Bluedome - Round the World by Bike

The Sheraton in Addis Ababa is possibly Africa's finest hotel. Toilets I would happily live in, free peanuts and cocktail-sipping high-flying business women who couldn't get enough of my (possibly slightly exaggerated) tales of heroic adventure.

I bumped into the cycling team I had ridden with for a while in the Sudan and decided to ride with them again as we headed south through Ethiopia. The first stage of Kenya is notoriously dangerous bandit country: there was no chance I would be allowed to ride alone, but I hoped that with five of us we may be allowed to cycle it. Besides, riding with company is good fun, the pace is relaxed, the hassle from kids is much easier to tolerate, and security is not an issue. In fact everything is much easier and much, much more fun. Any group of cyclists who have beers at lunchtime have to be worth tagging along with!

Beneath the dawn mists roll endless hills, forested and untouched far to the horizon. It is hard to cover enough miles: too much time is needed to stop and eat fruit from roadside vendors. Mangoes, bananas (no tangerines), guavas, pineapples, avocadoes, sugar cane and watermelon are all for sale at regular intervals. An enterprising Ethiopian could do a good trade with a roadside Indigestion tablets stall.

On the top of a mountain we meet a man with a kirar- a homemade instrument somewhere between a guitar and a harp. Inspired by his impromptu performance I lay on a Best-of-British bum-wiggling dance routine (in my Union Jack shorts bien sûr!). I was disappointed (but not surprised) by the howls of derogatory laughter from an on looking group of women.

I spend a few hours in anguish caused by prickly heat sunburn. The last time I suffered this particularly unpleasant affliction was a few years ago when I wrote 'Leeds United' on my belly in sunblock and then proceeded to fry myself in the garden for several hours.

Many small boys ride bicycles far too big for them. They have to sit painfully astride the crossbar to pedal, as they cannot yet reach the saddle. I wonder whether this is a devious government strategy for future population control?
In many remote villages in southern Ethiopia we receive no hassle at all, the locals are busy with their lives and, after a wave and a smile, are content to leave us to our lives. Suddenly in one village scores of children chase me, shouting a whole Christmas list of demands (Give me money! Give me pen! Give me sweets! Give me bicycle! (the last chap was very optimistic!)) and trying to pull things off my bike.

I tried to suggest to them that in English the usual greeting is 'Good Morning'. Call me old-fashioned. In this village alone I had seen a large sign saying, "Village supported by so-and-so charity".

The rainy season arrives in style, an oppressive build-up of humidity spectacularly smashed by thrashing rain whipping the road. Loving it I race along bare-chested and Union Jack-shorted singing at the top of my voice.
Judging by the hilarity provoked in villages I rode through I began to deduce that this is not considered normal behaviour in Ethiopia.

Ahead of me lay Kenya. It is traditional when recounting tales of foreign lands to marvel at how wonderful the native people are. But I had just about had enough of staring crowds, stones being hurled and extraordinary amounts of begging. I was ready for Kenya. Ethiopia was fascinating, it was extremely beautiful and it was challenging in every way. For those reasons I loved Ethiopia, and those are the memories I will savour. The other memories will stay with me too, memories that ask me lots of questions and give me a good deal to think about. As you will read later, my mind is in need of something to occupy it!

In northern Kenya lies (allegedly) 'the most dangerous road in Africa'. (Alleged) hordes of Somali bandits plus a well-guarded police checkpoint mean that I am forced back onto motorised transport yet again. We managed to hitch a lift along the (allegedly) dangerous stretch in a tourist Overland truck. It was a fun couple of days: I saw tears, laughter, romance and even a cracking punch-up! The only thing that I didn't see was Kenya.

Many local people dress magnificently in red robes, carrying spears and wearing more necklaces than BA Barracus. It is tragic and deeply upsetting that many of these people are starting to switch to European dress. I say that not as a nostalgic lament for an irretrievable past. I am just upset that most of them choose to wear Manchester United shirts!

Civilisation at last: road signs, rubbish bins and above all- SAUSAGES! Kenya is a green and very pleasant land. I was sick of njera: the ubiquitous Ethiopian food that looks (and tastes) like the facial mask of a disfigured alien in a low-budget Sci-Fi show. This sour, acned bread thing is devoured with every meal in Ethiopia.

I cross the equator. After 12,000 km, 8 months and 19 countries this is a very exciting and important landmark. In the absence of champagne I mark the occasion by dropping and smashing my camera (www.olympus.co.uk). A sausage sandwich soon cheers me up again.

On my way to Nairobi I visit an Allied War Cemetery (1939-1945). It is as immaculately tended as the memorials in France. The true meaning of World War becomes clear to me here amongst the humid coffee plantations. Even thousands of miles from Europe the madness still hit hard.

A symptom of too much thinking time on the bike: I've become embroiled in a conundrum about my name. Do I prefer Al or Alastair? Maybe it's time for a new name altogether? How would my life change if I began introducing myself as Nigel? I try key sentences in my mind to see how they sound,
"Have another sausage, Al"!
"Have another sausage, Nigel"!
So much for deep insightful reflection.

Can you help?
I still have had no joy at obtaining any wider media coverage of my journey. In order to maximise the fund-raising potential of it all and to raise the profile of Hope and Homes for Children I really need a wider readership than my mum, my mum's friends and you (who should probably be doing some work right now!).
If you know of anyone who may be able to help please do forward them the details of my web-site. Thank you.
www.roundtheworldbybike.com