Tick Tock, Tick Tock - less than 44 hrs from Bujumbura!

THE BIKE IS PACKED!!!  I found a good youtube video to lead me through the disassembly and packing into my Serfa and after a couple of hours and a Sam Adams, the bike is READY!!

Total packed weight of 26kg - just slightly over the 23kg limit for checked bags.  Lots of biking extras as there are no bike supply stores there.  Between all of us, hopefully we'll have any biking emergency covered.  I have another bag full of cereal, etc… for Simon and his family.  Those hopefully will be my two "free" checked bags, but we'll see at check-in tomorrow.  More importantly, I can get the bags checked all the way through instead of having to pick them up in Brussels, lug them to the hotel and then re-check on Wednesday morning.  

The bike received a well deserved and thorough cleaning before being packed (fun, fun….):

Departure from BCN is only 18 hours away as I layover in Brussels tomorrow night before Wednesday morning's 8 1/2 hour flight to Bujumbura on Brussels Airlines.  I have not really packed as yet, though I did make it out for a quick 2 hour ride this morning to say good bye to my favorite route.  It seemed a breeze after 2 days off, so that is certainly promising!

Personal packing I will leave for the morning (the couch, Ola and Game of Thrones beckons!!!).  That should be straightforward as there really is not much to take.  I will get by on the bike with 2 "outfits", though packing a 3rd shirt (long sleeved) just in case it is cool in the mountains (or the sun is too fierce for my sunscreen).  Off the bike, flip flops, 2 khaki pants with zip off bottoms and 2 light polo shirts should do the trick, with some running shorts and 2 light tops for sleeping/lounging/recovering.

My biggest packing questions right now are on the electronic side, though I am pretty certain, with over 20 hours of flight time, the ipad with keypad cover is a must and the kindle is coming as well.  That will require a few wires and chargers - ugh!  Overall, I will get the personal stuff all into a "school" size backpack.

Thanks for the send off emails of support and continued donations!  GLO will use the funds well and I really appreciate the show of faith in GLO and Simon.

The time has come to say good-bye!  I will try and update further before departing Brussels but if not, "see you" in two weeks or earlier if i get a lucky internet connection down there!!!