I am back in Senegal on another radiant day. I pedal along the streets of the border town of Keur Ayip zigzagging through a traffic jam of taxis, horse-drawn carts and
Following my favorite tradition of crossing from one country to another along the most remote and least-traveled borders, I approach The Gambia from its southeastern corner. I move forward
I cannot determine exactly when I officially enter Senegal, because, in the middle of absolute nowhere, it is difficult to distinguish when one crosses the imaginary line that divides the countries. Everything around
After 4 days in a row of pedaling breathing dust, I arrive at Dabola pushing on the pedals helped by the impulse of each cough. Tired, dirty and sweaty, the illusion of a cold drink fades in the darkness
Just a week ago, I was entering the embassy of the Republic of Guinea in Bamako to apply for a visa. I usually go to all the embassies with my two passports
As I leave the Ivorian border post, all of a sudden I need to stop for a couple of minutes to allow my eyes to readjust under the midday sun. It seems as though
After leaving the cotton region behind, I have only a few days left to reach the border with Mali. Every day that I advance towards the Sahel, it is an
Shortly after leaving Yamoussoukro, the green tones of the southern vegetation give way to the aridity of the north. I am experiencing the reverse transition process that I experienced almost 3 months ago when I was pedaling south from the Burkinabe Sahel to the fertile south of Ghana.
I am always excited to arrive in a new country, especially when I come from crossing one that has not left with something very special inside. With the advent of the arrival, curiosity and uncertainty ignite once again like flames when pouring kerosene on a bonfire.
If it had been for me, I would not have spent more than a day in Accra after returning from paradise because the capital of Ghana, like all the capitals of the sub-Saharan African countries I know, has no particular appeal.
There are encounters that happen only once in a lifetime and are destined to thrive only during the time that they last for. They are unique and unrepeatable when they occur. They are ephemeral by nature and they are, because we feel it that way. Similarly,
One of the most beautiful emotions that cycling has given me is knowing how to appreciate slowness. Living life in slow motion, without running and at my own pace. However, there are times
It takes me several days to arrive and stay in the region of the triple border between Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger living with the Fulanis. At no time do I feel in danger, actually quite the opposite, but it is time for me to return to civilisation.
2015 has finally come to an end. A chaotic year that started as one of the most difficult of my life but ended as one of the best. Life may kick you mercilessly sometimes, but afterwards, it will always find a way to compensate you with joy, for the sorrow it put you through.
Despite the great inconvenience, I am surprised at how quickly I am able to resolve the end of the visa process. I find it amazing because that's how things are always like in Africa: totally unpredictable.
My original intention to head directly to the heart of the Sahel once I entered Burkina Faso, was truncated by the unexpected condition imposed on Burkinese visas obtained at the country's borders.
It's mid-morning, the sun is high already and the heat is tightening. I am happy because I am about to cross into a country that I have been waiting for so long to arrive: Burkina Faso. It is one of those countries (as were Kyrgyzstan, Gabon and others in the past) to which, with total honesty, I always wanted to go mostly because of the very curiosity that the name generated in me
The rest period in Cotonou was a balm for my soul and for my body. The days of good food, beach, photography and especially the invaluable company of a great friend like Germano, were an essential part of my recovery process.
