(South Africa) Is this Africa??

The city is well-developed that I can’t feel I am in Africa. Many houses are nice like North American’s house that I am too nervous to ask to pitch my tent at their yard. Even the weather is not much hot and it is really cold in the night. Where am I in???

5th Jan 2013

The city is well-developed. Actually I couldn’t see this kind of thing from the press about Africa so that I am so surprised. I feel like I am in North America.

This is Cape Town which is big city in South Africa. There is another surprising thing that a driver seat is on the right. I think it is because of history of South Africa which was conquered by England. I am not used it that I make mistakes and go back to opposite side as I start cycling to the road.

A gas station is really clean and nice. I feel like I am back to North America.

Even there are many nice houses.

The road is flat and the weather is cool so that I enjoy cycling. Today I set up my tent at the police station.

6th Jan 2013
Traffic worker doesn’t allow me to cycle to the highway so that I have to go to back road. There are not many cars so that I feel a bit afraid. I don’t know why I can’t ride on main road. Anyway the scenery is beautiful but road is really uphill.

When I look down, I feel sad because the main road is really flat!!!!!!!!!!

When you look at the picture, you can find the road on middle of the mount. I have to pass that road. Oh!!!!…… It is really hard!
(Later, I heard that there is a tunnel of 5 km (3mi) on the main road. I am not possible to cycle on there so that I thank to them they don’t allow me to ride on there.)

It is really hard to cycle on uphill, but the landscape is really beautiful.

I am almost on the top.

Oh it is nice view.

It is time to go down! Yeah!

Oh~ it is really beautiful road.

The road is not much hard anymore.

I already get out from the mountain. It was nice to ride there although it was bit scary and hard.

I arrive in Worcester, but the house is so nice. It is long time no see this kind of the town since the U.S that I am too nervous to ask for tent.

I see one big church that I ask for tent to them. They let me sleep at inside.

7th Jan 2013
There is a cloud on a hillside.

I think today also I have to ride between mountains.

The mountain is like wave. I love this kind of geography so much.

It is the first time to see poor area in South Africa.

The town is famous for a grape. I heard recently workers were on strike and blocked the main road. Their salary per day is 80 Rand (10$) and they striked to get 120 Rand (15$) per day.
One people says to me there are many Korean in this town. I am so wondering what they are doing in this small town. I do wish I can have Korean meal for lunch. (Kimchi and rice!!!!) But there is not enough luck to meet them.

Again there is a big hill.

It is interesting that many cars have a trailer on their way. I’ve heard that now they are on a vacation from last December to middle of January.

It is the road I pass. There is no people on the road that I can feel more safe.

Oh it is so nice.

Actually it is wrong. Water is more important than gold. I can never ride a bike if I don’t have water.

When I look around the town, Touws River, for the place to sleep, somebody come to me to talk. I talk with them a bit. They ask me I need some help so that I ask they have yard. They say they don’t have yard, but they introduce me their friend who has yard.

Sarel and Hettie let me sleep at the inside of their house and invite me at dinner. Actually I got info about grape town from them. During harvesting grape, there is always job. The problem is after harvesting that there is no work and the town changes to ghost. During that season, crimes are increasing.

8th Jan 2013
They have almost over 10 dogs at home.

Oh isn’t it cute?

One of the reasons I can cycle easily in South Africa is that there is always a resting place at every some point. I eat the sandwich which Hettie gave me

It is celebration photo for 12,000 km (7500 mi)

These days it is getting hotter in the noon, but still it is fine to cycle.

It is not steep, but anyway it is hilly.

Oh I love this kind of geography

I arrive in Lainsburg at afternoon. Here was bad flood long time ago so that they have the museum of flood.

It seems that there is the yard in hospital so that I ask for a tent. A doctor says it is dangerous so that she wants me to set up my tent at her yard. When I go to her house and try pitching my tent, she gives me the room at inside.
She has a daughter who is working in Korea as English teacher. Her daughter finished studying law, but she needed training for two years more. It cost a lot so that she decided to go to Korea to make money. I am really happy to hear that her daughter enjoys staying in Korea so much.

9th Jan 2013
There is somebody walking on the highway. It is not normal, because there is really nothing between cities in South Africa so that I am nervous to see stranger on the middle of the road.
Soon I realize that he is really amazing person in the world. He is walking for fund-raising for people who don’t have money to buy wheelchair after car accident. He started from Pretoria, capital and he is going to Cape Town. It is almost over 1,800 km (1,125 mi)! Now he is almost getting to Cape Town. I am so impressive and worried about him. I try giving some snack and water to him, but he says he already has enough food.
I am really wondering that where he can sleep. Because walking is too slow that he can only see the town every two or three days. He says he used to sleep beside the road.
What an inspired person I meet in the world. I’ve never seen this kind of thing that I am very moved by him. I think I will remember him for long long long time during cycling.
(This is his website – www.projectkaapstap.blogspot.com )

I cycle long way for fun, but he walks long way for people. It is totally impressive thing. Actually I want to do something for people like him, but I don’t know how I can do it. Anyway it was really amazing to meet him.

Yeah, you are right! If I am tired, then I have to stop and rest. But the problem is I don’t know where shade is.

My tire is going weaker that I get flat tire.

Today I really cycle much! 127 km (80 mi)! The last time I cycled like this was March at the last year

When I look for the place to pitch my tent in Police station, they give me the room which has also bathroom. Later I realize this room is for Trauma patient. There are some drawings which children did.

10th Jan 2013
Yesterday night I saw amazing the night sky that there were many starts on the sky. I think it was the most amazing sky I’ve ever seen. It was too cold and tiring to stand outside so that I didn’t take any picture. I really wish I can see night sky at the outside of highway. Oh.. when can I see?

My main meal is only bread on the road. Seriously there is nothing between cities. I’ve never seen it before. So, I must prepare food and water to survive. These days I am eating snack which is 50 cents. Actually I don’t like the author of this book I am reading.

There is always place to take the rest and it is really good for me.

There is strong back wind. I can’t imagine if it is headwind.

Suddenly, I hear some sound. Spoke is broken at rear wheel. I don’t have special tool for disassembling cassette so that I will fix it at the next town.

It is nice landscape. It looks like Grand Canyon.

Traditional house

Still it is not easy to ask to people for pitching my tent because house is so nice. And Police station is enough kind to me that I sleep in the police station again tonight.

This is South African money. 1$ is around 8 Rand. It is interesting to see their money that animals are on the money like Brazil.
On the back there is Nelson Mandela who was first black president in South Africa in 1994. As telling at last post, 17~19c there were many white farmer immigrants and England ruled South Africa in 20 c. Also there was Apartheid which separated between white and black.

11th Jan 2013
I found one bike shop last night, but it was closed. The owner said they open tomorrow 8 am. I wanted to cycle early in the morning around 6 am but he said they don’t open early and there will be no bike shop for long way. So I decide to start late. Now I am waiting that the bike shop opens.

It is surprising that they don’t use special tool. I realize it was not necessary to use that tool. Anyway I am not good at fixing something. The owner fixes my spoke for free.

Oh.. there is something…

It is monkey!

These days I see this kind of thing very often.

SERIOUSLY THERE IS NOTHING BETWEEN CITIES. Am I scared? No it is better. If one guy standing on the road, it will be more scaring. I love people, but the thing I can’t deny is the scariest thing is people.

I can see some name of the town on the map which is called Three sisters. But I can’t find any house but only Gas station. I’ve never tried pitching my tent at Gas station, because there are always cars for 24 hours that I can’t feel safe. Now I don’t have the choice. Some workers say I should set up my tent beside wall of house which I couldn’t find. I thought that house is manager home.
When I try pitching my tent, owner of house tells me it is not good idea, because it is dangerous and I should set up my tent at yard of inside.
So I come to inside and owner says there is room for me. I realize later owner of house is not worker of Gas station.
This is tale and intestine of Sheep. Actually there is some weird smell that I couldn’t eat all because I am not used to eating Sheep yet.

Question!
What is this for?
When I saw it at first, I though it is switch of light. Holes are also really bigger.

Here is answer! It is plug! I bought multi adapter in Cape Town for 7 $. I think it is good that there is switch for safety and save electronic.

I’ve cycle over a week in Africa. So how do I feel cycling in Africa?
Actually I don’t feel I am in Africa. The weather is not much hot and even it is cold in the night. When I take the shower I need hot water! In Central America and North of Paraguay I must have needed cold water to take shower because the weather is too much hot. The most of people who have helped me also are white people. So I am confused where I am in, because the press always shows me only lions, poor people or aboriginal people about Africa.
Actually when I was in South America, I was afraid to go to Africa. Also airplane was too expensive. So, I wanted to turn to Europe. I really thank(?) that now Europe is winter that I can never cycle there now.
I think it was really nice choice to come to Africa.
I think other country in Africa will be not easy to cycle, but still I think it was good to come to Africa, because I can see other things which I can never see from the TV.
I feel good.