Hello all and thank you for following along! I am fumbling my way through this cyber world of communication, seeing as I am not very tech-savvy and am still figuring out how to transition this blog into a well-organized website. But until then, I'll be posting updates on here as I go through the book … Continue reading BOOK PUBLISHING
Kenya
January-February 2024 Border SNAFU On January 18, we pedaled away from Uganda and towards the Kenya border station at Busia. We proudly presented our East African Visas, which were valid for 90 days, allowing multiple entries into Rwanda, Uganda, and Kenya. The rotund border guard leaned his gut against the counter and said exasperatedly, “No. … Continue reading Kenya
Uganda: A Brief Time in a Busy Place
JANUARY 2024 It has been my life dream to cycle around the world, yet there I was, taking another bus. This time, however, I was not sad about the bus. Our timeline had been delayed by my lengthy stomach illness and hospital visits in Kigali, Rwanda, and after that I was just happy to be … Continue reading Uganda: A Brief Time in a Busy Place
Rwanda Part III: Adventures with Riley
December 2023- January 2024 The outdoor waiting area at the Kigali airport was festive and crowded on the evening of December 17. White Christmas lights glowed off expectant faces and Tom and I bounced up and down on the balls of our feet, eagerly anticipating Riley's arrival. Some people were dressed up like they were … Continue reading Rwanda Part III: Adventures with Riley
Rwanda Part II: Health Problems + Uplifting Little Kids + A Dark History
DECEMBER 2023 After the bus found its muddy, unmarked parking spot, we unloaded our bikes amid the cacophony of the Kigali bus depot. Passengers, drivers, and vendors milled about shoulder-shoulder while we tried to figure out which direction we needed to go. We had organized a place to stay through Warmshowers, a hospitality network for … Continue reading Rwanda Part II: Health Problems + Uplifting Little Kids + A Dark History
Rwanda Part I: Crossing the Border, Malaria and Other Nonsense.
December 2023 Leaving Burundi The sun shone strong and heavy on humid pockets of air between the hills. Pedaling our last few miles in Burundi, my skin was clammy underneath my long sleeves. The sweat cooled quickly on each curving, steep descent, then I was drenched again on the next climb. We slowly neared our … Continue reading Rwanda Part I: Crossing the Border, Malaria and Other Nonsense.
Burundi
Burundi: Of Hope and Humanity Wrapping up Tanzania Our last few miles in Tanzania featured a laborious, sweaty uphill pedal through dense tropical forests to the border with Burundi. In late November the equatorial climate was warm and muggy. As we exited Tanzania, the border military guard told us, “I want to go to America.” … Continue reading Burundi
Tanzania: Welcome, Welcome!
On October 30, 2023, we rode 36 miles from Karonga, Malawi to the Tanzanian border. We finally had blessed TAILWINDS! It was delightful to have it easy for once after struggling against headwinds for months. The border station was a massive, modern, overbuilt, nearly empty building. Seemingly the only ones there, we got through quickly … Continue reading Tanzania: Welcome, Welcome!
Give me, Give me Malawi
“I began to wonder how Americans could build a skyscraper in a year, but in four decades of independence, Malawi couldn't even bring clean water to a village. We could send witch planes into the skies and ghost trucks along the roads, but we couldn't even keep electricity in our homes. We always seemed to … Continue reading Give me, Give me Malawi
Zambia: In the Valley
On August 31 we left the campground in Kariba to ride over the Kariba Dam, saying farewell to the Zambezi River and Zimbabwe. The border crossing went smoothly and we pedaled north over steep paved hills to a small town where we camped in the courtyard of a school dormitory that was still under construction. … Continue reading Zambia: In the Valley
Zimbabwe:Once a Great Nation
My alarm went off at 5am, in an effort to get to beat the crowds at the Botswana- Zimbabwe border. After a sleepless night with music blaring from the neighborhood and an all-night rooster crowing competition, I pressed snooze too many times and we got stuck in the long queue entering Zimbabwe. But of course … Continue reading Zimbabwe:Once a Great Nation
Hollie's Adventures 