It got very sunny and hot today, so I re-applied sunblock at lunch. Thereafter, however, it was still a relatively long time until we reached camp. We crossed the Mwanza Gulf (the bay of Mwanza at Lake Victoria) by ferry (a pleasant thirty minutes’ break), but then still had over 40km to ride underneath the relentless sun.

I felt the sun burning hot onto my face, but didn’t think it would be necessary to re-apply sunscreen again, having done so at lunch. In northern Sudan, that would have gotten me through to camp just fine.

However, by the time I reached camp, everyone commented on my crazy tan—white from the eyes upwards, red from the cheeks downwards. The humidity must have made it worse, causing me to perspire more. Lesson learnt—re-apply sunscreen latest when you feel a burning sensation on your skin!

NB: Sorry, I forgot to take a photo of myself to show you the result. The below is the best I can offer—happily presenting my luxurious purchases while waiting for the ferry: toothpicks (essential to keep my teeth clean) and napkins (because they had neither toilet paper nor tissues nor wet wipes—one takes what one gets).

Stage 40: Geita – Mwanza (Tanzania), 126km

Road & traffic condition:

Decent tar with a hard shoulder and little traffic most of the day.

Busy traffic and partly no shoulder to cycle on for the last 20 km through Mwanza.

Weather:

Foggy with terrible visibility and very high humidity for the first hour in the morning, . . .

. . . then beautiful sunshine until lunch, but very hot thereafter (supposedly only 32° C, but my body has lost its Sudan memory, so it felt very hot to me, and the humidity makes it feel a lot worse).

Culinary highlights:

Spaghetti bolognese and salad once again, followed for the first time by yummy ice cream for desert. People are complaining that the bolognese is not as tasty as it used to be, while I like it much more these days. Blame me—I think Errol stopped putting chutney into it since I had commented that it was [too] sweet 😉

Group highlights:

We’re camping again directly at Lake Victoria. It looks like an ocean with a proper beach from the southern side in Tanzania, very different than up north in Kenya.

Several of us (including myself) have had their first shower in three days, and it was hot. That felt so good!

Personal highlights:

My energy is draining, simply because it has been a long week. I was suffering for the last 15km due to the heat and felt de-hydrated. While pedalling underneath the burning sun, I developed a craving for mango juice. By the time I finally located a small store in Mwanza, I was so thirsty that I drank a full litre in one go, which didn’t really help to make me feel any better.

Exhausted by the heat, I pedalled at walking speed for the last few kilometers and arrived at camp relatively late. As a result, I haven’t had any time to relax this afternoon (same as yesterday)—clothes had to be washed, bike cleaned, all the usual tent set-up etc. Before I was done getting everything organized, it was already time for our riders’ meeting and dinner.

Arriving late at camp sucks. I wish I’d have had more time to enjoy our nice camping spot. Can’t wait for our rest days coming up—one more day to go.