Beirut
 

Hi there,

we (my friend Jan Neumann and I) are in Beirut at the moment, yesterday we crossed the mountains on Jans Supertenere riding in snow and on ice.

Thank you guys from the HUBB for the good biker contacts here in Lebanon.

I had to learn that normaly bikes are stolen in Beirut and taken over the border to Syria, and not the other way.

The value of my SuperTenere in Syria is about 8000 USD.

So, next week it will be back to Damascus, now I have biker contacts in Syria and some more ideas how to get my bike back.

Wish me luck.

Mika

I wish u luck, Mate.
 

We are all with u. Been following it since beginning. Will be soon on my way back through Damascus.
Good luck again from Cairo.

That's not a common name in Norway but I can't find anyone where the name and age match. Do you have any other information?

There is a guy who might match but he is born in 1977 and from his profile-picture in facebook it looks like he might have been in that area.


Edit: Personal info removed

If you like I can try to check a few places.

viggo normann
 

@ Alibaba

pls try a bit more and check place, I have sent emails to addresses that I found on google but no answers.

would you pls contact this guy (I think the photo is taken in Petra/Jordan) over facebook maybe it is him.

this are all the informations that I have, maybe the birthdate is wrong

Motorcycle traveller Viggo Normann, born 1984

thanks
Mika

Hi Mika,
Sorry for the incident that I really can't believe it happened in Syria as people is one of the nicest I ever seen but can't say the same for police and gov't.
Can be sure they know somebody inside police and may be even have help.
Do not be against Syrian people as one broken egg doesn't mean all is the same.
Lately hundreds of thousand people moved to Damascus from Iraq and they all try to deal with difficult living conditions and hunger and it is already difficult in Syria. Lebanon is another story which you may be right.
Sorry again...

I have asked a few questions, have to wait and see.

Edit: Personal info removed

It sure looks like Petra, I've written him a mail.

On LinkedIn too
 

At least one "Viggo Normann" also has a LinkedIn account. Would check him out there myself, but I lost my username and password and my employer has banned social networking sites :(. Can anyone else try to contact him?

Hang in there Mika!
Chris

It's the same Viggo as mentioned above.

Hi Mika

I was in Damascus, AlRabie hostel around the time you describe.

I am sorry to hear about your bike. Hope you can get it back somehow.

---
Viggo Normann
Norway

Mika

I stayed in Damascus 7-9th of january, and then again 11-12th of january. Both times at Al Rabie.
The visa transaction from Al Rabie said something like "Al Rabie, Lebanon", if this is of interest..
I remember seeing a german bike, probably yours, parked outside one of the days I was there.
Are there any specifics you are interested in knowing from me? I doubt I can be of much help, but I'll give information you think can help you in this matter.

BTW: I'm not a biker born in 1984. I'm a 1977 model

Hello Viggo
 

Hello Viggo,

thank you for your posts and your email. I have replied to your email before reading your posts.

A Swiss bicyclist told me, that the thieves tried to steal another motorbike (just a few days before mine was stolen) but did not manage to start it. She said the biker was from Norway, and we found your name in the hotel book. So, it was not your bike that they tried to steal.

As I arrived around 20th of January, you did not see my bike. So the biker I will have to look for is German, do you remember the brand of the bike??

At the hotel they told me it is very safe to park my bike outside. Did they know better?

@Samy

Thank you for your thoughts. I agree with you, Syrian people are fantastic, very friendly and welcoming, and living conditions are not easy here. But if something like this happens to you, you see a different side of the country.



More later

Mika

I don't remember the brand, but it was quite big, looking a bit like yours.
I'm pretty sure the plates were german. I remember thinking about the route you'd have to travel with a bike all the way to Damascus.

Al Rabie is highly recommended in LonelyPlanet, so I don't think they are doing any monkey business. My guess would be travelling thieves from a bad neighbourhood or countries nearby.

I agree with all of you that syrians are very friendly and welcoming. :) I would like to come back some time.

Hello Hubblers,

today I met the local motorcycle club here in Damascus, three weeks after the bike got stolen !!!!!

A great bunch of guys, they ride mostly Harleys and Gold Wings, but also Africa Twins and Varaderos. They will try their best to help me to get my bike back. It was very good to talk to them, and we had fantastic arabic food.

As today is Friday (the Sunday in this part of the world), I will start tomorrow again to run around and knock more doors ....

@Viggo
No, I dont believe the hotel staff is connected to the thieves, but if only ten days before I arrived the thieves tried to steal another bike, why did they tell me it is very safe to park the bike outside?

More later

Mika

Ouch for you and your bike
 

Hi Mika, greetings from Abu Dhabi, UAE. I'm just another hubbler. I feel so terrible for you and your stolen bike. Besides the emotional loss, I hope you have insurance to cover some of the financial loss.

Ouch.

Keep your chin up!

Shu

@ doschinos

thank you for your reply. no I dont have insurance and money is not the point.

I started to describe the loss of my bike to the locals here like this:

imagine you come home and your house is gone, there is only a big hole in the ground and nothing left of it. How do you feel if something like this would happen?

Greetings from Damascus
Mika