Day 1 - Arrival in Burundi

Bikes were packed and then to the airport. My flight left 2130 on Saturday night (the flight Zach was on had become very expensive with little availability so close to the time). First stop Kigali, stepping off the plane to the distinct smell. colours and warmth of Africa. Everything is always so much more vivid here.

An 8 hour wait in Kigali airport ensued - a breakfast of chipatis and little yellow bananas - followed by more waiting and reading and sleeping and waiting.....until around 1530 when the flight was ready to board. Walking up the steps I saw my bike - horray it's made it to the last leg and I'm hopefully going to have a bike to ride!

I find my seat - next to the biggest guy on the plane! - it's only 30 minutes thankfully.

Arrive in Bujumbura - queue for visa - not too long - the biggest issue being at the passport check officer where my nationality causes an issue - Royaume-Uni is tricky to find in the list!

To the King Conference Centre where we are staying in Bujumbura - a hotel which GLO helped to found - coffee and samosas and then back to the airport to meet Zach and the other riders whose journey through visas and passports takes 3 hours! Back to KCC for sleep.Read more