Boababs and butterflies

So after my first run in with a dodgy tanzanian, apparently a robber according to Mr Rhamadan and Sofi where I stayed in Kondoa decided to head out a bit earlier, with pepperspray handy;). Got first big contribution with fundraising yesterday, and with perfect timing, was thinking about finding a bus to Dodoma or maybe even Iringa or just back home. Thank you Alta for saving the trip;).

Luckily no storms so road wasn't too bad. Getting quite proficient with the whole sign langauge bypass of swahili. The conversation with one of my fellow riders this morning went something like this.

Jambo. Mambo, wipi. Nzuri, hambari safi. The road to dodoma, point to road and forward. Something in swahili, probably yes. Many ups and down, me making waves in the air, or flat?

Got good idea of the next section of road, my translation of his signs and swahili could read. Yes road to dodoma but too far (thats what everyone says). Watch out for crocodile in/under mud and down and up to mountain with elephant (or funny shaped tree), very much up and then flat to some village.

Worth a laugh even if a bit vague. Similar to the Masai who cleared a road through his cattle for me, whilst shouting i'm a vow, i'm a cow. Realised thats what some of my swahili must come out as, so asanti sana and kept going. The croc turned out to be sharp rocks in mud, no idea about elephant. The road was reasonably flat, excluding all the ups and down and 15km climb, so made quite good progress, close to 170km for day.
Even though the clouds still scare me, they do provide good cover and makes the heat bearable.

Long sections of the roadside was littered with flowers and countless butterflies, white yelow red blue funny grey with orange, really made for amazing viewing along the way. The boababs today was spectacular with a variety of shapes and sizes that left even my insatiable appetite for the trees on the better side of happy. Even though the road is comparable, or maybe even worse than the corrugated section between willowmore and prins albert the riding today went much much better, mostly due to mindset.

The last 50km in to Kondoa got bit out of hand. Construction everywhere/ chinese supervisor standing around new buldozers with the road being constructed inna very arb fashion. Some sectioms dug in so deep seems like a gorge from the adjacent road, and other sections been completed so long ago that there are plants growing from the rolled road(which is closed) and hard to get to. So sharing one lane with loads of trucks and busses and the potholes and corrugation along with the steady headwind made for interesting times.

Just received call from the Mr Rhamadan, he wanted to make sure that i'm safe on my safari. The people that get sent on my way continue to amaze me. Now hopefully my bike is still there tomrw at the semi-hotel i'm staying at. Bucket wash like the good old days...