(Tanzania) Passing between Baobab tree valley.

It is long time no see Baobab tree. During cycling on baobab tree valley, I keep thinking where I can go at the next.

10th July 2013
In the morning, fog is around the mountain. I buy some bread and a snack on a small town.

It is uncomfortable to cycle without a kickstand. Many cyclists travel without one, but I can’t understand why they don’t have one. It makes trip easier.
I am very hungry, but there is no place to lean my bike, so I just put it down on the road. After eating some bread, I find it is horribly heavy to stand up the bike again! Oh…

The daytime is so hot that I feel like I am melting. Since I came Africa, flies have been surrounding me often. Resting, I see a cute little leaf that it looks like a chestnut pod. I am wondering what is inside of it.

Before the sunset, the weather is getting cooler. I wish I could have this weather during the daytime. When I try setting up my tent at some local people’s house after getting a permit, the local people urge me to sleep inside of house. These days I am afraid of sleeping at the local people’s house, because of bugs that terrorize me. The owner is so kind that I can’t deny their offer. And again I am attacked by bugs. Oh please..

11th July 2013
Usually a meal is around three or four dollars in Zambia. But in Tanzania, it is only one or two dollars. I think Zambia has some problem, in that their salaries are too low, but prices are too high. Today I am having lunch for $ 1.6 including cola!

It is a bit windy today.

Before sun goes down, I set up my tent at local people house.
Frankly speaking, I’ve been harassed too much in Africa. (Actually, it has been happened since Central America.) So sometimes my journal contains some negative feeling. But true thing is there are many kind people in Africa. Many of them are truly warm and hospital, although they don’t have much thing. I really appreciate it. Sometimes, I imagine that if I am man, I will love Africa and Latin America more than now.

12th July 2013
The next morning it is too chilly that my feet and hands are frozen. After getting into the plantation, wind stops, and I feel warm.

I meet couple cyclists from Scotland. They started from Egypt, and it takes four months to Tanzania. They say North Sudan was very nice that people are the kindest, and Ethiopia was horrible. Also Egypt was really hard that some people hit his head again and again for fun. Egyptians also loved touching them. I think (hope) maybe man touches only man and woman touches only woman because most of them are Islam.
They had also problem after drinking local water. Now they put something on water. Africa water can make serious problem! Be careful!!!!!!!!!

After the plantation, it is again hilly. The picture shows how the hill is!

Today again I have cheap lunch for one dollar. It is quite big meal, and of course I finish all of them.

Some road is under the construction that many cars wait to pass. Many street vendors try selling something on that place. I buy grapes, but kernel is too small to eat.

I can buy 12L water in Tanzania. It is also cheap. After finishing water, I leave bottle of water on the road. I guess local people can use it so nicely.

Again I go to local people house for the night. In Zambia 100% I can get a positive answer. In Tanzania it is 50% to get positive answer so far.
Today I am too late that I beg to owner of house to set up my tent. I don’t want to be on the road around the dark.
After I set down on their yard, they are so kind to me. Many of African are so kind that I am gonna misss it definitely when I go to other continent.
In their yard there is some interesting. Can you guess what it is? I though it is for cooking or big bell.

They say it is house of chickens. Oh………Nice house than mine!

13th July 2013
Today I will go to Iringa which looks quite a big city. The local people on the picture is carrying huge basket on his bike!
2 km is steep uphill before center of city.

While looking cheap and nice hotel, I find people welding. So I ask my kickstand to fix, and they tell me mine is aluminum that part is 2000 shillings (1.2$). I pay total 5000 shilling (3$) for labor and part.

It is unlucky that I can’t find cheap and nice hotel in this city. It is hard to find a bike store as well. After a few hours, I find a small shop. But the owner of the bike shop introduces me street people to fix. I am not sure whether he hires him.
Anyway I ask many things, because there are many problems. My handle bar was shook, one of spokes on rear was broken, chain was bended and there was some noise on law gear. It takes the time. Total is 9000 shilling (6$). (They didn’t tune up my rear rim.)
On the noon the owner said “I have to go for pray, I will be back.” It was my first time to have this kind of experience that it was very interesting.
Half of population is Muslim in Tanzania. The other is Christian. It is good to see that they are getting along with each other well.
Unfortunately Sudan was divided because of religion. Still they have a big problem.

The back tire is moved to the front, the front tire goes to the back, because the rear tire is too worn out. I was thinking I should change it, but there was no time to do it. Thanks that the guy who fixed my bike asked me I want to change tires. So, he did for me. Actually I am a bit worried about it that I put some liquor to back tube to protect from flat tire. But I can’t put liquor to front tube that maybe I can have often flat tire on the front tire.
Unfortunately, I can’t find cheap nice hotel, but I was too tired with hot weather. So I just crush any close hotel.

14th July 2013
It is the scariest sign board, but there is no wind while I cycle. Lucky!

In Zambia people use fabrics as a skirt. It looks like in Tanzania people use it as kind of one-piece dress.

Mountain in Tanzania

These days I can’t enjoy much going into busy street, because some of street men harass. I am really stressful with this one.

Too steep downhill! A bit nervous of it.

I couldn’t find a restaurant in the town. Before hitting steep downhill, I buy two bbq corns for 1000 shilling (60 cents). On the picture the left is street vendor, and he has cell phone. On the right his friend is now using it to take picture of me.
It looks nice cell phone. While 20 minutes I eat corns I see how many corns he can sell. He sells 10 corns to cars which are moving slowly. It looks not bad? Huh?

He keeps taking photo of me, and so I follow him.

Many African people I’ve met have cell phone although their house doesn’t have electronic. It is very interesting to me that how they can charge their cell phone. Many of them who doesn’t have electronic and running water can’t understand why I don’t have cell phone which they have.
Interesting!
We can’t understand each other.
For me, I like freedom that I don’t want to have it on the road. Another reason is to save money.

It is too dangerous road. Although I hold my brake tightly, my speed is 20 km (12.5 mi) per hour. There is accident. Fortunately it seems nobody got injured.

After steep the downhill, I enter to baobab tree valley.

How amazing baobab tree! Car looks just toy.

I’ve seen Baobab tree in Zimbabwe. But here are more baobab trees.

I couldn’t find the safe place around the sunset that I was too nervous. As keeping cycling, I saw some small village. When I set up my tent, almost 50 or 60 people watched me.

15th July 2013
The next day I try to leave earlier. It is really early morning that only two kids watch me.

I love charm peaceful morning.

My breakfast is fried potatoes. One is 100 shilling (6 cents). I eat five at there, and pack five to my luggage.

It is a bit greasy from the morning.

There is a big baobab tree at the opposite side.

It is congratulation photo for 18,000 km (11,250 mi)

The morning with baobab trees

Oh I didn’t know that I will cycle between mountains today.

I’ve seen Baboon very often these days. They are afraid of me that I don’t need worried about being robed
The bump on the picture is kind of dangerous that every time I have to be careful.

It is too hot on the noon that I need the rest. I like the mountain, because I can feel I am closer to the nature.

The uphill is really hard, and the terrible thing is I don’t have anything to eat. Still sometimes I have the problem of it.
When I am too exhausted, I reach to the top. On there I find small restaurant.

I am wondering how come this small village has the restaurant?? Or just I am lucky that they slaughter their pig today?

It is 2000 shilling (1.25$). I buy also some biscuit and fried banana to get energy.

It is hard to cycle, but the scenery is beautiful.

I stay at Italian doctor’s house. In her house, there are more people that I have fun. She used to work in South Sudan. She tells me “if you want to die, then cycle in South Sudan. If you are not ready to die, then don’t try to cross South Sudan.”

The red cross means too dangerous to go. (I can’t get the Ethiopian border visa in Kenya or Uganda. Even I don’t want to cycle in that country for my safety.) So, I have to take the flight after Uganda or Kenya.
I can’t go to Europe because of winter around October.
0. Just whole plan
From Mar to July 2014 on Europe
Aug, Sep 2014 on the Middle East
10,11,12/2014~1,2,3,4,5,6/2015 on Oceania, Southeast Asia
July, Aug on China and North Korea
Sep, Oct on South Korea
Oct 2015, finally home.

Plan for this winter
1. Flight to West Africa
Ghana – Burkina – Mali – Senegal – Mauritania – Morocco from Oct 2013 to Feb 2014
This route is very adventure for me, because there is not much information of it. But I am not sure of safe.

2. Work in Europe
From Oct 2013 to Feb 2014
The problem is I am not sure how I can get temporary working permit without any profession.
But the thing is I do need money for keeping traveling all over the world. (I don’t want to get Australia Working holiday visa during cycling. I want to use it after cycling around the world.)

3. Flight to the North Sudan
Nov, Dec and Jan – North Sudan and Egypt
Feb – Turkey
It seems like number three is the most reasonable?
I keep thinking what the best choice is.

P.S If you have any good idea or information, please let me know.