16th March 2011. Rest Day Arusha, Karama Lodge and Spa.

Where it all began on the 15th January.

The usual scene each afternoon after a long day in the saddle.  Tent Hilton.

Valley of the kings was amazing.

Riding the sandy Nubian Desert, Sudan

Some really nice kids in Egypt.

The lodge is so nice to relax in.  I had a nice breakfast at an hour that I can only describe as sensible, 8am.

It was so nice to sleep in, and not be woken by zippers of tents and people farting at 5 in the morning.  After breakfast I took a trip down into Arusha and had a look around.  I did remember some of the streets and certainly the clock tower in the centre of town sticks out.  

We found a nice coffee and cake shop and relaxed out of the way of the hordes of people wanting us to buy a trip to the crater or another African T-shirt to add to my other 352 shirts. 

We had a go on the net and spoke to Matt and Graciella back home, it appears the house is still standing and my dogs still alive. 

We got a lift back to the Masai camp where the other cyclists who decided not to stay in a hotel or go on a safari were staying.  It was like a morgue, nothing much happening at all.  I can tell you there’s no way I’m going to stay in my smelly tent for 3 days (the half way point of the tour) when I can sit around a pool and sleep in a monstrous bed.

Back up the hill to the lodge for an afternoon of hanging around the pool and reading my book called ‘Fatherland’.  It’s an amazing book you should read sometime. The meals at the lodge are fantastic and the service is great. I thought I would add some photos taken over the past 2 months that I thought would interest you.  I have another 2 rest days of sitting around recovering before the long push south.

I'm having coffee delivered to my shack tomorrow morning to have on the balcony.  Can't do that in Tent Hilton.