Bahir Dar, Ethiopië

(English and photographs below)

Saterdag 3 Julie:  Gonder – Bahir Dar (Ethiopië)

Nog 10 131.7 km om te gaan!

Ek het vandag se kort ry baie geniet.

Dit het redelik goed gereën waar ek gery het. Die velde was groen, die landerye het begin groen wys, en waar nog natuurlike bos was, was die bos dik en lowergroen.

Daar was weer mense sonder einde te voet oppad gewees. Ek kan nie eers raai waarheen hulle geloop het nie. ‘n Mens kan dink dat dié kort voor of na dorpies iets gaan koop of verkoop het. Baie van hulle het dan ook hanghoenders gedra. Maar soms ver van enige dorpies het mens hulle gekry, in twee’s en drie’s oppad.

Dis ook ‘n land van gewere. ‘n Mens kry soveel mans wat met AK-47’s loop. Hoekom? Ek weet nie. Ek het vandag by ‘n begrafnisseremonie langs die pad gestop en na die bedrywighede gekyk. Toe alles klaar was, het hulle die draagbaar met lyk opgetel en begin stap. Voor die optog het ‘n man wild gedans, geweer bo die kop.

Bahir Dar is ‘n wonderlike klein stadjie aan die Tanameer. By die Goya Hotel is kamers en kampeerplek. Onder ‘n reuse groot boom het hulle ‘n restaurant ingerig. Die rustigheid om daar te sit en ver oor die meer uit te kyk, is verslawend.

Ek het nog meer as 10 000 km om te gaan voor ek die KLR by my huis kan stop en dit vir oulaas kan afskakel. Oor ‘n bietjie meer as ‘n week kom die hardste en moeilikste gedeelte van die hele reis aan die beurt, Noord-Kenia. Ek voel oor daardie roete soos oor ‘n Geskiedenisvraestel op skool. Ek vermy enige gedagtes daaraan want dit gaan weer hard wees.

Die doel van hierdie toer bly is om die gesiggies van 16 kinders  te herstel. Oor die laaste 10 000 km gaan ek die tromme slaan. Julle moet my asb. help! Probeer by jou vriende R 10’e af te bedel. Is daar ‘n besigheid waarvan jy die eienaar ken wat miskien kan twee R 10-note kan afknyp? Dis nou tyd dat die momentum gaan begin toeneem. Die moeilikste gaan wees om die momentum aan die gang te kry. Ek het JOU vir die momentum nodig.

Kom jy na die afsluitingsete middel September by Johannesburg? Bring sommer nog ‘n paar vriende saam. Ons gaan daardie aand lekker kuier en vir oulaas terugkyk oor die langpad wat ek gekom het.

Soos een van ons oudstudente altyd skryf: -Smile-. Ek kan. Jy kan. Die lewe is goed en wonderlik vir ons.

Geniet die naweek!

Ek het die geel blomme langs die pad vandag geniet / I enjoyed the yellow flowers along the road today.

En voor loop die man met die AK / In front the gent with the AK

Na die begrafnis het 'n see van gesigte my omring / After the funeral a sea of faces surrounded me.

English

Saturday 3 July:  Gonder – Bahir Dar (Ethiopia)

Still 10 131.7 km to go!

I enjoyed the ride of today thoroughly.

The area between Gonder and Bahir Dar had good rains. The fields were green, the harvest started showing its face, and where was still natural bush it was lush and dark green.

There were again thousands and thousands of pedestrians on the road. I don’t have a clue where all those people were going. One can assume that those close to a village went there to buy or sell something. Many were carrying chickens over their shoulders. But often far from any village they were still walking, in two’s and three’s, with bags over their shoulders or on their heads.

This is a country of assault rifles. I have never seen so many AK 47’s than here. Men were walking, some were carrying walking sticks, others their AK’s. Amazing. Today I saw a gathering of people close to the road. I stopped to see what was going on. I later realised it was a funeral. After all ceremonies were performed they picked up the body on a stretcher and started walking, while one man danced like a lunatic in front of the procession, swinging his rifle above his head.

Bahir Dar is a beautiful small city on the shore of Lake Tana. At the Goya Hotel one can rent a room or camp, as you prefer. However, the best is the restaurant under a huge tree. The tranquillity is addictive when one sits there with a juice and stares across the lake without actually thinking anything.

I still have more than 10 000 km to ride before I can stop the KLR and switch it off a last time at my home in Naboomspruit. In a week’s time the hardest and most difficult stretch of the route across Africa starts, Northern Kenya. My thoughts about that part are like in my school days the day before I had to write a History paper. I tried not to think of what was coming.

The whole purpose of this trip is to repair the facial deformities of at least 16 children. I am going to use the last 10 000 km to motivate as many as possible people to donate as many R 10’s as possible. We have to reach the objective not later than middle September. Please help me to help those children. The momentum is going to increase. Become part of the momentum.

Are you coming to the final fundraising dinner middle of September close to Johannesburg? Why don’t you bring a few friends with? We are going to enjoy that evening with a last look at the tour across Africa.

One of our ex-students used to end a message with the word –Smile-. I have all reasons to smile. You too? Life is truly good to us and to those who pursue their life destiny (The Alchemist).

Enjoy your weekend!