Africa by Motorbike (West Route)

[AndyN]

Just back from Africa (Edinburgh to Cape Town) - thought you might like to have a look at a few movie clips from the trip.

I've just added this slide show onto the post:



I know at the end of the slide show it says 19 countries - it's 18 - I was confused!

Andy

[Rone]

Nice movie Andy ... now I have to read your Blogspot too :-)

I will do the same trip and start at the end of october ...

[Mickey D]

Fantastic little film Andy! Great mix of elements, good editing and sound.

Will check out your Blog.

[radiocappie]

absolutely brilliant little film, you certainly captured the atmosphere.
well done

[ta-rider]

This clib contains content of sony picture entertainment. Because of copyright resonst it cant be seen in germany

[ewanhind]

What a great trip, and a great video. Awesome ride, congratulations. Obviously 100 days was enough for you, Andy, but would you have preferred more time? Did you do 100 days by riding at your preferred pace, or did you have to keep the pressure on?

I'd be very interested to hear more on your blog about the trip in hindsight - where were the highlights, what worked, what didn't, what you would do differently next time, what you should have taken, what you should have left behind.

Once again, great vid and thanks for sharing!

[Trix]

Nice video looks like you had fun

[AndyN]

Ta Rider:
Sorry the clip doesn't work in Germany - next time I'll try find some royalty free legal music to go with a vid.

Ewenhind:
100 days involved 70 days on the bike + 29 not riding. I guess about half of that 29 was waiting for visas. I needed to get to Cape Town whilst my wife could still fly out to come and meet me as she's pregnant. I guess for me about 4 months would be perfect, but those taking it easy could easily take half a year or more.

For me the highlights included Central Africa (Cameroon, Gabon, Congo) and Angola. I found Mauritania very interesting as was the Delta area of Nigera, though I wouldn't recomend going that way - stay further north.

I wish I trusted my own instincts rather than trust the mechanics. The Tenere was the perfect bike for the job. I wish I had taken a smart phone or net book so I could use wifi - interenet cafe are expensive and suffer from frequent power cuts. Take plenty of cash euro/dolar for central africa and euros for west africa. Most towns in West Africa have ATMs - as do most big cities in central africa. I would not rely on visas a borders and get them before - things can change fast. I'd get as many visas as is practical at home before leaving - if time scheduling allows. Get Mauritania visa from Rabbat, Nigeria from Accra, and Angola from Abuja. Get insurance at Senigal border for the whole of west africa and don't cross at Rosso. Petrol mostly 4 star (super) is available everywhere - sometimes not from petrol stations but from back market (used for generators and mopeds). Make sure your jacket hasn't got a membrane (rubber) you'll feel like you're a boil in the bag by the time you get to Ghana! I used TK80's - back lasted nearly 7000miles, front got me the whole 13000miles! Difficult to buy tyres outside morocco and southern africa.

Places I wish I had spent more time:
Angola - not possible with only 5 day transit visa
Mauritania - would have like to do the old coast route on the beach if I had company.
Mali - should have taken the direct route from Sengal border to Bamako - surposed to be more fun.
Gabon - great country - should have spent more time there to explore for sure!

Enjoy...

AndyN

[stef25]

Do you have some more info on the routes you took in Mauritania, Senegal and Mali? Which ones were good, which ones to be avoided, what was their condition, difficulty level? Are the "highways" or main roads to be avoided? I always prefer off road to overtaking trucks and buses in hairpin turns ...

Thanks!

[BcDano]

Dude

The video was brilliant, congrats on a great trip!

[crlyn]

Hey Andy - we are going to doing LON-Cpt at the end of November for about 4months.... Getting visas sorted, but unsure what to do about carnets - lots of discussion on here, some soming required, some day no need to get them, get a laissez-passer at the border.... what did you do? We will be shipping the bikes back to Lon frpm Cape Town for buy-back deal, but we also hav a mate following us down in a 4x4 that he is going to purchase in Lon - he flys out from Accra, but can leave/donate 4x4 in another country - maybe Ivory coast if this is easier.... any suggestions?

Much apprecciated,
Carolyn

[Rami]

GREAT video. ..And nice to hear, you made it!

The slide show though, was a little bit too fast, to enjoy all the pictures. One finger in pause button all the time

Rami

[AndyN]

Hi stef25:

I've just managed to delete my reply - so I'm just going to be breif:
Mauritania - old coast route surposed to be great - new coastal highway new tarmac and quite - not sure if you are alowed to ride into interior (check) - don't cross into Senegal at Rosso.
Senigal - Highways mostly quite quite - cities busy - minor roads, some pot badly holed tarmac i.e. can be not much fun.
Mali - take direct route to Bamako - I would have liked to take trails north of main road between Segou and Djene - I think this is for dry season.

Hi crlyn:
I took a carnet - but you can certianly go through the west route without. The countries that use the laissez-passer system are easy - mainly west Africa. Most of central Africa there didn't seem to be much of a system at all. I had to seek out people to stamp my carnet and tell them what to do. They aren't interested. From people i spoke to selling cars - it seems you need to get the right car - doesn't matter if it is old - something like a Merc 200. Mauritania and Mali seems popular for selling. i met a german guy who just drove down 17 vehicles - one was a Merc van that he bought in Germany for 200 Euro and sold in Mauritania for 6000 Euro! Apparently selling is not the problem, but getting the cash in hand is! Everyone wants cars, but they have to get the money together.

[crlyn]

Andy,
thanks heaps for the info - and for replying, I see you are getting a lot of questions, so Cheers. I'm definately starting to think I wont bother with the carnets... seems like more bother than anything else. Your trip looks awesome, and has made me start looking forward to ours again - was getting a bit bogged down with trying to organise everything.

Carolyn,

[geoffshing]

Just watched the vid, nice one, brought back good memories of the route. I like the history of the bike.

It's all set up ready for Europe this September with some new bits 'n' bobs. How's the baby! Like being a Dad?