Months of cycling are reversed in a matter of hours.
I stare, wide-eyed, at the drop-down monitor above the aeroplane seat in front of me, watching the plane symbol move passed Nouakchott... Dakhla. It's 3am, and they gave us breakfast with coffee and soft drinks. It doesn't feel real.
In the airport, I was a semi-celebrity. Word had got around the staff that I had cycled there from England, and they were eager to hear how this was possible: "Seven months?!" "Where is your bike?!"
The answer is, I sold it twelve hours ago, for the equivalent of £30:
But let me rewind.
In Thiès, after coming to a realisation that my stress and worrying would follow me to the grave, I made a conscious decision to stop worrying about the future.
After three nights in the city, I left and had the most peaceful three days of my entire trip, which took me to Serrekunda, The Gambia.
The change in attitude was everything. I was confronted with the same situations that would usually stress me out, yet I held my cool, and without fail, each of them resolved itself.
One morning, I was 'mobbed' by a gang of kids, after accidentally camping on their school route:
They stood there, watching my every move as I packed up, occasionally passing quiet comments between themselves. A few of them ventured the usual requests of, "Give me your phone," and similar things, as if they had been taught to do it in school. I asked about their day, then left, deciding not to brush my teeth in front of them all. "Give me your toothbrush," they would have said.
That evening, I stopped for dinner in a restaurant that served spaghetti bolognaise (unable to resist), and almost let it get dark while eating.
When I left, I sauntered over to the village police station, hoping to camp on their grounds, but it was not Morocco, so they turned me away.
Remaining cool, I headed out of the village, and after a few kilometres, found a lovely camping spot in the bush. I had stopped using the outer layer of my tent, which leaves me visible in the night, but lets me sit up in the morning to a beautiful panorama of my surroundings:
(It felt like I was sitting in a boat.)
Clear perspective
It was in this new, tranquil state that I gained a clearer perspective on my trip as a whole, and came to the gentle conclusion that I would stop in The Gambia.
I believe that I have learned what I set out to learn, and that the rest is simply ticking a box that says, 'I cycled from England to South Africa,' which I no longer feel the need to tick.
I thought about where I'd like to go next, given the opportunity to fly almost anywhere, and my options boiled down to: Lisbon, Seville, Bristol, London, Bangkok or Hanoi.
Lisbon felt like the right choice (and the cheapest mistake), so here I am on the plane. My plan is loose; I'm not thinking many steps ahead, but I will stay with Nicki, who put me up on my southward journey and who has kindly offered to do so again. I may try to write a book, either fiction or non-fiction, and failing that, I may try English teaching.
I think that a desire to create or build something has been a factor in my decision to stop, as this is something that I've found impossible to do amidst the chaos of cycle touring. So maybe there is something waiting to come out.
As for cycle touring, I doubt this is the end. It's a new medium of exploration that I now know is possible, and I hope to hit the road again in the future, maybe with a more comfortable bike! Singapore to Japan comes to mind, but I have a track record of missing targets, so I won't commit to it!
Thanks for following my journey so far, I hope it's been emotional for you too and I hope you will stay to see what happens next.
With no regret,
Dan
40 comments (add)
Hu monkey: "I will always have your back beo! Go ahead with what feels right for you! Lots of love!!!" 23/04/19
Mum: "I admire the courage of your decision Dan and wish you luck for the continuation of your journey. Lisbon is a great choice of city too!" 23/04/19
Jo: "Thank you Dan for this blog. It was so honest and full of emotion. You must write as like chapters in a book I’d look forward to your next instalment. Good luck in Lisbon" 23/04/19
Dan Pugsley: "Thanks Jo 🙂" 23/04/19
Flo: "See you sometimes somewhere Dan. Gambia had a big influence on me as well. I might cycle for some months more but then come back here for some farming project I want to develop here in a wonderful place I found. Was nice to bike those few days with you. Take care of yourself and send me you future book. Cheers Flo" 23/04/19
Dan Pugsley: "Nice, where is the place? Yeah I really enjoyed those days too. Thanks and take care too." 23/04/19
Aanu: "Just read this post... Now, I feel the need to go read your earlier posts... Time to grab some popcorn and start reading! All the best for your future travels Dan!" 23/04/19
Dan Pugsley: "Haha 😁 Thank you Aanu, hope you are well, it's been a very long time! Enjoy that popcorn" 23/04/19
Avery: "This was a beautiful journey, and I am glad to have lived it vicariously through you. Thanks for your vulnerability and frankness! All the best!" 23/04/19
Dan Pugsley: "Oh thanks Avery" 23/04/19
Martyn Fredlund: "Dan, biggest respect to you for your cycle and all you’ve learnt. Enjoyed every bit of it. Martyn" 23/04/19
Dan Pugsley: "Thank you 😁" 23/04/19
Gareth Spiller: "Hi Dan, I've really enjoyed reading your blog, you obviously have a real talent for writing :-) Thanks for telling. It has been emotional. Gareth x" 23/04/19
Dan Pugsley: "Thanks Gareth 🙂" 23/04/19
Fi Hanaway: "wow Dan, it all sounds like a massive adventure!! Lisbon is a great place and Nikky is pretty lush too! I'm so pleased you feel like you have learnt some stuff...some of it must have been scary but risks are some of the best life lessons i have learnt from!! You are a really great writer showing yourself is a hard ting to do but you have fair play!I for one am looking forward to reading more so please carry on. Have a relaxing time in Lisbon and watch out for the high numbers on the beach....that's if they still work that way!! What a fine man you have become. Very proud of you....Hooray for Dan hooray for who? hooray for Dan.....Winnie the Pooh always has a ting or two to say!!xxx" 23/04/19
Dan Pugsley: "Haha 😁 Thank you so much, I hope to continue! What do you mean about the high numbers? For dangerous currents? I haven't thought about swimming in the sea" 23/04/19
Fi Hanaway: "No.......when i was last there the low numbers were for families, as they went up so did the sexual preferences and nakedness... !! So no not swimming lovely!!But swimming is a great idea xx" 23/04/19
Dan Pugsley: "Let me find those high numbers!" 24/04/19
Fi Hanaway: "Happy hunting!!x" 25/04/19
Jody: "Dan, So very impressed with you ! When you let it, life leads you to your own path. Remember everyday, the best is yet to come. Looking forward to reading what comes next." 23/04/19
Dan Pugsley: "Ah yeah totally, I guess that hard part can be just letting it lead you, rather than trying to control. I hope so! 🙂 And thank you" 23/04/19
Hugo: "What a trip! 😉 But... ...no blog any more?" 23/04/19
Dan Pugsley: "I'll find something to blog about 😋" 24/04/19
Andrea: "Yes! Never forget how you felt in that moment and your life will be so much easier. Being liberated from the burden of worry is just about the best thing that can happen to anyone. No more racing to park benches!" 23/04/19
Dan Pugsley: "😁 but what if someone gets there first??" 24/04/19
Andrea: "Then it wasn't meant for you! :)" 24/04/19
Dan Pugsley: "Wise 😁" 24/04/19
Huyen: "Wow. Dan, thank you for helping me see the world through your eyes. It was an amazing trip, so i know that it must took a lot of courage when making this decision. I admire and jealous with you at the same time. Please, share us more.😊 Huyen" 23/04/19
Dan Pugsley: "Thank you 🙂 I will try!" 24/04/19
lynn: "Make sure the nice man who bought your bike continues the blog so we know what happens next! ;))" 23/04/19
Dan Pugsley: "Hahah good idea, I'll pass on the torch. He actually sent me a message a couple of days later saying how happy he was with the bike, which made me feel good. It's gone to a good home." 24/04/19
Lynn: "That's awesome! Now he's off securing a 3 book deal with Random House books for his bike adventure, ha! Hope Lisbon is treating you better, you're eating something more substantial than gruel and we'll be looking out for those great updates here." 24/04/19
Dan Pugsley: "I want my £30 back! Lisbon (and Nicki) are treating me very well... different worlds." 24/04/19
Dan Pugsley: "I realised that doesn't make any sense at all" 24/04/19
Gill munn: "I’ve enjoyed the last stages of your journey. We don’t know each other - my friend Ruth introduced me to your blog. Well done for your amazing journey but especially knowing when your journey was done. Definitely worth thinking about a book. It has been a joy sharing part of your trip. Thank you. Gill" 01/05/19
Dan Pugsley: "Thanks Gill 🙂 I'm glad you've enjoyed it. For almost the last two weeks I've been losing my mind slightly while trying to tease an idea out of my brain, for a book. I'm getting somewhere, but slowly... 😋" 02/05/19
Matt Bone: "Amazing journey (and blog!). I'll miss the camels, landscapes, and tales of unexpected human kindness. Probably won't miss the sand mound 'squatting'. Really glad to hear you'll be continuing writing after this. Keep me updated!" 05/05/19
Dan Pugsley: "Cheers Matt 😁 I won't miss the squatting either" 06/05/19
Dee: "Lovely to read your blog Dan - it's fantastic, and really give a great flavour of the sights and sounds of your trip. Keep on keeping on xxx Hows the book going ?! Dee x" 21/11/19
Dan Pugsley: ":) thanks Dee. The book is not going at the moment (as teaching English has been overwhelming), but now as things are cooling down, I may put pen to pad :)" 21/11/19
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