German protection, German strength....... So I continue to pedal across Algeria in presidential style. Yesterday 4 Military Police motorcycle outriders on German made BMWs joined the cavalcade of Mercedes Vito Police van and VW Polo. As we go through towns the sirens blare to warn townspeople and motorists. They look up expecting something interesting or famous. They get a middle aged bloke in a peloton of 1 on a bike with a pannier rack and handlebar bag. I was a little pissed off when we arrived in the city of Oran after 170km for the day. There had been too much main road, too much headwind, too much pollution. At 20 cents a litre, there is little incentive here to switch off engines and a pall of brown hangs over much of the country Im riding through. I determined Id talk to Faisal about the route. Talk about seeking out more peaceful roads. But first a beer would be welcome. Faisal asked in hushed tones in the street near the hotel and soon we were in a dark shop. 14% it said on the can for German made Weidmann beer. I dont think Id ever seen as high a figure for a beer and, quite frankly, I didnt believe it. I collapsed on the bed back at the hotel. The other part of my Algerian journey is I must stay in hotels. With less than a third of the can drunk I was feeling funny. By half decidedly weird. A few sips later and I was more pissed than pissed off. I knew I needed to eat something too; Id not had anything like enough during the ride. Ordinarily I love beer and chocolate but hate mixing them. On this occasion a Mars Bar was all I had. A shower might help. But it threw me when I saw an image of a woman in the shower. Whats she doing here I wondered? I couldnt shower in front of her. Eventually I had the courage to do so and felt a little better after. I lay on the bed to write some notes on the day in a new notebook Id bought in Tlemcen. I went to put a mediterr année sticker on the front. I was confused. Where was the front? The front was upside down, the back was where the front should be. I was momentarily lost. But less under the influence than a realisation that in the Arabic nations they write from back to front. I stuck the sticker on upside down and all was well........
Posted on: Tue, 13 Jan 2015 05:50:54 +0000
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