A breathtaking landscape
I’d been longing to visit Africa. I’d been to the north, but I’d never visited the real Africa, the black Africa every traveller dreams of. Poor, dry, untouched and untamed. But there we were, a group of cyclists eager to discover a new world for us, to mingle with the people and, of course, to turn the pedals.
We left at 6:30 in the morning by bus, heading north to get far enough away from the capital, Addis Ababa, which sits on a high plateau at 2,500m. Once we’re far enough out we get off, put our bikes together and start pedalling along a wide, stony track. Believe it or not, this is the road to Lalibela. The landscape changes quickly, and we soon realise how poor the country we’ve plunged into is. Mud-and-straw houses take over the landscape.
Halfway along we stop to eat, and for the first time we take in the wonderful landscape around us. Here we are, at 2,500m. And down there, at about 1,200m, the bed of the Nile. The view is simply spectacular, it leaves us all speechless…
Now that I think about it, we won’t have to go all the way down there, will we? Oh yes we will: the constant ups and downs will be with us for the whole route. The descent is lightning fast, we lose height at great speed and feel the temperature rising, as if we were descending into hell… Down at the bottom, at 1,200m, we set up camp and use the river to wash. A good dinner and, of course, a great coffee, and off to bed. Tomorrow we have to climb back up!
