I woke up feeling a bit rough and after a late breakfast Iheaded off into the heat. I'm never doing that again. Early starts and late finishes from now on.

By 1.45pm I was already fading quickly and stopped at a truck repair shop for some shade, two bottles of water and a 5 mao ice lolly. The heat today was even more intense than last week, with temperatures wellover 40 degrees Celsius. Hardly surprising my mind was turning to mush. Totally draining.

Kira suggested in one of the comments, that I should rig up an umbrella and fan powered from the pedals. She may be right. A quality bit of Siberian wisdom. The fan though I may need to skip on for the moment. Its hardenough pedaling through thin air, without having to turn a propeller as well.

Remember those umbrellas I saw in Chang-ning, the ones thatfix to motor bikes. I can't find the many where now. I'd buy one even if it weighed a ton. Absolutely perfect.

The feeling of sitting on the little stool in the shady workshop, was like being stroked by a thousand beautiful ladies. A very welcoming experience. I stayed there for about 45 minutes waiting for my brainto stop simmering and pushed on again. Not before Little Wheelie took the owner for a spin.

The sun just sucked all my energy. I had litres of water buts till it felt inadequate. Then the hills began again, no shade anywhere and myfeet were starting to get too hot. Everyone knows that feeling of walking on ahot floor or on hot pebbles on a beach. You’re hoping, skipping and cursing,trying to get to the water to quench your feet in the cool water. Well it was like that, only with a large hot flat pebble attached to each foot and no waterin sight. Oooh water a lovely day.

It was too hot for flies and it was too hot for birds. Theonly thing I could hear was the heat from the sun, the pounding of my heart andthe odd truck driver that would pass by being far too cheerful. Everything els ehad the sense to go into hiding.