Ok update time, as I have been distinctly lazy about this. You know I don't understand how these people with blogs keep up with it all. Hell I seem to lose track of whole weeks at a time!

Righto then. I left Sani and headed along the garden route towards Cape Agulhas. Now I like others had heard lots about the garden route and well....... can't see what all the fuss is about myself. Maybe I am getting old or maybe I have just seen so much wonderful scenery that I am spoilt. But somehow the little section everybody raves over just kind of went by. For me the highlight was dropping onto the old road at one point. then bypassing the don't be naughty signs and riding the gorge under the Bloukrans Bridge. No traffic, no people and fantastic scenery. With the added advantage of passing the toll booth up top!

Then down to the Cape, the southern most point in Africa. Now that place was great. I come from the west of England and the Cape reminded me of Portland Isle and the Isle of Purbeck. I felt right at home there, campsite within a few hundred yards of both the sea and a lighthouse. A very, very nice place to be.

Leaving there was to be the last of the gravel roads before Cape Town. I took my time and enjoyed them, trying to make them last. Took a little detour to an interesting trail shown on the satnav and headed straight out to the beach! Hahaha a little plotting error I think! The road to Gordons Bay was possibly one of the best tarred roads I have ever ridden. Not a straight bit for miles, the mountains on one side and the sea on the other. Even with the bad weather it was spectacular!

And so on into Cape Town, where I have been lazing around since. But that I will put up soon...............

Fabulous posts John, where next I wonder, North Cape? :mchappy:

Regs

Simon

Nice one mate , good to see you saving money on razors :thumbup1:

Oh its been a while! Again!!!
I seem to have hung around in Cape Town for a while and not really done much. I knew it was the end of the road and I think maybe that was part of the reason. So now I am back in Blighty! I left the winter and headed back to the summer sun...............yeah right!

Cape Town was ok but just a means to an end. The bike needed a load of parts, just consumables nothing drastic. So a refresh was undertaken, hell I nearly washed it! I think I was in Cape Town for five weeks in total and although I did nothing really it just flew by.

So what next............ I hear you ask. What will Horizons worst trip writer do next? Well I have to confess I have had a big picture for a while now. The bike is back in a box and on its way to South America. :thumbup1: I toyed with the idea of the real world again.......... Nah, did I hell!!!! I am going to keep this up for a while yet. Hahahahahahahahahahaha.

Righto, pretty pictures time. I have some other stuff to write but I will put that up later. Pictures are more fun anyway.

OK - I was wrong about Nord Cap. So, Cape Horn it is then :)

Regs

Simon

Way to go beer

has no one told you that a box has sides and a top

Keep them posts coming
all the best
shan

Hellooooo everyone.............. It's been a while. No pictures I am afraid, not yet.

As before, when the bike was on the boat I went back to England to catch up and see my family. Now I am wandering again.

Last year was amazing. I had a ball and enjoyed every bit of it. I only saw a small part of Africa's huge continent. I travelled with no plan and do not feel as if I missed out on anything, just didn't get to see it all. I hope to go back there again and see more. With no plan I never felt rushed but another year there would be good.
I met many people and was helped out many times. The people of Africa are just amazing. Warm, welcoming and full of spirit. I learnt a lot, an awful lot.

So now I have to thank a few people. My bike is central to my travel and my way of life, without it I simply do not have the freedom to wander.
Alfie and Hazel Cox. People pay to be with them, I turned up said I wanted to use their workshop and not pay! I stayed days and was taken into their home. For me, a bike nut this was truly special.
Ray and Barry in Lusaka. To be able to fix the frame in the way they did was perfect. No stress or worry about who was touching my bike and how it was being worked on. Free use of a workshop and being left alone to do the job was for me perfect.
Johan at Mefo south Africa. From one email he sorted tyres and had them sent around the world for me. I am precious about the gear I use. The confidence it gives me is important when I am out on my own. He understood that and provided a level of service that was first class. Please look on his website, some more of my pictures are there. Mefo Sport Africa - Gallery
Lastly, Duncan and Elly at African Overlanders. Their reputation preceeded them, travellers I had met had used them and had every confidence in them. I stayed too long, had fun, even did some work! But again the biggest thing was I could do sort the boxing of the bike myself.

So now I am in Buenos Aires awaiting the big box of fun. I am told the boat is in port. Over the next week I hope to see my bike again. Was my packaging ok? Has it fallen over in its travels? will it be put down right way up and did I ever put sides onto that box! Time to hit the road again soon............ Hmmmm maybe I should look at changing the thread title. doh

:thumbup1:

beer

Africa, a memory. Now South America!!!!!
 

Back on the bike!!!!!!!!!
Customs was a breeze. Mainly due to Sandra from Dakar Motors, well actually totally due to Sandra. I cannot speak any Spanish and without this the paperwork would be impossible. They love their paperwork in Buenos Aires. All the usual stuff just heaps of it, signed I don't know how many times!

I have had some problems with the bike. A real first for me! It broke down, as opposed to me breaking it. An electrical issue and the fuel pump not working. At 47,000 miles and still on the original battery I will forgive it. But it caused some embarrassment and some running around for a while.

Now I am free again. It has taken me a while to get back into it. I am finding South America very, very different to Africa. Nothing like as laid back. I also miss the wide open spaces of Africa. I know these are out here I just haven't got to them yet. One thing that is fantastic is the ease with which I have crossed borders. I went into Uruguay really just to check out the process. A breath of fresh air after last year. No pressure, no constant fending off the fixers and the Aduana are helpful towards the traveller.

Now I am near the Iguazu Falls. I haven't seen them yet, for the moment I am just relaxing and enjoying being here.

And the tale continues :thumbup1:

Nice one John! :D

Simon

Nice one John, travel safe.
Louis

Come on John .....................where are you?????

Peek a boo!.............. Hahahahaha.

Flippin' 'eck this travel lark can run away with you! So I was looking at the pretty waterfalls. That was so long ago. Let me think, two countries, too many punctures, some mountains, some snow, some volcanoes, camping at 14000 feet and an earthquake!

I am booked into a hostel for a rest! I will bring this wayward tail up to date over the next couple of days.