cycling and polling

We had a holiday for the Elections.  I managed to get the bike sorted and go off for my first independent trip off to Itojo and beyond, It was great to get started but the bike was some what uncomfortable and the seat kept tipping up, I managed to get to the top of a hill and just enjoy the peace and scenery.  I think the site of a Mazungo woman on a bike was a little alarming to the locals, or it may just have been my hesitant riding style due to the seat and lack of brakes, but I got plenty of comments; apparently it is the local belief that women cannot ride bikes as they are not built for it.  Builders are the same around the world.  I managed to get the seat sorted at a repair shop on the way back, but too late; will definitely wear the cycling shorts next time.

I decided to help collect the water, unfortunately my bike developed a puncture, and there is no pump or repair kit on site so I have to take a local bike.  This is again a new style of riding, no gears and very upright.  Still no brakes to speak of, the handle bars pointing in a different direction to the wheels and soft tyres so pretty wobbly until I got used to it, the seat was bliss though. Again it caused much hilarity to the locals to see a mazungo on a bike, encouraging one young buck to decide he needed a lift and jumped on whilst I was wobbling along, needless to say with no brakes, steering or balance we ended up in the hedge. I haven't included any pictures of the track, save to say that I would have preferred my other bike, and had to resort to pushing on most of it  even though it was down hill.

 This is the source, it is good clear water, but at least a kilometer from the lodge, mainly down hill, so it all has to be carried back up.  Hopefully the new supply will be slightly uphill to ease the carrying burden.  Two of these 5 gal containers are strapped on to a bike, not mine, and cycled back up the tracks and on to the road, and then up a rickety ladder 20', into the tank. It makes you very aware as you are having your shower how much of someone else's sweat has gone into providing it, sometimes smell is good.
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Yesterday was polling day and this is the polling station, at the secondary school up the road.  The voters move around a wide route to make and cast their vote, to provide privacy in place of polling booths.  People seemed very positive about coming to vote and dressed for the occasion.  I spoke with a couple of 19 year olds who were very pleased to be voting for the first time