Elephant Highway, Botswana

The Botswana section of the Tour d'Afrique is called Elephant Highway - but I haven't seen a single elephant! We have covered over 700km (again!) in 5 days since leaving Livingston, Zambia and I have seen all the tell tale signs of elephants on the road (lots of dung and I mean lots!) but I haven't spotted one yet. Other riders have seen them but not me. I did see a giraffe at one of our bush camps but no elephants. My fingers are crossed that I might see one on the road in the next couple of days before we leave Botswana!

The riding in Botswana has been long and flat and I mean FLAT. There are no hills in this country so it makes for tough riding. One would think that lots of hills and mountains would be harder but my legs have never hurt more on this tour than here in Botswana. The distances have ranged from 136km - 182km each day and when you are in the same riding position for hours at a time - same gear for the most part - it is really hard work. To deal with the tedious flat landscape I have joined a pace line with three or four other riders and we take turns pulling the train for 5 minutes at a time. This helps you rest when you are not at the front of the train and it means that the day goes much faster. We typically travel at speeds of around 33-36km per hour. I always consider myself a lone rider and have dissed the pace lines in other blogs but really I am grateful to have the help for this section and have enjoyed riding with new people.

In two days time we will be leaving Botswana and will be heading to Namibia. We have fewer than 20 riding days left - that is hard to believe! Next week will be another mental challenge with distances ranging from 150km-200km per day. It is so interesting to me that I can find flat roads so very hard to ride but it is true - give me the mountains in Ethiopia any day! In Namibia we will go off road again for the last time before heading into South Africa. We are less than 3 weeks from the end of the tour and I am trying to savour every day here even if the days on the bike are long and hard. What is new really - this is of course the Tour d'Afrique.....when have I ever blogged that the rides are easy?

I will try to get more photos up on my next rest day in one week. This afternoon I am going to fly over the Okavango Delta in a 7 person plane! I am very excited to see Botswana from the air instead of from a bike.

Thanks for following my blog - I am sorry that my entries are so few and far between. I thought it would be easier to access the internet as I travelled further south but that doesn't seem to always be the case.

So until Nambia - be well and I hope you will follow the last few weeks on the TDA.

Jx