Warner’s World

Dangers and Risks:

Cycling in Africa can be potentially risky and some of the countrites we intend to visit have had significant problems in the past. As I have used up most of my nine lives on previous adventures I am keen to minimise the exposure to hazards as much as possible. My work colleagues are thinking of having a sweep-stake as to the most likely way in which I will meet a sticky end. Here I list some of the challenges and dangers that we are likely to encounter on our travels.

Civil Conflict: With the exception of Zambia all the countries we intend to visit have a history of conflict, some more recent than others. Uganda is considered safe in most areas with only the north likely to pose a problem. The ‘Lords Resistance Army’ is still active in some of the northern provinces.

 

Rwanda and Burundi have been through some well documented problems, although less reported is the fact that peace has broken out and the two warring factions have worked hard to foster a peaceful co-existance. A remarkable achievement considering the number of casualties involved during the conflict.

The DRC until recently was one of the most dangerous places on the planet. The civil-war lasted around 20 years and drew in most neighbouring countries. Largely unreported in the west it claimed thousands if not millions of lives. Only very recently has anyone dared to venture into the DRC. Some parts of western Tanzania are reported to be subject to unrest.

 

Road Traffic: The standard of driving in parts of Africa is appalling. Vehicle maintenance is almost non-existent, with the road-worthiness of many cars, trucks and buses very questionable. Life is cheap on the road and cycles are a long way down the pecking order for road priority. Here, might is right, the truck and bus are king and a cycle is expected to keep out of the way.

 

Malaria: The biggest killer on the planet. This disease is transmitted to humans by

 mosquitoes. Measures can be taken to reduce the risk, such as insect repellent, mosquito nets when sleeping and anti malarial drugs,  but nothing is 100% guaranteed. All our travels will be in at risk areas.

Infectious Diseases: Cholera; Diphtheria: Hepatitis A & B; HIV; Meningitis; Polio; Typhoid; Yellow Fever; Tuberculosis; are just a few of the more common ailments that travellers are exposed to. This doesn’t include some of the more exotic ones such as Ebola that only parts of Africa seem to be exposed to.

Bilharzia: This disease is caused when tiny parasitic worms penetrate the skin while swimming in fresh-water. There is no defence against this microscopic invader as it drills it way into the body straight through the skin, just like a horror movie. It is therefore important to avoid swimming in water that is affected by this parasite. If not treated this disease can cause kidney failure and permanent bowel damage.

Rabies: Caused by being bitten or licked by an infected animal. Dogs in Africa are not the nice friendly ones we are used to in the UK. On my last foray into Africa I had several  close encounters with dogs of the vicious kind. So much so that I armed myself with a large stick to keep them at bay. Rabies is a particually nasty disease that has no cure once symptoms start to show.

Lions:  The top preditor in Africa. A female lioness will weigh twice that of an average human with the male lion being three times a mans weight. We have all witnessed on TV how a pride of lions can tackle an elephant or buffalo. Two cyclists would be only a snack for this king of animals.

African Killer Bees: Have a reputation for being aggressive. Unlike our domestic bees these will deliberately target a person inflicting multiple stings. As I am allergic to even the smallest bee sting this is not something I wish to encounter.

 

Tsetse Flies: This fly feeds on the blood of animals and humans. Its bite can carry a parasite that will work its way through your body and, if left untreated, put you on course for a slow, agonizing and cirtain death. It’s called sleeping sickness.

A horrible slow death awaits those not treated in time. Initially the symptoms are flu-like with a high fever. As the parasite progresses through the body it slowly causes problems with the internal organs. By the time it reaches the central nervous system it is too late to stop irreversable damage to the brain. It causes unpredictable mood changes and you are so weak that it wears you out to eat or even open your eyes.

 

Snakes: A lot of the time we will be in the wilderness. Snakes are common in all parts of Africa and camping outdoors means that we will be exposed to a greater risk than most.

 

African buffalo’s, hippo’s and rhino’s: All are herbivores, but are responsible for more human deaths each year in africa than the carnivores. Large and aggressive, it is best to give these animals a lot of respect. Some books give tips if these animals are encountered. For hippo’s the advice is not to get between the animal and water, ie don’t camp on the side of a river. The one I like the best is the advice for dealing with a charging rhino. It says that the best ploy is to face down a charge and at the last second step aside, just like a matador in a bull-fight (Oh-lay!). He author didn’t say if he had much practice at this manouver.

 

Crocodiles: They lie in wait in the shallows of lakes and rivers. Venturing into the water for a swim or to fill up a water bottle has its risks. They strike with lightning speed and drag their victim into the water where there is little chance of escape. Factoid: the digestive juices in a crocodiles stomach are powerful enough to digest a steel nail!

 

 

Elephants: Large and very protective towards their young. These animals can move with surprising speed when charging. Over a short distance they can easily outpace a cyclist and there is little anyone could do to prevent an incident if confronted by this animal. It is best to keep a respectful distance if an elephant is spotted.

 

 

Dehydration: The most difficult part of our journey with respect to this danger will be the passage down through Western Tanzania. There will be long distances between suitable water stops. The African sun is strong and there is little shade when on a cycle in the open savannah. Any water-holes are likely to be frequented by the wildlife and rivers have the risk of crocodiles and hippo’s being present.