I left Mbeya this morning and climbed up to nearly 6,000 feet again. It was cold as I rode through the mountains and the wind was blowing so hard that the bike was leaning into it. I had on every layer of clothing I could lay my hands on and I was still shivering. But the view was spectacular so I didn't mind, even when one of the side panels blew off. An easy fix by the road and then, onward.

That is until I was stopped by a rather portly and buffoonish Policeman who signalled me to pull over at a road block. Never a good sign. I didn’t park in the right place and he was talking on the cell phone so he gave me a push on the shoulder in the right direction, something I took a bit of offence to. On checking my papers he found them all in order so he did the obvious thing and offered me his sister. I explained that as nice as his sister was [she didn't look that great really and I don't think she was his sister], I had a beautiful wife already. Then he asked what I was doing and on telling him about Wellspring and how this ride is designed to help kids get a quality education in Rwanda, he said “ And now you will help me”. “Sure, need a push start, some washing done?” Is what I wanted to say, but I knew what he meant and I told him I could not help him. We had a Mexican stand off and in the end I just said “Look, you said my papers are good, I’m leaving”. He laughed and let me go but it really annoyed me. I took a long way round to get back on the road, up a hill beside the police station and on noticing he was standing by a big pile of dust and rubbish, I somehow seemed to lose throttle control as, with a very sincere shouted apology, I accelerated very close to him and covered him in dust, which I'm sure wasn't as spectacular in real life as it is in my memory, but it did  cause two truckers who had also been pulled over to collapse in heaps of laughter as I rode away. It's good to bring joy to the world.

Sadly the next check was not so buffoonish and they took 40,000 shillings off me [about 18 dollars]. Funnily enough I didn’t get a receipt as the money was tucked away.

I know this is normal here and I have experienced it countless times [though not in Rwanda, one of the many things I love about that country], but I hate corruption. It tarnishes all it touches, adds to the dysfunctional society and makes it harder for honest people to be the transformative agents here they could be, so I rode away in a bit of a huff.

Descending from 6,000 feet to 1,000 on a wonderful 15 k windy road with stunning views, I entered the Valley of the Baobabs, Africa’s famous upside down trees, a valley that stretched for miles in a gorgeous setting. As I left the valley, the scenery changed and became way more verdant, a lot like the Tanzania I remembered. Stopping to grab a quick samosa and a Coke at a road side stand “All the way from Cape Town? Aye aye aye!]. I could feel myself getting a little tired so I put on my iPod to stay alert. It never fails and I danced along to Mumford and Tom Cochrane. Life is a highway…mine actually is.

And that’s when the magic began.

I entered Mikumi National Park at 4.30, thinking I’d zoom through the 50K in 30 minutes to get to Morogoro but it didn’t work out that way. Everywhere I looked I saw beauty. Straight away I came across a massive herd of what I think were Impala [Andrew would know if he were here], then Zebras by the hundred. And then I found myself shouting GIRAFFES! I love Giraffes. I never knew there were this many in the world.

I literally couldn’t go more than a kilometer without some new wonder coming into view. And all the while my iPod was playing the most wonderful accompaniment that seemed to have been designed just for this moment. [Thanks Louise].

It all became too much when “You make beautiful things” came on just as I saw the largest herd of Antelope I’d ever seen, right up against the road I was on. I got off to take a photo and was absolutely overcome with the moment. I know it might sound stupid and soppy, but taking off my helmet I yelled along with the song at the top of my voice, partly to entertain them and partly to the God who makes it all. It was a sublime moment, a life memory, and there seemed to be a lot of dust in my eye….

I never dreamed I would see so much beauty on this trip or feel so much sheer joy and inspiration as my soul connects with this beautiful creation God has designed. He truly has made beautiful things.

Tomorrow, I head to Arusha for the second time in 13 months. It's a long ride but I can’t wait to see what amazing thing comes next.

Yep. A day of two half’s. The second half was the one I’ll remember forever.