Niger to Libya - possible

[Chris Scott]

I've heard this from onelife-adventures.co.uk. I mentioned it a few months ago. It seems to have worked.

"... our idea to carry a number
plate making machine (basiclly a roller press, acrylic plates, reflective
plastic backing and adhesive clear protective fronts) and a pack of Arabic
numbers and letters as transfers (letraset??) has worked well. Three
vehicles (one a 9-ton truck) successfully passed from south to north at the
Toummo crossing Libya - said to be shut in that direction! they rested up
in the Toummo Mountains and are now heading for Tajarhi, Al Wigh and the
Idhan Murzuq - lucky beggars. The brief note we got was that it was as we
thought: the border guys have no way of making plates although they
can issue the number plate numbers (given to them by Tripoli HQ). The
official status is that you still can't enter from the south but the reality
is they allow tourists over for hard dollars, $85 for each number plate and
$15 as a backhander - not what we like to do but it got them over...."

Chris S

[Richard Washington]

Wow!
15 notes is well cheaper than the standard 'border assistance' on the Tunisia-Libya crossing too and widens the scope for travel at a time of much restriction.

I hope we'll see Arabic letraset on the sahara-overland shop soon!

[Erik D.]

It might be interesting to try with pre-made plates from home. Simply your own plate nr. but in arabic letters that you could switch over to just before the border.
You never know, they might actually accept them, since I've understood it's mostly about the writing, not that you actually need "their" new number? Or have I missed something, and this has been tried before?

Erik D.

www.dunia.no

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[Luke]

Hello, is it naive to imagine that one of the courrier companies (DHL,UPS, etc.) could get a plate to the relevant post? Or perhaps one could buy plates off someone exiting towards the south?
We're in Accra considering either Libya or Sudan/Saudi as possible ways home. Anyone got some up to date news since the Colonel has tried to buy favour recently?
Thanks
Luke

[Chris Scott]

>is it naive to imagine that one of the courrier companies (DHL,UPS, etc.) could get a plate to the relevant post?

I think so

>Or perhaps one could buy plates off someone exiting towards the south?

Sounds simple but for tourists, border posts are officially only the Med and Tin Alkoum (Alg) where playe swaps happen.
And so few tourists use Tumu you would be lucky to meet anyone (Af vehicles do not need plates).

This new crossing has been too little used (once) to be reliable - it could have been a fluke.

>We're in Accra considering either Libya or Sudan/Saudi as possible ways home.

Why not Algeria....

>Anyone got some up to date news since the Colonel has tried to buy favour recently?
He'll be getting a combined Nobel Prize/MBE soon. Gives a new meaning to "oiling palms"

CS

[Kuno2]

I do fully disagree to post such "special procedures" in a public forum!

> The border-post is not requesting just a plate with arabic letters. What they issue is a temporary customs-plate as any Libyan Citizen gets it, if he imports a car.

> Faked plates can cause you serious problems in the country:

>>> Your car could be confiscated at any time.
>>> In case of an accident, your legal position will be a real "good" one.

> Further: Such things are only what those who are against an individual tourism looking for: Since the individuals are obviously not following the laws, they need an official guide or even better, they have to be collectet in groups.

Thank you!

[Sam Rutherford]

This forum is for just such 'special procedures'.

Most people planning on independant travel to the Sahara are adults, and like to be treated as such.

With the information available, you make your risk analysis and decide what you are going to do - then you take responsibility for the outcome - good or bad.

Sam.

[Chris Scott]

> Faked plates can cause you serious problems in the country:

I am sure they will, but that is not what was being suggested Kuno.

The whole procedure is legitimate, if unusual and possibly a bit lucky. No one can expect to get past any Libyan border post - even Tumu - with faked plates because it is the border people who rent them to you and take them back when you leave Libya (or a refund)

Chris S

[Richard Washington]

From Kuno2: "I do fully disagree to post such "special procedures" in a public forum!"

Let us get some perspective on what is being discussed here:

1) for many years the crossing from Niger north to Libya has been closed to Europeans but not others (there are not so many border posts that filter people of different population in the first place)
2) Saharan travel has been severly restricted over the last couple of years
3) a tourist managed to do the 'impossible' and cross south to north from Niger to Libya
4) the south to north crossing turned out to be a trivial problem of providing number plates
5) we are all discussing how we could help the Libyan authorities do their jobs at the border posts more easily as this opens up Saharan travel possibilities.

So Kuno2 what is wrong with the discussion?

[Kuno2]

@ Richard @ Chris

I was reffering to the posting of Erik:

"It might be interesting to try with pre-made plates from home. Simply your own plate nr. but in arabic letters that you could switch over to just before the border.
You never know, they might actually accept them, since I've understood it's mostly about the writing, not that you actually need "their" new number? Or have I missed something, and this has been tried before?"

Further - I do not really believe, that the only reason for blocking the southern borders to tourists is that they do not have the customs-plates available there...

[Kuno2]

Another question:

Meanwhile it seems to be mandatory to have a local guide from the first step into Libya. Was this border-crossing to an earlier time or did they manage to enter without this guide?

[Erik D.]

Kuno2,

I fail to see how you could interpret what I wrote about having you're own licence number printed in arabic, as trying to sneak into Libya with fake plates... I suggest you read posts more closely before trying to rip them apart with ludicrous comments!

To make it absolutly clear: my suggestion for ready made arabic plates were if the problem was only that arabic plates are required with your own licence number, and if the officials accepted that, than all is well! If special temporary plates with special Libyan custom numbers are required, then that is obviously quite a differant thing. I think this was pretty apparent.

You wrote: "Further - I do not really believe, that the only reason for blocking the southern borders to tourists is that they do not have the customs-plates available there..."

Since you clearly have much knowledge on the matter, perhaps you would like to share your wisdom with the rest of us?

Erik D.

www.dunia.no

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[This message has been edited by Erik D. (edited 17 February 2004).]

[Chris Scott]

>or did they manage to enter without this guide?

I believe so, as far as Murzuk or Sebha.

CS

[Kuno2]

@ Erik

Sorry, my first language is not English. However, I interpreted your first posting as a proposal to print "translations" of the european number-plates. May you did not know that new customs-plates are required for LY. Anyway - I did not want to attack you at all.

Further, I do not have "special wisdom" about LY-entry-gates. All I know is, that officially only RAS JEDIR and SOLLUM are foreseen to let Europeans into the country. I assume, this has something to do with the official politics which is (...or was?) telling, that Africa shall be united. Logically, the borders would have to be open for all africans but not for europeans.

Anyway - It would probably really need a special wisdom to understand the always changing habits...

Best regards, Kuno

[Erik D.]

Kuno2,

No hard feelings! As you have understood, I wasn't sure that special, new customs plates were required.

You accurately wrote:
"Anyway - It would probably really need a special wisdom to understand the always changing habits..."

On this, I'm sure all the readers of the forum with African experiance will agree!

On the otherhand, these challenges can add a little extra interesting spice to travel in some regions! At least more interesting than crossing a European border...

Erik D.

www.dunia.no



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