Cycling to Afabet Home AJ and Susie came up with the crazy plan to visit Nacfa, a town in northern Eritrea which was the scene of some epic battles in the struggle for liberation - the crazy part was they planned to cycle there in a weekend. On Thursday lunchtime the decision was made we'd set off to Ghinda that evening to give ourselves a head start on the way to Afabet, our planned first stop where we'd pay a call on Paul, a  teacher there. With 10 minutes packing we set off down the Escarpment towards Massawa, it was lucky this was a road we all knew well  - as from Nefasit the last 20 K were done in the dark, the way down the twisting descent only illuminated by the full moon and headlights of the occasional truck. Steve "Ghinda" Massey hosted us for the night and in the morning we set off at 6:40 and continued downhill to Ghatelia, where we turned off the Massawa road to head north through the desert towards Sh'eb Mensheb. Even in the morning it was hot work across the desert and we were ready for a coke when we reached the town after three hours.  AJ and Susie on a straight road Sheb Mosque On we continued, the surrounding land varying between sand dunes and green irrigated fields, Susie declaring her intention to jump in the first pickup which passed. At 60K the tarmac road ran out and we turned onto a stony dirt track. Finally a truck passed and Susie thankfully climbed aboard. I was a bit shocked when the driver told me we still had another 70K to Afabet, but AJ and I soldiered on. Cycling by the sand dunes AJ at the ford After fording a river we reached Gademhalib, our planned food stop - it turned out to be a nomad village which at that time was virtually deserted so we carried on before taking rest in the shelter of a bridge. AJ lay down by the road to await the next vehicle leaving me the sole survivor to carry on the last 50K up the climb to Afabet.  Taking rest 50K to go A well needed feed With about 30K to go I had finished my water and was starting to feel the effects of severe dehydration. At this point AJ passed me in a truck and gave me the thimbleful of liquid he had left and sped off with an encouraing shout of "I think you can do it Dave" - I wasn't so sure. I soldiered on for another 15K then saw Paul coming round the bend to meet me - carrying water. He sped off at a furious pace with me hanging on his wheel, though we lost the race against the darkness and our last 10K were once again moonlit. Thoroughly exhausted I stuffed my face on Injira and rice courtesy of  Paul's neighbour's christening. Turned out the day had been about 165 K - somewhat further than our estimated 100K!  Women in Afabet Rock in the national park Ballancing rocks Graveyard Ashorm battle scene Village on the road to Keren Unable to get to Nacfa the next day we explored the delights of Afabet, cycling out through a national park to the scene of a decisive battle against the Ethiopians. On Sunday we returned by bus to Keren, then set off cycling back to Asmara. I made the 90K, including the dramatic climb of the Escarpment to Adi Teklezan, and once again did the last 20K in darkness.