Let the countdown begin!

The original start date for our bike trip was always pretty tentative (“sometime after Christmas”), but now it’s been set officially and we’re all getting packed up and ready to go.  We dodged a bullet and the world did not, in fact, end yesterday… so we’re still on course and going to kick off in just 6 days on December 28!

 

So what exactly does one need to do to prepare for such an expedition?  Well, this has been my checklist.

 

1)      Let everyone know that I’m going to be missing from the village for awhile

 

As one might expect, it’s always a good idea to inform neighbors, friends and work partners when you’re going to be gone for a while.  Otherwise they might get worried or (even worse) upset that you didn’t let them know.

 

The conversation I have to explain my upcoming absence runs about the same with everyone:

 

Me: Je ne sais pas si je t’ai dit déjà, mais je vais prendre congé bientôt.

Dunno if I already told you, but I’m going on vacation soon.

 

Friend:  Ah bon? Tu vas là-bas?

Oh yeah? You going back to America?

 

Me: Non, je serai au Benin, mais je serai un peu partout.

 No, I’ll be in Benin, but I’m going to be all over.

 

Friend: Qu’est-ce que tu vas faire?

What are you doing?

 

Me : Je vais faire un tour du Benin sur vélo. De Natitingou à Grand Popo, et après jusqu’à Malanville.

          I’m going to be biking around Benin. From Natitingou to Grand Popo, and then to Malanville.

 

Friend: [Blank stare]

 

Me: Avec vélo.

         By bike.

 

Friend: Boiyah!! Avec vélo?!? C’est pas possible.

               [You just have to hear that noise to understand it]  By bike?! That’s impossible.

 

Me: Non non… on peut le faire.

         Nah, you can do it.

 

Friend: Tu vas pedaler!? [cue hand-crank pantomiming to signify biking – personal favorite of mine]

               You’re going to pedal?!

 

               Jusqu’à Malanville? Ça fait quoi – [insert any number between 200 to 1000] kilomètres?!

               Up until Malanville? That’s how far… [200 – 10000] kilometers?!

 

Me: On va faire 2000 kilomètres en totale, mais on va le faire pendant un mois.

         We’re going 2000 kilometers in total, but it’s going to take a month.

 

Friend: Boiyah!!... David!!... C’est le travail!  …Tu vas avoir la fatigue!

                                …David!! …That’s a lot of work!  …You’re going to be tired!

 

Me: Oui, mais c’est bon.  On va voir le Benin beaucoup.

         Yeah, but that’s ok… we’ll see a lot of Benin.

 

Friend: Ahh!…. David….!!!

[Continue exasperated, surprised noises for about 2 – 3 minutes]

 

2)      Find neighbors willing to water the plants and a trusty friend to take care of the dog.

Seeing as how one of my main activities is to promote gardening projects, I’ve got to have a fairly impressive garden of my own to show off to people.  And since we’re already well into the dry season (it hasn’t rained since late October), it’s pretty important that my backyard veggies get some water. Thus, I’ve enlisted the help of two of my best friends in village to water while I’m gone. However, even though they do have the incentive of getting to eat anything that grows, I’m not sure if they’ll have enough free time they’ll have to haul water each day

 

I guess I’ll either find out how much they really like the garden, or how drought resistant carrots, onions, and lettuce are.

 



My dog, Alaafia.  His name means 'peace', 'good health', and
all kinds of other good stuff in my village's local language

The dog situation is more concerning.  My dog is the trustiest companion I could ever ask for – he follows me everywhere, rides on motorcycles with me, protects me from encroaching wildlife when camping, and waits for me days on end at my doorstep  when I’m travelling (don’t worry, my neighbors do feed him).  He gets really sad when I go missing for too long, though.  When I came back from travelling for Thanksgiving I was told that he’d been seen searching all of the fields we’d ever been to before, just trying to find me.  Pretty cute, right?

 

Ok – now you know how pets sometimes get angry when you leave them for too long, and they decide to take action to show you?  While searching for me in the fields, my dog decided to go on rampage and kill a bunch of baby chickens.  Sheesh!

 

Which is why I’m having a fellow volunteer look after him for the upcoming month.

 

3)      Pack

 

So what exactly am I packing for this 2000 km journey?  Actually, as little as possible.  Here’s the list:

 

·         Shirts (x4)                                                             ·        Multi Tool

·         Shorts (x3)                                                            ·        Leatherman

·         Hoodie                                                                   ·     Travel GAC water filter

·         Bandana (doubles as a rag)                           ·     Water bottles (x2)

·         Socks (x4)                                                              ·      Elastic cords (x2)

·         Boxers (x5)                                                           ·     Notebook and pen

·         Towel                                                                      ·     Frisbee

·         Something nice to wear (A boomba!)      ·     Sunblock

·         Tennis shoes                                                       ·     Oral rehydration salt packets (a ton)
·         Sandals                                                          ·     Toothpaste/toothbrush

·         Helmet                                                                  ·      Floss (just for you, mom)

·         3 spare tires                                                        ·      Netbook

·         3 tire patch kits                                                  ·      Camera

·         Oil                                                                           ·      Potential gifts (X-Mas pencils, mini USA

·         Tire pump                                                                      flag, bracelets, etc.)

 

Packed up and ready to go!

 

4)      Leave as sneakily as possible.

The one checkmark still to be achieved; this one’s real important.  Whenever leaving the village to travel somewhere, every single person who sees you will ask you to bring them bread from “là-bas” (wherever you’re off to).  You can’t say no!  Nobody ever says no. You just have to agree to it, and then come up with some excuse for why you didn’t bring back bread for everyone when you return. 

Nobody really expects you to bring them bread, and they all know you’re lying when you say “alright, gotcha!”  But you’ve also got to deal with them giving you a hard time when you come back empty handed.  Thus, leaving in as concealed a manner as possible will save you a bit of explaining on the return back.

(Ok, it actually is pretty fun to bring bread back for someone and watch their eyes grow in surprise and then profusely thank you – but a backpack can only hold so many loaves)