Day One - Iringa to Forest Camp

Distance: 105.68km
Ride time: 5:17
Climb: 1300m

Best shuffled song: No music - iPods prohibited.

Today did not start well. I'd arranged through reception for a taxi at 6.30. I figured that would give me plenty of time to put tubes in my wheels before having breakfast. Well, of course the taxi wasn't there. When reception tried to call for one, the taxi guy didn't want to come or something. So, first the night watchman went looking for a taxi. Then the reception lady followed him (there might have been some angernon moments in between).

While I was waiting, I tried to check out. Despite having VISA signs and me having been told that my VISA would work, it didn't. I had no where near enough Tanzanian Shillings to pay.
So, when my taxi turned up at 5 to, the reception lady jumped in as well. I got a stack of cash out of the Barclays ATM and handed it over. My on and off relationship with that hotel did not end well.

No breakfast, dodgy job putting the tubes in quick photo of the board and we were off. I miss the Arusha Hotel.

Despite how it started, today was actually really, really good. For most of the day, the weather was great. Plenty of hills, but no terrible grades. Not nearly as much traffic as we had been told.
There were some dodgy moments. The normal thing of cars and buses overtaking slow trucks and taking the whole lane. I only got forced right off the road one time. One of the descents was a 70km screamer. At the bottom a bunch of potholes. Some people didn't look ahead far enough to see them and had to do some emergency manoeuvres. This would have been pretty risky if a truck had been coming the other direction.

Lunch is going from strength to strength. Today my sandwich concoction was half an avocado, two slices of cheese, baloney, a sliced pickle, Branson Pickle, cucumber and tomato. So much better than pita bread, tuna salad and oranges. I guess that being in a richer country is definitely a good thing.

Talking about wealthy countries, the rumour is that Malawi is like Ethiopia. We'll have a camp perimeter again and have to keep everything locked down. I am definitely not looking forwards to it. It is hard to relax after the ride when you are being watched by four hundred and sixty eight little kids.

Anyway.

No that I've got my appetite back and am sleeping through the night, I definitely feel much more enthusiastic on the bike. Still slow with no staying power and no acceleration, but I actually feel comfortable on the bike again. Hopefully I'll build back up to being _and_ feeling strong.