Articles in Guinea Bike Trip
Guinea 041
Wednesday, January 24 7:00 a.m.
I realize looking back that I didn’t write very much in Dalaba even though I was there for six nights. There are a couple of reasons for that. One is that my rhythm was disrupted. I was accustomed to going to bed fairly early, waking up early (and well rested), then carving out a couple morning hours for writing. But the …
Guinea 042
Thursday, January 25 6:00 a.m.
It must be the nature of the hotel and room but Ditinn feels colder to me than Dalaba. That’s strange though since Ditinn is 600 meters lower than Dalaba and doesn’t sit in a valley. Of course it could also be because I’m taking cold water bucket baths at 5:30 in the morning (by candlelight and standing barefoot on a gravel …
Guinea 043
Friday, January 26 8:53 a.m. Pita
The last day and a half has been a series of mysteries solved, discoveries made, and lessons learned.
The first mystery was why “feh de manioc” was a bright slimy green while manioc itself is white. This had been bothering me since the first day in Linsan when the pot lid was lifted to reveal the disgusting but tasty goo inside. …
Guinea 044
Saturday, January 27 4:00 a.m. Diaga
I dislike writing in my tent and I don’t know how long my back will hold out but I have no choice. There probably isn’t a single solitary table and chair for sixty kilometres in any direction. And certainly at this time of the morning there is no other option. I just hope that neither the Director nor the Garbled …
Guinea 045
Sunday, January 28 10:25 a.m. Douki
To say that I am deliriously happy would be an understatement. The reason for that happiness is my new home, a traditional Fula hut (with some decidedly Western twists) located right in the middle of the Fouta Djalon in a small village called Douki.
To be here in this hut is so perfect that I keep expecting someone to show up …
Guinea 046
Tuesday, January 30 8:26 a.m.
I wouldn’t say I was deliriously happy this morning. But I’d be lying if I didn’t admit to a deep contentment. I slept better than I have for weeks. I put on a fresh and clean pair of socks, underwear, pants and shirt always a cause for celebration. I washed and shaved under the fig tree outside my Fula hut. The …
Guinea 047
Wednesday, January 31 8:30 a.m.
It’s market day at Dongol Touma and Hassan and most of the population of Douki is on their way there. I thought about going along but decided to stay here. I’ll be cycling to Dongol Touma when I leave Douki anyway. I may even spend a night or two there. I know that if I took one of my precious days …
Guinea 048
Thursday February 1 9:11 p.m.
What was supposed to be a pleasant four hour stroll down to the valley floor turned into a nine hour forced march. And there was nothing I could do about it. I was lost, drowning in the seas of cross cultural miscommunication. By the time I realized what was happening it was too late and there was nothing I could do …