Bike-Ride to Australia Friday 27th-January-2012 Kasi to Phonhong. 89 miles. I felt so much better last night that I ventured down the road to a concert. Although when I arrived, they were between bands. There was a small funfair, prize stands and loads of different traders, selling everything from pots and pans to clothes. It had a good feeling about it if you could get over everybody staring! Have they never seen a white man?
It turned out that I didn’t need to be at the concert anyway. The music was so loud I could hear it as clear as day from my room, which unfortunately went on well past midnight! I was then woken up at 4.30 by that bloody chicken again! Obviously, they never cooked it yesterday!
It’s been a much easier ride today. The big climbs have gone, and so has the asphalt! It’s been a bumpy and dusty day. When I stopped off earlier, I spoke to an American on a motorcycle, and he asked if I prefer all this dust or the big climbs. At the moment, the dust as the climbs are still fresh in my mind, but maybe tomorrow I’ll have changed my mind! By the end of the day, I was black, or rather red, the colour of the dirt here. At least I don’t need to bother with any sunscreen. I’m wearing factor 50 dust!
Flat Tyres Aren’t Good
I’d gotten a puncture just before lunch, but I couldn’t find it. So rather than phaff around anymore, I just changed the innertube. I can look for the puncture tonight when I’ve stopped. About 15km from my finish tonight, I got another puncture! As it was only a slow puncture, I pumped it up, hoping it would stay up enough until I stopped. Luckily, it did, just!
I had a shower, which was very welcome after all the day’s dust. Before going to find something to eat, I thought I’d repair my two punctures, only to find out that my pump was broken and wouldn’t pump anything up! Luckily this happened now. If it had happened in the countryside, it could have been a right nightmare! I managed to find a new pump from the garage next to my hotel. The only trouble is, it’s not exactly small, it’s a pump for motorbikes! But I don’t care it works, and it only cost me £4.
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