November 29, 2025
To Taung
| Heart | 1 | Comment | 0 | Link |
| Heart | 2 | Comment | 0 | Link |
I was kept up till after midnight last night by my neighbours who were having a party. They shutdown the "disco" when I politely asked them to turn the music down at half past midnight. As a result, I felt a tad unrested today, so was thankful for a shorter ride. My neighbours were suitably embarrassed when we met while I was having my porridge in the morning. We made friendly conversation, and all was well. It's not always guaranteed that rest will be sound when staying in public accommodation. Disruption is rare, but when it does happen it can be frustrating, but it is just another aspect of bike touring that I have learned to accept and adjust to.
Riding out of Vryburg was pleasant in the fresh morning air, and I was soon on the main road out of town. Almost immediately, I encountered large farms on either side of the road. These were big farms, some with livestock some just crops, and the signs of wealthy farmers was evident: expensive farm equipment out on the fields, electric boundary fences and security guards at the main entrances. The cows were so cute, all staring at me, and holding their stare in unison as I rode past. I stopped at a junction when I was called over to by two young men. They just wanted to talk about what I was doing and take a few selfies for their social media. I willingly posed with them and they were so excited, even more so when I asked them for a selfie for my social media! "Be blessed our brother... safe onward journey!", one of them exclaimed as we parted.
Knowing I had a shorter ride today, I took a few opportunities to stop for no particular reason but to listen to the sounds around me, breathe the fresh African air, gaze at the blue sky, actually look at what was around me, and take in the moment to remind myself where I was and how I had got here. This is something I should do more often. It's often easy for me to get stuck into the riding and forget what is actually going on in my present moment. Today I stopped multiple times, and was a more wholesome bike traveller for it. I am finding this part of Africa absolutely stunning. The rains have turned everything green and birds have flown here from colder climes in the Northern Hemisphere. The colours and sounds of some of the birds I have seen have been breathtaking. Last night, a flock of about 20 or 30 big white birds arrived at a large tree in the guest house garden and proceeded to make a huge sound. I stared at the spectacle, fully conscious of my ornithological ignorance!
Taung is a small town, built beside the N18, with one big shopping mall and a few nightclubs. Jeff & Sons Guest house was easy to find, and would be my home for the night. Jeff and his daughter Beverley were excited to meet me and again, selfies were taken for social media! Jeff took much amusement in the fact that we share the same hairstyle and birth year! Later, I went shopping for lunch and evening snacks, and got some doughnuts for all the cleaning staff and security guard at the guest house. They were so happy as they chomped away. I was grateful for the warm African hospitality I was experiencing, so it was the least I could do.
Today's ride: 69 km (43 miles)
Total: 1,505 km (935 miles)
| Rate this entry's writing | Heart | 1 |
| Comment on this entry | Comment | 0 |