(English Translation Below)
Dag 41: Kabba na Akure Die motorfietsklub-mense wat ons inwag by die dorpe waar ons oorslaap, was erg ontsteld om te hoor hoeveel keer ons die vorige dag afgetrek is. "You must just keep small money ready. When they stop you, you give, you go." "When you approach the checkpoint, just close your visor so they don't see you're white." "You slow down a little, wave, and then open the throttle so they can't stop you", stroom die advies in. In elk geval, vandag word ons wonder bo wonder net twee keer gestop, en elke keer is hulle net nuuskierig om te hoor wat maak ons so ver op motorfietse. Die pad is weer vol gate vandag. Maar ons ry darem nie ver nie. Net die wete toe ons opstaan dat ons slegs drie of vier ure se ry voor ons het, en nie ses of agt ure nie, is alreeds 'n troos vir ons gemoedere wat gister maar flou was. Skielik 'n waarskuwingsflits op De Witt se elektroniese skerm. Sy traksie-beheer is buite werking, kontak asseblief die handelaar. Hy probeer dit so in die ry weer aktiveer, toe nog 'n noodflits: Sy ABS (gevorderde remstelsel) werk nie. Kontak asseblief die handelaar. Ons stop. Dalk moet hy net sy motorfiets af en weer aanskakel sodat die kontrolebord kan 'reset'. Dit werk nie. Sy verskillende ry-modusse (straat, reën of grondpad) is ook nou buite werking. Ten minste ry die motorfiets nog. Ons stop in Owo om petrol te kry, en hy bel vir Trax KTM in Pretoria. Sien dat die kabeltjie wat van die ABS sensor af loop, effens afgeskuif en aan die agterwiel begin raak en deurgeskuur het. Praat met Rudi by KTM. Besluit om die draadjie te knip en weer te las. Munna, die jong super-motorfietsryer wat ons hier in Owo ontvang en saamry Akure toe, sê hy sal vir ons insulasie-kleefband bring sodra ons in die hotel is. Ons ry. Munna voor. En voluit. Hy is 22 en sy enjin moet skreeu. Ons probeer bybly, maar 'n slaggat teen daardie spoed en ons trip is verby. Skielik draai hy by die Owo Polytechnic College in. Wil vir ons sy universiteit wys. Toe ons stop besef ons hy wil ons eintlik aan sy vriende afwys. Stringe studente kom staan vir fotos saam met ons. Ons smile. Maar hoe langer dit aanhou, hoe meer geforseerd ons glimlagte. Ons voel hoe uitputtend en oppervlakkig dit moet voel om 'n celebrity te wees. Munna bring ons veilig tot by ons hotel. Bring die kleefband. De Witt maak sy kabeltjie reg en alles werk weer. Dis 'n lekker gevoel. Later drink ons 'n bier saam met Munna. Hoor hoe moeilik dit is om werk te kry in Nigerië. Hy studeer Besigheids Administrasie. Wil na Suid-Afrika toe kom. Hy is ook 'n golf-speler. En 'n motorfietsryer. En 'n basketbalspeler (die man is lewenslank). Soos almal van ons is hy opsoek na geleenthede vir 'n beter lewe. Môre tot in Aboekuta want ons is nie lus vir Lagos se chaos nie. Dan Benin. Ons is nou byna 10 000km in ons avontuur in. Nog duisende onbekende myle wat voorlê. Day 41: Kabba to Akure The motorcycle club members who welcomed us in the villages where we slept were quite concerned to hear how many times we were pulled over the previous day. "You must just keep small money ready. When they stop you, you give, you go." "When you approach the checkpoint, just close your visor so they don't see you're white." "You slow down a little, wave, and then open the throttle so they can't stop you." A stream of advice. Anyway, today, surprisingly, we were only stopped twice, and both times they were just curious to hear why on earth are we riding so far on motorcycles. The road is full of potholes. Again. But we don't ride for long. Just the knowledge when we get up that we have only three or four hours of riding ahead of us, and not six or eight hours, is already a comfort to our spirits, which had been somewhat low yesterday. Suddenly a warning flash on De Witt's electronic screen. His traction control is out of order, please contact the dealer. He tries to reactivate it while riding when another emergency flash pops up: His ABS (advanced braking system) isn't working. Please contact the dealer. We stop. Maybe he just needs to switch off his motorcycle and restart it so the control panel can reset. It doesn't work. His different riding modes (street, rain or off-road) are also out of order now. At least the motorcycle is still running. We stop in Owo to get gas, and he calls Trax KTM in Pretoria. Sees that the cable running from the ABS sensor has shifted slightly forward and started to fray against the rear wheel. He talks to Rudi at KTM. Decides to cut the wire and re-connect it. Munna, the young superbike rider who receives us here in Owo and rides with us to Akure, says he will bring us insulation tape as soon as we are in the hotel. We ride. Munna in the lead. At full throttle. He is 22, and his engine has to scream. We try to keep up, but a pothole at that speed, and our trip is over. Suddenly, he turns into the Owo Polytechnic College. Wants to show us his university. When we stop, we realize he actually wants to show us off to his friends. Strings of students come for photos with us. We smile. But the longer it goes on, the more forced our smiles become. We feel how exhausting and superficial it must be to be a celebrity. Munna safely brings us to our hotel. Brings the tape. De Witt fixes his wire, and everything works again. It's a good feeling. Later, we have a beer with Munna. Hear how difficult it is to find work in Nigeria. He studies Business Administration. Wants to come to South Africa. He's also a golfer. And a motorcycle rider. And a basketball player (the man is tall). Like all of us, he's looking for opportunities for a better life. Tomorrow we're going to Abeokuta because we're not up for Lagos' chaos. Then Benin. We're now nearly 10,000 kilometers into our adventure. Thousands of unknown miles ahead.
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AuthorThis blog was written by Dr. Jean Cooper. For my work as organisational psychologist, adventurer and writer, go to www.jeanhenrycooper.com |