AFRICAN RIDE: PART 2 - NAMIBIA

1^st Dec 2019: Springbok – Vioolsdrift/Noordoewer – Rosh Pinah – Aus (N7 – C13, 462 km)

It was pretty cold when I made my way to the RSA – Namibian border via N7 in the wee hours. The sun was rising and its shine cast long shadows of me and GD on the deserted road but with very awesome barren mountain view. The beautiful and dramatically geology change at the last few km as I approached the border blew my mind away. I loved this feeling. A feeling which I had longed for since my last long ride in New Zealand a year ago. Its just me, my bike, the quiet road, and the beautiful view...and nothing else matters...

I approached a yellow building upon reaching the border. After parking GD at the parking lot, I went to counter 1 (immigration) to stamp my passport. Then I was ushered to counter 3 (police) to write my details in a log book. Next was counter 2 (customs) to exit stamp my carnet. I checked my carnet carefully to make sure that all details were written correctly and signed. This is very important as any unsigned section will result in a loss of $$ deposit. All the counters (1, 2 and 3) were in the same building. 15 mins here and I’m done. Its very easy and the officers were friendly.

Then I get on my bike and crossed the bridge. The view was beautiful and I couldnt help but to stop for pics.

I was fooled by the building right after the bridge, thinking that it was the immigration and customs office, but its not. The office was actually 800 m from the bridge. I saw the ‘Welcome to Rep Of Namibia’ signboard and again stop for pics.

There were quite many people at the Namibian border post. As in RSA, the officers here were friendly too. I need to fill up an arrival form, stamped my passport, then go to the counter to pay road fund. The fee for motorbike is NAD188. I must fill up the road fund form first, then pay the money, and thats it. I didnt have to do customs declaration for my vehicle at all. Carnet was not needed as well. 30 mins here and I’m done. However, I lingered a while as I was being interviewed by the many admirers here (including the officers) who were amazed to see a woman riding solo.

I rode for another 2 km and reached Engen fuel station. Fuel was sold at $14.55 (approximately USD1), slightly cheaper than in RSA. I purchased a Namibian sim card for NAD10 + NAD40 (1 gig data) for 1-week usage. English is Namibian official language besides Afrikaans (same as RSA), so communication was easy.

As suggested by Uwe, I took C13 route after the fuel station. The view of the barren mountains along the way to Aussenker was very nice. At times, I felt as if I was in Chile. Despite the barren land, there were green vineyard fields which I saw. Workers, loaded at the back of a lorry were transported from their village to the field. Their houses at the village were mainly made from zinc and sticks tied together, and very small.

The paved road finished very soon and was replaced by dirt road along beautiful Orange (but blue) River. 

It was indeed a breathtaking ride on C13. 100 km on dirt (sometimes corrugated) and certain stretches on gravels which I can do 60 - 80kmh.

I just can't get enough of this dirt road. It was sooo beautiful. I took 2 hours to complete this stretch due to stopping too many time for pics.

It was another hot day and I almost passed out by the time I reached Rosh Pinah. Hence, I took 45 minutes at a fuel station to rest. Then I continued for another 170 km on paved and had to fight the side wind. It was a very exhausting ride. Luckily I managed to see some big ostriches who put a smile on my face. Their running act was so funny. I also saw wild horses and oryx, but all were too shy to pose for my cam.

In total, I rode 462 km from Springbok to Aus in 11 hours under the blazing heat and not so friendly wind. I was dead tired by the time I reached my destination. I had no more energy to pitch my tent so I had to opt for a single A/C room at Namib Garage, NAD350 (after bargaining).

2^nd Dec 2019: Aus – Keetmanshoop – Mariental – Windhoek (B1, 750km)

I felt lazy to ride today, but I had to force myself to get up from the bed. I hit the road at 8am and very soon, I turned left on C13. The plan is to go to Sesriem. I rode slowly on the sandy road while watching ostriches. After 3 km, the ride became tough as there were lots of sand ridges. I didnt have the skill to ride on soft sands like this. When the sands became thicker, I had to tiptoe to make sure that I didnt drop my bike. After 1 hour of super slow riding, I only managed to cover 20km. It was 9am and the temperature was already 40’C!!!

I began to boil underneath my riding gear. There was no shelter and all around me were sands. The road was so so deserted. For the past hour, I didnt meet a single soul as yet. It is still a looongg looongg way to Sesriem. The heat at 9 am was already killing me. I wonder how hot it would be at noon? To make matters worse, there were lots of annoying insects (flies?) buzzing around me. Urghhh!!!

I stopped my bike and reconsider the idea of going to Sesriem. Uwe had told me that the dirt road in Namibia could be good or bad, depending on when the last time it was scrapped. Obviously, this road had not been scrape for quite some time. The sun was getting hotter and I was sweating profusely. I started to feel dizzy and short of breath. I knew very well the meaning of these symptoms. The memory of getting hit by heat stroke and fainted when I was riding in Tajikistan way back in 2013 was still fresh in my mind. I need to make a fast decision now.

Should I proceed? Or should I turn back? Its not wise to take the risk under this heat in this deserted and shelterless place. If the temperature is mild, I will surely brave the sands, but with this temperature? Who is going to help me if I faint? I dont want to dehydrate and die in this desert.

In the end, I made up my mind and turned back.

Another 20 km on the soft sands resulted in 2 hours wasted since I started this morning. My new destination now is Windhoek, the capital of Namibia. Its a long way to Windhoek, I wonder if its doable? No choice, I had to try. Worst-case scenario, if I cant make it to Windhoek, I’ll find a place to stay at one of the towns before it got dark.

The paved road on B1 was in good condition, but as usual, its very quiet. The view was filled with bushes, small trees and beautiful sandy mountain. Some of the trees were very unique. So did the boulders on a certain stretch of the road.

I refuel at Keetmanshop and continued riding. The road quality dropped and theres no view to feast my eyes anymore. It was a very boring ride. I only saw some wild horses on the sandy fields once. Later in the afternoon, I started to feel some wind and decided to stop for lunch at Mariental. I pulled over at a rest area. My butt was so sore and my hands were numb after the long ride without taking a break at all. It was difficult for me to get down and I almost dropped my bike due to exhaustion!!

While enjoying my packed lunch of rice and SF sambal, I saw a barefooted boy running towards me. He sat on the opposite bench and looked at me with his sad eyes. I fully understood what he meant, but I almost finished my food at that time. After a while, the boy started to dig into the garbage bin. He found a bottle of unfinished Coke and drank it. He continued digging and later found a milk box. He shook the almost empty box and tore it to enable him to lick the remaining milk. I was witnessing all this as if watching a drama shown on TV. How my heart fell for this boy. Especially when he looked at me again and asked, “Mem, can you buy me some food?”

I really couldnt hold my tears anymore, but I didnt want to cry in front of him. I hurriedly put on my helmet, opened my top box, grabbed a packet of biscuit and some money and shoved it into the boy’s hand. The boy ran quickly to another small kid, whom I believed his brother. They shared the biscuit. I get on my bike, rode to the kids for a quick photo and hurriedly left. Why did I leave so fast? Because this is Africa. The good deed you did can put you in danger if bad people notice you give money to the poor, as they will think that you are a rich person.

I continued riding with tears streaming down my cheek recalling what I had just seen. I’m sure this wont be the first and the last drama that I’m going to witness here in Africa.

It was a struggle to reach Windhoek. The wind, the long straight road, the heat...my lips were cracking all over and felt very painful. However, I cant miss the opportunity to pose in front of ‘Tropic of Capricorn’ signboard which was situated approximately 110 km before Windhoek. There are 10 TOC signs @ monuments in this world and this one is the 2^nd TOC for me, after the first one in Antofagasta, Chile.

After that, it was a sprint to reach Windhoek. The sun was coming down fast and I was racing like crazy on the hilly road. Finally, I made it to Windhoek after 15 hours of riding. A new personal record set. I was so so exhausted, only God knows. I rode straight to Chameleon Backpackers which I had saved the location on my phone. Unfortunately, there was no availability here. Not even a space to pitch my tent. I was so tired I felt like crying. The owner suggested that I try my luck at Unite Backpackers, about 3 km away. It was already dark when I reached this hostel, but thank god, I managed to get a bed here. NAD170 with breakfast, cheaper than camp fee at Chameleon, and the best part, I didnt have to pitch my tent.

3^rd Dec 2019: Windhoek (Rest Day)

The moment I woke up, I straight away recalled what had happened last night and hurriedly went out to check on my bike. Last midnight, when I was about to retire to my room, I heard someone knocking the kitchen’s window. There was this guy, claiming that he stayed at this hostel but he couldnt enter as the front door was already locked. He asked me to open the door for him so that he could enter. Hesitating, I asked him for proof that he stayed here and he showed his room key. I opened the front door and noticed that he had some friends (outsiders) with him, and the front gate was wide open. As the guy was drunk, I reminded him to make sure he will lock the front gate as my bike was parked at the porch. All of a sudden, the guy was angry at me, cursing and accusing I only cared about my bike, and as if he didnt care about other vehicles which were also parked there. Worried about my safety, I retired to my room, but cant free my mind from thinking about my bike. Fortunately, GD was still there this morning and untouched. What a relief.

While having my free complimentary breakfast, I asked the guy whom I spoke to last night about the possibility to visit Sesriem and Sossusvlei with him. Yesterday, he had been promoting his service as a freelance driver and guide. He showed me pics in his phone of travelers whom he had taken before. He also showed me reviews written by the travelers about him. I was interested, but I didnt have enough money to pay him. It was very expensive to get a private tour as such. The cheaper tour organized by the local hostels in Windhoek didnt depart today. I was hoping that someone will show up and can share the cost with me. The guy assured me not to worry, someone will surely show up, he said.

After breakfast, I rode to the Malaysian Embassy which was about 4 km from the hostel. I was greeted by Mr. Aki whom I had notified earlier about my arrival. He ushered me to the Ambassador’s room, HE Hishamuddin Ibrahim, who is a very friendly person. We talked for about 30 minutes, then I had to excuse myself since I’m still hoping to go to Sesriem today.

Returning to the hostel, the guy was still there. No luck as yet, he said. I waited until 2 pm hoping that someone will show up and share the tour cost with me. Suddenly the guy told me that he got something else to do and couldnt take me, even if someone shows up. I was like, WHATTT? I had been wasting my time waiting. I should have gone to the tourist info center and checked my luck there. Haaihhhh...

Its too late now. I contacted Mr. Aki who later told me that the Ambassador invited me to stay at his residence. I accepted the invitation happily and waited for Mr Aki to fetch me. I trailed behind his car and was taken to the residence. I was greeted by the Ambassador’s wife, Madam Ida Alina, a very sweet and kind lady. She was busy cooking in the kitchen when I arrived. I was showed the guest room in the nice big house. The room was big and very comfy.

We had a sumptuous dinner that night. Mr. Aki and Ashraf, the Ambassador’s son joined us too. The menu was tempoyak daun kayu, asam pedas ikan, fried chicken and sambal belacan. Madam Ida is a great cook. I went to bed with a full stomach. Thanks to my host.

4 – 5^th Dec 2019: Windhoek – Swakopmund – Windhoek (B1 – B2 – B1, 720 km)

After a delicious breakfast of nasi lemak and donut, I said a temporary goodbye to my wonderful hosts and made my way to Swakopmund, a resort town at the west Namibian coast.

The distance from Windhoek to Swakopmund is approximately 360 km on Highway B1 and B2. As usual, the road, even its a highway, was always deserted. There were a few roadblocks along the highway though.

Nearing Swakopmund, high rising dunes came into view. I was like...wowww. It was impressive. I checked in at Salty jackal Backpackers (NAD200) and after resting for a while, I took a stroll along the beach. There were people swimming in the blue Atlantic Ocean. Arent they cold?

This small town had lots of cafes and museums, a casino and some pastel coloured buildings.

After that, I headed to Dune 7 via D route. The road was partly under construction. I could see more dunes by taking this road. It was amazing, especially with the sun going down which cast long shadows of the dunes. I arrived at Dune 7 which was the highest dune in Namibia, about 383 m in height. Some people climbed up the dune, but not me. I’m too lazy. HAHAHA...

I took B2 route via Walvis Bay to return to Swakopmund. It was already sunset so I cant explore the bay which was famed with its flamingoes.

I returned to Windhoek the next day taking the same way back. Upon arriving at Windhoek, I was met by Mr. Aki at the city outskirt. He took me to Levi’s boutique at Grove Mall as I wanted to buy a new pair of jeans. I seldom do shopping when traveling, but due to an invitation, this time I had to. Upon knowing that tomorrow is my birthday, Mr. Aki paid for the jeans and treated me at Seattle Coffee. He’s so nice and very gentleman.

Later we returned to the Ambassador’s residence. Dinner was fabulous with chicken curry, fried mixed vege, sambal and fruits on the menu. We chatted while eating. After washing my hand after dinner, I was surprised to see a cake on the table.  Madam Ida asked me to sit down. I was confused until they sang me a Happy Birthday song. OMG!!! I felt like crying. How did she know that tomorrow is my birthday? I was deeply touched by this family’s kindness. TQVM Ambassador, Madam Ida, and Ashraf for celebrating my 51st bday here at the residence.

Madam Ida bake this cake

6^th Dec 2019: Windhoek – Kamanjab (B1 – C40, 506 km)

Its my 51^st birthday today. As I was packing my things on the bike, Madam Ida noticed some oil on the floor where GD was parked. She asked me what was it? Goshh, I had no idea but definitely, it came from the bike. I was worried but thankful that the leakage was noticed before I hit the road. I made a video call to Faiesal, my mechanic and contacted Mr. Lee from HLYM to ask for Yamaha contact in Windhoek. Faiesal suspected that the oil came from the gear shaft after I told him that I dropped the bike the other day at the TOC sign due to strong wind.

Ambassador, Madam Ida and the embassy staff made a flag off ceremony at the residence. Then, Mr. Aki led me to Yamaha Windhoek. The mechanics checked GD and confirmed that the oil seal at the gear shaft was leaking the oil. Unfortunately, since Yamaha FZ150 was not sold in Windhoek, they didnt have the spare part, so we had to make do with a band from other Yamaha bike which matched the oil seal. Well, as long it did its job, its fine with me. My signal light which was not functioning was also sorted out. The repair fee was NAD117, and again, Mr. Aki insisted to pay. He gave me one condition though. I must take him riding one fine day. HAHAHA. You’re so cute. TQVM.

It was already noon when I made my way up north on B1 – C40. The road was good and deserted. The wind was tolerable and the sky was blue with some scattered clouds. I started to see wildlife on C40. Among that I managed to see (but not a chance to capture them in my cam) were antelopes, wild boars (lots of them), and birds. I saw lots of anthills too. Some were as tall as a single storey house. It was very fascinating.

Even though it was tiring as I need to cover a huge distance with only 1 short break to refuel and ate my packed lunch given by Madam Ida, it was indeed an enjoyable ride. I reached Kamanjab just before sunset. After refueling at the small town, I searched for a place to sleep. I found a campsite and so happened that since the owner is a biker, I get to camp for free. Alhamdulillah. Not just that, I got a special visitor too – two big ostriches :)

7^th Dec 2019: Kamanjab – Opuwo (C35 – C41, 270 km)

I made a move at 9.40am. Its a leisure ride as the distance was near. The road was as usual, deserted. I saw some giraffes near Etosha National Park. It was hard to spot them in the beginning because they looked just like the trees. I only noticed they were giraffes when the ‘trees’ moved. HAHAHA...

While I was busying myself with the cam, a car stopped by the roadside. The driver questioned why am I taking pics there? He asked why I’m using a selfie stick? I didnt like the way he asked me as if I’m doing something wrong. Then I remembered Sam’s advise to not stopping by the roadside and never entertain strangers because you didnt know their intention. I hurriedly leave the place.

It was blazing hot as I continued riding to Opuwo. I can still bear the heat, but the most dangerous to me was the spiral wind. There were lots of spiral wind in Namibia as this country was covered by desert. From far I could see the wind building up and spiraling the sands, so I would normally wait for it to pass before I continue riding. Its so amazing to watch.

However this time, as I’m riding along the edge of the national park which had more vegetations, I didnt see any spiral wind nor do I feel the wind. But all of a sudden, while riding, swooooshhh and my bike made an 'S' which meant that I had accidentally entered the twister. I almost lost control of the bike. That was scary.

It took me 4 hours to reach my destination. There was a roadblock nearing the town and I made a mistake of not stopping since I didnt see anyone there. I only slowed down and then continued riding, only to hear a loud whistle and a shout asking me to turn back. Damn, I’m finished!!! Thats what I thought to myself. I turned back and played my charm as usual. I apologized to the officer in charge. He was pretty strict but after I told him that I’m doing Africa on my bike, he softened. He advised me to be careful next time and I must stop at every roadblock, even if theres no one there. Then only I realized that most of the police were taking shelter under the trees to avoid the heat and was a bit hidden from the road. Okay, lesson learned.

I refueled at the one and only fuel station in town and was swarmed by the local Himba women, offering their goods which were mainly bead necklaces and bracelets. The women, some topless, some wearing bras, and some carrying their babies in a sarong behind their back, persuaded me to buy their stuff. I rejected politely.

While waiting for my turn to refuel, I scanned my surrounding and got pretty excited. This was the reason why I rode all the way from south to the north of Namibia, almost reaching the Namibian – Angola border. To see and meet the Himba, one of the African tribes who still lived according to their ancestors' way of life.

After that, I rode to Abba GH as shown on google maps. However, the guesthouse was nowhere to be seen. It was super hot and I was heated up inside my full face helmet, riding jacket, pants and my boots. I asked a woman for direction and she told me that the actual location was 1 km further up. As I’m trying to turn my bike back to the main road, the engine died. I had difficulties to free the gear. It took me 2 minutes of struggling before I can start the engine. I almost fainted due to the heat. I managed to find Abba GH (NAD230) and was so relieved to escape from the scorching sun.

I waited until the heat lessened and took a stroll along the same road where I came earlier. I bought some groceries and fruits at a supermarket, and after that I just lazed at the bus stop, watching the Himbas and the Hereros, another tribe residing in Namibia. Unlike the Himbas who put on very minimal clothing, the Hereros were stylish. I loved to see the women in their bright coloured gowns with matching hats, walking the street with an umbrella in their hand.

As for the Himbas, there are about 50k of them left in Namibia. The women are majority topless and they put red ochre cream mixed with butter on their skin to protect them from the unforgiven heat, hence they looked red. They indeed have beautiful skin. They plaited their hair and covered it with clay?? (I'm not sure) but the hair felt very rough like the tail of the horse. Its interesting to see the different hair plaits style indicating different statuses in their community. Also the accessories they wear, very unique. Some of them walked barefooted and some wearing their traditional sandals made from animal skin.

Witnessing all this, I found the significance of a quote from a friend. "You can find Asia in Europe. You can find Europe in America. But you cant find Africa elsewhere...Africa can only be found in Africa."

8^th Dec 2019: Opuwo – Ondangwa (C41 – C46, 272km)

While packing my things, the guest house owner came to me for a little chat. She took a photo with me and said that I was the first Malaysian who came by motorbike and stayed at her place.

I backtracked the same C41to the junction and was stopped by another police at a roadblock. The police was very friendly and he pointed me a detour as there was road work.

The view changes from pre-desert to Savannah. I rode carefully on the pretty good road which was shared with donkeys, goats and cows. The SES of the locals seemed to improve here by the better quality of the houses. During previous days, I saw the locals lived in a square-shaped roofless house made from mud. Here, the houses had roofs and were made from straws. The fence was made from branches of trees tied together.

It was a pleasant ride today as theres no disturbing wind. I arrived Ondangwa and searched for accommodation. Theres nothing here actually, but this is a bigger town to split the 800 km journey from Opuwo to Rundu. I settled at Fantasia GH (NAD200 after discount). I only rest and sleep today. I was very exhausted after 9 continuous days of riding since I left Cape Town, with not even one rest day.

9 – 10^th Dec 2019: Ondangwa – Rundu (C45 – B10, 506 km)

I started at 7.15am. I had to pass a roadblock and the lady officer asked to see my passport (apart from my driving license). She was not friendly at all. There were lots of speed bumps in the town area. I almost dropped my bike due to braking instantly when I only managed to notice them when its really close. The bumps here were normally not indicated and only god knows when they were last painted. Its very dangerous and I kept reminding myself to take extra precaution.

The landscape for today’s ride changed from barren desert to more greens. I can see lots of animals drinking water in puddles on the grassy area. The houses were very unique. 

As for the locals, most of them walked by the roadside, some even barefooted. It amazed me when thinking about how hot the road was due to the high temperature. How did their feet stand the heat? I also noticed that the kids wore torn clothes, and the men lazed under the trees while their women did the hard work, such as carrying firewood on their head and water buckets in their hand. How unfair.

I can feel some wind today but luckily it was a tailwind. However, the long ride and the high temp made my destination very exhausting to reach. As I’m riding along B10, I was actually very near to Angola. A small river separated Namibia and Angola.

I pulled over at one of the many picnic areas along the way to eat my packed lunch of fried rice which I cooked this morning. While eating, I observed my surrounding as you never know if wildlife suddenly came out from the bushes.

I was very exhausted by the time I reached Rundu. I settled down at Ngandu Lodge. This is a very nice lodge near Cubango River which overlooks Angola. There are a few accommodation options to choose from according to one’s budget. There is also a campground for campers. A small pool to cool off from the heat is also available here. Its a nice quiet place to rest and recharge after a long journey. The staff is very friendly. This place is a home, far away from home.

I stayed for 2 nights here. On the first night, I opted for the cheapest option, an authentic hut, but I ended up couldnt sleep as it was boiling inside until 2 am. The next day, I spoke to the grumpy manager for an upgrade. He changed me to an A/C room for a small addition of money. How relieved I was.

11^th Dec 2019: Rundu – Katima Mulilo (B8, 513 km)

From Rundu, I rode 513 km along the Caprivi Strip to Katima. It was a suspense ride as now I’m riding in Bwabwata NP in the Zambezi region. Unlike other national parks in Namibia, this one was not fenced, hence the wildlife can suddenly appear out from the bushes. There were lots of elephants signage, reminding road users to be alert at all time.

The first 80 km of my ride today was very very quiet. I didnt meet any human or vehicle at all. Not even a house or village can be seen. To be honest, I’m scared. The fear feeling was exactly like how I felt when riding in Alaska. The only difference was cold vs hot here, and bears vs elephants.

I had left the desert far behind me. It was green in this region. At times, the bushes were tall and at times, the bushes were very near to the road. Imagine if all of a sudden, a wild elephant came out from the bushes, what am I going to do? Hence, I ‘turned on’ my wide view mode while riding, scanning the surrounding far ahead of me. My heart was throbbing fast all along the way. 

It was only after riding 100 km that I saw a small settlement of a poor tribe. Their houses were so small. My bathroom back home is even bigger than their houses. I felt so sorry for their poverty.

About 5 km before I reached Kongola, I was shocked by the presence of an animal running from the forest to the road that I’m riding on. I slowed down my bike instantly to let the animal passed. It looked exactly like a cat, brown in colour, but 4 times bigger than an ordinary cat. The ‘cat’ stopped under a tree to watch me. We were both fascinated by the presence of each other. I almost stopped my bike to record the moment, but then I remembered...if theres a ‘baby’ here, the ‘mom’ is surely not that far away. Hence I forgo the idea of taking any pic and pressed the throttle to leave the place.

I reached Katima at 3pm. Theres not many budget accommodation option here. I had to settle down at Caprivi Hostel, which was actually a house converted to a hostel. The fee was NAD150 and I got the dorm all to myself as I was the only guest. The receptionist was very nice and friendly. However, something happened that night which scared the hell out of me.

The receptionist went home at 7 pm. I was left with the security who brought his friend to accompany him. The friend was over friendly towards me which made me felt uncomfortable. I didnt want to entertain him and I avoided any eye contact with him. While having dinner at the kitchen, I can feel him eyeing me up and down and I felt nervous to think that there were only 3 of us in this hostel, and no one else. I finished my food quickly and retired to my room. Fortunately theres a latch inside my room which can be locked from the inside. Luckily too, the room had an attached toilet, so I didnt have to go out and bumped into them when nature called.

I was just about to doze off when I heard someone knocking on my door. It was the security, asking me to bring my bike inside the house. My bike was parked just next to the wall where my bed was located, so if anyone tries to steal it, for sure I can hear. I told him that I’m not taking the bike in, just leave it there. Not long after that, the knocking started again. I was like, urghhhh pleaseeee!!! I was getting annoyed. Now what? The guys asked me to come out and watched TV with them. I told them that I’m not interested to watch TV. I wanted to rest and dont disturb me. After 20 minutes, they knocked on my door again, asking me to chit chat with them. By this time, I was getting very pissed off already. I shouted at them to leave me alone, I’m tired and I need to sleep!!!

The guys laughed. Obviously, they were drunk. I remembered seeing the friend brought with him a dozen cans of beer when he arrived. The locals here loved to drink. During my ride, whenever I passed towns, I noticed bars at every 100 m or 200 m apart. Thats to tell you how successful is alcohol business at this part of the world.

The disturbance went on until midnight and I ended sleeping with a knife in my hand, and a pepper spray under my pillow.