I’ve listened to audio books throughout my entire cycling day today, finishing the one I started yesterday, and making it almost to the end of another one. (No, it’s not dangerous. I only use one earplug, and traffic always has priority.)

Usually, I like reading a lot, especially before going to bed, but due to the blog I haven’t had much time to read so far on this tour. This has been bothering me. My mind doesn’t feel sufficiently stimulated.

Already half-way through the tour, it took me long to realize that I could easily read a book a day—I’d just have to do it while cycling! Today, the entertainment factor of my riding day has re-gained levels that I hadn’t enjoyed since northern Sudan. Now I can’t wait to cycle and read more!

Stage 43: Babati – Singida (Tanzania), 157km

Road & traffic condition:

Great tar with hard shoulder; little traffic (though I had a crazy minibus driver cut into the shoulder and pull up in front of me on a downhill—I shall be excused for using swear words in this instance).

Weather:

Overcast, mixed with rain mid-morning to early afternoon. Nice and cool for cycling, yet dry at camp—perfect.

Culinary highlights:

Chicken coconut curry and salad—yummy!

Group highlights:

We cycled past Mount Hanang, Tanzania’s fourth largest mountain. I didn’t stop to take a photo when we had a great view of it because—unawares—my Garmin had reset to miles again and I thought a better photo spot was still coming up (at the kilometer mark that Tallis had advised us). Luckily, I caught up with other riders and realized my miles/kilometer confusion only 25km into my ride today.

Cycling into Singida, we rode past spectacular sandstone formations. Unfortunately, they were still a bit too far away for my Gopro to make out on the photo below.

Personal highlights: