• Home
  • About
    • Who’s Alex?
    • Tour d’Afrique
  • Itinerary
    • Interactive map
    • Planned itinerary
    • Detailed schedule
  • Gear
    • My bike
      • Selection criteria
      • Bike specifications
      • Packing my bike
    • All other gear
      • My packing list
      • Packing my gear
      • TDA packing list
  • Countries
    • Botswana
    • Egypt
    • Kenya
    • Malawi
    • Namibia
    • Rwanda
    • South Africa
    • Sudan
    • Tanzania
    • Uganda
    • Zambia
  • One lesson a day
  • Social impact
  • Links
ALEX CYCLES AFRICA
  • Home
  • About
    • Who’s Alex?
    • Tour d’Afrique
  • Itinerary
    • Interactive map
    • Planned itinerary
    • Detailed schedule
  • Gear
    • My bike
      • Selection criteria
      • Bike specifications
      • Packing my bike
    • All other gear
      • My packing list
      • Packing my gear
      • TDA packing list
  • Countries
    • Botswana
    • Egypt
    • Kenya
    • Malawi
    • Namibia
    • Rwanda
    • South Africa
    • Sudan
    • Tanzania
    • Uganda
    • Zambia
  • One lesson a day
  • Social impact
  • Links
Home » One lesson a day » Day 23: There are no heroes, just ordinary people doing something extraordinary
One lesson a daySudan

Day 23: There are no heroes, just ordinary people doing something extraordinary

February 4, 2017 Leave a Comment 4000 Views

We’re now heading towards the Ethiopian border. The coming few days are said to be some of the toughest on our tour, testing our stamina both mentally and physically. “Some of you will want to throw your bike at the truck when you reach camp,” Tallis warned, and others just daring to smile might drive us nuts. “Your real personalities will come through. The next few days will really test your patience.” So far, the vast majority of us have still cycled EFI (Every F..king Inch). The heat and bad roads might change that quickly.

Today has been a long day. I’ve spent seven hours on the bike, and that’s considered fast. We’ve convoyed out of Khartoum (a relatively pleasant and easy start), but then the heat and bumpy tarmac immediately brought us back to our new reality.

Road-side gas station and restaurant

There were two locals cycling with us today. I was the last one out of Khartoum, from where our convoy stopped, as I needed to adjust my handlebars. For whatever reason, the bolts had come loose during our rest day. The locals kindly waited for me and then cycled with me, one ahead and one after me, watching out for me and clearing the traffic—what a nice special treatment!

Unfortunately, their English wasn’t too good; or perhaps fortunately, as I preferred to focus on the traffic rather than talking to them. “Very good, excellent”, they kept repeating, to me and to everyone else.

Once out of Khartoum and away from heavy traffic, I—as most of us, I think—needed a pit stop urgently. From then onwards, I was cycling alone again which, admittedly, I prefer. There were lots of boys again at the side of the road. However, different from Egypt, they applauded and cheered when I passed, as if I was a super-hero.

The scenery is entirely different south-east of Khartoum than North Sudan. Instead of desert, we’re now cycling through dry bush land. There’s no more sand bothering us. Trees here and there intersect the landscape. While coming from Egypt we had only seen donkeys and camels, and perhaps more dead than alive animals at the side of the road, today has been a pleasant surprise: healthy looking herds of cattle and sheep roam the dry meadows. A South African is running a cattle farm near our lunch spot, we’ve been told. Instead of donkeys, well-nourished horses pull the carts.

Cow herd crossing the road

Today has been no race day, so I took my time and stopped a few times to take photos. We passed what looked like a sheep market. Trying not to offend the locals, I waved and greeted them from afar before pulling out my camera. They came up to me for a chat: “Where are you going?” is their usual question. “Very good,” they usually reply and lift their arms to demonstrate my strength. Then we’d reached the limit of our conversation in broken English and Arabic. “Don’t worry, keep going,” I think they might have said in Arabic when they smiled and gave me their thumbs up, waving me to move on.

Sheep market

Five kilometers from tonight’s camp, the police waved me down, but I kept cycling. They’re usually just bored and use us as an excuse for some distraction from their daily routine, so it seems to me. This time, the police kept following me in their car, at times with blue light and siren, right into camp.

“Did you have any issues?” Paul asked me later.—”No, why?”—”We had a boy trying to throw a stick between my spoke.” Lucky me, the police kept me safe; they were not just bored after all. But, dear reader, don’t get a wrong impression. It’s really just a few bored kids coming up with nonsense every now and then. 99.9% of people are super friendly and welcoming. Having said that, “you need to start watching your stuff, and always lock your bikes up,” Tallis would warn us again at our riders’ meeting.” We’ve had bikes stolen at this camp in the past.” The police seems to be taking special care because of that, and would also tell the locals to not come close to our camp.

While I was putting up my tent, one of the two Sudanese riders kept trying to have a conversation with me, but that didn’t go very far—his English being even worse than my Arabic. “Hero!” he kept saying to me. “Very good, excellent,” he beamed in between his hero praises. Then he passed me his phone. “Hello, my friend just wanted to tell you,” a male voice was talking to me, “that he’s really impressed with your performance. He was wondering whether it’s possible to stay in touch with you.”—”I’ve only got an Austrian phone number, it’s very expensive,” I used as excuse.—”Hero, hero,” the Sudanese rider kept saying to me, until they eventually got bored and left our camp.

Stage 19: Khartoum – Rufaa (Sudan), 148km

Road & traffic condition:

Still tarmac, but a lot rougher and bumpy, which means that we’re cycling slower, and our butts are getting a little bit too much of a massage.

The traffic seems much better though. It’s busier than through the desert, but they all seem to drive slower and respect us cyclists. In the desert, they couldn’t have cared less about us on the road. Here, they mostly wait before overtaking when we’re in the way—a pleasant change compared to the crazy bus drivers on the highway up north.

Weather:

It’s getting hotter. People without properly ventilating tents are suffering, as it doesn’t cool down until after midnight. I’ve found the cycling not too bad yet, but that’s probably just because it was a non-race day, so it felt nice to take it easier for a change. Non-racers, however, might disagree. For many, the heat has probably been making this the hardest day that we’ve had so far. The only heat effect that’s been bothering me were my toes—they felt boiling hot for the last 10km.

Culinary highlights:

Dinner was especially good today: chicken curry and Greek-style salad.

Dinner: chicken curry and Greek salad
Group highlights:

Camping without sand and crazy wind was a pleasant surprise. Some people have been struggling with the heat though, and quite a few of us have had problems of various kinds with our digestive systems. Nothing serious however, it seems.

At camp, a TV station was reporting about our tour. They asked us to say our names and where we’re from—nothing too exciting as a few riders had already been interviewed by Sundanse TV in Wadi Halfa.

Personal highlights:
After breakfast, I’ve had my first diarrhea shock. Our convoy was about to leave in fifteen minutes, and in between I had to run to the toilet three times! Diarrhea would be an easy way to ruin my EFI, especially when cycling in convoy that doesn’t leave any time for pit stops. I stuffed myself with tablets of Loperamide and charcoal. Fortunately, my stomach seems to have fully cleared just in time, and the tablets did the trick for the remainder of the day.
Previous Article Day 22: Never give up!
Next Article Day 24: Rules are here to be broken—use common sense instead

Related Posts

  • Sudan Video—unembellished footage of what it’s really like

    January 28, 2018
  • Day 121: The journey is the reward

    May 13, 2017
  • Day 120: Don’t drink and ride

    May 12, 2017

Leave a Reply

Cancel reply

Stay updated

POPULAR VIDEOS

LATEST RIDES

LET ME HELP YOU EXPLORE AFRICA

I found my purpose while cycling through Africa: To help you too experience the beauty of this continent and the warmth of its people – safely and responsibly.

At Fair Voyage, we partner with local sustainability leaders to curate socially and environmentally responsible travel experiences. You get personal travel advice directly from local experts and tailor-made trips crafted just for you. Tell us your trip ideas to speak to your advisor today.

Before cycling through Africa, I climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, became aware of the exploitation of porters working on the mountain, and wrote the book Kilimanjaro Uncovered.

Appalled by the continuing exploitation of human life in travel, I partnered with the Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project (KPAP) and volunteered with them as advisor and board member to help make a difference.

At Fair Voyage, we treat our porters fairly, which also leads to a safer and more enjoyable experience for our travelers. See what our travelers say.

Climb Kilimanjaro

Been to the top of Africa yet? I’d be excited to help make this happen for you. Ask to speak to your Kilimanjaro advisor today!

Facebook Twitter Youtube
  • Popular
  • Recent
  • Interactive map December 24, 2016
  • Packing my gear for TDA—a miracle of organization and compartmentalization January 5, 2017
  • Day 3: Losing EFI is like losing your virginity—supposedly January 15, 2017
  • My almost perfect bike that won’t make me a racer December 31, 2016
  • Packing my Koga bike for the flight in 25 simple steps January 4, 2017
  • 20 months post TDA – a truly life-changing journey September 8, 2019
  • Sudan Video—unembellished footage of what it’s really like January 28, 2018
  • Riders sharing their lessons learnt and inspirational stories September 10, 2017
  • Day 121: The journey is the reward May 13, 2017
  • Paul’s humorous Pirate Speech about our staff May 12, 2017

RECENT COMMENTS

  • Alex on Sudan Video—unembellished footage of what it’s really like
  • Stephen Owen on Sudan Video—unembellished footage of what it’s really like
  • Alex on Riders sharing their lessons learnt and inspirational stories
  • Rohit on Riders sharing their lessons learnt and inspirational stories
  • Alex on Day 121: The journey is the reward
  • Alex on Sudan Video—unembellished footage of what it’s really like
  • Victor on Sudan Video—unembellished footage of what it’s really like
  • Helen Dawtrey on Day 121: The journey is the reward
  • Dale M on Day 121: The journey is the reward
  • Jeannette Gravett on Day 121: The journey is the reward
  • Jeannette Gravett on Paul’s humorous Pirate Speech about our staff
  • Kim on Day 121: The journey is the reward
  • Gun Frisk on Day 121: The journey is the reward
  • Alex on Day 120: Don’t drink and ride
  • John on Day 120: Don’t drink and ride

Categories

  • Botswana9
  • Egypt19
  • Gallery11
  • Gear3
  • Kenya9
  • Link3
  • Malawi7
  • Map1
  • Namibia14
  • One lesson a day97
  • Quote1
  • Resources1
  • Rwanda5
  • Social impact2
  • South Africa7
  • Status15
  • Sudan21
  • Tanzania15
  • Tips2
  • Tour info2
  • Uganda10
  • Video8
  • Zambia10

Get live updates

ALEX CYCLES AFRICA
© Copyright 2017.