Month: June 2006

As is his habit, Serge left camp at 7H40.  It looked like it would be a sunny day, downhill all the way.  Serge was in fine form and a stage of less than 11 hours would be good for his morale.  At the end of the morning, we received a message saying that Serge’s son, Thomas, has passed into the next grade. *  Serge is overjoyed and very proud.  Good news is balm to the heart.

On the 2nd part of the stage, we went through a succession of villages and to our horror saw bee hives set out along the roadside so that villagers could sell their honey.  In such conditions the bees are less aggressive than when they travel by truck but care had to be taken just in case.

Like all cities where new buildings sprout like mushrooms, rural villages are suffering an architectural transformation.  Half timber dwellings with flat, straw covered roofs are being replaced with structures made of concrete painted pink, with red roofs.  Improved living conditions are reaching the Western provinces.

It was difficult to find a place to make camp and we finally stopped between the highway and a railroad track, next to a poultry farm. In addition to the odor, we also had an invasion of flies…..the charms of outdoor living!

* Translator’s note: He will be in the scientific/maths section of his high school next year.