One of the things that becomes apparent (at least for me) when you travel to somewhere like East Africa is that it's a necessity to adapt and change, except that things are different, and look at doing things a different way. That has been absolutely obvious in the time that I've spent so far in Tanzania, from the minute we walked off the plane at Kilimanjaro Airport and walked into another place, where things just aren't the way I'm used to.
What's also apparent is that the people that I'm with, who are a great cross section of people that work in the same profession as me, (mostly close), some are older, some are younger, some are the same age, are willing to do the same thing, and to adapt to something different.
Some of the things that have happened are outside of my comfort zone, and some of the things that will happen will be the same, but not to come because that may be the case is how I would end up sitting in my house on my own, and not going out, giving up work and retiring and staying in the same safe place.
Part of the reason to come to do something like this (and some of the other crazy things that I do like this) is to ensure that I'm outside of my comfort zone and still willing to push myself out, to see new things, to hear different conversations and to meet people from entirely different cultures, backgrounds and worldviews.
It's extraordinary, but it's a classic example of the peak-end rule that I wrote about previously.
Not everything is wonderful, not everything is brilliant.
In fact, many things seem far less ideal than you would hope. But that is part of it, isn't it?
Plenty of time to sit in front of a fire and look at photographs later.
Blog Post Number - 4430
Colin Campbell, Chris Barrow, and an intrepid group of dentists will be cycling across the plains of Tanzania from Kilimanjaro in early February 2026. If you would like to support the charity, Bridge to Aid, and this extraordinary challenge, please click here.
Thank you for your generosity.
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