Watamu or Bust! Our CEO's Fundraising African Adventure

DAY 1: Monday 25th August 2025-Distance cycled: 80 km / 420 km

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The day began at Ziwani Camp, situated at a fresh spring flowing from the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro and ended at Salt Lick Safari Lodge. The route took us through diverse terrains and landscapes, combining natural beauty with historical significance.

A Magnificent Morning

We woke to an absolute gift - after a cloudy previous evening, Mount Kilimanjaro revealed itself in all its magnificence for our early morning group photo. What a treat after Ziwani had already spoiled us with an incredible safari the night before. We'd walked among giraffes, spotted crocodiles and elephants, and seen a wonderful variety of birds. The night safari was particularly special, capturing nocturnal creatures in photographs that we'll treasure forever.

But at 6 AM sharp, it was time to trade safari vehicles for bicycles. Chris had outlined our route, and we set off with high spirits and clear mountain views.

The Reality Check

Tony might have declared this "a lot easier than Albania," but the rest of us had some doubts. By the 17 kilometre mark, where we stopped for water, some were already joking about being "ready for a rest," with "375 kilometres to go." The sandy trails had proven "relatively tough and hard going," just as Chris had warned.

Those first 17 kilometres through the dirt tracks tested us more than expected. When we transitioned onto the main road, we discovered that tarmac doesn't automatically mean easy cycling - not when you're facing rolling hills and a persistent headwind that seemed determined to remind us this was Day 1 of a serious challenge.

The 20-kilometre stretch leading up to the 60-kilometre mark proved particularly brutal. Legs were complaining, saddles were making their presence very much known, and Kilimanjaro had begun to cloud over as the day progressed - typical behaviour for Africa's highest peak, but somehow symbolic of our own energy levels.

Historical Treasures

Despite our growing fatigue, Chris's storytelling kept us engaged. His tales of WWI battles at Salaita Hill, and the ingenious German deception with straw dummy soldiers, provided fascinating distraction from burning thighs. Learning that Maktau Gate was East Africa's first airfield added another layer to our journey - we weren't just cycling; we were following in the tyre tracks of history.

Evening Rewards

By the time we reached Salt Lake Safari Lodge, we were a group of tired but triumphant cyclists. The lodge's fantastic views across the plains were the perfect reward for our efforts, but the real treats were yet to come.

The evening game drive delivered what the morning's cycle ride had missed. Elephants appeared at the nearby waterhole - a magical sight after spending the day in their territory on two wheels rather than four. The vista from the lodge was truly magnificent, stretching towards distant hills filled with animals of many varieties. But the absolute highlight was encountering two lions, a male and female, on a fresh kill.

Watching them devour their prey was mesmerising, especially when they'd pause to survey their surroundings with regal authority. When a ranger on a motorcycle passed by, both lions stood up and fixed him with such serious intent that we all wondered what was going through their minds. The raw power and presence of these apex predators, just metres away, reminded us exactly where we were cycling.

Day One Reflections

All in all, our first day delivered everything we'd hoped for and more. The whole team finished in good shape, though everyone was nursing tired legs and more than a few sore backsides. The saddle had definitely made its mark on Day 1.

Tony's optimism about this being easier than Albania might have been premature, but Simon's honesty about the challenge ahead felt more accurate. Still, we'd met our Day 1 challenge through one of Africa's most spectacular landscapes, learned fascinating history, and ended with lions on a kill and owls on the tracks at dusk - with a background of now distant Kilimanjaro.

Not a bad way to start the Kenya 400 Challenge. Tomorrow brings new roads, and hopefully, legs that remember what they're supposed to do. As Chris promised, by Day 3 we should feel strong. Tonight, we're just grateful to be horizontal.

Kenya 400 DAY 2: Tuesday 26th August 2025 - The Taita Hills Challenge

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Total distance cycled: 140+ km / 420 km

Today's adventure saw "gentle ride" become "like being in the gym" …

A Deceptive Start

Day 2 began at the beautiful Taita Hills Lodge in the heart of the Taita Sanctuary, and Chris promised us a "gentle ride" for the first eight kilometres. We should have known better - when Chris says "gentle," he's comparing it to Kilimanjaro!

Those first eight kilometres were indeed pleasant, lulling us into a false sense of security as we rolled through the sanctuary grounds. But then, as Charles would later reflect, "it was like being in the gym for the next hour" as we began our assault on the Taita Hills themselves.

The Great Climb

The Taita Hills rise an imposing 5,000 feet above the surrounding plains - ancient granite massifs formed over 100 million years ago. We were about to cycle straight up into their foothills, heading north up the mountain on what became a gruelling five-kilometre climb.

"It was actually quite tough going up that hill," Charles noted with typical British understatement, though the frequent stops for breathers told the real story. This wasn't just any climb - it was a proper 300-metre elevation gain that had everyone's legs screaming within the first kilometre.

But Chris was impressed with the whole team's determination. "We got five kilometres up that hill," he observed with genuine admiration. "A five-kilometre climb is a tough one, especially early in the morning."

The Rewarding Descent

The reward for our suffering came when we turned around for the descent. Suddenly, we could see exactly how high we'd climbed, and the views were spectacular. The five-kilometre descent was everything the climb wasn't - exhilarating, fast, and a reminder of why we'd endured the pain going up.

Rolling down through the town and continuing to a lovely dam a few kilometres later, all on dirt roads now, we reached our refreshment stop feeling like we'd already earned our medals for the day. The dam had created a couple of beautiful lakes that provided a perfect backdrop for catching our breath and preparing for what Chris ominously called "the challenge of the day."

The 360-Degree Challenge

If the climb had been like the gym, what came next was like a masterclass in persistence. We were about to cycle a complete 360-degree circuit around Mount Kasigau, traversing terrain that would test every ounce of our resolve.

The route took us through a fascinating sisal estate, where Chris educated us about these remarkable thorny, cactus-type plants. Originally grown extensively in Mexico for tequila production, the sisal here serves a different purpose. The leaves are cut and processed through a decorticator that removes all the green juice, leaving fibres that are woven into rope.

"It's used for tying ships to docks," Chris explained, "because unlike nylon, sisal rope doesn't stretch, and it doesn't suffer from UV exposure." The modern use in car dashboards, mixed with resin as a recyclable natural product, showed how this ancient plant continues to find new purposes.

The Headwind From Hell

But our agricultural education was about to be interrupted by nature's own curriculum in endurance. As we rounded the mountain, we hit a headwind that felt like cycling through treacle. For 12 to 15 kilometres, this relentless wind battered us, turning what should have been a pleasant circumnavigation into a proper battle.

"It was really, really tough going," Charles recalled. "It was heavy going for a while." The headwind was so strong that Chris himself admitted he was thinking, "Oh my goodness, this is really going to knock everybody on the head."

Age and Experience Triumph

But here's where our group showed their true mettle. Despite the brutal conditions, everyone came through in impressive times. Chris couldn't contain his admiration: "How do us old 70-year-olds compare with some of the youngsters? You're doing very well. Very, very well."

In fact, one of the guides had commented to Chris: "This is just amazing. These are older people and they're doing so much better than the 18, 19, 20-year-olds that we get on the trips." As Charles noted with evident satisfaction, "The old meat is actually working!"

Evening at Hildana

Our reward for conquering the Taita Hills and surviving the headwind of doom was arrival at Hildana Lodge, situated beautifully on one of the sisal farms. The lodge's waterhole provided the perfect end to a challenging day, as we watched elephants and buffalo come in to drink, along with zebra and impala.

Sitting by that waterhole after 60+ kilometres of climbing, descending, and battling headwinds, we felt like we'd earned our place among these magnificent animals. The lodge's peaceful setting was the perfect balm for legs that had been thoroughly tested by Kenya's demanding terrain.

Reflections on Day 2

Day 2 had delivered everything Chris hadn't quite warned us about - the "gentle start" that became a gym workout, the rewarding descent that reminded us why we climb, the educational journey through sisal country and the headwind that tested our resolve. But it has also shown us something important about ourselves.

We weren't just surviving Kenya's challenges; we were thriving. The 70-year-olds were outperforming teenagers, the headwinds were being conquered - and the African landscape was revealing its secrets one pedal stroke at a time.

Tomorrow brings Mount Kasigau and new adventures, but tonight we rest as cyclists who've proven that age, experience and determination can conquer any hill Kenya throws at us.

The 'old meat' is working very well indeed.

KENYA 400 DAY 3: Wednesday 27th August 2025 - The Safari Rally Road Adventure

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Total distance cycled: 200+ km / 420 km

Today's effort was quite a journey, from elephant encounters - to Tony's red dust camouflage …

An Elephant Welcome Committee

Day 3 began with military precision at Hildana Lodge - breakfast at 7 AM, bikes ready by 7:30 AM. But as we said goodbye to the elephant waterhole, the elephants apparently decided to say goodbye to us in person. Cycling right out of the lodge, we rode straight into a herd of elephants!

"Luckily they were off to the left and stayed off to the left," Chris recalled with evident relief. Nothing quite wakes you up like sharing the road with Africa's largest land mammals at 7:30 in the morning.

The Historic Safari Rally Road

Once past our elephant escort, we hit something truly special - the big old East African Safari Rally Road. This wasn't just any dirt track; this was the original road built in the 1920s that connected Mombasa to Nairobi via Voi, then wound around to Moshi and Arusha in Tanzania before heading back through Namanga to Kenya's capital.

We were cycling on a piece of East African history, and it showed. This was a "lovely road," smooth and undulating, that took us through landscapes that rally drivers had navigated for decades. The best part? We saw only two other vehicles the entire day. We practically had this historic route to ourselves.

Mount Kasigau's Majestic Challenge

Our destination was Mount Kasigau, that "beautiful mountain standing way, way, way above the surrounding savannah" - an amazing, towering 3,000-foot granite rock that dominated the horizon. The route took us around the right-hand shoulder of this ancient massif, and then up and over in a climb that was precisely measured at 231 metres of elevation gain.

But here's where Charles learned an important lesson about cycling with guides: "Little undulations appear to be more than little undulations," he observed wryly. "I've learnt that the guides tend to underestimate or don't tell the truth about whether you're going uphill or not and how far that uphill is."

The Great Separation

As the day progressed, something fascinating happened that Charles found both impressive and demoralising. "I noticed that the team in the front were cycling incredibly fast and seemed to go faster and faster," he reflected. "I personally was gradually going further and further back, further demoralised from the front to the back."

Despite feeling like he was cycling quite fast, Charles watched in amazement as the front group pulled away. "What these guys at the front were doing was just amazing," he admitted with genuine admiration for his teammates' performance.

Distance Achievements and Red Dust Rewards

The varying distances reflected different fitness levels and personal goals - some managed 60 kilometres, some pushed to 70, and a few hardy souls completed 80 kilometres. "Quite magnificent," as Chris noted. Regardless of distance, everyone ended the day "hot, sweaty and covered in red dust, but rather happy."

Carbon Neutral Forest and Western Towns

The route took us through fascinating terrain, including a carbon-neutral forest - an area purchased by industry to help with environmental conservation. But perhaps the most charming section was cycling through what Chris described as an "African Western-type town."

"If you can picture the Western-type towns in America, how they used to be with one horse and a cart," Chris explained, "we actually had the pleasure of cycling through one of those towns by the name of Kasigau below Mount Kasigau." It was a "really, really, really fantastic little town. To see everybody going about their daily business, but as quiet as you could imagine a town out in the west of the States."

Heartwarming Local Encounters

What struck Charles most was the warmth of the local people. "Everybody stood by and waved, encouraged us," he recalled with obvious emotion. "There was a school we went past with children - I think probably below seven - who were absolutely ecstatic, waving and shouting with excitement."

At their stop at "Big Boy's Corner," Charles had a memorable conversation with a local woman. When he asked if she walked up the big mountain, she casually replied, "Yes, I go regularly. I walk up to the top in the morning, I come down in the afternoon." Charles was left thinking, "Wow, something special" - a perfect reminder of how locals navigate terrain that challenges even dedicated cyclists.

Tony's Unintentional Camouflage

The day's comic relief came courtesy of Tony, who "decided that he would plant his face to get a bit of native camouflage." In other words, Tony fell off his bike and landed face-first in the red sand, emerging looking like "somebody who's just ready to go into the bush."

However, as Charles noted with amusement, "his camouflage was a little bit short because the garish yellow color of his top shone loud against everything else in the wilderness." Tony had achieved perfect facial camouflage but forgotten about his fluorescent cycling jersey!

Super Tuskers at Satao Camp

The day concluded at Satao Camp in Tsavo East National Park, entering a vast expanse of 14,747 square kilometres - "the size of Wales," as Chris put it. This is where you find Kenya's famous super tuskers, the biggest elephants with the most impressive tusks, and the team was rewarded with sightings at the waterhole.

The camp also featured hippos in the waterhole, adding to the evening's wildlife entertainment. After a day of cycling historic rally roads, conquering mountain shoulders, and navigating red dust, the prospect of barbecue skewers that they could cook themselves at their tables provided the perfect end to an adventurous day.

Reflections on Day 3

Day 3 had delivered everything from elephant encounters to historic roads, from mountain climbs that were bigger than advertised to heartwarming local interactions. Tony's face-plant provided comic relief, while the varying distances showed that everyone was finding their own level of challenge.

Most importantly, the day demonstrated the incredible diversity of experiences that cycling through Kenya provides—from wildlife encounters to cultural immersion, from physical challenges to historical education. Whether you covered 60 or 80 kilometres, everyone had stories to tell and red dust to wash off.

KENYA 400 DAY 4: Thursday 28th August 2025 - Man Down and the Man-Eaters

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Total distance cycled: 300+ km / 420 km

Today's adventure featured historic trading posts and an unfortunate tumble…

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A Night Among the Ancestors

Day 4 began at Satao Camp - a completely open camp where animals roam freely with lions, giraffes, and antelopes as neighbours.

Satao holds dark history as an old slave trading post, evidenced by tamarind trees throughout. More chillingly, this is probably where the infamous man-eaters of Tsavo originated - lions that killed 168 railway workers around 1900. Chris's theory: these lions' ancestors developed a taste for human flesh when slaves unfit for the coast trek were discarded here.

Dawn Wildlife and Super Tuskers

Charles's 6 AM lookout experience captured Satao's magic: "Elephants came along, then zebras, all sequentially never interfering." Satao is famous for super tuskers - magnificent male elephants with Africa's largest tusks. "We saw a fair number, which was really exciting."

Bureaucratic Hurdles and Brutal Headwinds
Cycling required a vehicle transfer due to Kenya Wildlife Service permit delays. Starting at Solar Gate, they faced a "massive headwind" so strong that "if you stood still, it would blow you backwards." Despite brutal conditions, they reached Crocodile Camp.

Nature at Crocodile Camp and Man Down

Despite the challenging headwind, the cycling along the Galana River offered stunning views of the semi-arid landscape. The route to Crocodile Camp wound through acacia-dotted terrain where the ancient river has carved its path through the wilderness for millennia.

The evening at Crocodile Camp delivered pure magic - 30 elephants came to drink at the river for 30 minutes, a magnificent display of family dynamics with babies staying close to their mothers. Charles spotted graceful monitor lizards and elegant storks along the riverbank, while the star attraction was "Gaddafi" the massive crocodile, earning his nickname for being particularly ugly and intimidating.

But preparing for afternoon rides, Charles took a tumble. He "bit the dust," suffering some bruising and scrapes that left him looking rather worse for wear. "I had to take the afternoon off, much to my chagrin," Charles noted. Chris reassured him: "Man down is not man lost"—the kilometers would count.

Reflections

Day 4 delivered sobering history, bureaucratic frustrations, impossible headwinds, spectacular wildlife - and zebra-stripe injuries. Most importantly, it showed team resilience. Charles might have been temporarily sidelined, but not defeated.

KENYA 400 DAY 5: Friday 29th August 2025 - Tony's Elephant Encounter and Victory

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Total distance cycled: 410 km 

The final day of Kenya 400 - and the final push to Watamu…

The Great Egg Comedy and Tony's Early Start

Day 5 began with "The Great Egg Comedy" - breakfast eggs ended up in lunch boxes instead, which the team later gave to school children along the road.

At 6:30 AM, Chris discovered Tony had already departed solo into the African dawn. What seemed like typical enthusiasm nearly turned into disaster.

Near-Death at 15 Kilometres

Just 15km into his ride, Tony looked up to find elephants 15-20 metres ahead. He braked hard but momentum carried him within 12 meters of the herd. While mothers and calves moved aside, the big bull decided to give Tony "a wake-up call."

Tony spun his bike around and raced away as the elephant chased him on tarmac, just 3-12 meters behind. "He could hear its feet on the tarmac behind him," Chris recounted, before the bull finally stopped its charge.

Traumatised but Unbroken

The team found Tony clearly shaken by this "very deep, meaningful, disturbing event." Despite being traumatised, Tony continued cycling and completed the full 110 kilometres - a testament to remarkable determination.

The Final Push

Regrouping at Mwalala town, the team tackled the final 50 kilometres through villages where "lots of school children cheered us on." The enthusiastic reception provided perfect emotional fuel for the final stretch.

The route saved one last challenge - 8 brutal kilometres of "very bad rough road" that rattled everyone, including Charles with his injured ribs and arm from Day 4.

Victory at Ocean Sports

The final 10 kilometres led to Ocean Sports resort in Watamu. The team arrived in fine form for the finish, "thoroughly exhilarated but relieved" after completing "the real challenge."

Gold Medals and Tony's Platinum

"Tony should receive a platinum award," Chris declared. From facing down a charging elephant to completing every kilometre despite trauma, Tony embodied the Kenya 400 Challenge spirit.

From Kilimanjaro to the Indian Ocean - 410 kilometres completed, gold medals earned, and one platinum hero who faced down a charging elephant and kept pedalling.

All in all, a fantastic adventure. Six school friends and a group of new friends made, with over £11,000 raised for PTSD Resolution - proving that the greatest journeys combine personal challenge with meaningful purpose.