“I am the one and only”
- Chesney Hawkes
Cycling with four other people has been so different to riding alone. Not better, not worse, just
different.
In many ways I found the south of Ethiopia to be like a holiday. With a group of five people there is
no security risk and no problems with leaving your bike whilst you shop or eat or go to the toilet. You
have practical support with breakages and repair, enormous moral support in the face of 200 staring
people, relief from monotony as you talk away the long, dull cycling hours, company in the evenings,
fun, laughter and evening beers.
But cycling en masse deprives you of the days of silence, the intensity of experience, the unavoidable
(and ultimately unmissable) interactions with locals and the fears and tears and frustrations of being alone
in the heart of Africa. The character building, as my Dad would say!
In conclusion: if you want to have fun then travel in a group. If you’re not after that, stick by yourself.
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One Comment
Couldn’t have said this better…but, do you think the solo’ists go a little mental? And is there any recovery or professional psychiatric help for the post tour? There are plenty of books in regards of how to tour, but I haven’t found one yet about the recovery period when you get home. I haven’t made it home yet, and after 2 years I know I’ve got a lot of…ehm…”stuff”…to deal with. Perhaps this could be your next book?
I did have a partner for 2 months once, where we rarely spoke through the day. Basically the only communication was during grocery shopping, waiting at the passes, or cooking our dinner. It may have been near perfect.