Kentz Cairo to Capetown
Cycle Challenge

Cycling From Cairo To Capetown: South Africa

Saturday 3rd May : South Africa

I am writing from an internet cafe in the town of Springbok, there are 5 cycling days left and the buzz of Capetown is all around. Every time I pass a road sign and see the kilometres gradually reducing I am overcome with mixed emotions. Each day on the bike, although it's not always enjoyable or easy it's always a blessing.

Springbok in Springbok Springbok is an alcoholic shot as well as a town in South Africa. Yep, thanks to my good friend Erica De Jager I have drank this shot in it's namesake town. It's a special day and will be remembered with much love like the time I ate a Frankfurt in Frankfurt or when I drank a Windhoek in Windhoek.

After a couple of beers and dinner courtesy of my new best friend Wimpy it was time to go home. I was with my 2 good friends Rod and Dave Pennington. Springbok, however quaint during the day is a different story at night. The differences are immediate between South Africa and every other country. There are bars on all windows, guard dogs, barbed wire and even fake snakes in some gardens. Rod tried to flag a cab but kept on mistaking the armed reaction guards for a taxi. The last one eventually gave us a lift home in the back of his pickup. Once the sun sets in these small towns although noone is around there is always the feeling of being watched from behind layers of security or even from behind bushes.

It's the last few days of my journey and the scenery is magnificent- it's like cycling through Connemara in Ireland. The Northern and Western Cape of South Africa is very sparsely populated, plenty of hills, wind, rain and rugby is starting to state it's presence in bars and even in the banks ! The towns we camp in every night are tiny with little to offer but a good watering hole. As you can expect when winding down a journey of this length and magnitude people start to celebrate the end early and this can have strange consequences....

Dance of the Flaming Bums I don't want to give too much away on this because I want you to be able to read my blog from the comfort of your workplace. During the course of a cycling day, say 145kms long, the average spandex clad cyclist will think of what every 8 seconds ? OH YES that's right ........ food. After that it's your guess. Some think of the end, what's next, what happens after such a long journey ? What knowledge have they acquired along the way ? Some cyclists however think of other things. Clive for example, a good friend of mine from England suggested the Dance of the Flaming Bums. This should only be attempted after a beer maybe 2. It's first and foremost a race where each contestant must fast walk down the street with toilet paper in it's natural position, fully ignited. The person to run the furthest wins.

The location was Main St. in Garies, the contestants remain nameless (Clive, George and someone from Ireland). Dave Pennington brought the iPod and loud sound system guarenteed to wake up the locals. On your marks, get set, LIGHT ! There were some burns and body hair did once again prove flammable. After several heats and a final it proved impossible to declare a winner as people were laughing too hard. Needless to say it was a well documented event : there is video footage and many photographs which should deter all involved from a career in politics.

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