Addis Ababa

(English below)

Vandag was ‘n lekker rusdag in Addis. Gister het ek die fiets deurgekyk, gesmeer, nuwe lugfilter ingesit en seker gemaak dat alles reg is vir die lang ry Nairobi toe.

Ek oorweeg om miskien wel nie die eindstryd te kyk nie. Suid van Moyale is ‘n baie lang stuk turfpad  wat ‘n nagmerrie is as dit nat is. Ek het al foto’s gesien van hele konvooie vragmotors wat daar vassit. Op die oomblik kry Moyale wel reën. Ek weet glad nie wat die toestand is van die pad nie. Dit sal miskien wys wees om meer tyd te laat om die 540 km van Moyale tot Isiolo te doen.

My irritasie oor Ethiopië het weer bedaar. Hier is baie goeie mense in hierdie land en baie redes hoekom ‘n besoek aan die land die moeite werd is.

Alhoewel ek nog baie kilometers moet ry voor ek klaar is, is daar volgende week twee belangrike mylpale wat bereik gaan word. Na maande se ry aan die regterkant van die pad gaan ek vanaf Kenia weer links ry. En dan, ‘n dag se ry voor ek in Nairobi gaan aankom, gaan ek die ewenaar oorsteek. Dan gaan ek terug op die suidelike halfrond wees!

Ek begin al drome droom. Ek sien uit na my eerste Engelse ontbyt van bros spek, eiers, sousboontjies en roosterbrood wat ek in Malawi gaan eet. En dan hoop ek ook dat die blomme die jaar in Namakwaland baie mooi gaan wees as ek deur Namakwaland Kaap toe ry. Dit gaan ‘n besondere hoogtepunt van my lang ry huis toe wees.

Ek weet nie wanneer ek weer die dagboek op datum sal kan bring nie. Dit gaan moontlik eers weer van Nairobi wees. Laat Afrika ons verras!

Geniet die sokker, en mag die beste span wen!

English

Today was a relaxed day in Addis. Yesterday I checked the bike, replaced the air filter, lubricated the chain and made sure that everything is fine for the long ride to Nairobi.

I consider not to watch the World Cup final on Sunday. On the road south of Moyale is a very long stretch of black cotton soil which becomes very sticky and a mess when it is wet. I think it would be wise to leve more time for the 540 km between Moyale and isiolo. At the moment Moyale is getting rain. I don’t have any information on the condition of the track down to Isiolo. I once saw photographs of whole convoys of trucks that got bogged down in the black cotton soil. That is going to be exciting!

My irritation about a small minority of people here in Ethiopia is back under control. There are many good people and many reasons to come and visit this country.

Although I still have to cover many thousands of kilometers next week will bring two important milestones. After months of travelling on the right side of the road I will switch back to left in Kenya. And in Kenya before I get to Nairobi I will cross the equator. I will then be back on the southern hemisphere!

At the moment I look forward to my first English breakfast of crispy bacon, fried eggs and toast! I know precisely where I am going to have it in Malawi at Lake Malawi. And then I look forward to a wonderful flower season in Namaqualand.  That will be a certain highlight of my long ride home.

I do not know when we are going to speak again. I believe that will be from Nairobi end of next week. Let’s wait and see.

Enjoy the soccer, and may the best team win!