The Pearl of Africa and a Question of Motivation

Cycling the Tour D'Afrique, days 41 to 48, Kenyan-Ugandan border to Lake Bunyonyi

Distance Cycled: 4,010km

Metres Climbed: 16,192m

Time on Bike: 150:31:27

Time in Truck: 0:00:00

Race Position: 2nd

Despite relatively short days and incredible tropical scenery; a raging fever, constant rain and long hills proved to make the Uganda stretch the hardest yet.

Uganda Border

This new section for the tour involved us skirting around the edges of lake Victoria. Initially stopping in the town of Jinja, famous as the location of the source of the Nile, then onto the outskirts of the capital, Kampala. Instead of risking sure death in the traffic there, we took a boat out to the paradise island-esque Ssese island in lake Victoria then back onto the mainland we headed to the national park of Lake Mburo and finally into the mountains and to Lake Bunyonyi.

Early Morning, Lake Victoria

Cycling-wise, we headed onto the dirt again. Instead of the harsh, dusty corrugation of southern Sudan, this time we had great fun on muddy, red-brown rolling hills. Sliding around at the edge of grip on the mud and flying down steep decents, fervently watching for ruts, pot holes and deep puddles. So much fun I might even get into cross-racing back home!

Ugandan dirt/mud

March in Uganda also denotes the start of the rainy season. Uganda in the rainy season is wet, Sometimes it drizzles all day and sometimes it opens up with such almighty force that cycling becomes nigh on impossible. With camping being a relative doddle in the dry; waking up damp, putting on damp cycling clothes and shoes and packing away a wet tent every morning added a new challenge to the tour. With these rains, however, we are treated to some incredible scenery with the most lush green vegetation wherever you look. Its clear to see why Churchill dubbed it the pearl of Africa, as an example of a land with magnificence of form and colour. Then to lift spirits further, the roads are again lined with excitable kids. Running out from every direction they scream "Mizungu! Mizungu!", literally jumping up and down in excitement as we ride by. It actually became quite the chore to constantly wave back. Note: Mizungu just means 'white man' - void of any negative intent.

When it rains...

For me (and quite a few of the other riders) this stretch was given the added complication of getting really quite ill, with a viral stomach infection doing the rounds. The illness hit me with full force as we transited around Kampala via the Ssese islands.

EFI, or Every F******* Inch, is a status given to riders on the tour who have cycled every part available so far, i.e. no getting on the truck. Although Tallis, our tour leader, has been at pains to tell us that EFI really isn't that important: "it's a bit like your losing virginity - you only care about it until it happens", I'm sure those that know me would appreciate that maintaining my EFI status was always going to be a huge motivation. This was the first time for me this tour that was really challenged. Still suffering with fever and having woken up drenched in my own cold sweat for the third day in a row, the heavens opened again just as I was packing my tent away and (for the second time) Helen, our hardworking medic, advised me not to undertake another 100km day. My motivations on this tour were really called into question. Should I be looking to maximise the enjoyment of each day on the tour? Because, surely, cycling with a fever is not fun, and my immediate enjoyment of the past couple of days was really lacking. Or is completing a greater goal, through adversity, a source of greater joy? Who knows but, of course, I went for the latter.

p.s. Don't worry Mum, all OK now :)