An Africa Overland trip wouldn’t be right without a statistics page…..
Updated 08 June 2012
Distance travelled : ?? Dont know, around 6000km(+/- 1000km) I think…Plus about 2000km using other transport.
Days on the road : 215(ish)
Number of times felt like throwing the towel in the ring : 2 (for half a second)
Number of times almost hit by car/truck/bus : 45
Number of times not almost hit by car/truck/bus : ∞
Number of times slept in a bed : 90 (40 through hospitality)
Number of times slept in my tent : 125 ( 42 wild/bush camping)
Most expensive campsite : SAR200 (€20) Anysberg reserve
Most expensive accommodation : SAR380 (€38) Doh there goes the budget.
Cheapest paid accommodation : SAR80
Cheapest paid campsite : SAR50 (€5)
Number of times told I look like Wayne Rooney : 5
Number of days cycled longer than an hour in the rain : 0
Number of punctures : 4 (punctures happen deal with it!!)
Number of shitty Schwalbe light weight inner tubes that have exploded for no reason : 2
Number of different beers tried : 13
Number of days written off by alcohol abuse : 0
Number of days off due to being sick for other reasons : 9
Most rest days in a row : 21
Most days without a rest day : 7
Number of times drivers have given me the middle finger : 3
Number of times I have given drivers the middle finger : 1
Country with the worst drivers so far : South Africa
Country with the best drivers so far : Zimbabwe
Favorite country so far : Impossible to say, they all have something special and special memories.
Number of smiles or waves received : ∞
Number of bribes paid : 0 ( did pay 1 tip that was almost a bribe)
Number of fines received for not wearing a helmet : 1 (keetmanshoop Namibia, 10 euro)
Most cups of fresh ground coffee drank in one day : 10 (Munali coffee farm)
Number of times asked for money/sweats/pen (begging) :148
Number of tourists that have taken my photo : 65
Amount of money spent :
- South Africa : R27,000 3 months (Incl. Lesotho)
- Namibia : N$ 10,000 5 weeks (excluding mini holiday)
- Botswana : Pula 1000 (7 days)
- Zambia : Kwatcha 6,000,000 (incl microlight flight and too much booze and eating out with Ken McCallum)
Countries traveled through during this trip : 6
Longest day cycled : 135km (Kafue National Park, with a nasty headwind and lots of Tse-Tse fly)
Shortest day cycled : 5km
Highest pass : 3255m (Tlaeeng pass)
Hottest day : 45C
Coldest night : 5C
Most beautiful rides:
- SA: Seseweekspoort, Zwartebergpass (PA side)
- Lesotho : Maleng pass going down towards Butha Buthe
- Namibia : Noukluft park, and the dunes.
Worst ride : Port Elizabeth to Port Albert on the N2 and coast road.
Most challenging ride : Sani Pass
Number of teeth chipped while eating pie : 1
Number of times asked if I’m the guy on tv : 2
Number of times asked if I’m the guy in the newspaper : 1
Number of newspaper interviews done : 1
Other transport used :
- Lift in 4×4 through Baviaanskloof to near PE (200km)
- Bus from Prince Albert to Kokstad to avoid the N2 (900KM)
- Hitch-hiked during the “heat stroke day”,
- Took a lift 70KM to town during the food poisoning incident.
- Bus from Swakopmunt to Windhoek (400km)
- Truck lift with Silver in Botswana (160km)
- Boat journey from Kalongola to Sananga in Zambia (3 hours)
- A truck and a bus between Mongu and Lusaka (300km)
- Bus to Bulawayo thanks to Bore water not agreeing with my guts (140km)
Number of snakes seen withing 5 meters : 14 (a puff adder also did a nice dance for me, oops)
Number of marriage proposals received : 5
Number of broken hearts left behind : No Comment
Number of times I’ve had a broken heart : Also No Comment
Most days without a shower : 5
Number of other cyclists met on the road : 5
Number of cyclists traveled with for a few days : 3
lekker: Number of smiles or waves received : ∞
Wat een grappige lijst met uiteraard ook een aantal serieuze onderwerpen (bijna aanrijdingen:-(
2 Months in, wondering how the gear is holding up? Whats the thank God i brought that item so far ?
Great reading.
You beat me to the punch, I’m hoping at some point soon to write a little article about my gear, time and internet permitting….