Hello from Judith - Day 22, Khartoum

Day 21 - Sunrise Breakfast!

Friday: Hello everyone,

I am also enjoying Michael's blog! Our trip thus far has been interesting to say the least, but I'm looking forward to the change in climate and desert-scapes as we progress further South.

I am a big fan of the Tailwind and don't mind the odd gentle Crosswind, although the gusting ones that throw sand in your face and give you some free exfoliation are not popular!  

Head butting a Headwind is a real problem for me too, so the Irish wish of "may the wind always be at your back" has a very special place in my heart right now!  

Michael has the patience of a saint - riding mostly at my pace - which I hope will continue to improve!

Laundry mostly happens on rest days. Where there are laundry services available by local ladies or hotels, we use them!  Socks, buffs, hankies, bandannas and underwear are washed in the shower when and where possible.

Our daily meals have been fairly healthy and plentiful (whew, but some of the 20 - 30 something age group can put away several plates at a time! But then they are racing and covering the distances in half my time!).

We are touring with a great crew and an amazing and interesting bunch of cyclists - so there is always someone chat to you and lots of group dynamics to observe. 

And so our adventure continues... we hope everyone in RSA & DRC keeps well and continues to stay in touch and in good health.

- Judith

My Gap Year | 2016

At the end of 2015, after 39 years in the Mining Industry, I decided to take my well-earned Retirement.

My last Employer was Randgold Resources, for whom I had worked as an expatriate Geotechnical Engineer for approximately 4 ½ years, at their Kibali Gold Project in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). There Randgold took a Project still in the Exploration Phase, to a fully fledged Gold Mine, producing 640 000 ounces of gold in its first full year of Production.

My last flight out of Doko International Airport in the DRC
en route to Entebbe in Uganda on my way back to South Africa

Kibali Gold Project

Although I must admit, at the moment I consider my status more one of “Regrouping” than that one of Retirement, as a consequence of which, my wife Judith and I decided to take a “Gap Year” while residing at our new house in Prince Albert, which is situated in the Groot Karoo, for the whole of 2016.

This Blog is a reflection of Judith’s and my Retirement/Regrouping escapades, so that family, friends and anyone else interested can keep up to date with what we have done, are currently doing, or what we are planning to do.

Remember, this humble blog should be taken tongue-in-cheek and not too seriously at all.
After all, “life is too short to worry about the little things”.

Cheers, Mike T