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> Crossing into Congo
Day 144 - Sun 21 Feb - 13,479km, Kebala, Gabon/Congo border
With 200km+ of sand trails between me and civilisation in the Congo I thought I best drop a quick text to say I may be out of touch for a while! Despite Gabon's beauty it was becoming incrediably pricey to satisfy my appetite and the limited availability of street food was most upsetting. Having said that, I did find enough spicy brochettes in Francisville to mean that I was unfortunately caught short twice when out for a run yesterday!
Comments:
The world belongs to the discontended
Rob,
Your "Xara" Robert Woodroof, which means in portuguese (same name fellow) once said that THE WORLD BELONGS TO THE DISCONTENDED.
As soon as I got to the luxury of everyone´s normal life, I slowly started missing the fun of teaming up with you on riding and cruising through Africa. To be totally honest with you, the part that involves sleeping in hot tents, drinking sour water, 24 hrs on insect repelent amongst others .... Is overwhelmingly washed out by the cool /fun part of it.
Funny that the hungrier I got, the better the food tasted. Yesterday I had this great dinner at a fancy restaurant, but amazingly the pasta we prepared at Oyem tasted much better.
As a Coke expert, I assure you the hot Coke I drank at Eboro (sipped in 2 seconds), tasted better than the Ice one I had yesterday, drank in 15 minutes.
The hot water I was drinking with Chlorine tablets, felt better that St. Pellegrino I had yesterday before the wine.
The 10 seconds face bath was more relieving and refreshing than the swim I had yesterday afternoon.
Finally, Thatiana my wife, is trying to understand why I am sleeping my normal 6 hours in a confortable bed, A/C room, while a week ago I was doing a 8 to 9 hrs rest. Why is that ?
Things always depend on circunstances and on the perspective we look at them. So enjoy your delicious teeth breaking baguette, sour water, smelly matress, and your 8 hour ride on hills, because pretty soon you´ll be strangely missing it.
May be I am a bit crazy like you, but that´s really crazy ! The world belongs to the discontented !
Cheers and have a hot Coke on me, Bro !
Leo
Congo
Good luck through the Congo sands, Rob, we hope you have one of those wonderful pieces of cloth to protect you from the wind. Can't think what they are called, but they make you look like Lawrence of Arabia. Still following your story with admiration and interest. May you and Bertha go well over the next few days. Love from Piers and Nessa.
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Triathlon Completion: Day 255 - Sat 12 June
-20,293km Rustenburg, SA
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