The following was written in 1910 by Mary Gaunt.
I found it still quite pertinent today, and copied it down to share with my blog readers. It is framed and sits in a prominent spot at the restaurant/bar at Chitimba Beach Lodge, Malawi.
Africa- 'all other places are tame'
The fascination Africa has always held for those who have visited her shores has hitherto been the fascination of Mistress, never of the wife.
She held out no lure,for she was no courtesan. A man came to her in his eager youth, asking, praying that she would give him that which should make life good, and she trusted and opened her arms.
What she had to give she gave freely, generously, and there was no stint, no lack. And he took. Her charm he counted on as a matter of course, her tenderness was hid due, her passion his pleasure, but the fascination he barely admitted could not keep him.
Though she had given all, she had no rights and, when other desires called he left her, left her with words of pity that were an injury, of regret that were an insult.
But all this is changing.
Africa holds. The man who has known Africa longs for her.
In the sordid city street she remembers the might and loneliness of her forests, by the rippling brook he remembers the wide rivers rushing tumultuous from the lakes, in the night when on the roof the rain's splashing drearily he remembers the mellow tropical nights, the sky of velvet far away, the stars like points of gold, the warm moonlight that with its deeper shadows made a fairer world.
Even the languor and the heat he longs for, the white surf on yellow sand of the beaches, the thick jungle growth gently matted, rankly luxuriant, pulsating with the irrepressible life of the tropics.
All other places.... are tame
Mary Gaunt,
Sierra Leone, 1910
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Back Online
Hey loyal readers- I'm still alive, and racing fine as the 2008 Tour Dafrique enters it's final month.
Since my last post we have cycled across Tanzania, on rough roads and past villages where they rarely see a white person, let alone 62 crazy people on bicycles. Each community we passed through received a welcome economic benefit as cycling, especially in these humid conditions creates a powerful, insatiable appetite and thirst. The scenery has been very lush, green and beautiful. We followed the Masai steppe across Tanzania, which proved to be quite hilly. Once we reached the Town of Iringa (at Easter) we traded our off road knobby tires for smooth, fast road tires. Our behinds enjoyed the smoother roads. We seemed to blast through Tanzania quite quickly. The last days ride in that country was stunning . It featured smooth, fast roads, hills ,quick descents, banana, coffee and tea plantations, and a view of the massive lake Malawi in the distance.
Malawi was very hot and humid. We enjoyed a day off at Chatimba beach, and swam in the warm lake waters. Following that, it was back on the road, where we faced 2 days of drenching rains, which cooled us as we climbed the steep road up the escarpment and out of the rift valley.
We came across actual logging operations in the highlands of Malawi. Daily the road was challenging, twisting, turning and winding its way across the land. In Malawi we passed many corn and tobacco plantations. The people were welcoming and super friendly. In Lilongwe the TDA held the second of four bicycle donations, with over 50 bikes being donated to various health care organizations. Hundreds of people die each day from the ravages of Malaria and aids, so the bikes are definitely essential in helping the health care workers get out in the field and do their work. Thanks very much to all who have donated to my bike donation fund. To those that still wish to donate, please contact the TDA office in Toronto.
We were through/across Malawi in 8 days. Currently, we are in Lusaka, Zambia. Riders have gone into sensory overload as , for the first time since Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, we find ourselves in a modern city, with modern grocery stores and conveniences. We wasted little time at eating ethic available, and marvelled at the selections on the grocery store shelves. After being content with warm coke and a few stale biscuits at tiny village stores, this was truly overload!
The pace /mileage of our rides is starting to ratchet upward. last week we had a 197 kilometer day over rough, hilly roads. it was part of a 5 day stretch where we rode over 700 kilometers, all over hilly , hot roads, which made for some demanding riding. Tomorrow we begin a 3 day ride to Livingstone and the world famous Victoria falls, where we will have 2 days off. The 3 days to get there , however, are all reputed to be about 165 kilometres. After that, we enter Botswana, land of flat roads and elephants. There our mileage will increase to 6 days of almost 200 kilometers each. The tour is 3/4ths done. One more month and it's all over. We arrive in Capetown on may 10th. Many riders have bittersweet feelings about this, and prefer to simply enjoy each day and each ride.
On the racing front, the top 3 racers have been very consistent since Egypt.
Joss Kaal, ex semi-pro danish racer, and Bernd Prorok, nationally ranked Austrian mountain bike racer are 1-2 most days, with myself usually taking 3 spot. We are some 25-30 hours ahead of the 4 place racer. On rare occasions Bernd has taken a stage win. I have been fortunate enough to take 2 wins. For the most part, however, Jos and bernd are much better riders than myself, and much younger as well. I just do my best and ride as well as i can each day. Every day is a new adventure on the 2008 tour dafrique!
I will try to update my blog more often, but racing and refueling take top priority on the world's toughest bike race..
Cheers to all from Lusaka, Zambia.
Since my last post we have cycled across Tanzania, on rough roads and past villages where they rarely see a white person, let alone 62 crazy people on bicycles. Each community we passed through received a welcome economic benefit as cycling, especially in these humid conditions creates a powerful, insatiable appetite and thirst. The scenery has been very lush, green and beautiful. We followed the Masai steppe across Tanzania, which proved to be quite hilly. Once we reached the Town of Iringa (at Easter) we traded our off road knobby tires for smooth, fast road tires. Our behinds enjoyed the smoother roads. We seemed to blast through Tanzania quite quickly. The last days ride in that country was stunning . It featured smooth, fast roads, hills ,quick descents, banana, coffee and tea plantations, and a view of the massive lake Malawi in the distance.
Malawi was very hot and humid. We enjoyed a day off at Chatimba beach, and swam in the warm lake waters. Following that, it was back on the road, where we faced 2 days of drenching rains, which cooled us as we climbed the steep road up the escarpment and out of the rift valley.
We came across actual logging operations in the highlands of Malawi. Daily the road was challenging, twisting, turning and winding its way across the land. In Malawi we passed many corn and tobacco plantations. The people were welcoming and super friendly. In Lilongwe the TDA held the second of four bicycle donations, with over 50 bikes being donated to various health care organizations. Hundreds of people die each day from the ravages of Malaria and aids, so the bikes are definitely essential in helping the health care workers get out in the field and do their work. Thanks very much to all who have donated to my bike donation fund. To those that still wish to donate, please contact the TDA office in Toronto.
We were through/across Malawi in 8 days. Currently, we are in Lusaka, Zambia. Riders have gone into sensory overload as , for the first time since Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, we find ourselves in a modern city, with modern grocery stores and conveniences. We wasted little time at eating ethic available, and marvelled at the selections on the grocery store shelves. After being content with warm coke and a few stale biscuits at tiny village stores, this was truly overload!
The pace /mileage of our rides is starting to ratchet upward. last week we had a 197 kilometer day over rough, hilly roads. it was part of a 5 day stretch where we rode over 700 kilometers, all over hilly , hot roads, which made for some demanding riding. Tomorrow we begin a 3 day ride to Livingstone and the world famous Victoria falls, where we will have 2 days off. The 3 days to get there , however, are all reputed to be about 165 kilometres. After that, we enter Botswana, land of flat roads and elephants. There our mileage will increase to 6 days of almost 200 kilometers each. The tour is 3/4ths done. One more month and it's all over. We arrive in Capetown on may 10th. Many riders have bittersweet feelings about this, and prefer to simply enjoy each day and each ride.
On the racing front, the top 3 racers have been very consistent since Egypt.
Joss Kaal, ex semi-pro danish racer, and Bernd Prorok, nationally ranked Austrian mountain bike racer are 1-2 most days, with myself usually taking 3 spot. We are some 25-30 hours ahead of the 4 place racer. On rare occasions Bernd has taken a stage win. I have been fortunate enough to take 2 wins. For the most part, however, Jos and bernd are much better riders than myself, and much younger as well. I just do my best and ride as well as i can each day. Every day is a new adventure on the 2008 tour dafrique!
I will try to update my blog more often, but racing and refueling take top priority on the world's toughest bike race..
Cheers to all from Lusaka, Zambia.
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