Sisters in arms
When Kate Leeming set off to cycle across Africa, from west to east in a continuous line, she was not only on a physical quest, but also an odyssey to highlight the development needs of wartorn and poverty stricken nations. What she discovered would challenge her on every front.
I‘m told, “If you hear a gunshot, you must fall to the ground and the two bulletproof vehicles will form a V-shape to protect you. Someone will then drag you in to safety.”
Issa, a minister in the Puntland Government delivered this reality check in what felt like a surreal scene. This wasn’t Hollywood – it was really happening.
My entourage was led by a “technical” military unit transporting eight regular soldiers, a gunner, commander and a driver. I was next and behind me were the two bulletproof vehicles carrying my sister and cameraman, two government ministers, a security advisor to the Somali President and their bodyguards. We had been careful not to disclose our planned route, assuming that even emails and phone calls were monitored. Raging north-westerly winds swept dusty trails into the sky. I hoped the dust stream didn’t form a “smoke signal” for any insurgents possibly hiding in villages along our path. I didn’t even want to think about the pirates stationed to the north and south of our destination, Cape Hafun, the most easterly landmark of the African continent.
But, here I was, cycling through a war zone in Puntland, Somalia, 300km from the finish of a 10-month, 22,000km journey between Africa’s widest points. I believe I have invented a new adrenaline-led sport to add to Outer Edge’s usual featured activities. Cycling through a warzone guarantees the endorphins are fully pumping, even with the best security plan and the government on side.
It helps the pace too. I had been making excellent time. During the first morning break, 67km east of Qardho, the “battle drill” was outlined. We were resting in a small village. The open-sided shack was made from sticks, brushwood and whatever secondhand building materials were available, including food aid bags. Aisha, a motherly figure with welcoming, smiling eyes, made tea. I must have seemed like an alien, but Aisha and her friends treated me like a sister and the team was respected like family.
In this sanctuary it was easy to forget that the war against the threat of terror was on their doorstep. The latest conflict, initiated by the Puntland state government three days before we arrived, was to prevent the spread of fundamentalist doctrine in a neutral part of Somalia.
We had to keep moving. I’d only known Aisha for a brief time, but the farewell hug was heartfelt. The villagers lined the path forming a loose guard of honour, singing and clapping me and the group on our way. The ambience was more suited to the
Tour de France than a tour of duty.
It had taken 10 months to get here. I had set off on 21 October 2009, from Africa’s most westerly pile of rocks, Point Almadies, near Dakar in Senegal. The physical aim was to cross the continent from west to east in a continuous line. I wasn’t feeling very physical at the start and was ill with a cough and sheer exhaustion. My intentions of being fit for the journey had been sacrificed just to get it up. Energy expended and stress endured to pull the “Breaking the Cycle” expedition together amounted to “anti-training”, which nearly broke this cyclist.
Read the rest of this story in the latest issue of Outer Edge. On sale now!
words and images Kate Leeming
