daily (okay, occasional) musings

Day 9 - Kipepeo Resort and Travel Home......Kwaheri Tanzania!

Click to listen to Tanzania Yetu while you read!

Well, the day has finally come.  I wake to a beautiful sunrise over the Indian Ocean this morning.  The first thing on my agenda is some nice coffee and brekkie, then swimming in the ocean.  Before I head out though, I take a few minutes to sit on the porch and look out over the ocean.  If I could have gotten my coffee here, I would not leave the room so soon!  I decide that it's probably not a bad idea to re-organize the old bags and pack everything up before heading out.

Breakfast is relaxing under the open-aired thatched roof restaurant.  You can listen to the gentle waves slapping the shore and smell the ocean air.  It doesn't get much better than this.  Everyone is a little subdued at breakfast, most likely the fact that we leave today is sinking in and maybe the effects of last night's festivities.  Quite a few people are staying on in Tanzania.  Some are going on to a safari, lots are going to Zanzibar to relax on the gorgeous beaches, and a few more are going to Malawi.  Next time I come to Tanzania, and I WILL be coming back here (hopefully with Karim and the boys), I am NOT missing out on Zanzibar.  It looks absolutely amazing.

 

The swim in the ocean is perfect, lots of us are bobbing around out there. We get a chance to get a little last minute chatting done before we have to think about packing up and heading out again.  We need to be out of our rooms by 11am, even though we are not leaving until 1:30. 

All that's left to do is lay around in the sun and drink a little more and eat a little more before shoving off.

Thank goodness for Maggie and I, Lisa offers to let us use her room and shower since she is staying on here another night.  That means we don't have to rush.  So we drag our bags through the sand to her place and take our time getting ready. 

Once it's time to go, we all get back in the buses (those nice little air-conditioned buses have magically re-appeared , same drivers and all) for the ride to the airport.  Even though our plane does not leave until 20h00, we get an early start.  We now know that the traffic is pretty bad on the airport route and that the airport might not deal so quickly with checking in a group of 30+ people.

The traffic is indeed slow going, which gives us our last opportunity to see and smell the city of Dar.  It's Saturday and the streets are full of busy people going here and there.  We make our way back to the here we get a much better view of what we are riding on.  It was pitch black last time.  On we go to the ferry.  For some reason (maybe because the buses are smaller?), we don't have to get off this time.  I'm sort of glad to be able to stay (somewhat) cool.

 

I have a super long journey ahead.  The bus ride ends up taking a few hours (even with the ferry), then we wait at Dar airport for about an hour, do a little shopping and a little lunching.  Then a flight from Dar to Nairobi via a short stop in Kilimanjaro.  We are all supremely bummed that it is dark already and we can't see Kili from the plane - now I guess I HAVE to come back as one of my dreams is to see Mt. Kili in my lifetime (maybe even climb it!).

Then we have a several hour wait in Nairobi.  Many of us decide to fork over a few dollars and rest in luxury in the first class lounge with big overstuffed couches and free food and drinks plus internet.  It's a good decision as there is still LOTS of travel ahead for us (at least us Chicago folks).  The  flight from Nairobi to London Heathrow is 8h30.   All of us continuing on have to go through customs in Heathrow with the locals.  This gives us a chance for big hugs and goodbyes, we've been through quite a lot together as a group.  Hopefully I will see some of these people again in my lifetime!

We Chicagoans, grab our bags and head out to find our next flights.  We part ways with Marlies, who is going on to Amsterdam.  Then Marty, Dawn and Josh make their farewells as they are flying American.  Now it's down to just me and Antje, going on the same United flight to Chicago O'Hare.

After 4 more hours of waiting, a nice breakfast together, a little independent shopping and a little Facebooking in the Internet Cafe and it's finally time to jump on the LAST portion of our journey together. 

After another grueling 9 hours of airplane, I finally step foot onto US soil.  Customs and baggage are fairly quick - thank God - as I am exhausted and slimy and ready to see all my boys!

I exit out the customs and Lukas and Noah run yelling into my arms.  I have been to the other side of the planet, I have seen and experienced so much over the last 12 days....but nothing is as good as having my babies in my arms!  Welcome home Mommy!  

and a sad Farewell, but never Goodbye Tanzania !!

Day 8 - International Childcare Trust Morogoro Visit and back to Dar

Well, today is the day that this whole adventure has really been about.  Supporting the important work that International Childcare Trust (ICT) does in concert with the Faraja Trust in the Chamwino slum area of Morogoro, Tanzania.

I can't begin to fully describe what this moment is like for me. 

I have been working so hard to get here for more than 9 months.  Nine months of fundraising and awareness raising.  Nine months of working to convince people around me how valuable this work is and how badly ICT needs our help.   What started out as a suggestion from my good friend Maggie, turned into Team Chicago, a group of 6 very different individuals all united under a single cause and goal.  So much effort went into trying to secure donations and trying to convince several large corporations to support our cause.  And of course, let's not forget all the hours away from my family devoted to cycling in order to prepare myself for the challenge itself.  

Every last bit of it was worth the effort.  Today everything is payed back when I look into the faces of the kids at the Project's school.  When I see how ICT has actually changed the lives of these children and given them a better future, it is so worth it all.

I know that I do not only speak for myself when I tell you that I am HONORED to have been a part of this challenge and to have been a positive force in the lives of these vulnerable children - I speak for all 45 of us.

We wake up this 9 October, 2009 to a relaxing start.  No more riding for us, we can actually take a shower and stay clean.  We have a calm breakfast and a relaxing chat next to the pool before preparing to board the buses for our ride through Morogoro to the Chamwino slums.

 

 

As we arrive at the project, we see crowds of people all lined up to greet us, holding a big Welcome sign aloft for all to see.  We all all so excited to get out of those buses and go see the children.  We all file into the classroom to see so many children with shy grins on their faces.  The teacher in the front of the room leads them in a song for us, and their sweet voices fill the warm air as we snap photo after photo.

 

 

 

 

 

Once we are settled, Victor, from Faraja Trust, comes in to explain to us what exactly the work is that they do in this school.  

The Faraja Street Children Rehabilitation Project was established in 1997 in Morogoro Municipality in response to the plight of children affected by HIV and AIDS. Owing to the HIV/AIDS epidemic, the Morogoro region experienced an alarming growth in the number of orphans and street children. As a result of the epidemic many children were forced to drop out of school and start working to support the family. The project seeks to rehabilitate and re-socialize vulnerable children (orphans and street children) by involving the family and community institutions. Its ultimate purpose is to provide vulnerable children with an opportunity to leave the street and to re-establish connections with their families and communities. This is done through promotion of positive values, family counseling, and the creation of a network of community resources and services in support of the children.

We are told that these children, because of this plight, did not receive their first few years of primary education.  The school we are visiting is a special school devoted to reintegrating these children into the state education system.  The children spend anywhere from 1-3 years in this school catching up on all they have missed until they are able to sit government exams.  The goal is then to reintegrate them into the regular school system.

The children are housed with foster families while at the school.  Although the foster families receive some financial support to house these children, they still frequently find the extra person under the roof difficult to support.  Children are sometimes sent out into the street again to generate family income.  Most of these childrens only food during a 24 hour period is the lunch they get at school, as foster families often cannot feed them.

He goes on to explain that in addition to the school Faraja also runs a community center where these children can have a safe place to play and receive psychosocial support.

We then have a brief moment, that I have been looking forward to for weeks.  My son Lukas' 2nd Grade class has prepared friendship letters for the children in the Chamwino school.  Victor explains to the kids what the letters are as I hand them into outstretched hands.  The look of amazement and happiness on those childrens faces is absolutely priceless.  Those letters become prized possessions and are clutched very tightly as they are shared with others.  I feel so lucky to be able to offer this small token of caring and friendship to these kids.  I simply cannot wait to share this moment with my children on the other side of the world when I get home.  I truly believe that the first step in helping others is to understand other people's situations.  This is a small step in that direction.

 

 

 

 

After hearing about the work, Victor introduces the program that some of the older children have prepared.  A group of girls perform a traditional dance accompanied by boys on drums.  After the dance, we see a small skit about a typical social situation that these kids may face.  A young girl is forced into an early marriage against her will.  After marrying, the girl contracts HIV/AIDS from her husband and is then blamed by his family for making him sick.  Although we don't understand the words spoken, we clearly receive the message of despair from the girl and the impact this sort of situation has on the community.

 

 

At the end of the program, we leave the school and get an explanation of the water project that ICT is also funding.  We look on as the work continues right in front of our eyes as the men dig the trenches for the pipes.  We make our way slowly through Chamwino, many of us holding hands with the kids.  Once again we are warmly greeted by smiles and waves and the antics of kids along the way.  We are going to the local football (soccer) pitch to have another friendly game with the locals.

 

 

 

Everyone gathers round to watch the game against the backdrop of the mountains.  Kids swarm everywhere, kids from the project school , but also LOTS of other kids.  The game goes off so well, our guys hold their own, but of course they don't win!  We are reminded again of what an amazing thing it is to have the opportunity to spend the afternoon playing soccer with a bunch of Tanzanian kids!

I really just can't say often enough that this experience was one of the best of my life. I highly recommend anyone thinking about doing an ICT challenge to jump in with both feet and go for it!  It is an amazing experience top to bottom.

Finally, it was time for us to say our goodbyes.  We pile into the buses one last time and head back to the hotel.  We will apparently be taking a luxury (large) coach on to our lunch spot and then finally back to Dar.  We are told that the journey back to Dar es Salaam will take about 3 hours.

It turns out that the coach is not air-conditioned.  After a long week, none of us is too excited about a non-AC 3 hour ride (which we know will probably not be 3 hours).  Lunch is at a small restaurant outside of Morogoro.  It is really nice to sit and eat all together with the Ahsante guys again.  We get an opportunity at lunch to thank Ahsante as a group and present them with a bonus tip for all the hard work of the week. They are very grateful and of course break out in a bit of a song and dance for us again.  After a football style line up, where we all get to shake hands and hug all of the guys, we load back into the bus for the ride back.

As per expected, the ride back to Dar took more than 5 hours.  The trip gave us plenty of time to reflect back on our week, see some last bits of scenery in Tanzania and catch up on some sleep.  We had thought that the adventure for the week was complete - not so! As we got into Dar es Salaam proper the traffic became completely blocked.  To get to our beach resort (the Kipepeo), we need to get to the far side of the bay.  The road around the bay was at a complete stand-still. 

Simon announced that we had an alternative.  Apparently there is a ferry that crosses the bay in about 20 minutes, saving LOTS of traffic time.  We decided to take the ferry.  We all needed to unload from the bus and go into the ferry by foot and the bus drove on separately. Needless to say, it was Friday night and rush hour time and from the way it looked the ferry was a VERY popular means of getting across that bay.  The crowds were very thick as we piled out of the bus.  We made quite a spectacle, 50 or so white people on a ferry full of locals.  We were pulled into the mob and pushed along like all the rest of the people.  What an experience.  At some point, one of the cyclists (Sophie) was handed a baby to hold.  There were countless women managing several children on their own, I guess this mom felt Sophie looked like a safe helper!  Despite being a little crazy, it was fun.  I made my way up to the top and had a nice view of the city skyline as we crossed the bay with a beautiful breeze blowing over us.  At the end of the ferry ride, we all got back onto the bus and headed for Kipepeo and our celebration dinner.

 

We found Kipepeo shortly after.  It is a wonderful beach-side resort that's really only a step above camping.  Lodging is in woven bungalows along the beach, some (like mine) were raised up on stilts with the whole front opening out to the sea, lovely mosquito nets over the beds (believe me, we needed those) and a little porch with a hammock.  So very relaxing after a long week riding. It's too dark to take photos, we can t=do that tomorrow.

Dinner was great, with live traditional entertainment and dancing had by all.  Then Maggie handed out certificates to us all and crowned each rider with a special title.  Some titles were riding related like "King of the Hill" or "Queen of the Sprint".  Others were less traditional, like "King of Romance" and "Queen of International Child Relations" (that last was mine :).  It was great fun, and a wonderful way to end the week.  Many of us stayed up until the wee hours partying and apparently having a little too much fun.  I hit the hay at around 1am, knowing that I had a serious day (or tow) of travel ahead.

 

check out that lovely shiner on Maggie (remember the railroad???)

Day 7 - the Big Hill and the Morogoro Finish!

Exuberance! That's the best word to describe how we feel this morning as we prepare for the last leg of our journey.  None of us can believe that the last day of riding is here and soon we will be arriving in Morogoro to see what all our hard work goes towards!

Click here for a good tune..... Umoja Wa Tanzania

The day dawns glorious over our camp.  We even have dry, clean clothes this morning - what a treat.

 

loading up the bikes for the transfer

At the morning briefing Simon tells us the the whole morning will be FLAT!  Of course, after lunch we will finish with a traditional ICT climb to the finish.  The climb will be 1.5km straight up - the goods news is that it will be paved.  We figure we can do anything that's paved.

Once again we will need to transfer about 45 minutes to a better starting place as the roads just aren't good where we are.  It's off to the buses again.  This time we need to go out of the camp on foot because the buses can't make it into camp.  So off we go, hi-ho, hi-ho.  Everyone is in excellent spirits, sooo different from the day before.

the walk out of camp

Before we can get on our bus, the driver and his buddy are trying to pry a rock out from between the double wheels.  That takes a few minutes to sort out. Then, we all pile into the two buses.  The bus that I'm taking is almost full as I am about to enter.  All of a sudden we hear a commotion and some screaming coming from the bus.  Within seconds, people start to fly out of that bus so fast, even the men scramble out quickly.  I really wish I had video of this, as it is hilarious!  Apparently we have an ENORMOUS rat cruising around the bus.  A few of the guys (bus driver, Ahsante guys and our fearless leader Simon) get back into the bus to see what the deal is.  Whatever it is gives the guys a run for their money.  Finally it is killed or stunned and they need to go into the back luggage compartment to fish it out.  Simon comes out brandishing a rather small mouse, not at all as described, but still a bit nasty to look at.  Lots of good laughs over that one I can tell you!

 

the RAT!

That done, we turn to see the other bus has got stuck.  You see, the road is too narrow for the bus to turn and the back wheels have gotten stuck in the ditch.  Sooo, the guys all go over to push Bus #1 out.  Over at Bus #2, we decide maybe we should let the driver turn around BEFORE we get in.  He manages to turn without problem and we all pile in.

After a few minutes on the road, we can completely understand why we are not cycling this part.  The "road", if it can be called that, is almost impassable.   The drivers manage it somehow.  I think the bus ride is actually bumpier than some of our riding has been.  After about an hour and a pee pit stop, we do finally make it to our start point.

sorry guys, had to capture that one!

We water up, take another bathroom break, then gear up to get on our bikes.  The ride today is nice and "relatively" flat.  The foliage is more lush now as well, which gives us occasional shade.  The only not so great thing is that the traffic picks up a bit, and if we are not careful we get clipped by passing motorcycles - no really - they almost knock me off the bike once.  On roads with traffic, we Americans still need to remind ourselves to stay on the left side of the road.

 

 

the Chicago crowd!

On this last day of cycling, the crowds at the sides of the roads are bigger, we are in more populated areas.  Countless number of people yell "Mambo!" our way and we all in great spirits yell "Mambo Poa!" back to them.  Many of us take the time to stop and savor the ride, taking photos and drinking in the sites.  The going is just fantastic and so much FUN!

 

 

 

As I pedal along, I take a moment to reflect.....

First my Chicago mates comes to mind. I think about Dawn and Marty, what a pair they are!  Always sticking close together, how well they complement each other.  I remember when Marty expressed his concerns that he wouldn't be up for the challenge.  They are so strong!  Both of them have persevered and ridden EVERY single kilometer of the ride. No bus rides for them.  I am really impressed by their endurance. 

Then I think about Marlies.  At the beginning of the week she was beating herself up and about to give up, so sure that she couldn't handle the hills.  She has done a complete mental 360 and now tackles anything that is thrown at her with strength and good humor.  Her cycling has definitely improved over the course of the week.  

Then there's Antje, our little Chicago social butterfly.  She too has been really strong physically through this ride.  You never can be quite sure where in the pack you'll find her.  Sometimes she's up front, sometimes in the middle, sometimes at the back. I am convinced that she purposefully rides in different areas just to get to know people.  She is warm and funny, perceptive and just plain great to be around.  I see her bonding with all the different riders, what a great spirit. I have really come to enjoy her personality, can't wait to continue that friendship.

And then there's Josh.  He starts out quiet, but then blossoms as the week passes.  He keeps on pushing through the cycle, even when the going gets a bit tough.  Thank God he finally got rid of that heater/helmet - I think that made things so much easier :))  I think Josh surely had a fantastic time in many ways - you all know what I mean :))

And how much fun has it been to watch the younger crowd zip up to the front and hold it every day?  Wish I had their energy!  And Phil, with his big smile and goofy good humor made me smile countless times over the ride.  Of course, we couldn't help but be impressed by all the veteran cycle challengers, after riding this week, I know what these things mean now!

Our fearless Action Challenge leaders - Simon, Will and Nicola, they kept us on the path through all the ups (literally) and downs, kept us healthy and in good spirits.  What a logistical nightmare this must have been, Nikki was a serious champ!  But, hey, lets not forget they were riding right along with us the whole time too, leaders leading by example.  They really made our experience a great and safe one.

I try to say out everyone's name in my head.....Chris and Wendy (another lovely pair), Jeremy, Malcolm, Justine, Yohan and Bertrand (our Frenchies), Jacob, Sophie, Pip, Rachel, Matt, Patrick, the amazing Monique, Michael, Mark, Lisa and Lisa, Jenny, Johnny our fearless cameraman, Graeme, Kay,  Geoff, Ellie, Debbie, Clare, David, Caroline, Caroline again, Bridget, Amanda, Alex, Ian, Alex, Juli, Elisha, did I forget someone??

Then there's Maggie O'Grady.  Of course, for me, she's a great friend whom I met 15 years ago in a Jazz bar in West Africa.  What could I say about her?  She makes this all possible and not to entertain a bunch of Westerners, but because of her devotion to the vulnerable children that she helps through International Childcare Trust.   She rode this week with the best of the riders, only slowing down when she thought it wisest, toughing it out despite the shiner!  What many of you didn't see (I did because she was my roomy) was that Maggie never rested until the last rider was in on each stop, she never used the toilets or showers until everyone else had, she did not find her bag, get her tent or eat her food until everyone else had already done so. It took even me a day or so to see that she was doing this. She silently cared for us in her way, made sure to speak with all of us throughout the journey, made sure everyone was happy and well.  She was always aware that she was the example for us all in this effort.  She is a true inspiration to me on many levels and someone I am so very proud to call friend. I am more proud to have been able to participate in this challenge and help those kids in any way I can.  A big giant THANK YOU to Magz!

So those thoughts said, lunch stop was nice and relaxing under the shade of some beautiful Indian Almond Trees.  Mini naps were had by many and we just tried to savor our last lunch on the road.

our last stretch together

Alex off in a corner snoozing under a tree

Lunch done, we knew that we had our biggest challenge yet ahead of us.  THE HILL.  It must be said that the road getting to the hill was rather hilly in it's own right. I was pretty breathy by the time I reached the bottom of that damned hill!  At the bottom, I decided to take a small break and drink up as much electrolyte-filled water as I could.  Also gobbled a yummy (not) GU energy gel (those things really work by the way).  I (with a few other people) planned my strategy at the bottom there.  I was going to take it reeeealllly slow.  Gears at 1/1 all the way (the only way it was actually possible).  I would attack that hill in chunks.  I proceeded to just climb bit by bit, stopping when my legs were screaming too much and my breath was gone.  I must have stopped at least 4 times on the way up for 5 minute breaks. At the middle hairpin curve, I walked the bike a bit.  Simon was there as well, making sure we all got up okay.  He had to give me a push when I got back on. It was so steep you couldn't get started without rolling backwards - kind of tricky I tell you!   Honestly though, walking it was actually harder than riding it.  Slowly, slowly I made progress.  Sometimes passing someone, most times falling back a bit.  I was just determined not to let it get the best of me.  When I was up against the last hairpin turn, I saw Jeremy waving us up.  He cheered loudly and assured us that we were almost there, just a few more feet.  That helped tremendously to know that the summit was in sight and that I could make it to the finish.  I arrived with the whole group cheering me on by name (does anyone have a photo from the top???).  I wasn't last, but damn near so.  I didn't even care, I just knew that I had made it through the worst bit and from here on out it was smooth sailing!

 

 

 

After a brief rest, it was on to the finish.  We all donned our ICT jerseys to ride to the finish.  There were still a few more hills, but they didn't seem too bad after the biggy.  There was also still LOTS of rocky road (yeah, the tarmac ended on the flip side of the hill, apparently it was only there to prevent trucks from slipping backwards!)  My old intestines were really feeling the damage towards the end, then suddenly our "float" (as promised in the literature) to the finish appeared and we were on an actual paved road!  Everyone picked up the pace considerably and as we zoomed down the road single file (there was lots of traffic on that actual road), we had our biggest accident yet!  Can you believe it?  On tarmac, only a few kilometers to go and we have a multiple-people pile up.  Guess we got a little over excited and a little too bunched up - peloton style!  Thankfully, no one was hurt too badly (lots of scraped and bruises), so onward we went.

 

Finally, at the foot of the mountains, next to a soccer match, we stopped and waited so that the Ahsante guys could stage our finish into the Morogoro Hotel.  We went one by one into the hotel.  Everyone was lined up cheering us through as Johnny filmed.  What a triumphant moment!  It may not be the Tour de France - but I sure did feel like a winner!  We dropped our bikes and all ran together for hugs and cheers and triumphant singing and dancing.  Ice cold beers were shoved into our hands and many were teary- eyed and elated.  What a fantastic journey, what a tough personal challenge, what an incredible cause it was all for.  At that moment, I felt so full of gratitude to be able to have been a part of it all, and so grateful that I had made it! We were all quite emotional.

a brief pause before our grand entrance at the finish line

our route

 

 

KWAHERI BAISKELI !! (Goodbye Bikes)

After much celebration we all headed to our rooms for a much needed shower, only to meet up again later for drinks at the bar and dinner.  Tonight, I don't have to worry about drinking too much or being too tired. 

I CAN CELEBRATE!!!

 

Day 6 - Lugoba Camp through Military Zone and on to Ngerengere

So we woke early this morning (about 5:45) to a school bell clanging in the background.  Seems that the school up on the hill above the football pitch sends out an actual wake-up alarm before the school day starts.  I guess it makes sense, they probably don't have alarms in each home! 

In any case a tent is not soundproof, so I too am up at dawn.  It's alright though, gives me a chance at those toilets and showers before the going gets too nasty.  Miraculous as they are, those toilets get pretty rank after 12 hours of 50 people using them!

 

the magical toilets and showers

After a nice, but rapid breakfast, we get ready to pile into the little buses that will apparently transfer us to out start point.  I guess it's not surprising that after yesterday's perilous downhill finish, we are told that the roads are too rough here.  We have about a 45 minute drive up the road to our push off.  The bus ride gives us all a chance to rest a bit and see some sights from the comfort of the buses.  Our drivers treat us to some nice loud tunes along the way.

Jacob's gone a bit mad with sunblock

termite mound

 

 

Bertrand fast asleep during the transfer

We all seem to be lacking some energy this morning as we pile out of the bus.  Standing in the field looking at the bikes lined up all nicely in a row, we can see the Uluguru Mountains in the distance - that is our goal - our end point.  We are slowly getting there!  Simon decides we need an American-style military morale boosting chant - which we all get into nicely. 

starting point for the day - see the Uluguru Mountains in the distance?

 

 

Marty and Phil

Awwwh, best buds, Magz and Marrs

Today we will be traveling some more rough roads with lots of elevation.  Our first stop will be at a school that has been briefed that we are coming.  Apparently they have a little welcome program for us as well. This will be our first real encounter with local kids on a large scale.  We are are excited about the stop.

After lunch we will be crossing a military zone.  We are absolutely forbidden to take any photos.  Simon tells us that we also do not have permission to stop, so there will be no scheduled water break, just the trucks with our water if needed.  This leg will also be longer as we cannot stop until we exit the MZ.

After the military zone we will be entering Ngerengere and reaching our camp.

So off we go, and I must tell you I am dragging.  I'm not really sure if it's fatigue or what.  The heat has gotten to me already before we even start.  It's going to be a tough one.

My initial feelings about the heat are not wrong.  Because we are at a higher elevation, the vegetation is much sparser and the sun is just beating relentlessly down on us.  No matter how much I drink, I am really struggling.  By the time we arrive at the school, I am really not well.  I guess heat exhaustion has officially hit me today.  I am completely nauseous, dizzy and my vision isn't right (it's kind of tunnel-like).  I try my hardest to get myself hydrated and under control before we walk to the back of the school to meet the kids, but it's really a struggle.  I really just want to lie down in a shady patch somewhere. 

The medic checks me out and finds my temp elevated.  He decides that I need some re-hydration salts and that I should sit out the next leg. 

Thankfully, I am able to get my mind off it a bit as I watch the performance by the school kids.  It is really touching and beautiful.  Simon misunderstands the teacher and tells us that all the kids there have HIV/AIDS, which makes most of us dissolve into tears.  Then rushes over to tell us that he was wrong, that they are singing about having HIV/AIDS.  Thank God!  That was just a little too much for us. We all sign their guest book, then have a look around the school.  Our kids really have no idea how very lucky they are.

 

 

 

 

 

Maggie chats with the kids

I must say that I am happy to get into the Day Bus and feel the air blow over me as we drive down the road.  The next water break happens way too fast, and I'm still not feeling well.  So Simon recommends that I sit out one more until the lunch break.  I'm REALLY frustrated with myself.  I have worked really hard to get here in more ways than one, and I am annoyed that my body is forcing me down.  However, I know that I should play it safe, so I do as I'm advised.

Lunch turns out to be a little slice of heaven as it is fully covered and has cold SODA!!!  Since I didn't ride the last bit, I went and got cash from my bag, and I bought a cold soda for several of the people coming in.  They were as happy as I to have that cold open bottle handed off to them.  Pepsi, Coke, Fanta and Sprite NEVER tasted this GOOD!

 

After a nice long, cool lunch, I was ready to try again.  This time we were entering the Military Zone, which you could tell made the Ahsante guys a bit nervous.  Nobody wanted to make a wrong move and we wanted to get through it as quickly as possible.  Simon decided to pair up all the riders into a buddy system where the weaker riders were all paired with a stronger rider.  That way we could encourage each other and not get so spread out, which was unwise in that section of the ride.   I think it was also to help the people who were struggling.  I think that this was the hottest day, lots of people were having a hard time, I was not alone in that Day Bus.

Not only was it a military zone, but it was barren and totally exposed.  It was also a stretch of long climbs and a distance longer than we had done without a water break.  Trouble for me hit soon after we started out.  I was paired with one of the strongest riders, which I think made it a bit more stressful for me. To top it off, I now had mechanical problems.  My bike's gears were so caked with dust and mud that the gears were constantly slipping.  As I pedaled, I tried to cycle through the gears to get them lined up right again, but it didn't work.  They changed with every stroke of the pedal. I kept getting thrown into 3rd gear at the crest of a hill.  At one point there was a little shelter of sorts that many people had stopped at to get a little shade and take in some water - even though we were not supposed to stop.

I had the Ahsante guys try to fix my bike there, but they were not having any luck and wanted us to get moving.  It seemed as if my partner wanted to get moving again.  I felt bad that this was happening and didn't want to hold him up.  Despite being really disappointed, I decided to get on the bus again and have the rack truck guys try to fix the bike so that I could get on a ride again at the next stop.

To my utter surprise, we never stopped again until we were at the camp.  I never got an opportunity to get back on.  This had turned out to be my most disappointing day.  I seemed to have spent more time off the road than on and mostly due to my bike malfunctioning. I feel like a complete failure as we enter camp.  As everyone is resting and recuperating on mats, I seek out Simon for some much needed support.  I fight tears as I tell him what happened.  He was so sweet, putting his arm around me and assuring me that I was doing great and not too be so hard on myself.  He got the guys to immediately take a look at my bike and make sure that it got cleaned really well for the next day's ride so I wouldn't run into that problem again.

a typical hill...the Ahsante guys clear away a cow obstacle...looks fun hugh??

 

mad dash for the showers

 

blessed relaxation and beers :))

I tried to forget it all as I waited for the toilets to be built, as I was in desperate need that a bush just couldn't help me with!  This was the first night that we had some daylight at camp and it made for a huge difference.  What a luxury to be able to organize and shower in the light.  We even all had a chance to do a little laundry and hang our clothes out to dry before it got dark.  We were told that the Ahsante guys actually had to negotiate for days with a local farmer to allow us to camp on this site.  Apparently, we were in the middle of some guys farm?  They also told us that the town had literally never seen white people/tourists before - we were REALLY in the middle of nowhere.  People had come for miles and miles around when the news was spread that 45 Wazungu cyclists would be passing by.

 

a little dirty...

When we were all getting ready for dinner Marlies made my week by offering to let me make a phone call to Karim on her Blackberry.  Yeah, remote as we were, there was still cell service and all the Blackberry people were happily chatting away when they got the chance.  The world is a crazy place when you don't have a pot to pee in, but you can surf the Internet!  In any case, Karim was soo happy to hear from me and I was so glad of the chance to let him know that I was ok!

After dinner, we had a HUGE bonfire and we played a sort of table quiz game.  I was made a team captain - I'm sure a ploy by Simon to lift my spirits (and it worked!).  I lead the Marcia's Mallows to a second (or was it third?  I don't remember now) place in the game - not too bad hugh?   It was great fun.  I decide to turn in after that so that I can start tomorrow fresh and hopefully have a much better day :))

Day 5 Sadaani to Lugoba Camp

Today we started out very early (5:30am) for another mini-safari.  There were about 6 people in the vehicle and we were all tucked in and ready to go before first light.  As we slowly made our way into the park, the sun started to creep up over the savannah.  The colors were so beautiful as light slowly spread over the trees and standing water, the photos really don't do it justice. The anticipation was thick as we silently scanned the park for game.  We had seen Nicola's photo of the lioness last night and were really crossing our fingers in hopes of seeing one.

Unfortunately, we were less lucky this morning.  Perhaps sunset is better than sunrise?  We did see more primates of various sorts, several more gazelle type animals, and beautiful birds.  The guide even found  fresh lion tracks in the mud, so we know they are out there somewhere. No giraffe today though - oh well.  Despite the lack of new game to see, we thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to ride in comfort (as opposed to riding the bikes over the bumpy roads).  It was not lost on us at all how lucky we were to be witnessing that scene this morning.

 

When we arrive back at camp and switch off with the next group of safari-goers, we still have plenty of time to have a swim in the ocean before heading to breakfast (breakkie as Simon refers to it).  The ocean was gorgeous again even without the moonlight.  We did encounter a few more jellyfish this time, but nothing too bad. 

Breakfast was shared with a big troupe (is that the correct term?) of yellow baboons.  They were unbelievable close to us and utterly unafraid.  They seemed as curious about our breakfast ritual as we were about theirs.  There seemed to be one central male who was meaner than hell with the others.  I personally did not want to get too close to those guys - they were quite intimidating.  They really were much bigger than I had ever realized, with very long powerful looking arms and legs.  One of the group took an opportunity to sneak behind our breakfast gathering and made out for the tents, but the Ahsante guys chased them off so no harm done.  Apparently they are thieves and will take anything not nailed down.

 

 

Breakfast finished we were ready to roll and all very excited to be able to cycle through the national park in hopes of seeing some giraffe.  No such luck, but a very nice ride indeed.  Because we were so close to the ocean, the starting 10-15k or so were quite sandy and very hot next to the coast.  After the first water stop things smoothed out a bit.  Anything was smoother than yesterday's ride!  It felt really good to be on the move again.  Big open roads that seemed almost vacant led to the group getting very spread out.  Several times throughout the morning I found myself seemingly cycling alone.  At these moments I took the time to drink in the view and marvel at the peacefulness of the place.  It felt good to catch back up with the group again as well though. We passed several herders on the road, most of them seemed to be women and a few were visibly Masaai.  It was really interesting to see a lone Masaai sprinkled here and there, as if they really were not where they belonged.

 

Babu Phil

One hot water break, notice the lack of shade?

After climbing a particularly large hill, we approached the gate to the park.  It was really getting hot and for me, I was having a hard time getting ahead of it.  After resting and sucking down 3 bottles of water and eating countless orange slices and handfuls of nuts, I was still feeling very light-headed.  I think that being sick for so many days and heading right into cycling was catching up with me.  My body really never had a chance to recuperate before all the exertion.  It was going to prove to be a recurring problem for me all week.

 

Water consumption

I decided to play it safe and sit out the next section until lunch.  It's a good thing that I sat out the next 10k as it was a really hilly and totally exposed 10k.  I did not envy the cyclists out on those hills at all.  I was also not the only one sitting out this section, it was the hottest part of the day and many of us were feeling it.

 

 

After lunch, I was ready to go again.  We still had lots of ups and downs, but what proved to be the hardest for me was the downs.  Going down hill is always mentally hard for me as it is ALWAYS really steep and really rocky.  For me it's really a mental obstacle.  Whenever I get some serious speed downhill, I see my life flash before my eyes as I go hurtling over the rocks, bumps and sandy patches.  I just don't have enough confidence in myself and I feel every time as if I am going to go flying head over heels off my bike.  And this is not an unreasonable thought either, as I have seen several of my fellow cyclist fall going down the hills, thank goodness no one gets seriously hurt.  The very last hill leading us into Lugoba camp is really, really, no I mean REALLY rocky and steep.  Once again, I feel as if I cannot do 1k more, and then we finally arrive. 

Think Marty and Dawn are tired??

This time we arrive before dark.  We are camping on a soccer (football) field in the village right at the bottom of the hill on which sits a primary school.  The entire village has turned out to watch their team play a game against our riders.  A brave collection of men, abandon their bikes and take their positions out on the field and we are treated to our first match of visitors against locals.I have no idea where they get the energy to play after a day full of riding, but they actually hold their own somehow.  It is really quite fun to watch as the sun sets over the field.

 

Soccer field camp

After dinner, it's time to make camp and bed down for the night again.  We attempt to get clean in our camp showers.  I am amazed at the actual flush toilets that they build for us.  We didn't have them at yesterday's camp because they had shower and toilet houses in Sadaani.  It is the coolest thing (although not the sweetest smelling after a while) that I have ever seen.  The toilet is comprised of a wooden box, in which is placed the ceramic commode.  Attached to the box is a wire frame stand thingy that holds a water tank.  The whole thing is connected to the same water source as the showers, which is a 30000l water tank inside that big supply truck of ours.  The whole thing is inside one of those zippered cubbies for privacy.  The guys dig a giant 4-5 foot deep collection hole behind it every time they set it up (every night).  It's really unbelievable the amount of work that goes into supporting all 50 or so of us.  Once again - a SERIOUS THANKS to Ahsante and all they do for us.

As I lay my head down to rest that night, I am really pleased with our days work and am looking for to more riding tomorrow.

Day 4 Bagamoyo to Sadaani National Park on the coast

Well today is the day - my first riding day!  I am really excited to get going.  Of course, that's because I have NO idea what lies ahead!

Let's just call today the "Railroad Track from Hell" day.  I'll explain in a bit.

The day started off normal enough, Simon tells us at breakfast that this might be one of our hardest and longest days of the week - yippee.  He tells us about the very bumpy/rough road that will be followed by the disused railroad track portion.  We are told that for the railroad part of the ride, the support vehicles WILL NOT be following us (as there is no place to do so), and that if we have any reservations about doing this leg we should bow out in advance.  There will be no Day Bus to jump on in a pinch.

Sounds okay to me, I'm up for it (I think).  So forge ahead I do, and I really have no idea what is to come.  We start out down at the port with a few (hah!) words from Fidheli about Livingstone and Bagamoyo in general before hitting the road for good.

 

 

 

Simon ready to roll!

Being my first day, I am still really getting a good feel for my bike and the roads, which are no longer tarmac.  Although I have lived in Africa before, I really had not anticipated just how bad the conditions of the road would be.  They are teeth rattling bumpy, full of large rocks and potholes, uneven angling down on each side with a strange hump in the middle and peppered with hidden sand patches.  So anyone who knows me, knows that although I have really enjoyed my cycling training, I don't much appreciate gravel or sand, so getting used to that in itself is a mental challenge for me.  The more experienced riders give me some tips and that really helps.

About 20k into the day, my back is absolutely killing me, so I flag the Ahsante guys for help.  I was almost feeling like I couldn't go on.  Luckily, they pointed out that my bike was really not fitted properly, the seat was WAY to low for me.  I guess I really didn't pay much attention to the bike fit on fitting day because I had felt so horrible.  Then later I didn't want to say anything 'cause I thought maybe I was just being wimpy!  Thank goodness I got a brain in my head and had them adjust my bike, after they fixed it life was SO much better.

Looking a bit hot and tired here...

After a water break in the boiling hot sun (very little shade there), we headed out toward the railroad path.  I should have known from the absence of an actual road/trail that the railroad bit wasn't going to be a piece of cake.  We emerged out of the bush, got off our bikes, crossed a little ditch and came upon the railroad track.  The track immediately looked treacherous to me, it was very narrow, alternatively sandy and rocky (I mean big bouldery railroad bed type of rocks) and in most places the drop-off was several feet into a whistling thorn filled bushy ditch (yeah, those bushes with the 6 inch spikes on them) or dropping down into more bigger rocks - NOT GOOD.  We are advised to go very slowly, always single file and walk the bikes over the bridges - wait, there are bridges too??  They also advised that maybe we might not want to use our clips in case we can't extricate ourselves quickly enough!

So, out we head.  Dawn, Marty, Marlies and I all vow to stay together just in case.  I pretty much beg Dawn and Marty not to go too fast, because I didn't want to feel totally alone out there - which occasionally happened when the group got very spread out on the road.  Needless to say, I don't think that it was hard for them to go slowly as there really was no other way to go.

yes, it's a bit wider here, but it's sandy and if it wasn't wider, there would be no photos!

That path took EVERY ounce of my mental prowess and physical balance.  I have never encountered anything like it, and don't expect to any time soon again.  I literally could not raise my eyes for even a nanosecond to look up from my front wheel.

We stopped once for a much needed water break and several people decided that they could not continue, which caused a small logistical issue.  We had one motorcycle following us, and they took 2 people to the end.  Apparently, Simon hired another local motorcyclist riding by to give a few more people rides to the end, but I guess that guy left with the money and no people (we didn't hear about that until much later of course).  Poor super-Maggie had taken a spill on the first leg and landed face first in the big railroad rocks and had a growing shiner to show for it.  She has decided to take it a bit slower here on out and not try to stay in the front of the line with the super-cyclers (my new name for them).

 

 

 

 

In any case, I'm glad I decided to continue on.   The rest of the way was about the same going, at some points extremely narrow though.  After a few kilometers, I lost balance and tumbled off to the left, into the bush (yep, it was a little spikey) and down the embankment.  I really didn't hurt too much, shook me up a bit though.  Marty had to pull me up, it seems I went a bit head over heals, but I was okay to continue.  From there on out, it was minute by minute.  By the time we started seeing civilization and realized the break was almost in front of us, I had almost reached my point of no return.  I'm not sure I could have done another km!

It was much later than anticipated for lunch, we spent several hours on that railroad leg, and we were way off schedule.  Our stopping point was the back end of some village with a big corrugated iron type of warehouse.  It provided blessed shade and that's all I really cared about at that point.  From the force with which I was holding onto my handle grips, my fore-arm muscles were screaming in pain.  I don't think that I have actually ever used those muscles that way.  I poured several bottles of water over my head to cool off - it felt great.  The ground was dirty and hard, but I didn't care, I laid down flat and stretched out and it felt GOOD.

Josh enjoying the ground as I look on and Clare battles with work of all things!

 

Then we got the bad news from Simon that lunch was actually set up at least another 15km away and it was already 2:30pm.  It was decided that they would bring lunch to us instead.  However, that turned out to take almost an hour and a half and by the time we had "lunch" it was 4pm.  Major snafus seemed to be plaguing us today!  During the long wait, a huge collection of village kids (probably every last one of them) congregates around us in curiosity.  One little boy has an amazing homemade toy that I wonder if my children would content themselves with?  Several of the cyclist decide to strike up an game of "Heads, Shoulders, Knees and Toes" with the kids.  They look on with smirks on their faces - I think some of them thought we were nuts!  But some of the kids try to join the fun.

 

 

 

 

 

village cool-dude teenagers...

Simon makes the executive decision that we did not have enough daylight to finish the ride - it was approximately 25km more on very bad roads through the Sadaani park. Some of the better riders were none too pleased.  There was no way that we could (all) finish that in 1h30 (sun sets exactly and immediately at 6pm).  It was just too dangerous, so we all got transferred to the Sadaani camp by safari vehicle.  We unfortunately had to go in waves though, because they could only take about 16 at a time.

I got lucky and went with the first wave.  Because of that, it was sunset as we drove through Sadaani.  We were treated to an impromptu safari.  We saw giraffe (still waiting for Josh's photos of that), yellow baboons, some other little tree monkeys, lion (not me, I missed that guy), waterbuck, Thompson's gazelle, wild boar and tons of beautiful birds.  The scenery was absolutely stunning.  What a wonderful treat after a really tough day of cycling!

whistling thorn trees with ants growing in those black pods

Waterbuck

Baobob tree

Lion print

Yellow baboons

 

tree monkeys of unknown name

By the time we arrived at the camp, it was black already.  Being our first night of camping, it was a bit tough getting all set up and cleaned up in the dark.  As usual though, the Ahsante staff was wonderful and got us all into tents eventually.  There was a flush toilet, for which I was really thankful!  My intestines were still not happy and that stressful bumpy day did not help matters.  The lines for the showers was very long also.  I decided (along with a few others) to skip the showers and head straight to the beach and clean up in the ocean.  What an amazing experience!  We stripped naked (just girls of course) and took our shampoo into the ocean.  There was a beautiful full moon and the water was warm like a bathtub.  My first ocean bath was an incredible experience.

We obviously needed it

After our bath, we made our way back to the campfire, which was set up in a big circle every night and had some dinner which was served buffet style as usual.  We found out then that the last wave of cyclist were just coming in (it was almost 11pm I believe).  At least we were all there safe and sound.

Simon briefed us and let us know that we would have a slightly later start the next day.  For anyone who wanted, we could have a sunrise safari at 5:30 and 6:30 (our choice).  Marlies, Marty, Dawn and I decided to go for the early one, who needs sleep right??  

Can't wait to see what tomorrow brings :))

Day 3 Dar es Salaam to Bagamoyo (First Day of Cycling)

Decided to sit it out today on Simon's (our Leader and a physician) advice to give my tummy another day to heal.  I am still not really able to eat anything and none of the medicine is making a dent - Pepto, Immodium, Cypro antibiotics, nothing.  I'm really not very happy about not riding, but I'm really trying to do the wise thing and not make myself more sick.  After all, we have a whole week of riding ahead and I don't want to miss any more than necessary.

We start the day early with an 8h00 push off, but first a group photo.  The newspaper is there as well to document the event.

Cycle Tanzania 2009 - the Crowd!

Our first group stretch

 

That's us in the news :)

Soooo, instead of riding, I get my first experience riding in the Day Bus".  We have 2 Day Bus vehicles and an ambulance as well as the bike rack truck, the big supply truck and the refrigerator truck that goes ahead with our meals.  The Day Bus is really a safari vehicle (a modified Toyota Land Cruiser with a top that opens).  The Day Bus is where we store all our "day bags" which hold anything we might need along the ride.  It's also meant to carry anyone who has to sit out a portion of the ride.  One Day Bus rides at the front and one rides at the back at all times.

 
 

 

So today, I get to ride and also get the chance to become acquainted with all the Ahsante Tours guys.  Ahsante Tours is the local tour company that Action Challenge/International Childcare Trust has hired to support our ride.  They are really an incredible bunch of guys.  They do all sorts of tours, but specialize in climbing Kilimanjaro.  They are really some tough dudes!  Although this is their first time supporting a large group of cyclists, you would never know it.  Already they have fitted and kitted 45 riders for a week of riding.  Throughout the week, they will ride right along side of us, making sure everyone makes it and is okay, answering any questions we might have, replacing or repairing broken bikes, smoothing the way with the local village chieftains, setting up our water breaks, cooking all our meals, setting up our camps, digging toilets and building camp showers, and absolutely ANYTHING else that is needed.  Did I mention that they do all of this with giant smiles on their faces and words of constant encouragement?  I really can't explain how wonderful they are.  One day I will see (and maybe climb) Kili and I hope that I can do it with them!

So, I ride all day in the Day Bus with Timba and Amrick (Ahsante guys).  I sat up on top most of the time taking photo after photo as the kilometers zoom by.  It was really awesome.  Although I am really bummed about my body's betrayal, I think that there was no better vantage point to see the start of the week.  I really enjoyed taking in all the scenery, watching the cyclists and helping out on water breaks.

Ready, Set, RIDE!

Muksin the Great

 

Through the streets of Dar es Salaam

 

Modern day scaffolding!

Shady water break

Lunch time anyone?

 

 

Last water break before arrival in Bagamoyo

The day's ride turned out to be 15k more than expected, but at least most of it was actually tarmac (YES, I missed the ONLY tarmac day).  We had a police escort through Dar.  Once we left the city, the tarmac heaven was in the past, replaced by the rocky, bumpy, pot-holey, uneven, sandy, teeth-rattling African roads that we would continue to cycle on for the duration of the week.

We finally arrived in Bagamoyo on the Indian Ocean, which was the most important slave trading post in East Africa that was originally colonized by the Germans, then taken over by the Brits.  After his death, Dr. Livingstone (as in Dr. Livingstone I presume?) was laid out in Bagamoyo's Old Church's tower (nowadays named Livingston Tower) to wait for the high tide to come in and ship his body to Zanzibar.

Riding into Bagamoyo

 

 

Local Mosque

Lone Masaai warrior

Our hotel

Before dinner, many of us take a (not really) brief walking tour through Bagamoyo with a guide named Fidheli to learn about it's history.  After dinner and our nightly briefing, all of us enjoy our last night in a real hotel before the camping begins.  Simon says that there will be showers and flush toilets at the campsite - how will they pull this off?  Needless to say I'm a bit relieved about that bit of news.  You have no concept of how very dirty we get biking all day on these dusty Tanzanian roads.

 

 

 

 

Oh, and did I forget to tell you they confiscated my deodorant in Heathrow (in my sick foggy brain state I had put it in my hand luggage and it was liquid and too big)?  Yes, that's right folks!  Biking 8-10 hours a day in the 95+ degree heat  - without deodorant.  I feel bad for poor Magz who has to sleep in the same tent with me :))

Tomorrow will be a new day, I am determined to bike no matter what this old tummy says!  I can always take breaks if I need to!

 

The Story of Cycle Tanzania 2009 :)

Well, as most of you are aware by now, on September 30, 2009 I set out for Tanzania in East Africa (with 5 other Chicago area friends) to participate in a charity cycle in support of the work of International Childcare Trust (ICT).  ICT is run by one of my best mates (that's British for friend for all you Americans) Maggie O'Grady.  Her organization funds a cycle challenge every year in which the participants must raise funds (and pay their way) to cycle across one of the countries in which ICT does work.  At the end of the challenge, the participants visit the local ICT project(s) and see firsthand where the money they raised will go and the work that is being done.  They also have the privilege of meeting the children who benefit from this work.

Okay, so that's the background, right?  Well now that I have been back for a week and a half, I feel I have digested the event enough to attempt to share the experience with the world at large.  I will be posting in chronological order my journal of the trip and a few photos from each day.  To see more photos please visit the complete collection on Flickr (not all photos were taken by me, some are from my fellow cyclists).  We will also be posting to the Cycle Tanzania Chicago website in the near future.

Well, needless to say, participating in Cycle Tanzania 2009 was surely the most physically and mentally challenging thing that I have ever done (parenthood aside of course).  I will try me best through my reflections to relay exactly what this experience was like, but I doubt that my words will do it actual justice (my teammates can corroborate that).  It was a grueling 304km + ride that wound it's way through very remote areas not far from the Equator (so you can imagine the heat...well probably you can't) on roads that really shouldn't even be labeled as such and up and down continuous hills and, well in one case pretty much a mountain.  We constantly battled heat exhaustion, fought against our rebelling tummies and staved off the ever present mozzies.

However, in the midst of all that, we found inexplicable beauty, warm hospitality, people always ready to great the Wazungu (that's us white folk), children thrilled with our presence and cheering us along the way, new friendships, a unique bond that will forever be shared among a group of virtual strangers who shared all manner of personal experience (some that we didn't necessarily WANT to share), and most importantly an experience that gave us the privilege of being able to impact a few children's lives for the better. One that will change our perspective on our own lives forever.

What more can I say??  Now on to the daily musings from Tanzania .....Karibuni! (Welcome!)

Day 1/2 London to Dar es Salaam

Unfortunately after arriving in London I came down with a stomach issue that I can't seem to shake!  Maybe it was the awful HOT salad in that United flight to Heathrow?  In any case I woke up Friday morning not at all sure that I even was capable of traveling to Tanzania.  Maggie convinced me that I need to practice mind over matter.  So I put the tummy aside and boarded the plane with the rest of the crowd.  The flight from London to Nairobi wasn't too bad, I just tried to sleep and ate nothing...which was good.  

Kenya Airways - Heathrow to Nairobi, Kenya

However, the airport in Nairobi almost killed me.  I was way over dressed ('cause I had been freezing in London) and I consequently almost keeled over form heatstroke in the airport.  I was so happy to see the inside of the next plane to Dar (if you can believe that after already flying more that 16 hours in two days) just because it was blessedly cool!  That flight was quick - thank God!  Arrival into Dar was very smooth, then we had to transfer to the hotel.  More struggle ensued as we sat in our 20 min transfer that took 1h30 min of traffic in an non-AC bus.  It took every ounce of my self control not to throw up or pass out in the bus that afternoon.  I just tried to calm myself by looking out the window and absorbing all the familiar sights and sounds that are Africa.  

Although I haven't been in this part of Africa before, so much of it seems familiar and like home to me.  That time I spent in Cote d'Ivoire had left an undeniable impression on me.

Sweet arrival at the hotel, and it is SUCH a nice one.  I am already feeling better (after another visit to the loo).  We have lunch and Cokes (most had beer) at the hotel.  Unfortunately, I didn't eat anything except rice - the food looked great though.  The BEST thing of the whole place was the beds in our room (my roomie for the week is Maggie).  It feels SO glorious to stretch my body out full-length and enjoy the cool, fresh sheets and the down pillows.  This is the first (good) bed my body has seen since September 30...4 days ago.  Simon, our fearless leader, tells us that this hotel is spoiling us a bit and NOT to get used to it.  If you ever find yourself in Dar es Salaam, I highly recommend the Southern Sun Hotel!

After lunch we all have our bike fitting.  I get my seat and pedals and packs added to my bike.  This bike is going to be my trusty companion, my ally and my partner for the next 6 days.  Better make sure it's all good, but I am still so weak I really don't care much!

Bike fitting at the Southern Sun Hotel on Sat Oct 2, 2009

After the fitting we don our new Cycle Tanzania/ICT jerseys and head off for the British High Commission (we are the only Americans and ICT is a UK org) for an informal tea on the lawn and a little meet and greet.  It is very nice of them to have us all over.  We are now feeling pretty psyched about our upcoming ride as we head up the road to get a peek at the Indian Ocean.  We make quite a spectacle riding the coastal road.

Getting ready to head out!

Dawn, Marty and I waiting outside the British High Commission

Dawn, Marlies, Monique at the British High Commission

Our Indian Ocean view stop

Our view of the Indian Ocean

That night we get our first briefing from Simon.  Lots of information on what is to come, how to take care of ourselves and battle the heat, loads of lecturing on staying hydrated (thanks so much Simon) and we are paired up with buddies.  As buddies, we will be responsible for making sure that we are present and accounted for at all stops and starts, remind each other to take our Malarone every day (anti-malaria drug) and to check on each other's pee (not physically look, but to ask thank God) for proper color!  Such begins our initiation into knowing WAY too much about each other;s bodily functions!

Simon Watson from Belfast our fearless leader and GP in charge during the first night's briefing

Perhaps the others have stayed up for a little first night kick off, but between the jet lag, bad stomach and just general lack of sleep, I can't wait to hit the bed.  But first I take advantage of the business center (surely the last one of those I'll see for a while) to send off a little "I'm okay" email to Karim and the boys.  I end up sleeping like an absolute BABY straight through the night until our wake-up call at 6h30.  The big adventure starts NOW!

packed up and ready to go....

Almost all packed up and ready to go tomorrow...First off to London, then Tanzania East Africa here I come!

Sure am going to miss my little men a bunch!

tomatoes and glasses

so here is little man Noah wearing his glasses (Scooby-Doo).  He's engrossed in his Kindergarten  homework :)  Isn't he just TOO cute??

 

and yes, I actually GREW this tomato in my own garden!  Can you believe it??  And it tasted delish!  Next year, I'm thinking I'll go all out and plant a real raised bed veggie garden.  This year with very little effort and not much warm weather we ended up with good tomatoes and excellent basil.  Next year, we're going to go crazy and see if we can get all our own veggies for the summer :))