Equator Crossing and Wildlife Encounters

Today was a wonderfully beautiful, albeit challenging day. We set off from Eldoret towards Iten, which is a hub for marathon runners, being situated at an altitude of 2400 meters on the edge of the Rift Valley.

We descended 1300 meters into the Rift Valley, enjoying the magnificent views along the way. However, we had to climb out of the valley on the other side, which made for a tough ascent in the afternoon. Nonetheless, the scenery in the area was absolutely stunning!

Today was a tough day, with scorching heat, extremely rough tarmac, and then about 20 km on a dirt road with an incline. Nothing was quite straightforward... I also had my first fall, fortunately on the dirt road, so my speed wasn't very high... just a scrape and a bent handlebar... lucky break!

For compensation, we enjoyed a delicious lunch at the Equator! Tonight, we're camping at a church that kindly provided us with a camping spot. Additionally, they baked donuts and cinnamon rolls for us, which were absolutely delicious!

Today was also challenging. In the morning, we had to tackle a climb of about 20 km, reaching an altitude of 2785 meters. Before that, we had about 10 km of dirt road, and on top of that, we faced very strong headwinds. Even after the climb, we had another 20 km to cover against the extreme headwinds.

But afterwards, we were rewarded with a 30 km dirt road that led through a stunning landscape, and at the end, we saw the first wild zebras. We camped again in a bush camp, meaning everything was very basic but incredibly peaceful! The bush camp is also located at 2000 meters, so it can get quite chilly at night.

Today is a "simple" day, with few kilometers and little elevation gain! However, we are cycling only on dirt roads through the Ol Pejeta Conservancy. We're moving slowly because there are so many animals to see: the first giraffes appeared after 5 km, followed by zebras, baboons, many fascinating birds, camels... it's absolutely beautiful!

In Nanyuki, we have a rest day. We're camping in the "garden" of a hotel complex. Rest days are usually filled with doing laundry, cleaning and repairing bicycles, shopping, and going out to eat. I found a SUPER ice cream parlor, which was fantastic!

The day started off great; shortly after waking up, a tropical rain shower came down. That meant I had to pack up my tent and belongings in the rain for the first time (my nightmare!!!).

However, the day turned out to be very nice nonetheless. The temperature only reached 21 degrees Celsius, and there were no major climbs, just many small ones. We arrived relatively early at our next accommodation.

Today, we crossed the Equator again and rode through another conservancy. Unfortunately, we didn't see any animals along the way.

It's raining again, so I'm helping peel potatoes until the sun comes out and I can dry my still wet tent. Fortunately, the temperatures change very quickly. It's shaping up to be a very beautiful and peaceful night.

Today, before lunchtime, we had already completed 60 km and all the elevation gain, so in the early afternoon, it was just smooth sailing from there... SUPER!

Die Strecke war heute super schön, es ist Sonntagmorgen, viele Leute sind in ihren schönen Kleidern auf der The route today was incredibly beautiful. It's Sunday morning, and many people are out on the streets wearing their finest clothes. I have no idea how the white garments of some children manage to stay so pristine under these conditions... My white arm sleeves, which protect me from the sun, will never regain their brightness!

The area is also very beautiful, with little traffic, no smog, making it an excellent cycling route. Unfortunately, we had the first case of malaria in our group. He's receiving the necessary medication... Hopefully, he'll recover soon.

In Thika, we're camping again on the "lawn" of a hotel complex. Tonight, I'm being kept awake by the frogs at the nearby pond... Oh well, tomorrow is a bus day, and then we have two rest days in Nairobi.

In Thika, our bikes will be loaded onto a bus, and we'll be transported to Nairobi. The traffic is truly insane... It wouldn't have been enjoyable to navigate through on our bicycles.

In Nairobi, we'll bid farewell to four people. Two cyclists are ending their journey, and our two medics are flying back to England. However, we're welcoming twelve new cyclists, including new medical staff, to join our team.