Tanzania for me to date has been the biggest mix of emotions on the trip.
Initially it was god damn awful. I am not sure in what society having stones thrown at you, riders being attacked by sticks and having machetes waved in you face by young boys demonstrates a respectful society.
I discussed this with many locals and was consistently told the Masai are honest and kind hearted. But the kids behaviour did not match this description at all.
I was one of the lucky riders who had relatively few issues. But for some it created chaos and meant they missed days on the bike.
Human nature then kicks in and you are cautious of everyone!
After a while the issues lessened the dirt roads started and the rains came.
Another rookie camping mistake the night the storms hit. I had camped under a tree and was panicking as the ground shook!! All I could think about was the tree getting struck by lightning. What a way to end the tour.
The rains persisted which meant endless days of wet feet and a hundred more mosquito bites.
But for all the hardships suffered nothing could dampen the spirits once we got endless endless views of Mount Kilimanjaro and the experience of safari in the Serengeti.
Even if the conspiracy theorist in me was convinced every day as a cycled past a herder they put the animals out into the road.
I spent my whole rest days on safari which I have paid for later in the trip I wouldn’t have missed the experience for the world. The company (now known as the Serengeti Seven) was exceptional and the experience surreal.
Make sure at some point over a beer you ask me about the vehicle breaking down in the crater and our great escape from the angry buffalo.
Not forgetting the story about how we were surrounded by them in the campsite the previous night as they munched grass loudly with just the canvas between us.
The great escape will bond the Serengeti Seven together for ever and will come up in conversation for years to come.
I am sure the couple on honeymoon whose vehicle we accosted will also have a tale to tell back in Argentina.
One thing is for sure it is not an adventure until something goes wrong.
As we exit Malawi tomorrow, I realise so much goes wrong on a daily basis and life can change in an instant on this trip.
With 4500km left to cycle I am sure there will be many more adventurous days ahead.
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