Day 42: Lake Langano – Moyales

Impact is inevitable, the girl just turns and sprints straight into my path, swerving as hard as I can, I can’t avoid it.

Waking up after the best night’s sleep ever, we pack quickly for an 0700 departure. But my gosh, this place is super stunning. It’s a shame we can’t hang around, but we say our goodbyes and hit the road.

Ethiopia continues to stun. I am not kidding you, this is the most most stunning country ever. The kids seem to reign in their annoying ways the further south you go, but I’m gobsmacked after each turn. If ever there was a country for fly drive... Although, things are a little different in the 4x4. When we meet up at lunch, I’m excitedly talking about the views and the roads. Brian is just saying how shit the villages are. I’ve been completely blown away by Ethiopia, but it’s a country of two sides. Whilst the beauty is undoubted, the people are so uneducated. In a country of 85 million people, where 85% live outside cities, and mainly on the main roads, people are completely unaware of the dangers of the road. Yesterday a young girl ran out in front of me, I was hard on the brakes, and the horn, she didn’t look at any point and was barely missed. Numerous times people walk out into the road without looking. Road deaths must be massive. The girl that ran out in front of me today was even luckier. I don’t want to blow my own trumpet, but I do a lot of biking, from racing at over 150mph to rallies in Wales and riding everyday in London. It gives you a definite advantage when you want to avoid hitting something. If I’d have touched my brake, I’d have hit her at about 50mph. As it was, whatever was in her hands was struck by my pannier and blown everywhere. I didn’t stop. In my mirrors I saw her run back to her friends,  if she was injured there’s nothing I can do to help, and I don’t want to be caught up in some ‘discussion’ with some angry villagers. I hope that’s the worst traffic incident we both have.

Can’t really say much after that, I rescued a giant tortoise (about the same size as dad’s belly) from traffic (well I stopped traffic so he could get across the road), saw some mini deer (duiker) and have just been bewildered by it all. Looking forwards to Kenya!