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Today I liked myself!

At 70 km from departure I stopped at the FM International Hotel, where I knew there was a internet point, I ate a fantastic cake, with fresh avocado and mango juice and … two cappuccinos … when I was about to start off again a torrential storm rages … the waiter told me ‘it is better you stay here tonight …’ surely the place was very beautiful … also today I was not feeling too well … but for me 40 km more per day are important … Continue reading →

What is this? Spriz … Is it for me? Actually no … but I drank it already …

Departure on a uphill!

Thanks to my two stingy colleagues who did not hide the 200 USD I had asked in the tires, and did not even let me know, I spent much of the morning trying to buy dollars which I will need in Sudan. Changing dollars into birr is very easy, you can do it at all the banks and hotels. Continue reading →

Today I am more tired than many other days when I cycle more than 8 hours!

I had to pick up the tires of the bicycle that the others are finished and Giorgia and Serena sent me from Lusaka …

Time 9,30 cargo airport of Addis Ababa, a tour between offices begins, which reminded me of an old Italian movie of the 60s …

Daring I head towards a warehouse, the boss looks at my documents, asks me questions on the trip and keeps me there ten minutes, to then tell me that first of all I have to go the custom. Here an officer opens asking me ‘the document which demonstrates that I am a tourist’, I explain that I am going to London by bicycle and when I crossed the border I was not given anything, nor was I asked to fill in anything. ‘Impossible, without that document you cannot go ahead’. I insist. He asks his secretary, a goose with a miniskirt and porn star red shoes, who speaks better English than him to explain to me. Continue reading →

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It is pouring!

For the first time I have to take out my rain cape, considering we are in the rain season I have also been lucky … after a dozen of kilometers the rain let its place to the sun.

The road goes up with very pedalable uphills, the traffic is the most intense up to now, the level of CO2 very high, the road is narrow and a almost fall in climbing back from the small side passage where I ended up because of a exceptional transport, let me understand I have to concentrate to the max. Continue reading →

24 km/h on average absolute record of this journey!

This wonderful final part of the Rift Valley with fields, lakes and even vineyards  … it has passed fast but not too fast not be admired.

When you go like this you would never get off the bicycle, it is like making love for hours with the woman you love.

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Are they stealing my bicycle?

After a stage like the one of yesterday in the morning you are dazed a bit dwelling between a mix of euphoria and desire to stay under the blankets until midday.

I have to get up necessarily there is somebody getting my bicycle from the veranda outside my room!

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Coffee Cola?

In the villages in Ethiopia there is not much difference between dinner and breakfast, last night njera with two types of lentils and this morning the same, with a coffee instead of a beer … the injera has never thrilled me much with that acidic aftertaste, the first time I saw it in a restaurant in Addis I thought it was a small towel, here by now I eat it without any problem because, like yesterday, at times it is the only carbohydrate available.

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Bread-crumbed cotoletta?

It is raining. Spaghetti with two types of lentils, water and coffee, a part from the beer it is the repeat of last night dinner. I tour the town looking if maybe there is an internet point … there is not … I knew it … two boys point the tip of a hill where I can go if I have a MTN modem … I think Ethiopia is one of the few countries in the world with a mobile phone network monopoly … either MTN or MTN …

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