Hello,

As mailed to you I took off on Saturday  17th to the brewery to collect the bike.   All was in order in spite of finding rat droppings on the saddle.   I know from experience that they like the wiring since I found once an earlier HD  version in 1986 in Lusaka, after my leave, with bitten plastics on the ground and a tail hanging from the headlamp.  I found a whole nest in it and was not happy to have to rewire all that was consumed.

Now I tried the electrics and all was working, so no damage.

Changed the oil which after only 5000 km was as black as coal.  Normally the change is at 8000 km but I thought it better to do that now since I am going to hit the hight temps in Southern Ethiopia, Kenia and Uganda.  I bring the oil from Belgium in my luggage which is not allowed but I think its not a crime in itself. The bike was even allowed to have some fuel in it when flying to Cairo.

When I removed the oilfilter with a special wreng cause it is in a horrible place I slipped and cut my little left finger.  It looked as if , after a while,there was more blood than oil splasihing around.  The bleeding is a good thing since it prevents bacreria from coming in.  Went to the clinic to have it cleaned and treated and after that it was fine.   Needless to say that I have to watch it everyday in this climate but the wound is now already closed.  Thanks for that.

After the service I drove with a taxi as navigator to the west of Addis to a hotel to take off on Sunday early to Awasa via the old road that was said to be better than the usual Modjio road.  We drove the latter back from the Bale Mountains and it was not great and had a mile of road works with so much dust that on a bike this can be very dangerous.  The dust does not go well with the eyes.

Therefore the old road choice over Tuya and on to Ziway where it joins the Modjo road to Shashemene.

The recommneded hotel was a disaster and the worst of all hotels I had in Ethiopia.   A bed as hard as a plank so my hips are not happy with me.  They get already battered everyday in the saddle from the bumpy roads and they do their work since 1949.

Food  a disaster, bathroom a dirty, smelly hole and no light to be able to read anything.

Hence I thanked Booking , in my own way, for the recommendation

This morning I took off at 7.00 to find first fuel because the further you get away from the capital the less fuel is available.

I have 3 extra cans , total, 14 liters so in grand total 33 liters  which is good for 650 km and if I do not speed as a fool it goes over 700 km.

In fact 2 are cans and one is a water bag made from strong canvas that is known among overlanders as usuable for fuel also.  So far no leaks and its not yet dissolved.  Handy to store since its partly pliable with the fuel inside.

Took off to the old road and only after 2 km hit a road work of a mile while it had rained the evening before.   Helleluyah, mud all over the place and this red laterite clay sticks like the best glue or comparable to starch.  A HD weighing 500 kg with round profile road tyres is not the handiest machine to get through that mud.  I feared for gettting stuck or just slipping away which happens at too low speed.  So put a bit speed up and it all becomes even more dangerous since braking is a no go.  I have to hold my feet almost on the ground , in case off, and have only the front brake that one should nerver use in these circumstances.   I almost fell when my right foot hit a large rock but I could balance it out.

At a moment I saw that the other most left  side of the road was drier and I managed to cross but met directly another threat.  The upcomng traffic has no mercy since II am on the wrong side.  They will never slow down or give way so you better watch it wich I did and finally got out. 

Thanks to the one who recommended this road.

After this thrilling start whereby I took quite some mud on the bike and myself along it was not a good road but few traffic and that helps to avoid the potholes, donkeys, cows and goats.  They are predictable for me but certainly not people who cross only when they see me coming.

After 5 hours for 280 km (not bad ) I hit my target Awasa at 12.30 hrs and found a very, very good hotel for the same price as the bad one. Just 30 dollars.   Super clean hotel and well maintaned and a super nice soft bed so my hips get a treat coming night and can rest to be ready for some bumping again tomorrow.  Plan to reach Yabelo at 310 km and just 200 km from the border town of Moyale which is for Tuesday.

Forecast for tomorrow is  thunderstorms but, generally, these come in the afternoon and I might reach Yabelo before 14.00 hrs.  I have rain gear but it all becomes more risky.

I informed you that I would not have Internet for the remaining days in Southern Ethiopia.  Reason be that it is disconnected for reasons that I will not explain in e-mail.  Only Awasa is a different zone and hence I have Internet here.  Certainly not in Yabelo and Moyale.  Will come back on this once having internet across the border into Kenia.

Hope to have a good night sleep and a good dinner which is almost due  so good bye for now and will be back in cyberspace when possible.

Cheers and all the best.