Day 167 – Tues 16 Mar – 14,540km, Luvo, Angola

It was great to see a few more cyclists on the road today and they certainly weren’t short of competitive spirit giving it all they had to out do the mondele (white man) wearing flip flops on bikes that were barely worthy of donation to Re-Cycle. I also received a wonderful reception from villages along the way and cruised straight through gendarmerie check points without any hassle except when exiting the DRC and the officials failed to recognise their own tourist visa. Arriving at the Angolan border, I’ve negotiated to receive my stamp in the morning so I can maximise my 5-day visa. Surrounded by lightning storms and shady characters, I’ve decided to play it safe and squat with a family on the porch of a disused police building. With the roads in the north of Angola in notoriously bad condition and the wet season in full swing, it promises to be a tough 5 day race to Luanda. At least the officials seem very laid back and I have a malt loaf at the ready to sweeten my passage if required, although, given that it has been compacted in my bag since Cameroon, it may be more use as a weapon!