Today we cycled almost 100 kms. The morning saw us climbing up into the mountains, where we saw mountain tribes including the Hore people (pronounced hooray) for whom we blew up some balloons we had. It is great to see what joy very simple things bring to the children and the people in general. They lived in very basic circumstances and were evidently happy. It was interesting to see an older woman who had dyed her teeth black - as a cosmetic enhancement. Travelling through these villages and witnessing just a glimpse of their lives felt like a privilege. You'll see in today's photos the ways that various goods are transported, but it was nice to have a day on small roads away from most other traffic - though you are never far from a scooter or a bike!

After a picnic lunch in the mountains, and a little respite from the rain we encountered that morning, we bused for a while and then enjoyed an afternoon literally hooning through many more remote villages up and down hills. Rex managed to overtake a scooter going down one hill, and you'll see the type of other transport we encountered in the photos - a water buffalo drawn cart being one example. Stephanie, Rex and I were blasting away out the front relishing in our training having paid off and thoroughly enjoying ourselves. We were still mobbed by kids everywhere we went, and our hands were sore at the end of the day from giving "high-fives" as we went by.

As we travelled through, it was obvious we were witnessing a relaxing Saturday unfolding of families together, and Saturday night entertainment of volleyball, football and of course let's not forget the sport of cheering and racing westerners on their bikes! I'm sure in other parts of the world we would never notice someone unusual cycling by, but it's amazing here how the whole village comes out to greet us. Perhaps we could learn from a simpler life that is oriented around the people and the community around us - facing out from our houses to the world.