Burundi

We are now in Bujumbura, the capital city of Burundi. We had a tough cycle from the border this morning. The climbs were not fun and did not stop until the last 35 km where we were rewarded for our excessive sweating with a massive descent from 2200m to 850m.

What's Burundi like? Well there are loads of hills and its very green. Spectacular scenery really but hard to appreciate when you are grinding away in your easiest gear! Most of the green in agriculture but there is some forest although the lovely blue gum is in abundance in some areas...

The kids are slightly more annoying than in Rwanda but I suppose that's because not many wazungus pass this way especially on a bicycle that does not have a bag of bananas or one or two passengers on the back.

Whenever we stop we end up with the five thousand grouped around us watching us drink a coke. Fascinating stuff I'm sure! Ha! Language has also been amusing. We were expecting French but have been greeted in English, French, Swahili and mixture of all of the above in one sentence. Good night jambo, ca va? We have stuck to French as you tend to get a response. On many occasions we have been joined by the local cyclists. At times we have had five guys cycling next to us on their heavy Chinese steeds with sweat pouring down their faces as they only have one gear. But they have been cheerful and despite the language barrier there has been some confused banter similar to that on a Saturday morning Surrey hills ride with the full gas cycling club.

We have felt safe as well. When you read the foreign office website you feel you shouldn't be but we have not had any issues yet. Although we were passed by some well armed soldiers (RPGs, large caliber machine guns, the works) who gave us a wave and a smile.

What have we been eating? Well we had been eating local. Maize, potatoes, plantain, spinach, rice and a chunk of bone and meat. We have given up trying to order western food when the craving gets intense. Mark had a cheese burger with only burnt cheese on it, no burger pattie. And I have just been served a pizza with baked beans on it with some peppers. Stick with the local stuff! And that includes the beer. Primus is now our favourite probably because it's a massive bottle!

Tomorrow we are heading along Lake Tanganyika to the border with Tanzania. Despite us having a letter from the ambassador in kampala the lads at the border only gave us a three day visa. So our ride through Burundi will be quick. We are also on a deadline to catch a ferry from a place called Kigoma. The road we planned on taking is in a sorry state and now with the wet season turning things to mud it not a good option if we intend to get though with body and bicycle in one piece. So ferry it is on the 25th. We get off at Kasanga and then have 250 km of corrugated piste then some tar and then Malawi.

Ps uploading photos has proved to be next to be impossible. Connections speeds are so slow and computers so dodgy that we have decided to stick to text for now. Apologies!

James