(Sudan) What did you do to my lucky?

When a mechanic in a small town touched my lucky, my lucky was totally broken. I am wondering what he wanted to try to my lucky. (my bike)

The center of rear wheel is called rear hub. It is overlapped each other. When it is uninstalled, I find it is totally cut!!!! Three days ago my rear wheel was shaken that I asked a local guy to fix it. Then the result is awful.

A few days ago I tried to tighten locknuts that were shaken, but it didn’t work well A local mechanic moved nut to the center. I asked what he was doing. But off course we can never communicate in English.

When I got to Khartoum and met another mechanic, he said there was no gear on it. Oh.. how frustrating. The country is too poor to have bicycle gears. He said he could make a dust cap. There is no right size for my bicycle, so he cut and made the right size for my hub.

I think what the other mechanic in small town did was useless. He just broke my rear hub. I think my rear hub was shaken, because dust cap was broken. Although it is fixed for emergency, I can’t trust it. I can’t cycle with broken rear hub. I am sure that I will be stuck in the middle of desert.

When I was in the capital of Ethiopia, I met Swiss diplomat who works in the capital of Sudan. I meet her and stay at her house. Thanks to her, I could order a rear hub. I order also tool for installing a rear hub. I am sure that a local mechanic will not have it.

A local mechanic in Khartoum installs it with my tool which I just buy. The center, a silver color one is my new rear hub.
I do hope Lucky (my bicycle’s name)’ is not broken on my way to the desert any more. Please! Please! Please lucky!!! Stronger!!! I can’t find a bicycle shop and order gears anymore!!! Let’s go to the Egypt!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The next route is through the desert so that I buy 15 L of water. Then my kickstand  broke.. Man.. another frustrating!! It is my new gear!!!!!! It cost $32, was made in Europe!!! My ex-one was $20, and was made in US, but it lasted over two years. How come the expensive one is much weaker?.. My ex-one’s company is Green field. This new weak expensive one’s company is Vario.

Just the day before I leave, I get some contact on the online. He, Canadian, see my blog and invites me. His wife is Ethiopian that I could see roasting coffee. It is coffee bean.

The coffee beans changed color.

The aroma is so nice.

It is time to have original coffee. Awesome!

This is the place where White Nile River meets Blue Nile River.

It is dry, although it is next to Nile River.

A big building which is a gift of Gaddafi to Sudan Government; it is used as a hotel.

I try to cook Korean spicy food. When I show her Korean seasoning, she says it is exactly the same as her country’s seasonings. And then she makes for me to show how the same it is. Frankly speaking it is different to me. The flavor is different. Anyway it is good to share spicy food!

Just the day before I leave, I am invited to have a talk to his oldest son’s school. It is my honor to speak in front of them. Total four times I’ve been invited at the school. Two times were in Mexico and one time was in South Africa. This is my fourth time. It is really good experience 🙂 Specially this time I prepare MS powerpoint, which I’ve never done before.
My lucky is now ready to be on the road. My all journal is finished.
From tomorrow I have to cross the desert where not people are for a week. Off course, I am nervous about the place to sleep, water, people and my lucky (bicycle). I believe everything will be all right!
Hey lucky! Let’s go!