Livingston, Zambia

Its getting to a point now where I have to stop and think what country we are in, kinda sad but the borders seem to be often, the money changes again, you dont know how much a beer should be and inevitably you get ripped off somewhere along the way.

We are down to 23 riding days left, the last few days have all been around 160kms or 100 miles, this is pretty much the standard now until the end. I couldnt tell you exactly how it feels as ive been off the bike for the last few days. Im not really ill or anything, but I have absolutly no appetite, I look at food and feel sick thus have no energy to jump on and do day after day of these distances.

Don't get me wrong, im enjoying a few days off, I think its needed. You have to listen to your body and mine is saying 'no thanks, Id rather sit my arse on a truck.' We have just reached livingston today, home of the great Victoria Falls and I have hijacked the only internet port in camp before all the riders get in. We tend to wreck everything we hit as a group of 60 normally very hungry people, we make a mess of the places we stay when we are not in the bush.
the fast guys arrive and rush for the shower as hot water will not last long, by the time 6 or 8 are through its all gone. Food is ordered at the bar early as the rush delays everything and you'll usually wait an hour for anything to surface from the kitchen by which time your ready to order again anyways. The beer goes down but not as fast as you might think (there are exceptions but for a change im not one of them). And pretty much without fail before you retire for the night all the toilets have been blocked and people are walking off to their own piece of privacy with a shoval again.

We have had guys from the Lonely Planet along for the ride from the begining, they swap at different times and we had the guy who started the whole thing - Tony Wheeler nice enough guy but likes to talk about himself alot. Most have been fairly interesting guys but not really what I would expect from a travel book that is supposed to inspire you. Often they have had little interest in their surroundings and local culture. The Two guys at the moment are definatly the exception. Nate and David both authers will stop for anything and everything. I seem to come across them in the smallest little hamlets normally eating something I would never consider and chatting away to a fat local like they have been friends for years. Fun to see and refreshing when everyone around you is becoming more bitter and twisted as the days go by. (me included).

Ill be home may 15th and while im not counting the days I am starting to look forwrad to it. Namibia is the big one dangling in front of me now as the dunes are apparetly one of the highlights of the trip.