-bfbd-0d5ed078beb5/PXL_20240829_183747481.jpg Blog - The Old Chalk Way Camp on Day 5. I had seen a large woodland on the map and had it pinned down as probably the best place to find some discreet and scenic to camp, which it was. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/5bf155ee-119e-4636-b3ef-421920622335/PXL_20240830_053958987.jpg Blog - The Old Chalk Way In cooler weather I usually try to pitch my tent facing east, so as to receive the morning sun. Another sunny day ahead here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/08a28b82-ee8d-4875-8dd5-d78d8949578c/DSC06940.jpg Blog - The Old Chalk Way Riding the Peddars Way on day 6. There was a lot of woodland trails on this route, especially through the second half. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/04de0b5c-c8a9-492a-811f-12b04e97dd3f/PXL_20240830_122926161.jpg Blog - The Old Chalk Way Lunch stop. My usual feed being tortilla wraps filled with hummus, salad and possibly some cheese/tinned fish. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/11d94989-aeb8-4015-9c8f-6e657d793cc3/PXL_20240829_060526751.jpg Blog - The Old Chalk Way Or possibly a bacon wrap, being made here at breakfast alongside my porridge. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/73fed337-05be-4c22-a837-5b0c7e7ce7f2/PXL_20240825_191549729.jpg Blog - The Old Chalk Way Pasta and couscous are evening staples, usually with a tomato-based sauce. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/a058d576-af61-4b4d-951f-89547f2a5352/PXL_20240830_203137616.jpg Blog - The Old Chalk Way End of the ride and beers with an old uni friend who had cycled up to meet me on the Norfolk coast from Norwich. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/e5e6aff8-4d31-4ee0-a370-4b4eb7c2278f/PXL_20240831_053544698.jpg Blog - The Old Chalk Way Last camp in more woodlands on the Norfolk coast. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/0bfcd6b7-d0b7-481a-9fa8-fde531379610/PXL_20240831_092413988.jpg Blog - The Old Chalk Way Riding back to Norwich the next day. I continued back to Dorset over the coming days following paved roads, jumping on a few trains to speed the journey up. https://petergostelow.com/-blog/the-north-east monthly 0.5 2024-10-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/e4051665-2f3b-4f77-b6cf-437f3b8986a0/tanzania-physical-map.jpg Blog - Tanzania: The North East Africa's 13th largest country by size and 5th largest by population. When I first visited the country in the year 2000, the population was 34 million. It's now more than double that. The top 20 countries with the world's fastest growing populations are all in Africa. Tanzania is at number 13. Most of this population growth occurs in urban areas, which is one reason I try to avoid big cities when I cycle in Africa, or elsewhere for that matter. The north east of Tanzania is relatively densely populated, but as vehicle ownership remains very low in Tanzania, roads are mostly quiet, at least the ones I try to take. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/d320ca99-c349-49fb-a66f-d0d2bc854130/PXL_20240505_112355678.jpg Blog - Tanzania: The North East This journey started in Nairobi, where I needed to transport my bicycle on the train to Mombasa. Officially bicycles aren't permitted, so I decided to take the wheels and handlebars off and transport it in a box. I wasn't 100% sure I would be allowed to transport the bike so just crossed my fingers. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/e9f130c2-9ff2-44c9-9007-c1d10e01713e/PXL_20240505_044103099.jpg Blog - Tanzania: The North East - Make it stand out There is no over-sized luggage or bicycle carriage on the train from Nairobi-Mombasa, so I waited for most other passengers to board first and hoped I would find a space. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/03a54a39-1225-4ab9-9a82-c30d4882fec7/PXL_20240505_044903642.jpg Blog - Tanzania: The North East Fortunately there were no issues. The train from Nairobi-Mombasa would not have any space to transport a bicycle without having its wheels removed and carried in some kind of case. Cycling from Nairobi to Mombasa wasn't an appealing option and I preferred to take the train rather than the bus. The train line cuts straight through Tsavo National Park, which has such a high population of elephants that unless you take the night train, it's more or less guaranteed you will see them from the carriage, which I did many times. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/d4ba9edb-6391-4b2d-9837-ba2c44d4512a/PXL_20240505_064036532.jpg Blog - Tanzania: The North East - Make it stand out 1500ksh (£9) buys you a ticket for the 6hr journey from Nairobi to Mombasa. A cheap way to see elephants in Kenya! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/a097f9ba-57dc-4738-b304-94a4d28c9aba/PXL_20240505_122355036.jpg Blog - Tanzania: The North East Mombasa's new railway station is a long way from Mombasa itself. I put the bicycle back together and rode into what is Kenya's second city - hot, humid and busy. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1a8aedb6-9740-4756-9206-ec992664660f/PXL_20240506_142754277.jpg Blog - Tanzania: The North East Catching up with an old friend in Mombasa. We lived in the same city in Tanzania between 2013-2015. He moved to Kenya thereafter to teach at an international school. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/d6fffc4e-a562-4ad5-aa6c-51020be421c1/PXL_20240507_121241773.jpg Blog - Tanzania: The North East - Make it stand out Back at the coast and it was mango season. The best food in Africa is the fresh fruit! I filled what space I had in my bags. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/f13ec13b-7a5f-41f9-a6da-5eba7a7f181d/PXL_20240513_053104548.jpg Blog - Tanzania: The North East Check-in. I found a simple and quiet room close to the beach in the coastal town of Diani to spend a few days, before riding south to cross into Tanzania. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/7cc5161e-4f67-42bb-8c15-38ca3df711d2/PXL_20240507_142300367.jpg Blog - Tanzania: The North East For £10 a night and walking distance to the beach I thought it was great value, so decided to stay a week in the end. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/9658fa49-64c6-4d5a-9417-35133b6c45d7/PXL_20240511_100624803.jpg Blog - Tanzania: The North East I've been to Diani before. It has a wonderful long white beach, which is relatively quiet out of the tourist season. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/b217d22d-06ed-4f0c-992a-12963de906f9/PXL_20240514_153049706.jpg Blog - Tanzania: The North East All I need. My last room in Kenya before crossing to Tanzania in the town of Lunga Lunga. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/82ed9f9d-7d77-4c53-8439-b832434fc594/PXL_20240515_103715908.jpg Blog - Tanzania: The North East Another old face and friend. I first met Lelo when I cycled through Tanzania in 2011. We've kept in touch since. Better communication before meeting him on this day might have meant we cycled together, but he had his own plans which were to cross into Kenya on the road I had just come on. We met in the first small village in Tanzania. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/802d192b-534c-4fb2-ae4c-fff3917d1038/DSC06658_1.jpg Blog - Tanzania: The North East Into Tanga, a sleepy backwater on the coast of north eastern Tanzania. It really hadn't felt like much had changed since I last visited here in 2011. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/3ee4702a-ea56-4d8c-b1cb-5e282eb59f48/PXL_20240519_134232323.jpg Blog - Tanzania: The North East From Tanga I headed south along the coast to Pangani, which has another wonderful beach that very few people visit. The only coastal part of Tanzania that really sees any tourists is the island of Zanzibar, which I wasn't visiting this time. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/09371710-b800-4fda-9589-1e0c2be815a4/DSC06673.jpg Blog - Tanzania: The North East Pangani, a short distance south from Tanga, is as sleepy as Tanzania gets. A few streets of colonial buildings remain as reminders of its colonial importance for Arabs, Germans and the British. Once an important stop for slave-trading caravans as well as the export of ivory, sugar and cobra, the small port on the river of the same name, still sees a steady traffic of traditional wooden dhows, bringing in goods from the nearby island of Pemba. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/9b2b9fcd-18e0-4aea-8954-d3552f560eb3/DSC06711.jpg Blog - Tanzania: The North East Pangani River opening to the Indian Ocean. The east coast of Africa, the swahili coast as it's better known here, is primarily inhabited by muslims, which is also a reminder of its history of trade with the Arabian peninsula. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/8c4ef91b-8b30-4d37-92a5-a6fff5c2af2b/PXL_20240519_063838615.jpg Blog - Tanzania: The North East Chicken soup for breakfast. It's a swahili thing along the coast - typically served with chapati, chilli and lime. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/df1629b1-7e5a-4b84-925b-265ca31629fd/PXL_20240520_090201150.LONG_EXPOSURE-02.ORIGINAL.jpg Blog - Tanzania: The North East Chase the mzungu. School kids are a familiar sight riding through rural Tanzania. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/c97f2410-53e8-4d60-aa67-bad420505047/PXL_20240520_123922431.jpg Blog - Tanzania: The North East Most of my accommodation in Tanzania was similar to Kenya. Simple, clean, quiet (hopefully) Guest Houses, where I could usually wheel my bicycle inside. Prices for a room vary from £3-6 per night mostly. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/00993491-1ad3-4a60-a147-9dba764a3852/PXL_20240521_143909812.jpg Blog - Tanzania: The North East Guest Houses always have a register, where alongside the details of entering your name and nationality, you record your tribe. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/8ff072df-51f9-4fbc-97e3-64737f7f907e/DSC06757.jpg Blog - Tanzania: The North East Climbing into the Usambara mountains. Lush and green, this part of Tanzania typically records more rainfall than most other parts, making it one of the more fertile regions of the country. Most of the land here is cultivated with crops like tea (pictured) sisal and fruits, and the population density is higher. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/099a57c1-a582-4e54-91c3-c190ec628668/PXL_20240524_125653037.jpg Blog - Tanzania: The North East Coffee stop. Despite growing lots of great coffee, Tanzania, like Kenya and the rest of east Africa (excluding Ethiopia) is a tea-drinking nation. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/2da0aea2-3c24-48b3-b891-06be0b893d6a/DSC06762.jpg Blog - Tanzania: The North East There are various tracks through the Usambara Mountains, which climb to around 2000m in elevation. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/b5d7f1c0-9620-4135-9786-5fe6f6431a99/DSC06769.jpg Blog - Tanzania: The North East Great views from the edge of the Usambara Mountains. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1763a155-1f5c-4ecb-8287-ebd491e7b4bc/DSC06787.jpg Blog - Tanzania: The North East An example of how green, fertile and cultivated the land is here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/63391abb-d89e-45ef-bc41-af4dd9c2877e/DSC06798.jpg Blog - Tanzania: The North East Looking north back towards Kenya, a short distance away. I can never resist to stop and take a picture of my bike. I'll get round to writing a review of it soon. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/74ebb21d-9416-494c-928a-072ddd93bd44/PICT_20240528_150043.jpg Blog - Tanzania: The North East Quiet tracks between the Usambara Mountains and Mkomazi National Park, which runs along the border with Kenya. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/76e425dd-64e2-4874-a717-bfc3b06656b5/PXL_20240527_124928515.jpg Blog - Tanzania: The North East Bicycles are still a popular form of transport in much of rural Africa, which is always a pleasing sight. As is seeing girls use bicycles. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/d718a4e3-9bbd-426c-b4fe-60eca9b7feeb/DSC06809.jpg Blog - Tanzania: The North East Wild camp time. I didn't camp as much as I would have liked to in northern Tanzania. The north east is densely populated and accommodation is plentiful and cheap. Camping out under the stars after a few weeks in the country was a reminder of how much I prefer being outside to sleep compared to inside a concrete block, assuming the weather is favourable. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/9aaf1f37-56d0-405c-b7a5-37fd82a38a99/DSC06810.jpg Blog - Tanzania: The North East Morning at camp. No rush to pack up in such a beautiful spot. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/671c553d-287d-4a5f-87ce-c43c49827f42/PXL_20240528_143713989.jpg Blog - Tanzania: The North East Carb load. Fresh chips and cold beer. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/f32c007d-792c-477b-8e85-cb4cd4db09d1/PXL_20240527_073553252.jpg Blog - Tanzania: The North East Familiar food and friendly prices. 3000tsh is about £1 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/454e3a98-34ed-47e3-b7c3-6854c6c968ba/DSC06826.jpg Blog - Tanzania: The North East Another great camp between the Pare Mountains and Lake Jipe. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/a81401b9-9752-459f-9e3b-d383186a50ff/PXL_20240530_061534499.jpg Blog - Tanzania: The North East Black cotton soil - the worst kind when wet. Fortunately this bike has a belt and not a chain, so there is no slipping over cogs when it gets covered in mud, nor any need to re-oil it once washed with water, which I did in a nearby river. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/47761888-b1d3-4034-b739-e8fe8df4d3da/PXL_20240530_141751458.jpg Blog - Tanzania: The North East Heavy loads. I followed this guy on his single speed bicycle as he transported over 100kg of wood on a rough gravel road. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/3c1110fe-ed1d-468e-93d2-c15ac7325c4c/PXL_20240531_080426564.jpg Blog - Tanzania: The North East Accommodation in Moshi. Ended up staying 5 nights. This place if you're interested. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/4f4a3296-ce31-4a70-89c1-d4e7485a6219/PXL_20240603_142915751.jpg Blog - Tanzania: The North East Kilimanjaro under a blue sky. A lot of the time Africa's tallest mountain is covered in clouds. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/f9190685-47bf-4032-a7e2-9285194ee9a8/DSC06844.jpg Blog - Tanzania: The North East Giraffes at dusk. I was surprised to see so much wildlife on the route back to Kenya. I took some tracks through Masaai land and saw plenty of giraffe, zebra and gazelles. For me this is always the most exciting way to see Africa's wildlife, rather than paying hundreds of dollars to sit in a vehicle and be driven inside a park. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/c5c30fbb-5f1f-4f99-8fb3-7fe0531a5ac0/DSC06856.jpg Blog - Tanzania: The North East Capped off with a wonderful camp under a starlit sky. My last night in Tanzania with the distant sound of hyenas in the bush. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/a22725d3-892d-4f84-b159-4e5b54d4072a/DSC06868.jpg Blog - Tanzania: The North East And a magical morning before heading towards the Kenyan border. I had about 5 days until my flight. The distance wasn't far, but I wanted a few days of rest before flying out of Nairobi. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/a21355d9-a000-41f0-a0c7-0c60dd4cd7a8/DSC06870.jpg Blog - Tanzania: The North East Lots of great tracks in this northern part of Tanzania. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/47c5fe07-d7ed-4fd9-872a-94cc1a98da3d/PXL_20240612_100502293.jpg Blog - Tanzania: The North East This area is popular for the mining of ruby stones. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/664f9b76-b95b-42da-9fee-8ed9f8e2dcee/DSC06879.jpg Blog - Tanzania: The North East Riding towards Mount Longido, which climbs above the surrounding bush to 2637m. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/75ce28d2-610b-4ed3-b401-7828ce5ad902/PXL_20240613_152641242.jpg Blog - Tanzania: The North East Last camp in Africa, about 70km from Nairobi. The land starts to get quite densely populated, so this was more of a stealth camp than others. I prefer not to wild camp in areas which are densely populated. When I do I almost always find someone to ask permission to camp. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/20e306d7-4edd-427f-a66f-1a5e20fd92ff/PXL_20240614_120521495.jpg Blog - Tanzania: The North East And relax. I returned to the same Guest House I had already stayed in twice before. My bike box was stored here. Clean, cheap, quiet, and close to the airport. https://petergostelow.com/-blog/kenya-off-road-up-north-part-2 monthly 0.5 2024-07-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/8ae66def-0e28-49c0-85f3-2bb804eb50ab/PXL_20240415_143833551.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out Happy, but somewhat nervous. Boat crossings like this are never particularly safe. You sit onboard thinking of all the things that could go wrong, and that's on a lake full of crocodiles. The boat crossing took 3 hours, arriving shortly before sunset on the eastern side of Lake Turkana. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/99f9da2e-340c-401d-b59b-b8fa20e51848/PXL_20240415_130926587.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out There were about a dozen of us on the boat. The wind and waves, which had made me nervous to begin with, calmed as we motored across. When I first looked for a boat to cross the lake I was put in touch with someone who quoted me a price of $200. Perhaps a foreigner had paid that before, but I knew if there were small boats transporting locals across I would be able to negotiate a price far less than what is equivalent to living costs of several months for many people here. After a little negotiation on the lake shore I fixed a price of around $15, which is more than double what others were paying, but then I was also carrying my bike across. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/27b350b3-f9b1-4df0-aeaf-4a0bb86f11b9/PXL_20240415_144042140.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out Headed to a village called Ngasinyono, which doesn't appear on any maps. In fact it was only one of the online mapping apps that I use (mapy.cz) that showed a track leading south on the eastern side of the lake, allowing me to reconnect with a more marked track. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/366583c6-4f1f-414a-9099-49b1c5f3c74c/PXL_20240415_155142639.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out The most striking image and memory of arriving in this remote lakeside village was all the children that were running and playing on the lake shore. And the pregnant teenage girl walking in front of my camera as I took a picture of my tent and the sunset. Not that this demographic or scene surprised me. In rural locations where there is no electricity and next to no education on family planning or healthcare, family sizes are large, with women giving birth to an average of 6-7 children. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/0447715e-2a08-41c3-b8db-559c64daeea6/PXL_20240416_035546480.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out Riding off from Ngansinyono. I had brought 13 litres of water across the lake with me, 5 of which I consumed while drinking and cooking the previous day. Water from Lake Turkana is saline, although communities living along the lake shore drink it. The 8 litres of water I took with me wasn't enough for the long day ahead in the 40°C+ heat, so I ended up taking water from the lake and boiling it. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/c5e62bb5-40fc-4b98-ba45-314146e77635/DSC06278.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out Now in Marsabit County, but the people here are still ethnically Turkana. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/6b4667b2-79c9-4a1f-9149-6e5ddb8a2dbf/DSC06281.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out Marsabit County is the most scarcely populated in Kenya. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/cf73ef0d-0087-417b-93b1-a6acff00e5de/DSC06293.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out Rest stop in the shade. I was so hot I ended up resting under this tree for a few hours to avoid the midday heat. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/87a6f0e6-21c4-44dd-b3d2-2d7d587330e8/DSC06312.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out Riding south beside Lake Turkana. Hot and remote. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/04840ca5-d633-4774-855a-7853c6a1b9f8/PXL_20240416_120511803.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out The sensible option when the temperatures are above 40°C. There are a few remote fishing communities living along the lake shore. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/cb6c1363-6c15-476f-b57e-27c264b6790b/PXL_20240416_134950173.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out Many of the tracks around Lake Turkana have sandy stretches. A bicycle without wide tyres would require a significant amount of pushing. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/efc95c59-31f8-47e4-9d65-e1923cfcc567/PXL_20240416_125959981.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out Digging for water. There are areas around the lake with fresh water springs. If the government wanted to help people by providing fresh sources of water they could. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/18981bfd-0d06-4113-8ae1-9f5f485a575a/DSC06327.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out Overnight temperatures cool to around 30°C. The skies up here, with no light pollution, are full of stars. I had hoped to reach the first marked settlement on the map where I would find fresh water, but was too tired and decided to camp about 30km short of it. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/2fa02fa6-8a39-4973-8158-55691a54ad4c/DSC06337.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out It’s a beautiful sunrise, but it’s not long before the rising temperature makes it too hot to be sitting beside the tent. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/61b9fca8-b0da-44f9-813f-ed38cef22594/DSC06343.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out The track widens as I head to the small town of Loiyangalani, the first settlement on the map on the south eastern side of Lake Turkana. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/37091ee4-41f2-455f-bda6-64261edd467e/PXL_20240417_121508099.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out Loiyangalani. Time for the usual feed of rice and beans. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/8a58813e-7ebf-4cab-bb13-cc560d2c8033/PXL_20240417_122317035.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out Loiyangalani is mostly inhabited by Turkana. Hot and dusty, I did consider finding a room here, but opted to ride out later that day to camp by the lake. That was after drinking about 3 litres of water the moment I arrived, and riding off with 10 litres on the bike. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/b22375bc-755b-4152-afea-41ad6e5a5acc/DSC06371.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out South from Loiyangalani. Beautiful, but not many camping options. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/b4d1cd8a-a948-4a43-9161-ccba4ec90162/DSC06374+%281%29.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out Scouring the land looking for somewhere to camp that isn't covered in rocks, as this part of Kenya mostly is. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/ff426c1c-10ff-4148-a83b-d7b6b6275da6/DSC06378.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out A lucky spot. I was giving up on finding somewhere to pitch the tent before it got dark, but a local fisherman directed me towards a cleared area of rocks beside the lake. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/21201d66-2016-46f7-8d48-b4089db4020d/DSC06385.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out And another wonderful night under a clear starlit sky. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/56897345-1cad-4161-a0a1-38ffa93a429e/DSC06401.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out Climbing up from Lake Turkana. The rise in elevation and strong winds here provide some relief from the heat. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/8e6c7be8-1770-442a-bdf1-10ca63da76a8/PXL_20240418_050733866.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out Last views of Lake Turkana. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/77962a17-afcd-488d-a824-2b89d67892e2/DSC06414.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out These tracks have almost no traffic, unless you include livestock. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1fd0f01d-457b-4dab-80e8-9c6ac2910714/PXL_20240418_145010122+%281%29.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out I had found a discreet place to camp. At least that's what I thought. Shortly after arriving in what was a beautiful spot above a dried river bed, a group of young Samburu came to greet me. The Samburu, like the Turkana, are pastoralists tending to livestock. Most retain their traditional way of life. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/15189346-c0ea-4f48-8665-6ab101cf9f45/PXL_20240418_150335079.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out Dress and appearance are very important for Samburu. I loved the hair clips on this young man. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/d103d56c-9ca9-494d-b5b9-ea85cf63b98b/DSC06419.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out Northern Kenya proved to be a much more remote and enjoyable place to wild camp, found or not by locals, than I imagined. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/37bdbe16-619a-44da-89f6-13fd9d7536c3/PXL_20240419_053222590.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out Company in the morning before I set off. The rear tyre had lost some air overnight so I was topping it up with sealant in front of a small audience. None of these encounters beside my tent ever felt threatening. I think people are often more shocked, surprised and confused to see a foreigner camping outside close to where they live. I’m always very aware of potential risks in camping alone in remote places, so ensure that valuables are inside my tent and the bike is locked. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/a8a12755-ff58-4981-954b-f8699fe15cc3/DSC06427.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out Refreshing to have a cold drink in this heat. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/ad47fc92-d276-4f74-8153-f10d7a8d49f2/PXL_20240419_062027481+%281%29.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out Fuelled by rice and beans as normal. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/048e95b8-f8e6-4cf3-bf25-80980712f8ec/DSC06408.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out Onwards through Samburu County. Recent rains mean the landscapes are beautifully green. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/e862891b-526b-4517-90f2-cd037fd7ed25/DSC06432.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out Off to a wedding. We both stopped. They wanted water, which I was a bit reluctant to give. In this part of Kenya I was never sure when I would find water again, so I couldn’t just hand it out when people asked for it. Sometimes I was not entirely sure the request was anything more than a way for me to stop. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/63f9e0f0-f161-4712-984f-3ef92305d4d2/PXL_20240419_123031253.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out So they got some water and I asked for a few pics. I perhaps should have guessed that they would drink the entire bottle between them. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/a48bf496-521c-42cb-8424-92f789454ac0/DSC06443.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out I fortunately managed to find water later that day and this great spot to camp. Great because it had a wonderful view of Mount Poi and I could pitch my tent on the soft sand of the riverbed. I was very aware that if there was any rain this riverbed could quickly flood. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/0a2b238e-31f9-47a1-8860-2a80bb602c56/DSC06453+%281%29.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out Fortunately there were no dark clouds overnight. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/d1303c29-786a-4709-8902-d396f9d26758/DSC06455.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out A beautiful morning, and my tent in the shade for the first few hours. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/a850170a-4785-4440-a7c2-81bdcb2e4e47/PXL_20240424_052249560.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out Riding off-road and camping in the bush means my tyres pick up a number of thorns. I should just leave them all in the tyre. Pulling thorns out means the sealant will escape the tyre, as happened on this occasion. I carried a pouch with extra sealant to top up the tyre. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/5a8eaed3-9569-48a9-bade-b4210c2cb290/PXL_20240421_135824157.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out I assumed at first that finding tyre sealant in Kenya would be difficult, but many motorbikes now use tubeless tyres. I was easily able to pick up this 500ml bottle of motorbike sealant for a fraction of the price of branded bicycle tyre sealant. It wasn't until a few weeks later that I realised the sealant was so thick that it was impossible to put directly into the tyre by way of the valve. I had to pour the sealant directly into the side of tyre before seating the tyre on the rim. Over 1200km later as I write this and the tyres have been fine. For the kind of riding I have been doing in recent months, tubeless tyres are really the only way to go. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/8abea049-e998-43a0-b51e-746d8e5d6456/DSC06464.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out Sweating my way through Samburu County. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/2b61da49-1f79-44f5-92b5-0813a418a2de/DSC06474.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out A lot more camels in this part of Kenya than I thought. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/a5a784d9-0945-44b3-a1ad-16981360bbdc/DSC06488.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out A heavy downpour the previous afternoon cut short that day of cycling. The forecast and sky suggested more rain, so I asked permission to camp here in this primary school, which was fine. No rain actually fell overnight. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/34408466-b4db-46a3-be5a-bd86e6fdfdd3/PICT_20240421_101042.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out Sandy tracks under dark skies. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/b4a7d6d3-2140-4de8-a5f1-a5f572119f7e/DSC06495.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out I forgot the name of this prominent peak as I rode towards the main road in an easterly direction. For the past few days, instead of riding south, which is the main direction I was heading, I decided to detour around a town called Baragoi. Everyone I had mentioned this place to in previous weeks had warned me that there were a lot of bandits there and that it was unsafe. It may have been OK, but I didn’t want to take that risk. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/8319c634-8928-44e3-9d3d-c0beec352dd8/DSC06491.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out Bike inspection. While friendly, I found more Samburu, especially children, asking for things from me (usually money). Whether that is due to more exposure to tourists or NGOs in the past I don't know. I didn't see a foreign face during the entire time I spent in the northern counties of Kenya. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/c2cef23f-758b-45a6-95d9-cb7cb3d76e86/PXL_20240421_091931706.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out Initially I thought these two guys were Samburu, but in the past day I had noticed the appearance of people and their clothes was slightly different. The Rendille are a small ethic group inhabiting this north eastern part of Kenya. Like the Samburu and Turkana, they are pastoralists tending to livestock. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/2f4eea1a-7743-40be-b598-5afa8a17b454/PXL_20240421_110210773.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out In the town of Laisamis later that day, which is really just a village on the main road connecting Nairobi with Ethiopia to the north, I took a room for the princely sum of £3. Not quite ensuite as there was no toilet in the room, but after a week of camping I didn’t really care. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/48761173-7abd-414d-ba23-1e3ec6c7de13/PXL_20240421_135540967.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out Fruit and veg, for the first time in what felt like weeks. Small villages in the northern counties of Kenya sell a very limited amount of fresh produce. Pastoralists by nature, the people living in the north of Kenya grow very little fruit or vegetables, regardless of whether the soil is fertile or not. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/8c3aac6f-0498-45e5-8245-ad5143414e75/PXL_20240422_093954884.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out Riding south from Laisamis on the main highway connecting Kenya with Ethiopia. Initially I imagined this road to be busy with cars and trucks, but there was almost no traffic. Fuel is expensive in Kenya and there are few people living in the north. There is also not much overland trade between Kenya and Ethiopia. While Ethiopia is landlocked, most of its imported cargo comes from sea ports in Djibouti. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/bc01ba7c-de54-41f2-9e08-befddfc76049/PXL_20240422_103306370.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out A natural poser. Many boys don't finish school in this part of Kenya. The responsibilities to tend family livestock are seen as more important than a formal education. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/c91b9d36-89f3-4552-b199-81629e6d049a/DSC06503.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out Riding back off-road into the Mathews Forest Range. I had been carrying many litres of water, unaware that I would cross this fresh stream late in the day. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/6b0cb5f2-c1f0-4c8a-b846-beb2cbb6006a/DSC06505.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out It was hard to find a flat place to camp in such a dense forest, but this spot worked perfectly. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/fde2fbef-3fe6-4e09-be20-4ea366f4e3d6/DSC06511.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out The day starts with a rough ascent that required some pushing. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/146b5c29-aaee-45a2-920f-aae794b5062e/DSC06513.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out The Mathews Range is a protected area, home to Samburu, and a growing population of elephants, although I saw none of the latter. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/9bf99bdd-843b-4a46-9644-ab5ec57e8a3a/PXL_20240423_063905306.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out End of the road, if you were in a car or any other motorised transport. Fortunately I was able to wheel my bike down this eroded gully and continue on the other side. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/8df2a994-37c7-4eb7-9dc7-1a9cc7c88551/DSC06517.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out Riding out of the Mathews Range into Lakipia County. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/74a00db5-1d82-4f11-aeb1-faf84b110745/DSC06520.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out Scaring the local kids. Other than a few motorbikes, there is no other traffic on these tracks. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/951797fc-ed9f-40f0-a939-d095fa765625/DSC06532.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out I had already pitched my tent when a Samburu elder came over to tell me that I was in an elephant corridor. I considered moving, but was told that as long as I had a light on overnight it would be ok. Fortunately the full moon kept my tent illuminated. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/d0e2a627-fad2-4143-8738-4acd2cbcafe0/PXL_20240424_031039676.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out The next morning. Taken a few minutes after 2 elephants ran past my tent. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/03a76a91-2fba-4696-8b7c-a5ee4546cb39/DSC06549.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out The Samburu elder, who had come to my tent the previous evening, returned in the morning with his sons to check I was OK. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/93f39ad8-6729-4a3e-bbb1-41e40d625cc6/DSC06544.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out These two young guys had walked past my tent in the night and were returning the next morning. The Samburu are amongst the most colourfully dressed of Kenya’s tribes. Other tribes in Kenya named them Samburu, which means butterfly, for this reason. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/07bcd87d-454d-4662-8408-50436f620c7d/DSC06550.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out Riding on through Lakipia County. The temperatures are still well into the 30°s, but it's much cooler than further north in Marsabit and Turkana. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/f3e0cc80-db8c-40c8-bb87-98c2e3fdfc11/DSC06574.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out Elephant spotting again. I saw a lot more elephant dung than I did elephants. I assume most elephants distance themselves from people and roads, sensibly. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/ad69b5cb-a5ff-4794-9a17-d1761da437bc/DSC06555.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out Climbing up to cooler climes. Looking back north through Lakipia County. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/dd4bca19-25b4-4347-b123-c78afeed8dbe/PXL_20240424_144804737.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out Company on the climb. As I ride further south the landscape becomes more populated. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/bf82bbd1-2df7-49c6-8746-9086faeb7856/PXL_20240425_030255937.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out Sunrise at another great camp. Up at close to 2000m and feeling fresh. Some rain fell overnight - a sign of the weather to come as I ride back south into the rainy season. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/bdf8aeb0-fa37-407f-9549-baf2e1251a48/DSC06599.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out Riding south towards Nanyuki. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/945e0334-ae2f-4bb5-adf1-bae3707c88fc/DSC06594.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out A lot more private and fenced conservancies as I approach Nanyuki. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/aeb865b8-2ff8-4e63-a049-5d86da25c0a6/DSC06577.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out Thompson gazelle ahead on the track, and a few minutes after taking this picture, several elephants. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/f87a7e1d-379d-4fbb-a23b-6e631b9567f9/DSC06602.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out Dark clouds ahead. I raced onwards hoping to find shelter, knowing that the skies were about to open. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/25166dc2-b5fb-4245-8617-c02b7c9511c2/PXL_20240426_045144182.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out Saved by another school. It rained heavily for most of the evening and night. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/ea65b887-2ab3-40b6-a084-20efc9ca09b3/PXL_20240426_054329745.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out Leaving after the rain and headed to Nanyuki. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/38ef4ef0-f985-4fec-abb9-5fa64854c2d8/PXL_20240426_085220710.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out Bargain prices in Nanyuki. 500ksh is £3 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/f992b61d-c40d-4096-9471-9e88438faf95/PXL_20240426_124552359.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out You get what you pay for as they say. At least there was hot water. I decided to use my sleeping quilt rather than the hotel sheets to sleep under. Places like this I would only ever stay for one night. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/772db772-dfd5-46d0-b48a-9bae57ae0ba9/PXL_20240427_071245528.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out Crossing the equator as I ride south. Nanyuki felt like the end of my adventure in Kenya. More densely populated, cultivated and privately owned land - I was more focused to just return to Nairobi at this point. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/2a4004e9-e85d-4321-a050-cc27156ad5cf/PXL_20240428_084206703.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out The city of Nyeri. The Central Highlands are densely populated and home to Kenya’s most dominant ethnic group - the Kikuyu. No camping from now on to Nairobi. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/cceb1b69-0de0-45eb-b798-8e78c83392d1/DSC06609+%281%29.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out A rolling green landscape through the Central Highlands. Any unpaved roads around here were so wet after all the rain that I just stayed on paved surfaces for the remainder of the trip. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/7b3f65b6-d563-4407-b384-6f092e9dd00d/PXL_20240501_073411930.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out Accommodation in Thika. Lucky to make it here just before the rain. This was my most expensive room during the tour. 2000ksh, about £12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/ff1538db-b0c4-48f2-a72b-565af5396556/PXL_20240501_075525441.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out Riding out of Thika, which has a lot of pineapples. Kenya is one of the top five pineapple exporters in the world. Del Monte has a manufacturing plant in Thika, and canned pineapple is Kenya’s largest single manufactured product. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/644f07a0-39fa-4f78-b946-7d4c09579bb4/PXL_20240501_095235423.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out I never really enjoy cycling into cities, especially African ones. A few minutes before taking this pic I had been chased down by a bus conductor who accused me of smashing the wing mirror on a bus that was trying to overtake me down a narrow road. A crowd quickly gathered and the police arrested me. I pleaded my innocence (I had fended off the bus but not smashed any mirror) before the bus eventually left and the police let me go. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/2b9a3d55-ec32-4470-a723-65950264e935/PXL_20240502_125132228.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 2 - Make it stand out And relax. Back to where I was 5 weeks previously on the outskirts of Nairobi. A short rest while making preparations to travel to Tanzania. https://petergostelow.com/-blog/kenya-off-road-up-north-part-1 monthly 0.5 2024-05-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/da666709-4d3d-45cd-b065-d9de0e597be5/Screenshot+2024-05-13+14.48.21.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Nairobi is a hub for travelling in East Africa, and you don’t need to travel far from the capital to be on quiet tracks. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/b3ca1bbc-f6e9-4db9-bcd6-8c972c236d78/Kenyan+dirt+track.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Machakos County, 2011. I’m not entirely sure where this was as I wasn’t GPS tracking my rides then. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/21ce26c8-db03-400a-958e-73ed858ce5d3/Tea+plantation+country.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Kericho County, 2015. I still have my Thorn Raven with Rohloff hub for those wondering what bike it is. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/32fb194e-4161-46a2-af6f-a2a7fc168625/P1020510.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Turkana County, 2015, heading north to Ethiopia. Hot and hard work on sandy tracks. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/0319cd8a-0e54-41e7-8030-a9f5e89d4a40/Back+road+from+Shimoni.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out South from Mombasa on a single speed, 2016. Not a very comfortable ride with narrow tyres and no gears, but I decided to see how touring on one of these iconic bikes would be. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/919c05fc-ab60-49cd-9056-e3432547b6b8/PXL_20240320_185132981.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Bike with box = 20kg. Luggage = 18kg. I’ve always found cheap laundry bags are the best bags for carrying bike gear on a plane as they have loads of space and weigh nothing. And as they cost very little they can be discarded at the other end if need be. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/e0df9d08-9e82-470a-ab42-d553beca4107/PXL_20240320_190528597.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Usually I'm left stressing about weight allowances and box sizes when I fly with a bicycle. Not on this occasion. Qatar Airways allow sports luggage dimensions to be up to 300cm H+W+D, which is pretty much what a large bike box measures. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/8613d96f-52ac-4098-9134-db160882c966/PXL_20240321_045713278.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Always a relief - box and baggage intact on arrival at Nairobi Airport. Customs weren't interested to look inside the box. 10 minutes later the box was in the back of a large taxi (Uber) and I was on my way to a nearby hotel. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/45f4c5d1-d779-460e-889d-e8e5f7e9547b/PXL_20240321_060516913.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Great value for £6. I had no interest to be in Nairobi, so booked a hotel a short distance from the airport, from where it would be easier to leave the city. Zarita Boutique Hotel. While there was nothing boutique about it, it was safe, clean, spacious, quiet and friendly. The staff allowed me to store my box here for when I would return. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/fdc9e298-7aaf-4d47-bcf0-17d8c6ed2401/IMG-20240325-WA0001.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Items I had cycling through the winter in Jordan and Saudi Arabia which didn't come with me to Africa (thick woolly socks, merino baselayers, waterproof trousers. While I carried some warm weather gear with me through Kenya, none of it was used. Also, while I used the solar charger frequently in Saudi Arabia, I felt I could do without in Kenya, where I expected to mix camping with guest houses and hotels more frequently. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/dfe06330-fc66-4356-8323-617455c45197/PXL_20240310_041605154.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out New tyres. While the previous tyres still had life left in them (especially the front) I decided to start this tour with fresh tyres and take the previous front tyre as a spare. They were sent out to Qatar ahead of flying. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/8f5e1d7e-2b0a-4a3d-a0e8-f74075da8ef0/PXL_20240314_082006227.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Spare tyre. This Vittoria Mezcal 2.6” has 5000km of wear in it, but there is plenty of tread left. I initially planned to carry it with me, then realised how bulky it was, so it stayed in Nairobi as I would be returning there. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/0f88f05f-9d45-451b-8db1-b6242aa59121/PXL_20240309_061549753.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out A 4-litre water bladder would be important in northern Kenya, where it is very dry, hot and access to water is hard to find. This bladder increases my water carrying capacity to 10 litres. If need be I can carry 14-15 litres on the bike. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/e7145734-f7b8-4248-b2dc-f66f10992b8c/PXL_20240311_082422368.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Very happy to finally get hold of this bike stand, which had been ordered from the states, but took almost 6 weeks to arrive in the UK. It was brought out by someone to Qatar. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/55b82896-e547-40a8-b34e-1b4c47010998/PXL_20240326_071224571.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Packed and ready to roll. Bike and luggage around 35kg in weight (minus food and water). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/cd34af31-e3a2-40f1-af19-ac9e6290d7b1/PXL_20240326_074309271.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Riding out of Nairobi and crossing the Mombasa Highway involved walking it over a 10-lane foot bridge. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/5a933c18-47de-4d19-b3d6-e2becd7b4dfd/DSC05809+%281%29.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out An easy escape out of Nairobi. The Southern Bypass takes me towards Ngong and this viewpoint looking west over Masaai plains below. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/692bfab2-199c-4945-89f0-a99e6394b611/DSC05812+%281%29.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Following the SGR railway line, which was built by the Chinese and opened in 2017. I camped a short distance beyond this. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/40dc6906-cf40-401b-be70-b04e24ad9dbd/PXL_20240327_042840179+%281%29.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Morning view from camp. I was lucky to find a great spot to pitch shortly before sunset the previous evening. Wild camping for me is pretty much the same in any country I’m in. I try to find a discreet spot which isn’t visible from the road/track I have just left. If I don’t feel safe, for one reason or another, it's unlikely I will pitch my tent. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/6b201189-5041-4b73-892f-70120b13ab9b/DSC05828+%281%29.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Campsite views don’t come much better. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/0de9b846-9dde-453a-adec-db3edd3eeb11/DSC05838+%281%29.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Looking west to Mt Suswa. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/5c4025f8-8b88-44ab-862c-268b248f0874/DSC05843+%281%29.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Descending down into the Masaai plains. I recall cycling this way, but in the opposite direction, back in 2015. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/62d59f6a-e98f-4429-bb53-e50a7eca0497/Looking+back+over+Masaai+land.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out And here’s a picture from pretty much the same spot back in 2015. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/63da8321-1e7e-434c-b103-5249313e0be5/PXL_20240327_091850471.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Lunch in the town of Suswa. Most of my meals in Kenya were non-meat based. It’s hard to go wrong with rice, beans and some veg, although here there is no rice. Beans, cabbage and mukimo, which is potato mixed with pumpkin leaves. When ordering meat, I’m never entirely sure what part of the animal will come on the plate, nor how much is actually meat as opposed to bone/fat. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/f0ef3199-3fef-41e3-9e49-7935ef779a55/PXL_20240327_105249034.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Riding north from Suswa towards Hell’s Gate National Park. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/ef8aa456-12da-42be-a479-e8386129731b/DSC05859.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Through beautiful green landscapes. Kenya has received a lot of rainfall over the past several months. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/5c0e05bd-86c6-477f-a315-7a4a551f2c66/DSC05866.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Into Hell’s Gate National park and somehow avoiding the entrance fee. I wasn’t aware that there are geothermal power stations within the park. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/df0ef378-2d55-4af5-a30e-80ac06d1e691/DSC05871.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Morning in Hell’s Gate National Park. There was probably a better place to camp, but it was almost dark when I arrived here the previous evening, and I wasn't sure if I was allowed to be camping in the park. The sound of the geothermal power plants a few kilometres away somewhat ruins the National Park experience here, but it was nice to wake up to the sound of zebras trotting past my tent. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/08573883-cb26-4966-a52b-a48061159677/DSC05895.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Hell’s Gate National Park is one of the few parks in Kenya that permits bicycles. There are plenty of animals, but none very dangerous, so it is deemed safe. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/dc8e51bc-5748-4598-a852-8ff567ae8eec/DSC05925.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out It’s a small and popular park, so nowhere really feels that wild, but there are some scenic stretches. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/fa01d0ad-f67e-469f-b545-e2da544cdc9c/DSC05915.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out An international rally event was just starting while I was in the park, which was my cue to leave. Just as well I hadn't paid to come in. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/885ce473-a686-429f-a3df-ca32758237e3/DSC05936.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out I guess the animals over the years have had to adapt to the growing numbers of humans and buildings that surround their habitat. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/7a18f05a-1b2f-4081-92f1-75aff3689087/PXL_20240328_120738278.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Out of the park and towards the town of Naivasha. Most places that call themselves hotels in Kenya are in fact just small eateries. If they have accommodation they will say so. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/174736e8-26ef-48c6-9b78-87e90aa0f584/PXL_20240329_155409830.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Catching up with Dr Nicklin. Back in 2011 when I cycled through Kenya I stayed with Peter and his family for a few days. It was a pleasure to see him again. At the sprightly young age of 87, he still practices 3 days a week. Born in Zanzibar at a time when it was under British Colonial rule, and having spent most of his life in Africa, the Kenya he once knew when he moved here 40 years ago is a very different place to now. The population has more than trepled in that time, from 18 million to over 56 million. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/eef56bf4-ba83-44f5-b913-814e519af8c0/PXL_20240331_073047192.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Leaving Naivasha and the Nicklin family after a few days https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/39ed7dff-9779-47ff-9fd7-e1ee89333a8c/PXL_20240331_110645320.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out The usual kind of lunch stop. I’m sure something of a contrast to the places most foreigners/tourists choose to eat in Kenya, but then most aren't cycling through small villages. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/3712d834-b8cc-440a-8a76-f7331854f689/PXL_20240331_103029167.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Simple, filling, cheap - rice lentils and spinach here for about £0.50. I usually request some chilli to add more flavour. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/f43115d3-7ab3-4cc6-bcf1-77e7a53fa1eb/DSC05950.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Old is gold. There are fewer of these old classics on the roads these days, replaced by either cheap Chinese mountain bikes, or when people have a little more money, cheap Chinese motorbikes. Bicycles in Kenya, like most of Africa, are symbolic of lower social and economic status. Plus riding a bicycle requires energy. Most people would rather pay money for fuel in a motorised vehicle than ride a bicycle, but that’s the truth the world over. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/8aaeaac6-9a65-4a38-ad2d-dc6a762aa4cf/DSC05953.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Up at 2500m and looking down towards Lake Naivaisha. This is as high as I went in Kenya. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/456246e2-2703-47dc-b6d9-c9245f82dd21/DSC05955.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out A perfect morning and a perfect pitch in Loldia Camp site. I rarely stay in campsites, but my hosts in Naivaisha had called ahead and recommended it, so I made a detour to get here the previous evening. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/ffb7151f-e3fb-42d4-baa4-c4d1a1b2cf26/DSC05967.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Riding back to Eburru from Loldia Camp. Most of the land in this part of Kenya is farmed and relatively densely populated. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/e6603b27-2677-4152-b9f9-1c1ef418ebde/PXL_20240401_081450955.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Roadside company. Schools are closed throughout April, so there are no shortage of curious kids playing at the roadside in Kenya. ‘Mzungus’, as white foreigners are called in Swahili-speaking Africa, are not that uncommon in Kenya, at least further south. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/2b4c4644-71ee-4376-84fb-853dd84ed613/DSC05981.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Riding through Eburru Forest. A glimpse of how this part of Africa would look like, and once did, before humans came to cultivate the land. The forest is famous for the critically endangered Mountain Bongo. I didn't see any, but plenty of monkeys and colourful birds. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/e662550a-76b6-4d9a-b0e5-770594b836f8/DSC06002.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Descending out from Eburru Forest. I was standing my bike up to take a picture when these kids came to lend a hand. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/f3d49d5e-8b01-4e6c-bd2e-55110e97c763/DSC06015.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Giraffes near Soysamba Conservancy. I decided to ride around this private reserve. While cycling is permissible within it, entrance fees are £33, and camping £20. A lot of land in this central and southern region of Kenya is privately owned, a legacy of when white settlers first came to Kenya and bought/seized the land. Land rights remain a contested issue in Kenya. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/9bae8816-a02c-489a-bef9-406e58255dcb/DSC06026.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Cactus Ecocamp Camp. I had hoped to have views of Lake Elementaita, which was only a few hundred metres away, but access to the lake came with a fee on top of the campsite (£6). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/9a48efb0-d192-498b-b7cc-fe5af70acada/PXL_20240402_123858496.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Most of my shopping in Kenya is done from small roadside stalls like this, which are cheaper than supermarkets, at least for fresh produce. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/ce950075-8a80-4b4f-9638-0afca25057a7/DSC06038.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out In this part of Kenya it is easy to find roadside eateries. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/50d2c3e5-1a95-4041-9c69-60b079f5b0b1/DSC06041.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Time to get muddy. I followed a trail through a forest aware that rain was soon coming. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/ec4e4198-a06e-4c0d-8f03-3413e644dd3c/PXL_20240402_134719746.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out This bike has plenty of clearance for muddy trails, but eventually tyres pick up enough mud to make cycling a challenge. It’s a big advantage having a belt over a chain in these conditions. When chains are covered in mud they are no longer able to run over the cassette or chainring so easily, making a change in gears hard or impossible without the chain slipping or falling off. This isn't the case with a belt. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/63e70c07-31aa-4608-acd2-8fbb6a45e118/PXL_20240402_134723680.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out There is clearance for tyres wider than 3” on this bike. The rain started falling heavily, but I had seen a school on the map inside the forest and hoped I could take shelter there. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/ea170e36-8936-4bfc-a22c-325d4ed2bba4/DSC06043.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out A muddy mess, but the bike performs without any issues when it is covered in mud. The gears are internal and shifting remains fine. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/22c3f687-6a06-46b0-92b0-e1ae8d5f503d/DSC06047.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Jacob the school caretaker, who kindly let me camp in a classroom the previous evening. I have camped in many schools across rural Africa and usually feel comfortable and safe. I always ask permission first, and often leave a small tip to the caretakers, who I know get paid very little. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/121ab7aa-e23f-42c6-9dd4-41ff47c82865/DSC06050.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Back on a muddy forest trail from that school. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/cc3e30ec-f2d3-4ca5-a0dc-93936b4ac8d8/PXL_20240403_062718144.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out All clean again after 5 minutes with a jet wash. Another advantage of the carbon belt is that it doesn't require any lubrication after being cleaned. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/d9619c9a-2ae9-4919-933d-1a59345f534d/DSC06064.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out North of the equator now, but I had missed any sign there was earlier that day. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/22057523-0d17-4ede-8867-0213ff6f99cb/PXL_20240404_082328674.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Another school camp later in the day. The rain came heavily and continued most of the next day, so I stayed at the school for two nights. There was no mobile signal, so I finally used my kindle and read, something I do far too infrequently these days. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/3883bbaa-755b-4b38-9dbf-af46df1f9f3b/PXL_20240405_035657685.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Leaving the school after 2 nights. It’s fortunate that it is the school holidays. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/3dc06624-5c98-4c17-8d95-48cb6783bea5/DSC06081.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Clear views over the Kerio Valley, which I would descend into the next day. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/42763a99-538c-46dc-98f8-2bb3271cd397/DSC06082.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Quiet and peaceful forest trails. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/29810a4d-1fe9-4e99-906d-d52fbf461cfd/PXL_20240405_093744696.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Quiet most of the time anyway. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/efa7e58e-abc2-4ba3-9aa3-56ed63361444/PXL_20240405_161341398.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out An evening meal in the town of Kabarnet, where I had taken a room. The fish is over-fried, but it makes a change from beans and rice, which I was eating most days in Kenya. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/e4289b39-fd37-4662-b0a3-b3730fc072ef/DSC06085.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Green views over the Kerio Valley. Still up at about 2000m here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/aab8b658-a38f-4c03-a67e-ae34a64eeac8/DSC06086.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Looking east towards Lake Baringo. I’m not headed that way, but it looks scenic. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/6895001a-6804-483c-885c-95ff7bbf554e/PXL_20240406_144158693.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Climbing in the heat. As I ride further north in Kenya, the temperature starts to increase. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/80e50d8d-e618-4e6e-b076-9372bffd8b6e/DSC06088.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out School camp in Bartabwa. I expected rain the previous evening, so asked permission once again in the local school to camp. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/c04735ee-6571-4615-a265-4af9b3b0db9a/DSC06090.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Descending into the Kerio Valley. Kenya at this point started to feel more remote and like a different country. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/49d85e4a-c56d-4e08-94f3-8e9694a4d466/PXL_20240407_090215753.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Githeri…..again. A mix of maize and beans, which are common stables in Kenya. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/25e8dea9-ea03-49f2-be81-b95f9f86371d/PXL_20240407_093236996.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Bike curiosity. People are often curious to know the price of things they aren’t familiar with here, so I get asked many times what the price of my bike is. My response is usually that it was a gift, which is the truth. The reality is that you could buy a number of Chinese motorbikes for the same price as this bicycle, which would cause great bewilderment amongst most people, plus make my bike appear as something valuable, and therefore stealable. In general my bicycle is a far less desirable item to be stolen in most of Africa than it is in Europe. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/0eeeee18-ae30-43f5-b6dd-7c390c4bbaec/DSC06092.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Crossing a number of large rivers through the Kerio Valley, the most significant of which being the Kerio River, which is one of only 3 that flows into Lake Turkana. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/27ead17c-6e34-47ad-83ad-a461fb7947b8/DSC06093.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Green and lush, which is not how I imagined this landscape to look like, and it probably doesn't for much of the year. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/b0f8279d-6fc9-4546-b2d6-25e3434f12c1/PXL_20240407_154225763.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Camping in a technology college. I think the local school had no caretaker and looked a bit insecure. I opted to pitch my tent on this veranda. I was shown a room with a mattress, but there was no mosquito net and it was very hot. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/2f404c7f-136b-410b-b7fd-4c3a0cbc14f9/PXL_20240408_043150184.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Starting the day with a good one. While many meals are a bit bland in Africa, nothing beats the fresh local fruit available. Avocados sell for about £0.10-0.30 depending on size. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/b5ce4769-762e-4bc0-8587-0a0f17dfd93e/PXL_20240408_055616044.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Leaving the technology college and already soaked in sweat. I should probably start the day earlier, but I've never been one for getting on the road early. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/ba5ed625-9130-4d36-ad5b-c2afcc69473f/DSC06099.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Lots of impressive termite mounds in this part of Kenya. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/60646780-3ec4-49e3-8d3e-43ed901a38ce/PXL_20240408_073709750.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Plenty of local fruit in this part of Kenya, although as I rode north in the coming days this would quickly stop. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/b7fca3ca-2b1d-4597-b4f7-157fd31029f1/DSC06103.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Riding north through the Kerio Valley. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/77f4c882-8479-4c5a-8112-dbfad10d83c1/PXL_20240408_141251602.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Accommodation in the town of Sigor. A fan would have been welcome in this 1000ksh room (£6). Most of the accommodation I stayed in was priced between £3 and £12 per night. £6 was average, which would typically be a self-contained room with a fan/net. Few local places like this appear on booking.com, but some show on Google Maps. I always tried to ensure I found somewhere that was quiet and clean, but sometimes there were few options. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/845843cd-a122-4410-8d09-4e8ca02b57a7/PXL_20240408_153021849.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Hot weather calls for cold beer. Tusker is the main offering in Kenya when it comes to beer. While local accommodation is relatively inexpensive, alcohol is taxed heavily in Kenya. A bottle of beer sells for 250-400ksh, (£1.50-2.50), which is far more expensive than neighbouring countries like Tanzania and Ethiopia. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/ce861b0f-ec92-4972-83ea-c573c403d216/PXL_20240409_060538390.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Smashed avocado and peanut butter on chapati sadly isn't offered as a breakfast option in Kenya, so I make my own when possible. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/e35183d0-d5c6-42a7-874f-ff12dc3f22c8/DSC06109.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Leaving Sigor. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/369c9d14-1e94-4db9-a4e9-66ad01e87dec/DSC06111.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Charcoal sellers. In rural Kenya, charcoal is still the preferred fuel to cook with. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/f8156554-55b4-4f9c-9d87-00357f29c05e/DSC06116.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Continuing north through West Pokot County. I didn't know it at the time, but was later told this track was dangerous due to bandits. Fighting between different ethnic groups, usually over livestock, is nothing new in parts of Kenya. I didn't feel particularly worried, although later on this trip I did detour around one town that everyone told me to avoid. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/a775108c-e735-4b99-9ea7-44ed70901169/DSC06126.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out A lot of riverbeds that would be dry throughout most of the year have water in following heavy rains. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/667cfd56-3ef9-483a-bd62-248bb78a6c9c/DSC06129.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out No bandits here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1d790434-46e2-492a-89b5-8a56eeb44346/DSC06133.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Many of the ethnic groups in northern Kenya speak less Swahili as they haven't been to school. Herding livestock is the main occupation for boys and men here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/f9d68f53-6648-4c89-b06c-4e2744bcce49/PXL_20240409_105648943.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out My favourite soft drink in east and southern Africa is Stoney Tangawizi. Tangawizi means ginger in Swahili. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/84ff4d87-5d28-4c74-b713-f926fb62e10b/DSC06134.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Riding towards Turkwel. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/cf2a8a06-709d-4c6f-a584-242010dac7ec/PXL_20240409_151454865.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out The plan had been to camp in a local school, but I didn't have a good feel about it, and a local employee from a Hydro electricity station said I could camp on their compound. I was offered a room again, but I just find my tent, especially when the weather is so hot and there are no fans or mosquito nets inside, far more preferable. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/9bc1de3f-4ccd-4fa3-8186-337290b81b96/DSC06145.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Into Turkana County, which is hot and feels remote. There are no vehicles on this track and evidence of villages being abandoned due to inter-tribal fighting. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/98e67f36-29a8-459f-bce9-a51ef5d405be/DSC06147.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Also evidence of elephants, although I saw none on this day. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/7afae39e-e172-4486-a44d-d1aee9191d83/PXL_20240410_070100931.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Sandals are the best footwear for cycling through Africa, for obvious reason. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/953e72ba-e614-4768-9a62-27481b6f2ca5/PXL_20240410_074936010.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out The further north you travel in Kenya, the more attention you receive. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/96b4cc8f-5a2a-46b4-9bef-427f9149c912/PXL_20240410_084521401.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Filling up. Turkana is hot and dry and water is scarcely found in places. My water bladder was now getting used daily. A water filter would have been useful in this part of Kenya. I’ve managed to travel through Africa without one, using chlorine tablets at times in the past before. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/85c058ca-0731-42fa-b104-28a2bab8ea81/PXL_20240410_091008733.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Conveniently I managed to strap it over the rear rack with the use of some straps I was carrying. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/b58e2328-d4f7-4e76-8d56-2682626f41cf/PXL_20240410_115040102.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Turkana County feels very much neglected by central government. Signs at the roadside show previous projects which were never completed, or started. This track here being a case in point. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/22280b52-3408-4f53-8996-2cc7e23d042f/DSC06159.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Termite mounds are common in Turkana County. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/3db3ed83-26b8-4d28-9aea-3f88864bc026/DSC06168.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out A wild camp finally. I had been nervous in previous days about camping out, mostly because of the threat of heavy rain, but I was sufficiently far north now to be in a much more arid environment. There was still potential risk of heavy rain, but much less so than further south. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/18d2a6fc-fa49-4272-ae75-4459b2d46e55/DSC06171.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out I passed through a number of remote villages today. In this one I was surprised to meet a fluent English speaker who told me he was a local council leader. I learnt some greetings in Turkana, and asked if I could take a picture of those who had gathered round. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/679dc0b7-4fdb-44dd-92e9-cec273a521ae/DSC06176.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Very happy to have the wide tyres riding through Turkana County. There are some very sandy sections. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/bda72038-cc5f-4ab1-b4d6-fceb13a3da3a/DSC06179.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out A wooden staff and ekicholong (head rest) are typically carried by all Turkana men. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/e7046eed-94d1-4918-b6fb-939a7912ac38/DSC06186.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Lunch stop. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/78b8fdc4-50e0-4cca-8437-f0bb06930ce4/PXL_20240411_125800091.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Water refilling excitement. Fetching water is typically the role of women and children in rural Africa. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/78fc364b-5c22-405b-9a42-a971aa66a399/PXL_20240411_134646138.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Across the Turkwel River. Moments before my bike had been carried across the waist-high river. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/00a04e6d-8c6e-429e-86c4-f3a5bfe406e6/DSC06194.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Another rare bicycle. Certainly far fewer of these than when I first cycled through Kenya. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/a1974e4c-2e4b-4e6a-9923-a59d33f77c9e/PXL_20240411_145208749.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Bush shower set up. I typically used half the bag to shower with and the other half to cook with or drink. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/9f58a300-70a3-4175-9182-b6cb2bd17209/PXL_20240411_152554251.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out A Turkana bush camp. When I arrived here I thought no-one was around, but as is often the case in rural Africa, I was found by kids. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/9c5cd95b-603e-41e5-98cc-1b47d119a7b2/PXL_20240411_153948859.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Which was not a problem. Most were just shocked and curious to see a foreigner camping. In southern Kenya most people fear the north, citing the incidents of banditry as a reason not to travel here. The truth is I felt safer here than I would in any Kenyan city, especially Nairobi. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/4d18260a-266e-4391-b4af-03d46768527d/DSC06209.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out A perfect starlit sky. No fear of rain tonight, just lots of insects attracted to my tent when that light is on. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/59a7ee34-287c-46cb-8954-263223723822/DSC06222.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Morning visitor. I suspect word had spread that there was a foreigner camping nearby. There were a number of people there to watch me pack up. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/8d091c1b-5ccc-4a75-9f4c-24e2a5e8f66d/PXL_20240413_125612170.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Hotel in Lodwar. In hindsight I wish I had paid extra for air con. This room was probably between 35-40°C. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/bac2e355-0514-43d3-8546-c07004796aca/DSC06240.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Water refill on the way out of Lodwar. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/aef9f828-7585-41d9-b47d-b244c3275b13/DSC06244.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out All of these yellow jerrycans would have once contained cooking oil. Shortly after filling up with water I somehow lost the track and realised the online mapping apps weren't accurate. I ended up cycling further than I needed to to reach Lake Turkana. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/df96dad1-9e43-47db-8d82-2adffd4425b5/PXL_20240414_115549236.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Rehydration salts - easily available in pharmacies, and necessary when the temperatures are between 35-40°C. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/27e2a16e-a37c-4449-99bb-aac1ceabd972/PXL_20240414_120750646.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out At least the acacia trees provide a little shade. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1d4b9341-fd9c-432f-871b-c3998045fbc0/DSC06259.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Lake Turkana camp at Eliyah Springs. Originally I had hoped to travel back south towards Nairobi by following the lake on the western side, where this is taken. A good look at various maps showed this would be impossible. My hope was therefore to travel across the lake by boat to the eastern shore, where I saw a faint track running south. Lake Turkana is home to the world’s greatest number of Nile crocodiles, but I was told I should be OK camped where I was….. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/07e12f47-0d1b-41c2-9e7d-2f4013a23284/PXL_20240415_095917275.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Lucky to meet this guy, who worked for Kenyan Wildlife Services, and informed me that there were local boats crossing the lake, although there was no schedule. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/35ef7a0d-e29a-4c24-9cf7-1cbfefeb9766/PXL_20240415_110322889.jpg Blog - Kenya: Off-road up north. Part 1 - Make it stand out Waiting for a boat. Stay tuned for Part 2 on this journey back to Nairobi. https://petergostelow.com/-blog/60-days-in-saudi monthly 0.5 2024-03-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/da472e4e-cba7-4e6d-b623-da95775c96c4/28265904529_d7c97d7bf6_o.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia Road biking in the eastern province. I didn't get much mileage out of this bicycle, finding the flat roads dull and monotonous to cycle. I spent more of my free time running and swimming. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/88de5907-1825-4a84-9290-a351fcab9add/Screenshot+2024-03-24+09.54.35.png Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia West is best. The Hijaz and Sarawat Mountains of western Saudi Arabia provide a more interesting and diverse place to cycle than the central and eastern parts of the country. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/b8839728-caaf-4af1-9d9c-37b2cb60edd5/Screenshot+2024-03-24+10.05.10.png Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia As a result of plate tectonics creating the Arabian Plate. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/bd591ac4-d995-40bf-9332-6408ba684280/50508644333_44222dfb61_o.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia Exploring the Sarawat Mountains of south western Saudi Arabia when I lived here. A week with a rental car wasn't enough. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/af9d1303-75dc-4fa2-bfbc-e4109f64a6ba/processed_DSC04375+%282%29.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia Exploring the trails around Wadi Disah. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/b0712037-987a-45ba-a55d-a6c0c2cbbe1c/DSC04139.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia - Make it stand out The rock formations of Tabuk province were a welcome introduction to northern Saudi Arabia. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/d6e62618-452b-42c3-8fa6-7738e6b7f502/DSC04257.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia - Make it stand out The mountainous desert landscapes are dramatic and ever-changing in appearance and colour. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/a1224738-8035-4f14-bac9-ea84deca45a3/DSC04527.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia The wide open and mountainous landscapes of Saudi Arabia made me want to extend my time here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/23e0a887-61f6-4ccb-bc38-172bf65e0bb2/DSC04531.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia - Make it stand out Most of the best routes I found myself on were ones that weren’t marked and/or told not to follow because they were rough. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/38e2d895-8fa3-4c4b-a094-75c94e5651b5/DSC04172.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia - Make it stand out A lot of desert tracks were compact, interspersed with soft sandy sections. The wide tyres made easy work of most of them. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/01cf747f-8e48-465f-8ec9-d24c6132d8b0/processed_1000026968.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia Better than any hotel. Camping under starlit skies was a common occurrence here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/df6d7746-3190-4a3f-a40e-31c664c423ed/DSC04414.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia I frequently pitched the tent without the raincover, unless it was cold. Night time temperatures were between 5-15°C, depending on the elevation. I camped mostly between 500m-2500m. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/e1ffe422-1cef-463f-a685-6b9378a46fd1/DSC04264.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia - Make it stand out January 15th. A happy birthday. Skies were clear in the north of Saudi. I tried to find places with minimal light pollution so that the night sky was clearer to photograph. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1eb990c8-549e-4f61-bc4f-27ad3a2cbf24/DSC04906.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia - Make it stand out I took all the night sky photos with a wide angle lens (17mm) with the aperture on my camera (Sony A6400) wide open (F2) with shutter speeds varying between 20-30sec and ISO speeds from 800-1600. Obviously I required a tripod for such photos. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/c83ed967-1696-4f2f-a487-4bfe929d9149/DSC04976.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia - Make it stand out Finding spots with interesting trees was useful both for resting my bike against as well as providing a silhouette against the night sky. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/11ed543e-75da-4a90-9979-1498f57b7132/DSC04705.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia - Make it stand out It wasn't all starlit skies, especially under a full moon in this date plantation. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/e04fc4ea-15a3-4d29-ab2d-20b6284617ba/PXL_20240125_132822354.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia - Make it stand out In which I had been invited for tea/lunch a few hours previously by this retired bank manager. Mansour had spent a number of years living and working in the US, so there was no struggling with Google translate. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/ddac2c8d-3fd8-4e66-9d36-36f25a8165b7/DSC04421.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia - Make it stand out Most mornings were cool, clear and peaceful, lending themselves to slowly packing up. I was in no rush - always awake around sunrise, but rarely on the road until a few hours later. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/a5126fe1-94d6-4128-94fc-00f2ce99e90c/DSC05349.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia - Make it stand out Those lazy first hours of sunshine were often used to generate some solar power into a battery pack or my phone. It wasn't essential to carry a solar panel, but with the clear skies and guaranteed sun, it was nice to boost a little energy before setting off. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/4a14e927-af77-42f3-8679-68d6fafab0ff/PXL_20240114_040718842.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia - Make it stand out Most days and nights were clear, so cloud like this was unusual. I kept a close eye on the weather forecast for any storms as I frequently camped in places that could flood quickly, with little notice. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/181ef40c-a505-413c-ac43-7844e783ccc9/PXL_20240224_115339050.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia The only formal accommodation during my time here was this room in the city of Khamis Mushayt. Not bad for £15. I didn't really look for accommodation elsewhere as I was content to camp, but knew there was a shortage of budget accommodation. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/088e4e7d-1a5c-44a6-97ed-05bf8b68d63e/PXL_20240116_143425745.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia Public parks such as this are common on the edge of towns. Most have toilet blocks with bum guns, providing a place to wash and do laundry. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/30119ef0-7a3d-487a-bb0e-c4faeb5eb66c/DSC05745.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia - Make it stand out And also providing a place to camp if need be. I slept in several parks, which was never an issue, other than making sure I wasn't pitched too close to a sprinkler. I felt safe and there were always toilets nearby. This was in the city of Najran. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/e74a6ea9-c061-42cd-80f9-7e5516548657/PXL_20240122_104748277.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia Some toilets were spotlessly clean and spacious. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/0564d625-652c-44c7-8fcf-ffd7a14baf30/PXL_20240129_100207335.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia Others less so, but fine for a bike traveller roughing it. I rarely went more than a day or two without washing, either in parks or small mosques. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/c7330c34-50c4-4364-a3b1-141582abbde8/PXL_20240128_124903744.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia Public water dispensers are found in many places. Either randomly at the roadside or beside mosques. I had capacity to carry up to 6 litres if need be. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/6e73c517-1b7b-44d8-b9cd-cc4861293d07/PXL_20240124_153817615.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia - Make it stand out Security wise - Saudi Arabia is probably one of the safest countries I have cycled through. I could leave my bicycle outside shops, mosques, and parks unlocked. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/076fb800-efb6-4f36-9dab-159f458cc635/PXL_20240128_105219850+%281%29.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia Many service stations have a small restaurant attached, typically staffed by Pakistani or Bangladeshis. The larger ones sell a variety of dishes. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/86888893-ea98-46c8-98b9-115af034ec19/PXL_20240207_092414377.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia Freshly baked hot bread or rice is served with other dishes. While meat is commonly eaten, it's quite easy to find vegetarian dishes like dhal, and in this case moussaka (eggplant). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/2f697d6d-d72a-4de7-abc2-426040b60157/PXL_20240123_112754229.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia’s national dish, and most popular, is kabsa. Meat (most often chicken) served with an enormous amount of rice to fill even the hungriest of cyclists. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/31f76509-4710-40e9-9f62-a1fecf35aba2/PXL_20240108_135328277.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia - Make it stand out Cash is King. ATMs are easy to find in Saudi and withdrawals are free (assuming your bank doesn't charge you). Like many countries these days, in bigger shops/towns, paying by card is easy, but for smaller purchases, and in rural areas, cash is preferred. In fact it’s probably preferred by retailers everywhere. My costs in Saudi were very low, on account of camping almost the entire time, drinking no alcohol, eating simple/cheap meals, and being frequently given and invited for drinks/food. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/53866d7a-b152-4372-81ac-76a6e02f550d/DSC04652.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia Al Ula old town is one of the few places I saw other western tourists. The town and area around has been earmarked for tourist development, but the focus is on the luxury end of the budget spectrum. Tented camps start at around $60. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/ad17e91e-d4a0-4db6-a1d4-1433d1bb3590/DSC04671.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia - Make it stand out Looking down at the date plantations in Al Ula. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/0f4f6c19-51c7-46d1-ab58-d1e958a8d1af/DSC04623.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia - Make it stand out Hegra/Medain Salah, - like a mini Petra, and far less impressive, is the main draw card to Al Ula. £20 ticket for a mandatory guided tour. I happily returned to re-visit Petra for a second time several weeks before this. While Hegra was interesting, there would be no desire for a repeat visit. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/d4bc57ab-d086-49a1-b542-27dfd8ea286d/DSC04599.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia - Make it stand out While I wasn’t prepared to pay $60+ for a traditional tented camp like this, I was lucky a young Saudi I had met in a bike shop in Al Ula invited me. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/77e38ac1-63de-427c-b062-4304a41983f6/PXL_20240118_124318884.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia There were few days when Saudis didn't stop in their vehicle to greet, ask questions, photograph/film me, and usually give me water/snacks. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/c6b2825c-accf-4707-834e-7c884f66506d/PXL_20240216_150158282.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia It was always in good spirits. If people were taking photos and videos of me (usually without asking) I just did the same in return. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/02a44d2d-bd8c-47ba-b469-97b61b2b640b/PXL_20240213_135653709+%281%29.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia - Make it stand out People frequently invited me to their homes, but often that wasn't practical, like half-way down a 2000m descent at 5pm when I’m more focused on getting down the hill and finding a place to camp. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/feb3cbcf-0762-4b80-a698-81308d86dcad/PXL_20240220_102248900.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia The only woman I had a proper conversation with in Saudi was never going to be Saudi Arabian, unless I spent time in Jeddah or Riyadh (even then unlikely). Women do travel solo in Saudi Arabia. My friend Helen Lloyd was motorbiking her way through the Arabian peninsula, showing it is possible. We camped together for several nights before she continued north and me south. The Saudi in the picture here had kindly brought us lunch where we were camped. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/5b98f955-aa68-4989-b0c4-5db0a59cd159/PXL_20240220_052623926.PANO.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia - Make it stand out Camping with Helen on the edge of the Sarawat Mountain escarpment. 2500m up after a 2000m climb the previous day. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/8e938844-4209-44d7-b620-f727a8803722/PXL_20240110_110756440.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia Water and snacks were handed to me on most days, usually in such small bottles. I was frequently carrying empty plastic looking for a bin. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/756425a1-8204-4aa3-beaf-d43ef7f5d81b/PXL_20240301_085848637.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia - Make it stand out More obscure and unusual gifts from the window of a car included Aftershave! Perhaps the driver was trying to tell me something. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/70835d04-a99f-4ef9-bcb5-cb3c29cf2c42/PXL_20240302_122530780.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia - Make it stand out Cold beer anyone? Non-alcoholic of course. Alcohol is illegal in Saudi Arabia. My 9 weeks cycling here is the longest detox I’ve had from alcohol since I lived here! Definitely makes for a cheaper and healthier tour. I’m not a big drinker, but do enjoy a cold beer at the end of the day. This one was handed to me outside a service station, although I never bought one myself. I’ve cycled in other countries where it's not really available (Iran, Pakistan, Somaliland, Oman, Libya) and don’t particularly miss it when it’s not there. One day Saudi may make alcohol legal (it’s already happening) but I was grateful it wasn't freely available in small shops. Driving standards in Saudi Arabia are crazy enough without adding alcohol into the mix! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/bc93febf-cf29-41e9-9cc5-4d748cbcb500/Saudi+hospitality Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia I was frequently invited into homes, which invariably meant tea, coffee and lunch. I wore shorts when cycling, and usually put on trousers when entering a home. On this occasion my bike was some distance outside and it was an inconvenience to walk back and change. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/78340fd9-10e4-4e95-9b4a-a7581d87a60f/DSC04947.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia Taking photos at these spontaneous invitations seemed to be part of the experience. Saudi Arabians are proud of their identity and culture, and very often conscious of their appearance, making sure they look their best when photographed. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/83927e41-eba9-4e1a-819b-f6a5a0f94fdc/PXL_20240109_150722237.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia Having lived in Saudi Arabia, albeit not experienced the same kind of cultural immersion I witnessed while travelling here, it didn't surprise me that I saw no women when I was invited into a home or social event such as this one. Women in rural areas are largely invisible in public. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/8d667ea0-b1cc-43a4-a569-24b291bd9b24/PXL_20240212_100350827.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia The only awkward of these random invitations was when I was asked if I was Muslim (not uncommon when travelling here) after having been invited into a home. On finding out I wasn’t, the reaction and atmosphere while eating lunch wasn’t very welcoming. I was asked quite forcefully to observe the midday prayer, a short time after which I left. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/0969bd3e-ed3f-4d7d-8bbf-59f1030f5e1b/Screenshot_20240325-114708.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia - Make it stand out There was also a somewhat awkward and worrying situation one night when camping. A Saudi who I had met a few hours previously and exchanged numbers with, found my pillow that must have fallen out of a bag somewhere close to meeting him. I sent him my location of where I was camping, which wasn't far, asking if he could bring it. This then led to him sending a series of inappropriate messages on WhatsApp. My use of the ❤️ emoji, had clearly been interpreted the wrong way! I tried to tell him not to come and that we could meet the next day, or drop it in a shop for me to collect, but he refused to listen and drove to where I was camping. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/a7e7545e-3dd8-4b42-b48d-50642824a471/PXL_20240302_191459279+%281%29.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia - Make it stand out So at about 10pm, pitch dark in the middle of nowhere, he arrived. A flash of his legs then the touching of my shoulder and legs, at which point I explained I was very tired and it was best he left. It needed repeating a few times before he got the message. Embarrassed and somewhat shamed, he drove off. I knew he wouldn't return. Homosexuality is illegal in Saudi Arabia. I didn't really fear the situation, and never would have reported him unless there had been some aggravation or assault. The situation was calm, but it made me reflect on how life is in Saudi Arabia - sexually repressive and strict. I ended up feeling somewhat sorry for this man, and a little foolish for both sending him a ❤️ emoji and giving him my location https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/32dd5026-18f2-406b-b16c-4b3587ef9d10/PXL_20240227_083837771.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia - Make it stand out By and large though, invitations and exchanges were always friendly. There are few countries in the world which would match Saudi Arabia for its level of hospitality. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/77f59e64-d8cf-4bab-ba75-e3ecdfa6798a/PXL_20240112_085316064.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia - Make it stand out Not all my roadside invitations were from Saudis. The backbone of this country runs on the help of thousands of foreign workers. Afghanis (pictured), Bangladeshis, Pakistanis, Yemeni, Sudanese are just some of the nationalities of people (often lowly paid) who invited me for drinks/food at the roadside. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/81f79f8b-9a7e-49a9-b098-a045a0d0bb93/PXL_20240223_062940592.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia - Make it stand out Cycling along one moment, dressed in local attire the next. The things I do to help someone with their social media! 20 minutes later I was sat down with coffee, dates, and lambs kidneys with fresh bread. Just another random day in Saudi. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/c98b3be1-11cd-4fd2-a7ae-30d21a23dce1/PXL_20240110_044812560.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia Saudi houses are generally enormous, as are their guest rooms. I probably could have slept in similar places on most nights by merely asking someone where I could sleep. I camped out of choice, not necessity in Saudi. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/c9341748-1add-4134-9418-a3c2f42842cd/PXL_20240126_111012128.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia - Make it stand out Just in case you can’t find your own place to camp……… https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/ee975227-8e5a-475e-b2d2-1d9803ea9aae/PXL_20240123_040743069.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia I often pitched my tent in places that would receive the morning sun as early as possible. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/6d340f62-1672-457d-8456-61f08f150721/Screenshot_20240114-173512.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia One of the most useful applications I've downloaded and used in recent years is one that tells me when and where the sun and moon will rise/set. There are various free applications. This one is called Sun position https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/61f3e43e-6640-4c4f-8191-f316e5485202/DSC04332.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia I never feared camping far from people in the middle of nowhere. The more remote I was the safer I generally felt, although nowhere in Saudi Arabia really felt that remote. There was more a sense of space than true remoteness. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/e8c06f61-027f-40f4-a138-59abf3cbaffb/DSC04461.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia - Make it stand out I always tried to find somewhere with enough daylight left to enjoy the sunset and soft colours. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/a80b7a4a-fa9c-4fe1-9a6a-c74994c96629/DSC05611.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia When there was ample deadwood around I usually made a campfire. Nights are long during the winter months, so I lit a fire, usually cooking over it. In recent years campfires on the ground using native wood have become illegal in Saudi Arabia. This is mostly to stop people cutting live wood and burning rubbish, as well as scorching the earth. I always had a fire on sand and used deadwood. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/a7aea8cd-9834-4e6f-87ab-75fc03bcc644/PXL_20240206_143208865.PORTRAIT.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia - Make it stand out The best purchase I made in Saudi, which I wish I had bought when I arrived, was this teapot. It got frequent compliments from Saudis, who consider it an essential part of camping equipment. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/08cf372b-3da8-40b2-a215-1cd1993766fa/PXL_20240206_153823024.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia - Make it stand out As such I used it most mornings and evenings to make a brew. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/6e3e6a0f-b6d3-4f35-bf1c-b0c6ba0314b6/PXL_20240122_142923683.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia - Make it stand out While I cooked over a fire many evenings, I did use my multi-fuel stove frequently. 500ml of petrol would last around a week of camping. While the cost of fuel has increased dramatically here in recent years, 1 litre costs around £0.50. Had I wanted to just use camping gas (screw on), I could have found it in almost every service station. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/bf5e597b-03c5-4740-acc5-805843e469d3/PXL_20240115_055540757.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia - Make it stand out Shakshuka for breakfast. I predominantly cooked pasta/noodles with some fried vegetables/beans/ in the evening. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/c09c39bf-d79c-4aaf-b797-3c87628053b6/PXL_20240214_163038734.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia - Make it stand out The 1.6L titanium saucepan and titanium frying pan were a perfect combination, frequently getting blackened as I cooked over the fire. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/ed0d45e0-b63e-42f0-8df3-aa894e07a074/PXL_20240216_120436771.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia - Make it stand out But aren’t you afraid of wild animals? In times past there were a lot more wild animals in Saudi Arabia, but ones that people fear, such as Arabian wolves, are far less common these days. Hunting and killing an Arabian wolf, like the one here that succumbed to roadkill, incurs a $5000 fine nowadays. I saw no wolves, only heard a few while camping. In the winter months, smaller and likely far more dangerous creatures such as scorpions and snakes are rare. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/417998df-4dfc-4d49-8862-97c9e7de0ece/DSC05277.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia - Make it stand out Far less common are baboons, which are everywhere in the Sarawat Mountains of southern Saudi Arabia. Considered a pest, they roam the roadsides and streets looking for food while raiding bins. Leaving a bicycle or tent unattended when there are baboons nearby is not wise. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/cf0d3fff-d6ff-4584-a012-1bfd4d410a70/DSC05296.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia - Make it stand out Watching and waiting. I have little love for baboons. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/647f09ce-9618-49b3-a50e-8f4a6f2fc724/DSC04815.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia - Make it stand out Other wild animals, also not to be feared, are donkeys. There are thousands of feral donkeys roaming the mountains in western Saudi, a reminder of a time not that long ago when they would have been used to transport goods. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/8e5b7734-aa04-40b3-9ca2-f5d511b92c86/PXL_20240211_152737943.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia - Make it stand out While sleeping outside mostly meant camping, a camel farmer invited me to stay one night. At first I assumed it was going to his home, but soon realised it was merely the location where he fed and watered his camels. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/771351be-4a37-4e26-8c9e-9277b0b496f4/PXL_20240211_153159285.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia - Make it stand out A sleep in a camel farm won’t come without an offer to drink warm and fresh camel milk. The taste - mild and sweet and not like cow's milk at all. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/db398681-4f16-4ba7-ac36-4d1c4ffb1e40/DSC04871.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia - Make it stand out Unsurprisingly, camels are found everywhere, often roaming far from any settlement. They are always owned by Saudis, but camel herders are more likely to come from Sudan. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1478c70f-31e8-487a-a1c8-75a182147e3b/DSC04984.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia - Make it stand out Sunrise and a Sudanese camel herder gets ready for the day. He milked one of the camels nearby and offered it to me for breakfast. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1ef7b818-200f-45f0-90ef-ae2d87d96e76/DSC05040.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia - Make it stand out Dropping down from 2500m in the Sarawat Mountains means a 2000m+ descent. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/ff8ff94c-63f7-45ed-83bf-329e6999572b/DSC05052.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia - Make it stand out With dramatic views through the cloud cover on this day. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/5dadfca5-39ea-414f-aaa0-808c9fef0738/DSC05078.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia There were a surprising number of wadis with water in, which made for great camping locations. Many of these wadis are probably dry in the summer months. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/e08d2048-d3b9-4176-a801-49e5395cbf87/DSC04119.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia - Make it stand out I often stopped to photograph trees in the landscape, their shapes unique, and green foliage a contrast to the sun-scorched backdrop. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/6eacfedb-3c60-44f6-a781-bc11b19b1ac8/DSC04437.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/a5b0fc6f-9c15-4679-86d1-bfac71ea5b07/DSC04808.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/d35400b3-b12f-4329-989f-893e5fbb26cf/PXL_20240108_132433535.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia - Make it stand out Not the cheapest internet, but certainly reliable throughout my time in Saudi Arabia. Just under £40 for this package. Most places I stopped at did not have wifi. There are other network providers in Saudi Arabia, but STC is the most comprehensive. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/7f9e2545-0b47-4f65-b73e-1ee498fe05f9/DSC04305+%281%29.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia - Make it stand out Riding through Wadi Disah. There is no road here, just a track through the wadi. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/fb726232-3005-4a91-a085-8eaad7a3e01c/Screenshot_20240311-140833.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia There is no road here, but a track running through a wadi in the direction I wanted to go was visible on Google satellite. I saved locations along the track and knew that if a vehicle could pass this way then so could I. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/7c61ed4b-5759-47e7-b93c-ca34b0bb9762/DSC05647+%281%29.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia - Make it stand out It turned out to be a great route choice. I have always ridden an ATB (All terrain bike) when bike travelling. The Tout Terrain Xplore is just that. While it would be possible to ride through Saudi Arabia on even a road bike, that would limit the riding to paved surfaces. The best routes were ones like this - rough and remote. Aptly named, the Tout Terrain was the best companion for such places. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/b441e63a-4649-42c9-9132-038c1506b011/PXL_20240214_143402805.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia - Make it stand out As for tyres to ride off-road in Saudi, I was more grateful than ever before to be running tubeless tyres. These 27.5”x2.6” Vittoria Mezcals collected numerous thorns on both front and rear. Had I used tubes, I would have had countless daily punctures. After 5000km of use in Jordan and Saudi they were faultless, the rear beginning to show signs of wear and thinning. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/2d643ba5-e8fd-425e-864f-6fc1a6bed7f1/PXL_20240217_150258234.PORTRAIT.ORIGINAL.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia - Make it stand out I left most thorns embedded in the tyre as pulling them out wasted sealant. In the end the rear tyre had no sealant left in it. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/3e7c3695-a873-4ef6-baef-f7e9bb07be27/PXL_20240312_135334918.PORTRAIT.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia - Make it stand out When I finally removed the tyres at the end of the tour, both were full of thorns. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/3bf82f87-8e2f-4a3c-ab3b-54cb8a3dfd12/PXL_20240204_132026998.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia - Make it stand out I encountered no other issues with the bike, other than the front sprocket coming loose. I was able to partly tighten this with a 3mm Allen key, but it repeatedly came loose. I did not pack the specific lock ring tool needed to tighten the sprocket, so decided I would have to get a tool made for me. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/56d3b2d8-8e49-4b73-aac4-340f84063e29/PXL_20240204_143436679.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia - Make it stand out Which in a country like Saudi Arabia was never going to be difficult. An Egyptian welder in a small village spent a few hours making a tool that would allow me the torque required to ensure the sprocket was tightened properly. It didn't come loose again. Thanks Suleiman! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/de4ad2fa-0a57-413c-935c-cc4145ce8e9f/PXL_20240115_132440517.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia - Make it stand out ‘Where does the petrol go’? A Bangladeshi farmer probably looking at the first Pinion gearbox he has seen. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/a7bc82a8-bc50-4260-9b2e-b70bbb846841/PXL_20240116_045135629.PORTRAIT.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia - Make it stand out No chain nor cassette and derailleur, this internal gearbox has 12 gears, shifting smoothly and never skipping a gear. Nothing negative to say in its first 5000km, other than the gearbox collects dirt easily. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/557dc661-f75f-475d-b8b9-ff0c3479fa67/DSC05425.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia - Make it stand out Evening sun on the descent towards Wadi Dahab, which would lead to Wadi Bisah. The police said the road was too steep and dangerous to descend. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/bc061c78-5f47-420e-a086-f0ae97f1466b/DSC05474.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia - Make it stand out Riding towards Wadi Bisha. ‘You will have to come back the same way’, said the same policeman 1500m higher up in elevation. Not according to what the satellite map was showing me. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/c2754155-a953-4ece-80b4-2d7ad9ddc906/DSC05490.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia - Make it stand out Descent into Wadi Bishah. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/6594683e-7b2d-4b95-a30f-9e39ab835678/DSC05558.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia - Make it stand out Wadi Bisah. Perhaps the best places are always hard to reach. What a magical place. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/a0cdc42e-376c-4393-a122-1f2a109e8a5a/DSC05550.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia - Make it stand out Riding through Wadi Bisha. I imagine this is how parts of northern Yemen must look - remote, peaceful, clean, empty, beautiful. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/21e4a732-e800-4d71-b31d-7bdee67ae5a4/DSC05546.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia - Make it stand out Flower power. In the far south west of the country, close to Yemen, the headdress and dagger are distinctive features of attire amongst men. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/301e2c62-2a82-4bac-ae01-ff5149c83435/DSC05588.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia - Make it stand out And for a few days most, most of the men I met were dressed as such. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/08287c01-0bcf-4147-b252-134276329d9f/DSC05542.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia - Make it stand out Always happy to pose, and often wearing kohl under their eyes in traditional Bedouin style. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/ae659f46-c81b-4fae-a8a7-a853ab13655b/DSC05585.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia - Make it stand out And usually stopping at the rare sight of a foreigner in what is a seldom-visited part of the country. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/f965ed08-28cf-495e-91dc-1f7f63996e83/DSC04716.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia Not the right bike for roads like this, but you can only ride one kind of bike, and at some point everyday I was on a surface that most bikes would struggle over. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/d1d7bfe1-e037-49fa-b170-4f02bb372624/PICT_20240118_125055.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia - Make it stand out Flat roads get boring quickly, which is one reason why I loved cycling in western Saudi Arabia. Few of the routes I chose were flat, and some of the gradients on roads like this were in excess of 20-25℅ steepness in parts. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/9b15d0f4-4fc0-4eb8-b0db-667d201e6aac/DSC04508.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia - Make it stand out I do it for the burn, the views and the reward of course. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/45bfc527-780c-4036-9567-38ed4f9c69a0/DSC05123_1.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia - Make it stand out The climb up and descent from Jebel Shada was probably the steepest road/track I have taken by bicycle, dropping 1000m in altitude in less than 6km on a rough track. I walked the bike down through some sections. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/b1f7ea20-add1-41db-a9c6-c9f9dd87df1b/PXL_20240304_090042509.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia - Make it stand out Ample room and no extra cost. Packed for a 17-hr 1300km ride across the country. Sapco is the main bus company here. The ticket cost around £55. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/fdd5fdb3-904f-4140-8585-c600c03427e9/PXL_20240304_130903089.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia - Make it stand out Journey through the desert. I usually like to cycle everywhere, but I had no regrets about taking a bus through the desert, especially as there are only big highways crossing the country to the eastern province. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/913e5f61-c3f7-4b3b-8241-966af5f8aebb/PXL_20240306_032355693.PANO.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia - Make it stand out Reaching the Arabian Gulf and the sea again in the eastern province. I missed camping by the beach, but was equally spoilt in the mountains and desert. From here it was 120km to the border with Qatar. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/6bf13999-9c5b-4a80-9888-577aba8f91f9/DSC05731+%281%29.jpg Blog - Sixty Days in Saudi Arabia - Make it stand out Thanks for following and reading. If you have any questions, throw them in the comments here. https://petergostelow.com/-blog/king-alfreds-way monthly 0.5 2024-03-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/bfda39cf-644a-4c70-b12c-07843db9dafa/Screenshot+2022-04-12+11.11.03.jpg Blog - King Alfred's Way - Make it stand out King Alfred’s Way is one of a number of cycle routes created by Cycling UK. https://petergostelow.com/-blog/category/Equipment+ monthly 0.5 https://petergostelow.com/-blog/category/Journey monthly 0.5 https://petergostelow.com/-blog/tag/Mwanza monthly 0.5 https://petergostelow.com/-blog/tag/old+chalk+way monthly 0.5 https://petergostelow.com/-blog/tag/Angola monthly 0.5 https://petergostelow.com/-blog/tag/Pungoandongo monthly 0.5 https://petergostelow.com/-blog/tag/blog monthly 0.5 https://petergostelow.com/-blog/tag/malaria monthly 0.5 https://petergostelow.com/-blog/tag/Thailand monthly 0.5 https://petergostelow.com/-blog/tag/kenya monthly 0.5 https://petergostelow.com/-blog/tag/Greece monthly 0.5 https://petergostelow.com/-blog/tag/Turkana monthly 0.5 https://petergostelow.com/-blog/tag/Luanda monthly 0.5 https://petergostelow.com/-blog/tag/map monthly 0.5 https://petergostelow.com/-blog/tag/Gabela monthly 0.5 https://petergostelow.com/-blog/tag/tanzania monthly 0.5 https://petergostelow.com/-blog/tag/england monthly 0.5 https://petergostelow.com/-blog/tag/kingalfred monthly 0.5 https://petergostelow.com/-blog/tag/waterfalls monthly 0.5 https://petergostelow.com/-blog/tag/Africa+map monthly 0.5 https://petergostelow.com/-blog/tag/maps monthly 0.5 https://petergostelow.com/-blog/tag/Malaria monthly 0.5 https://petergostelow.com/-blog/tag/Africa monthly 0.5 https://petergostelow.com/-blog/tag/Tanzania monthly 0.5 https://petergostelow.com/-blog/tag/Zambia monthly 0.5 https://petergostelow.com/-blog/tag/Luena monthly 0.5 https://petergostelow.com/-blog/tag/Kenya monthly 0.5 https://petergostelow.com/-blog/tag/Bangkok monthly 0.5 https://petergostelow.com/-blog/tag/Cuito monthly 0.5 https://petergostelow.com/-blog/tag/statistics monthly 0.5 https://petergostelow.com/alongrideghome daily 0.75 2024-10-04 https://petergostelow.com/alongrideghome/warming-up-in-hokkaido-part-2 monthly 0.5 2024-10-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/a02680bd-432c-4bff-8ac2-c556ac588432/28.jpg A Long Ride Home - Warming up in Hokkaido: Part 2 - Make it stand out Mt Rausu: Shiretoko National Park. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/9dd0d90f-ca36-4b72-b04e-2bc1380f8172/29.jpg A Long Ride Home - Warming up in Hokkaido: Part 2 - Make it stand out Conquering the Shiretoko Pass. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/64ee0650-dca2-4757-9485-0256af43a08c/30.jpg A Long Ride Home - Warming up in Hokkaido: Part 2 - Make it stand out Waterfall in Shiretoko National Park. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/00459236-1b78-4301-81cb-667613830b0e/31.jpg A Long Ride Home - Warming up in Hokkaido: Part 2 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/b0ed4653-ad20-44ee-935a-d1da352619e6/34.jpg A Long Ride Home - Warming up in Hokkaido: Part 2 - Make it stand out Cyclist fuel station. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/109d4159-631c-4678-b16a-1a319fbe2fbd/35.jpg A Long Ride Home - Warming up in Hokkaido: Part 2 - Make it stand out Sea of Okhotsk coastline https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/0f62a875-c1f0-4c30-ac73-6b84ec32f9cf/36.jpg A Long Ride Home - Warming up in Hokkaido: Part 2 - Make it stand out Campsite along Okhotsk coastline. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/711e3d34-152e-4a0e-a3ac-3ca90d9f740a/37.jpg A Long Ride Home - Warming up in Hokkaido: Part 2 - Make it stand out Beside the road to Cape Soya. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/b00d11d0-20b9-49f2-981b-e4a16e5ffe16/67.jpg A Long Ride Home - Warming up in Hokkaido: Part 2 - Make it stand out Cape Soya, Japan’s northernmost point https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/e3becec3-f4cd-497a-9baa-61ca118048c6/40.jpg A Long Ride Home - Warming up in Hokkaido: Part 2 - Make it stand out Wakkanai. Japan’s most northerly town. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/f85f2b17-05ba-4267-a1d9-dc4289b2665f/41.jpg A Long Ride Home - Warming up in Hokkaido: Part 2 - Make it stand out Rishiri Island https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/c24f8c94-5673-43dd-8057-0bb30b7c00b7/42.jpg A Long Ride Home - Warming up in Hokkaido: Part 2 - Make it stand out Mount Rishiri covered in clouds https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/f1672921-c0d3-4708-bec6-645ce464d7d1/43.jpg A Long Ride Home - Warming up in Hokkaido: Part 2 - Make it stand out Foot onsen on Rishiri. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/a60deb29-9762-4ff8-a7c6-edf770bb783c/44.jpg A Long Ride Home - Warming up in Hokkaido: Part 2 - Make it stand out Empty windswept road south from Wakkanai. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/f651da41-52ef-44b0-9b6c-991fb716419d/45.jpg A Long Ride Home - Warming up in Hokkaido: Part 2 - Make it stand out Campsite company for a change. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/7f5bad4e-a346-4fd4-9e26-6d7c9cb2a94d/46.jpg A Long Ride Home - Warming up in Hokkaido: Part 2 - Make it stand out One of many tunnels. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/a441942d-31f3-4d42-b718-e6ca000d9073/47.jpg A Long Ride Home - Warming up in Hokkaido: Part 2 - Make it stand out Interesting coastal scenery. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/2d072821-0397-4d24-acbc-31d9232efd20/48.jpg A Long Ride Home - Warming up in Hokkaido: Part 2 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/185d8ef9-bfc9-48dd-a5a8-b76fbc01ce95/49.jpg A Long Ride Home - Warming up in Hokkaido: Part 2 - Make it stand out Typical small fishing village. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/12f68914-3c93-4007-bfd5-205037e4e7d4/50.jpg A Long Ride Home - Warming up in Hokkaido: Part 2 - Make it stand out Another beautiful campsite on the coast. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/2af3229a-fd06-42b0-8fcf-16a7db5a3a8b/51.jpg A Long Ride Home - Warming up in Hokkaido: Part 2 - Make it stand out Enjoying the sunset from my tent. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/a702e875-c03d-45cc-8aca-86efb2d17fe9/52.jpg A Long Ride Home - Warming up in Hokkaido: Part 2 - Make it stand out Cape Kamui, a highlight of Hokkaido’s west coast. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/2241e77d-3b6f-46b2-b65b-e944c3ba4a1d/53.jpg A Long Ride Home - Warming up in Hokkaido: Part 2 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/4bab9f92-de2e-411c-8f62-6e153cbdc2fa/54.jpg A Long Ride Home - Warming up in Hokkaido: Part 2 - Make it stand out Cape Kamui again. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/cb76910f-40a1-4359-b5a3-55ed44f67fdb/55.jpg A Long Ride Home - Warming up in Hokkaido: Part 2 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/c66999f7-881e-4be9-ab0e-f709b80a0615/57.jpg A Long Ride Home - Warming up in Hokkaido: Part 2 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/3e30f157-720a-456e-bf01-b5226a808d14/59.jpg A Long Ride Home - Warming up in Hokkaido: Part 2 - Make it stand out First view of Mt Yotei, 1898m https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/3f004b09-1c4f-4ba9-b8be-43190dd6f576/60.jpg A Long Ride Home - Warming up in Hokkaido: Part 2 - Make it stand out Camping beside Mt Yotei. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/04a01a30-3a2e-40b1-98d5-b58c71a1c9cc/62.jpg A Long Ride Home - Warming up in Hokkaido: Part 2 - Make it stand out End of the journey. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/73ac355b-3144-4e9b-8f99-eb2797e1560d/63.jpg A Long Ride Home - Warming up in Hokkaido: Part 2 - Make it stand out Bowls of Hokkaido’s famous ramen at the airport. https://petergostelow.com/alongrideghome/warming-up-in-hokkaido-part-1 monthly 0.5 2024-10-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/f071c182-3a27-4e1f-a2e2-adae4bf7009e/Map_of_Hokkaido.jpg A Long Ride Home - Warming up in Hokkaido: Part 1 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/83622bdc-b323-4e8a-a0d9-8259078988c1/gif1.jpg A Long Ride Home - Warming up in Hokkaido: Part 1 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/20b46af6-fa21-413b-a034-626bb4232731/photo.jpg A Long Ride Home - Warming up in Hokkaido: Part 1 - Make it stand out View from the aeroplane https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/6104a847-e51e-4931-9aff-b37efc27f2ec/3.jpg A Long Ride Home - Warming up in Hokkaido: Part 1 - Make it stand out Tyres pumped and ready to go https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/e43f9723-b68c-4a2d-a3d8-18e17391d48c/4.jpg A Long Ride Home - Warming up in Hokkaido: Part 1 - Make it stand out Kelp drying on the shoreline https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/df4f3af2-6269-4484-9c99-64f0969e136f/7.jpg A Long Ride Home - Warming up in Hokkaido: Part 1 - Make it stand out Typical Hokkaido farm https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/a1d4bf4d-9606-463d-9107-6d2210b2685d/5.jpg A Long Ride Home - Warming up in Hokkaido: Part 1 - Make it stand out Japan’s best beer. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/5ebef7a1-48c7-4253-96d7-5099f878c7d2/6.jpg A Long Ride Home - Warming up in Hokkaido: Part 1 - Make it stand out Setting up camp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/6912f297-d6be-4bce-8ec1-0b672b1098b9/8.jpg A Long Ride Home - Warming up in Hokkaido: Part 1 - Make it stand out One of the smaller lakes in Akan National Park. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/8e9caa64-5c9e-4a74-a592-23766e486ef1/9.jpg A Long Ride Home - Warming up in Hokkaido: Part 1 - Make it stand out Road through Akan National Park. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/fe83bc04-9980-4186-b045-ebb29d8d59d1/10.jpg A Long Ride Home - Warming up in Hokkaido: Part 1 - Make it stand out Volcanic activity beside Lake Akan https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/0df97474-3b6c-4f59-ad9a-c227d3f04582/11.jpg A Long Ride Home - Warming up in Hokkaido: Part 1 - Make it stand out Ainu culture theme park style. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/8f47f0cc-a1cf-4718-935a-67a9d625f95e/12.jpg A Long Ride Home - Warming up in Hokkaido: Part 1 - Make it stand out Deer were common sightings in Hokkaido. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/8a762745-1180-44e7-aa21-04d38e158724/13.jpg A Long Ride Home - Warming up in Hokkaido: Part 1 - Make it stand out At the summit of Mt Oaken https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/7a06d237-5d15-455c-9455-5ad3f39e7df6/14.jpg A Long Ride Home - Warming up in Hokkaido: Part 1 - Make it stand out Lake Mashu https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/5ccc43a5-770d-494b-9597-98ea52e05370/15.jpg A Long Ride Home - Warming up in Hokkaido: Part 1 - Make it stand out Lake Mashu, Akan National Park. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/bf9aca76-4395-4855-b25f-c434ce03ca18/16.jpg A Long Ride Home - Warming up in Hokkaido: Part 1 - Make it stand out Forgot to mention Io-zan - smelly volcano in Akan National Park. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/4038af60-5051-42e3-bd60-ebb9ce410c15/17.jpg A Long Ride Home - Warming up in Hokkaido: Part 1 - Make it stand out Sulphurous steam from the volcano. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/e34a5315-c5ee-4b12-819d-6b7703f5c10f/19.jpg A Long Ride Home - Warming up in Hokkaido: Part 1 - Make it stand out Outside Onsen on Lake Kussharo https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/78b48bab-ad3a-400e-9969-1d5b87cd5fb5/20.jpg A Long Ride Home - Warming up in Hokkaido: Part 1 - Make it stand out Camping beside Lake Kussharo. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/34225391-1c7d-4734-89ad-933f2abbe108/21.jpg A Long Ride Home - Warming up in Hokkaido: Part 1 - Make it stand out Fishing boats near Kushiro. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/cc4dca61-4511-4191-a77d-1fc71ac11c5f/23.jpg A Long Ride Home - Warming up in Hokkaido: Part 1 - Make it stand out Morning mist at a busy campsite. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/c5da05b1-de84-4308-bad4-02bf3aa333b9/24.jpg A Long Ride Home - Warming up in Hokkaido: Part 1 - Make it stand out Monument at Cape Nossapu. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/be09dd32-d0d6-4163-9105-7bd9a204e368/25.jpg A Long Ride Home - Warming up in Hokkaido: Part 1 - Make it stand out Coast towards Shiretoko National Park. https://petergostelow.com/alongrideghome/route-and-planning monthly 0.5 2024-10-04 https://petergostelow.com/alongrideghome/start-of-a-long-ride-home monthly 0.5 2024-09-30 https://petergostelow.com/alongrideghome/tag/maps monthly 0.5 https://petergostelow.com/alongrideghome/tag/alongridehome monthly 0.5 https://petergostelow.com/alongrideghome/tag/Japan monthly 0.5 https://petergostelow.com/alongrideghome/tag/Hokkaido monthly 0.5 https://petergostelow.com/home daily 0.75 2025-05-12 https://petergostelow.com/home/2016/2/17/catch-of-the-day-n62lf monthly 0.5 2016-02-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1455141192703-9KF6CKNA42NH5Q2GO5WQ/image-asset.jpeg Home - Catch of the Day Donec id elit non mi porta gravida at eget metus. Cras mattis consectetur purus sit amet fermentum. Nullam quis risus eget urna mollis ornare vel eu leo. Cras justo odio, dapibus. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1455142200857-QF34HMB9MIF6X039OXIC/image-asset.jpeg Home - Catch of the Day Curabitur blandit tempus porttitor. Vivamus sagittis lacus vel augue laoreet rutrum faucibus dolor auctor. Vestibulum id ligula porta felis euismod semper. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1455141962646-JK1T1XJ3XI40HYPLKIEJ/jessiebush_wethepeople_switzerland_travel2.jpg Home - Catch of the Day https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1455141338693-7IFAEI9VNE2A3AYA3M3V/jessiebush_wethepeople_switzerland_travel23.jpg Home - Catch of the Day https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1455142269871-YIJZ431FKWGF215D6UH1/jessiebush_wethepeople_switzerland_travel22.jpg Home - Catch of the Day https://petergostelow.com/home/2016/2/16/breathing-in-the-crisp-air-of-lake-lucerne-n3csd monthly 0.5 2016-02-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1455143660957-K9S0KN52EEY446CAG88W/image-asset.jpeg Home - Breathing in the Crisp Air of Lake Lucerne https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1455145526856-HGXU4P30W8N8I2NCWITG/image-asset.jpeg Home - Breathing in the Crisp Air of Lake Lucerne https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1454955631303-P3RNC2Q61QBLTO7Z00QF/jessiebush_wethepeople_switzerland_travel17.jpg Home - Breathing in the Crisp Air of Lake Lucerne https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1454955630718-3MV9F6H9YWTBLCH1ENXN/jessiebush_wethepeople_switzerland_travel22.jpg Home - Breathing in the Crisp Air of Lake Lucerne https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1454955631699-HS3KNV8DN39XVVG6P8KP/jessiebush_wethepeople_switzerland_travel23.jpg Home - Breathing in the Crisp Air of Lake Lucerne https://petergostelow.com/home/2016/2/15/quick-fruit-salad-recipe-for-our-hike-through-the-swiss-alps-35rjd monthly 0.5 2016-02-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1455145766089-JOEDG850BBHNST4X0ZBQ/image-asset.jpeg Home - Quick Fruit Salad Recipe for Our Hike Through the Swiss Alps https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1455145838610-32QCXCEDZC276XDEOBIH/image-asset.jpeg Home - Quick Fruit Salad Recipe for Our Hike Through the Swiss Alps https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1454955948590-SJ649DD9P6P461FBY4O5/jessiebush_wethepeople_switzerland_travel17.jpg Home - Quick Fruit Salad Recipe for Our Hike Through the Swiss Alps https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1454955947681-JEKUGKOTRQTZBX6OR7WE/jessiebush_wethepeople_switzerland_travel2.jpg Home - Quick Fruit Salad Recipe for Our Hike Through the Swiss Alps https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1454955948676-WSSN0HUNB5DSNVN91HFR/jessiebush_wethepeople_switzerland_travel6.jpg Home - Quick Fruit Salad Recipe for Our Hike Through the Swiss Alps https://petergostelow.com/home/2016/2/10/a-hotel-not-to-be-mistaken-for-an-old-palace-pyknt monthly 0.5 2016-02-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1455146026900-E825DFJIZ82KP4PKK34O/image-asset.jpeg Home - A Hotel Not to be Mistaken for an Old Palace https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1455146108750-VT8Z8MYGZHRJ6Y5IM2AK/image-asset.jpeg Home - A Hotel Not to be Mistaken for an Old Palace https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1455146149643-3DYFKHEWHUXMBK51MWA2/jessiebush_wethepeople_switzerland_travel17.jpg Home - A Hotel Not to be Mistaken for an Old Palace https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1455146149279-YL2X6FRW6EPTWGGCINDG/jessiebush_wethepeople_switzerland_travel22.jpg Home - A Hotel Not to be Mistaken for an Old Palace https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1455146148936-DYGBT1S2Z8G4JYGGOONC/jessiebush_wethepeople_switzerland_travel2.jpg Home - A Hotel Not to be Mistaken for an Old Palace https://petergostelow.com/home/2016/2/8/brunch-party-crashers-6j7ha monthly 0.5 2016-02-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1455146334398-NY93KVKNX8LXIPNX0ELE/image-asset.jpeg Home - Brunch Party Crashers https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1455146427458-N4J6WJ9M7Q9C0GG6EH3A/image-asset.jpeg Home - Brunch Party Crashers https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1454956443055-Y9B354S58FF4ENO50DA4/jessiebush_wethepeople_switzerland_travel17.jpg Home - Brunch Party Crashers https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1454956443906-TG9Q6Z94D9YCXRLALG9Y/jessiebush_wethepeople_switzerland_travel23.jpg Home - Brunch Party Crashers https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1454956444168-WXD73X9T0158ZWVT0U8R/jessiebush_wethepeople_switzerland_travel2.jpg Home - Brunch Party Crashers https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1454956456840-YXOF3TVP7B4PMAWK4ZJ2/watermelon-coolers-with-ginger-and-lime05.jpg Home - Brunch Party Crashers https://petergostelow.com/home/2016/2/6/luxe-style-and-luxe-stay-at-lake-lucerne-bzr5d monthly 0.5 2016-02-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1455146560415-8PHXVFN4JFW30ZEFEVF0/image-asset.jpeg Home - Luxe Style and Luxe Stay at Lake Lucerne https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1455146586197-98VPPPJR1XOQ3XXD511R/image-asset.jpeg Home - Luxe Style and Luxe Stay at Lake Lucerne https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1454956728195-AW42VFMF8BYON4IL3KG2/jessiebush_wethepeople_switzerland_travel17.jpg Home - Luxe Style and Luxe Stay at Lake Lucerne https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1454956729019-J317B8GC1PM7H0DXSQB9/jessiebush_wethepeople_switzerland_travel23.jpg Home - Luxe Style and Luxe Stay at Lake Lucerne https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1454956728616-3NQS1PTFQPS716WEJIKA/jessiebush_wethepeople_switzerland_travel2.jpg Home - Luxe Style and Luxe Stay at Lake Lucerne https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1454956739421-HANBS0NWXK9JQQ3SXXLA/watermelon-coolers-with-ginger-and-lime05.jpg Home - Luxe Style and Luxe Stay at Lake Lucerne https://petergostelow.com/home/2016/2/4/enjoying-a-breathtaking-nature-walk-off-the-adriatic-coast-e9z6w monthly 0.5 2016-02-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1455146793472-ZR2UQQG5CA93UHCYV8QV/image-asset.png Home - Enjoying a Breathtaking Nature Walk off the Adriatic Coast https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1455146834109-D20FMH3BI32C4AUG61K2/image-asset.jpeg Home - Enjoying a Breathtaking Nature Walk off the Adriatic Coast https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1454956909202-QDF2W3K9USKUVAV0KSTB/jessiebush_croatia_traveldiary3.jpg Home - Enjoying a Breathtaking Nature Walk off the Adriatic Coast https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1454956912444-PB26C1Q1JGQIQ8Z7ZIA2/jessiebush_croatia_traveldiary5.jpg Home - Enjoying a Breathtaking Nature Walk off the Adriatic Coast https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1454956911847-7JLH406NTKQR0IMT0JGJ/jessiebush_croatia_traveldiary11.jpg Home - Enjoying a Breathtaking Nature Walk off the Adriatic Coast https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1454956914954-ZUXI6Z2YBH2S9RFMU4TZ/jessiebush_croatia_traveldiary19.jpg Home - Enjoying a Breathtaking Nature Walk off the Adriatic Coast https://petergostelow.com/home/2016/2/2/croatian-boutique-hotel-kdap6 monthly 0.5 2016-02-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1455146921356-IE8N14K1RBU44K7CX5AX/image-asset.jpeg Home - Croatian Boutique Hotel https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1455146976076-7J88G9DO5ML74QWP424X/image-asset.jpeg Home - Croatian Boutique Hotel https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1454957113597-URPJV10L5AHGPPKPTN76/jessiebush_croatia_traveldiary3.jpg Home - Croatian Boutique Hotel https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1454957111486-QE4D0WJVR5PWN702DRSW/jessiebush_croatia_traveldiary5.jpg Home - Croatian Boutique Hotel https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1454957112546-GX3QT5T4XCZC3FU55OIR/jessiebush_croatia_traveldiary11.jpg Home - Croatian Boutique Hotel https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1454957113203-IGIZBLYQ67MHBZLCSI8S/jessiebush_croatia_traveldiary17.jpg Home - Croatian Boutique Hotel https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1454957114183-C1XE294EG72UV997HOE5/jessiebush_croatia_traveldiary19.jpg Home - Croatian Boutique Hotel https://petergostelow.com/home/2016/1/31/laid-back-mediterranean-style-sjpee monthly 0.5 2016-02-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1455147461433-HCVFBD4B5S8MJZIL2G3J/image-asset.jpeg Home - Laid Back Mediterranean Style https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1455147512824-3KE74U7THI1GA6833FQF/image-asset.jpeg Home - Laid Back Mediterranean Style https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1455147545647-RVS0CZK50KSQI7A6OHQI/image-asset.jpeg Home - Laid Back Mediterranean Style https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1455147578760-WTG0IO0DDRVWC76ITBP9/image-asset.jpeg Home - Laid Back Mediterranean Style https://petergostelow.com/home/2016/1/29/no-need-for-the-hotel-pool-ez9c6 monthly 0.5 2016-02-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1455147660623-OO4QP5OX9AZBFW9ZIQI6/image-asset.jpeg Home - No Need for the Hotel Pool https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1455147728670-I3ESKQ8WNDWH7WMW1Y4Q/image-asset.jpeg Home - No Need for the Hotel Pool https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1454957881495-MTK6QHOWKRFG62MC03LH/jessiebush_croatia_traveldiary5.jpg Home - No Need for the Hotel Pool https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1454957881955-QDZAX0SA8D0HMHHDUI2H/jessiebush_croatia_traveldiary11.jpg Home - No Need for the Hotel Pool https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1454957879440-ID79R3UP7T4Y6YFYMY2L/jessiebush_croatia_traveldiary3.jpg Home - No Need for the Hotel Pool https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1454957882857-GTOYA3A0JDEKB97WJ79L/jessiebush_croatia_traveldiary17.jpg Home - No Need for the Hotel Pool https://petergostelow.com/home/2016/1/28/diary-imagining-croatia-during-the-days-of-the-old-roman-empire-gladiator-sandals-feasts-and-taxes-ym35a monthly 0.5 2016-02-19 https://petergostelow.com/home/2016/1/27/epic-lunch-at-an-old-cliffside-fort-in-dubrovnik-ktr2p monthly 0.5 2016-02-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1454958167883-ABHK7PK3I722VFBLYXPM/jessiebush_croatia_traveldiary1.jpg Home - Epic Lunch at an Old Cliffside Fort in Dubrovnik https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1454958163367-SSOUW5OVD01JYBJL3QGH/jessiebush_croatia_traveldiary3.jpg Home - Epic Lunch at an Old Cliffside Fort in Dubrovnik https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1454958164969-O10ZHKGJIM53W7P2JNMI/jessiebush_croatia_traveldiary5.jpg Home - Epic Lunch at an Old Cliffside Fort in Dubrovnik https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1454958166264-P8GO6YOHY59I1FI83CQK/jessiebush_croatia_traveldiary11.jpg Home - Epic Lunch at an Old Cliffside Fort in Dubrovnik https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1454958167612-2K6DBEN6JWKHAIEAHJCQ/jessiebush_croatia_traveldiary17.jpg Home - Epic Lunch at an Old Cliffside Fort in Dubrovnik https://petergostelow.com/home/2016/1/25/a-week-in-croatia-gmkr5 monthly 0.5 2016-02-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1454958360969-OZLDL54X77UZFJJ28CNV/jessiebush_croatia_traveldiary5.jpg Home - A Week in Croatia https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1454958359010-N50E5OFE5RS4W5Z11FPZ/jessiebush_croatia_traveldiary1.jpg Home - A Week in Croatia https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1454958361113-85BTVVYSBAW4HQY5AUMJ/jessiebush_croatia_traveldiary3.jpg Home - A Week in Croatia https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1454958367755-LLRFVPDOFYV5JEL6NEJR/jessiebush_croatia_traveldiary19.jpg Home - A Week in Croatia https://petergostelow.com/home/2016/1/19/thai-takes-on-american-staples-j2w88 monthly 0.5 2016-02-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1455149035111-6ZM1ATZDYTTSOLIVKZ2C/image-asset.png Home - Thai Takes on American Staples This is the image caption. https://petergostelow.com/home/2016/1/13/bathing-in-luck-red-sundays-in-thailand-4c92g monthly 0.5 2016-02-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1454958784291-U48NRBIYMJ9QQAMOALQT/image-asset.jpeg Home - Bathing in Luck. Red Sundays in Thailand This is the image caption. https://petergostelow.com/home/2015/12/22/look-classy-for-the-day-club-it-up-at-night-rgdz3 monthly 0.5 2016-02-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1455149126710-RU6BZAB7FO33JPYAT0PS/image-asset.jpeg Home - Look Classy for the Day. Club it Up at Night https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1455149198898-BQL7K0SPI5KE0U4Z6ONN/image-asset.jpeg Home - Look Classy for the Day. Club it Up at Night https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1455149349925-3J0NZDFUP2NCSH0VZMDE/london_streetstyle_jessiebush13.jpg Home - Look Classy for the Day. Club it Up at Night https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1455149251492-S64YTG6ZQO0OQITJDSOB/broiled-salmon-with-spring-onion-risotto17.jpg Home - Look Classy for the Day. Club it Up at Night https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1455149286056-INQFTEXVDA4Y943PZ998/jessiebush_harrods_wethepeople1.jpg Home - Look Classy for the Day. Club it Up at Night https://petergostelow.com/home/2015/12/18/my-favorite-gastropub-in-london-my8gf monthly 0.5 2016-02-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1455149459625-98WIDMUC9PILWPQPLYBI/image-asset.jpeg Home - My Favorite Gastropub in London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1455149438266-ZS2BXEH7JNUKDIQRBCEL/image-asset.jpeg Home - My Favorite Gastropub in London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1455149596832-4IG31LHNEE8JHL81US5T/broiled-salmon-with-spring-onion-risotto17.jpg Home - My Favorite Gastropub in London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1455149537754-MGE49OMDXED7XNESV2ZU/london_streetstyle_jessiebush13.jpg Home - My Favorite Gastropub in London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1455149537882-Q5A0EEFMQWUYONHIWNT2/jessiebush_harrods_wethepeople1.jpg Home - My Favorite Gastropub in London https://petergostelow.com/home/2015/12/17/diary-of-drama-and-political-intrigue-my-take-on-what-elizabethan-england-would-be-like-if-the-paparazzi-existed-back-then-cgmjb monthly 0.5 2016-02-22 https://petergostelow.com/home/2015/12/16/putting-together-a-classic-outfit-using-colors-of-the-union-jack-m23hm monthly 0.5 2016-02-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1455149821990-LVYIP3LIS7E606ZEH591/image-asset.jpeg Home - Putting Together a Classic Outfit Using Colors of the Union Jack https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1455149859373-33BM10UWUW5WFTCTUHZG/image-asset.jpeg Home - Putting Together a Classic Outfit Using Colors of the Union Jack https://petergostelow.com/home/2015/12/14/morning-montmartre-nwkre monthly 0.5 2016-02-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55491642e4b0cb0b033d590e/1455150490564-EJMUZDLEUMSG1PT15V9Z/image-asset.jpeg Home - Morning, Montmartre 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https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592476042040-W6B7HXFNR4QFWD2PGNAV/finalmaplongridehome-1024x567.jpg About Me https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1592476044039-S6LXNDCKHL3LR6TS7C18/africaroute1-838x1024.jpg About Me https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1614164862432-5CO2K9FCLX8619NCHT1U/22741617985_f315452c82_o+%281%29.jpg About Me https://petergostelow.com/photography daily 0.75 2024-10-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1727781019101-M4QN4428HZS2VZRLQNCY/26664185036_39214e975d_o+%281%29.jpg Photography - Japan Lush green island of Yakushima, 2004. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1727781467554-J2TM4EN88I68O76SJ9VL/2967110348_8fd7c80206_o.jpg Photography - South Korea Camping outside Seoul, 2005. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1614414615164-DH7430T2GF0B00AZGLH9/29941914191_743f886216_o.jpg Photography - China Riding along the Karakorum Highway, 2007. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1727782069708-WLU9A82QXX0YI6ZV3VAQ/2964925480_72859f84ba_o.jpg Photography - Vietnam Sunset over the Perfume River, 2006. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1727784014680-UUGZ5Y3B6T7OB6053V9J/2966743560_4c9eb029b6_o.jpg Photography - Cambodia Young Khmer boy, 2006. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1727785195065-X7QULLBSNNVGAIH9OF7P/2963000586_78f8ab8a20_o.jpg Photography - Laos A walk through the rice fields of northern Laos, 2006. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1614179975476-7NISKMIKVJB0J0T0YECK/2960054478_01bc305ee9_o.jpg Photography - Tibet Yamdrok Lake, one of the largest in Tibet. 4,441m in elevation, 2006. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1727786203144-77Q5H4RE6THAVISLLKYV/2965484482_4dec6e8983_o.jpg Photography - India Sleeping rough, Punjab State, 2007 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1727773094127-RLI88RVFWTKUMGM40I9N/2962675948_e3fa692f39_o.jpg Photography - Nepal Sunrise on Christmas day, 2006. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1614604083955-1PY2SUDRIYLTHTS89F0J/29814987686_82d90a332f_o+%281%29.jpg Photography - Pakistan Riding up the Karakorum Highway, 2007 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1614241869982-Q8GWHFNO337IBAXANHTT/2965807285_0d0a4222e4_o.jpg Photography - Tajikistan Through the Pamir Mountains. Peak Karl Marx (6,732m) behind, 2007. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1727725736058-KLWH15S1ZQHXU1R6IVR6/2966624520_745677cd3c_o.jpg Photography - Kyrgyzstan Camping close to the Chinese border in eastern Kyrgyzstan, 2006. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1727787892619-RYEH6V0DAKZR5V0WFIIK/2965878171_61579bbbc2_o.jpg Photography - Turkmenistan Through the ancient city of Merv in the Karakum desert, 2007. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1727786714852-HHLX4192D85BTNHRLNK6/8153548055_5865d4c1d5_o.jpg Photography - Uzbekistan Watermelon stop, 2007. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1615021628798-ZM3JYPR8IQ0L9Y4RWN5T/30432981134_b3d54d4e5b_o.jpg Photography - Iran Up high in the Zagros Mountains of western Iran, 2007. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1727788450400-DPQI8YO8UD6JH80E49H6/31403650426_3350bc2e27_o.jpg Photography - Turkey Thawing out in eastern Turkey, 2007. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1727788717097-06RT4JLQ85GWLEF6ZH11/2963717581_d203894916_o.jpg Photography - Syria Palmyra, before it was destroyed, 2007. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1727789106469-PMP2YMR7CO2OW2X5VZGD/30825793163_4d4edbf4e2_o.jpg Photography - Jordan Camping beside the Dead Sea, 2007. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1727790128292-MN3VX9N3DOBIACCIH96X/31116724694_9a8f1b8893_o.jpg Photography - Egypt Along the Mediterranean coast, 2008. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1727857737710-2G8B0FVMNHMZHZTJQ9EH/32047622356_be732ef51b_o.jpg Photography - Libya Gaddafi mural, 2008. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1727790331566-G2JRCFE97VA4D0P7735J/32135727531_8cf10a90c5_o.jpg Photography - Tunisia Desert camp, 2008. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1727790520942-BUG5FZJ6KDO44SKVB4UB/32312749772_3d50eae06e_o.jpg Photography - Italy Shelter from the rain in an abandoned building, 2008. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1727791052783-EI2LE0KB6JBNIMF48G07/32312744432_58938f43cc_o.jpg Photography - Austria Through the Tyrol region, 2008. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1727791261697-6HRWSAJOLAK77L1RIDGD/52615066289_3ea1a19e17_o.jpg Photography - Germany Forest trail beside the River Isar, 2022. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1727797723963-PTAR0QU2UPXRHGZMAZU3/32739714125_28d4a4ff34_o.jpg Photography - France South from Bordeaux, 2009. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1727798111328-6G5V29IG26ZQZ05QMU77/3934619632_22c570e0dd_o.jpg Photography - Spain Quiet streets of northern Spain, 2009. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1727798502116-H5ADCZ4LBFBV2E3ZDCOX/3992788482_4717c4f156_o.jpg Photography - Portugal Looking out over the Douro Valley, 2009. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1614414398367-YF3ZJO1HA787F43DSU0Q/34098054700_19b30a9430_o.jpg Photography - Western Sahara Riding the coastal road through the Western Sahara, 2009. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1614414008431-1ZN266Z3GP7ZN7GTMZ5Z/4381495955_4c0ca11977_o.jpg Photography - Mauritania Rest stop in the shade, somewhere in southern Mauritania, 2010. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1727798716576-XKX08HASBAW7QVIDOFBT/8120448767_3cb431a4da_o.jpg Photography - Senegal Streets of St Louis, 2010. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1727798949716-MF03D1BJ1PI3IIQ4CHEM/4683457317_91b19c5ceb_o.jpg Photography - The Gambia Feeding Africa, 2010. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1727799099735-EXPLX0ZGLFJJ7QRQ8SCR/35492709480_7c0697be6f_o.jpg Photography - Guinea Bissau Local cyclists, 2010. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1727799354940-W9B77PS37Y7E0W8TWH4I/4808273787_078678db80_o.jpg Photography - Guinea Night watchmen at camp, 2010. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1727799989664-LFDN0YTC1VSHXQOAQCW3/4879092869_48ab82c306_o.jpg Photography - Sierra Leone Rough roads through the rainy season, 2010. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1727800235864-FCEWOQXAJPPOG05OINL9/4956946998_c04ba6bb70_o.jpg Photography - Liberia Main road to Harper, 2010. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1727810365017-RH05TUU1A00UZU1VXOKK/5014808392_ceb55feacf_o.jpg Photography - Ivory Coast Market in Abidjan, 2010. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1727810576089-1CL27M4PD0Z7GGPJV4WI/37545000361_35144bd234_o+%281%29.jpg Photography - Ghana School camp, 2010. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1727810802255-5N8ASZUZQHDAI45YWWXX/8320047558_bb39a4f805_o.jpg Photography - Togo Togolese women on the road, 2010. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1727811135168-2T28UJAESAGU9PL747GK/24135422448_93881219db_o.jpg Photography - Nigeria Puncture repair, 2010. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1614329428991-TRPOVX8YPTXWKBAJEPCV/38319475054_c4fe7a8b78_o+%281%29.jpg Photography - Cameroon Dusty red roads of south eastern Cameroon, 2011. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1727811315026-5F690LVH3DE5T5NY2W5N/25968934948_c7a67fd3d5_o.jpg Photography - Central African Republic Sandy track in south western Central African Republic, 2011. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1614328393362-H8I35OW02USLQ4UIKI4J/5540598962_094718d7ce_o+%281%29.jpg Photography - Democratic Republic of Congo Forest trail in eastern DRC, 2011. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1614326312259-XT00QVN8RBCZK69GHDLV/18722759114_6dbea01b53_o+%281%29.jpg Photography - Kenya Descending down into Maasai land, southern Kenya, 2015. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1614241881308-9SQKFCBIMWDEONI2J5CI/6107201326_180aa821a2_o.jpg Photography - Tanzania Below the Usambara Mountains in north east Tanzania, 2011. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1727811607604-1ZPHHYQLE3SL2ZP0C5NT/16474334326_e657183588_o.jpg Photography - Rwanda Locally made bike, 2013. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1614412081135-QE4SV0DTMRZM5UZK10HJ/5775285022_cd68f6daba_o+%281%29.jpg Photography - Uganda Descending from Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in western Uganda, 2011. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1614330125180-ACVAUYF8J823S3ER2SVR/6362914635_b3b9c4910b_o+%282%29.jpg Photography - Mozambique Rough roads of northern Mozambique, 2011. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1727811877363-7Q2SS55RVJ4F7V3B8L4N/42861074380_81436b9cbf_o.jpg Photography - Malawi Local transport, 2012. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1614329876689-YSF7B9T266NSHGK90T5P/21929604598_066636caf0_o+%283%29.jpg Photography - Ethiopia Climbing above the Blue Nile, 2015. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1614411343593-IC86UQRNGZBLM39M34N1/7169007447_ac96f1bded_o+%281%29.jpg Photography - Namibia Hot gravel tracks of central Namibia, 2012. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1614327991202-J59YGB74S56ASQ30KDYZ/23366646166_8949d625e4_o.jpg Photography - Somaliland A roadside chat on the way to the coast, 2016. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1727812514611-1TNCQTFCGVCB4BKBS5Q7/7472500986_be2a41aa9f_o.jpg Photography - South Africa Arriving at the Cape of Good Hope, 34,500km of cycling from the UK, 2012. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1614334191624-L09FFPQ2NXHNEHDFKXXW/11566572754_35e52aa560_o.jpg Photography - Lesotho Central Lesotho, 2013. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1614325010331-Y84ECULIK2DTNI9XNYXR/24594489700_a72bcaa320_o.jpg Photography - Oman An invitation for Arabic coffee, 2016. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1614327838484-ISKVHIMR7PYTWA22F1C3/50046676693_2659fdb2fa_o.jpg Photography - Montenegro Alongside Shkodra Lake, 2016. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1614602493640-BPH27ZIGQS8QHDP3KCED/28277137360_4a21389409_o+%281%29.jpg Photography - Wales Climbing over the Gospel Pass, at the dizzy height of 549m, 2016. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1727813362888-5SPA95NP13D4OMFZFHDL/52640341249_6dee96406a_o.jpg Photography - Poland Rolling through southern Poland, 2022. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1727813683094-NEI5AZ2G1CW97573Y0RE/30885906525_c0d21cd67e_o.jpg Photography - North Maccedonia Descent to Lake Ohrid, 2016. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1727813867090-LJ1C7KR02XY314C5U8X4/52662745514_00fe256c41_o.jpg Photography - Romania Autumn in the woods, 2022. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1727814087934-HMPMO7WEU8U1EMK8IKST/30253954674_67b5c45fa1_o.jpg Photography - Albania South eastern Albania. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1727814296692-ZRL90J98WEG5R5CP7URA/52631456023_85f86bcef9_o.jpg Photography - Czech Republic Home for a night, 2022. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1727856914263-RUGEPR1ZBXY2RHNUQQDV/52700250260_3be0e118de_o.jpg Photography - Greece The Mani Peninsula, Peloponnese, 2022. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1727814401580-TYXZ0GS45EZM1W4GXV3E/52614935233_0bec7c1d57_o.jpg Photography - The Netherlands Enjoying a new camp chair, 2022. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1727814768660-PRIP8L7648PL7HBXTQ6V/52209883300_cc5946c860_o.jpg Photography - Ireland Riding the Wild Atlantic Way, 2022. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1727815022785-CRR703Y6A1U2MXVHOPRB/51546683989_b1e9ae14dc_o.jpg Photography - Scotland White sands of the Isle of Harris, 2021. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1727815154794-IOJ9Z7HVWP69HIU2RKSJ/53022435139_a4c019aa0d_o.jpg Photography - Armenia Beneath My Aragats, 2023. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eea1dbaf25ed350848dae0d/1727857162519-SCHCCHQM2GW5V2W6XGPX/52677897462_9674067189_o.jpg Photography - 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