Africa.......and not planned too well!
 

Well I have finally done it. I actualy left nearly a month ago. Now I am in Dakhla waiting for the date on my visa to allow me into Mauritania.

I have a plan, a rough one. So far it is to get to Dakar. Hmmmm that,s it! After that I don.t know. I need to do some reading and come up with something. Ah well no rush.

The hardest part is over...which is actually leaving! :clap:

Safe travels and keep us posted! :thumbup1:

Cheers,
RN

Agreed, hardest part done! No need for more planning, you are THERE!

In Mauritania, your plan should focus on having plenty of reserve of petrol as it is not available everywhere.:smartass:

Ok, thanks. Point noted about the petrol. I am on a big KTM with an extra tank. I can go about 320km then I have to use the extra tank. I am using Tracks 4 Africa so I will keep an eye on the fuel. I have already had the no fuel at the garage senario in Morocco. I tend to try and fill up at half range but that is not always possible.

Fortunately I am in no rush. At the moment I just go day by day. As I move along I hope to experience and learn. For the moment just being here and doing it is fantastic.

Any hints or experiences are most welcome.

Just enjoy...then enjoy some more. I'm liking your relaxed attitude.

Dakhla
 

Hi, I'm heading down to Dakar in October and planned to stop at Dakhla. What's it like? Are you camping or do you have a recommendation on where to stay?

Keep the updates coming as your trip and approach sounds interesting.

I`m too jealous! Would like to start NOW too again :rain:

No rush, no pressure - sound relaxing jeiger

Wish you safe travels, enjoy your trip!

Surfy

Hi all,

Just to put your minds at rest, Dakhla is a really nice place. People will not pester you and the town is nice and clean. Camping ground is on the left as you are entering the town or you can wild camp. If you fancy "splashing the cash" you can stay at the Sahara Regency 4* in the center of town and I can recommend the Samarkand restaurant for good food and nice views of the lagoon (and nice and clean).

Nice beach on the northwest side of town past the lighthouse

Enjoy the trip.

Bob.

Ok here again.

Dakhla was very nice. As bobn says very relaxed, no pressure at all. I found the further south you went and very noticeable from Ouarzazate onwards, people were less pushy. The south is good, very good.
I camped at Musserif?, on the left just passed the checkpoint. Again very relaxed. I was the only one there though. I stayed four days in the end. The town erupts into life in the evening. Full of life and colour!

So now I have moved on. I passed through the border into Mauritania. I already had a visa form Rabat. The border was easy, no hassle at all. A lot of paperwork but very enjoyable. If only they could all be that easy! Some advice. Get some Mauritanian money before you go over, I changed some in the border post itself. Plenty of guys changing cash and the rates were good. In Mauritania you do customs before your passport is stamped. The bike was 4800 ogs, and I was given the receipt by the chief of customs personally. Hell the book he wrote the details in must be the biggest one yet! Insurance for the bike is straight after the border post. The border guys insisted I get it straight away. 10 days insurance for the KTM was about 4200 ogs.

Oh and get lots of fiche. I am now in Nouachott. I must have gone through 20 checkpoints between Nouibdou and here!

I would recommend Atlas Residence in Nouadhibou, and Pleine Lune Restaurant also in Nouadhibou.
A nice place to stay in is Auberge Sahara in Nouakchott.

I feel I'm piggy-backing on Zeds' s thread but thanks for the info guys, will be useful for my October trip. I'm only going down to Dakar and looping back, taking about 5 weeks but it sounds like Dakhla is worth more time an overnight stay. I'll have a tent but mostly plan to use hotels although sometimes the campsites are where you meet the fellow travellers/bikers and as I'll be on my own...

Keep the updates coming Zedsdead, good to see you've made progress.

Hello everyone, update time. I have moved on a bit, it seems sometimes the travel runs away with itself. I have a long piece to put up so please bear with my indulgence. When I was researching and planning this trip there were two things that kept coming up. One was that everybody says Senegal is one of the best African countries to visit and the other was that border is the worst to get through. Now this kind of played on my mind a lot during the build up. There were lots of I got through, I survived sort of stories but no real information. So in the hope that it helps someone who like me was a little concerned here is how I crossed the border. I am taking this straight from my journal, as it was written on the night my feelings about things are in there, so not an edited later version.

Friday 8th. What a day! The big news is that I am Zebra Bar in Senegal! I did not mean to get here today but it seems that with this travelling thing sometimes stuff just happens. I was going to rough it somewhere but I sort of bumbled over the border. I managed to cross what is supposed to be one of the most corrupt borders in Africa in about 2 hours and with no Senegalese CFA in my wallet. In fact I still don't have any. Yet again I will have to go to the bank in the morning.
This morning I packed up slowly and sent some emails. David the hustler came round and was appalling at trying to fleece me for money. It was fun but weary in the way that money stuff is for me. I left Nouakchott. I read the map wrong so I thought Diama was a place to the east of Rosso and written on the map as Dagana. Because of this I rode to Rosso and checked out the border. The internet stuff seems to be right. People were at me as soon as they saw me and the gates were shut, at about 4pm, with I think army in front of them. Not a good sign! So as I was getting fuel I asked the way to Diama and people pointed in what I thought was the wrong direction. A guy jumps in a car and says he will show me the way, I say thank you but no money. As I went out of town another car stops but I don't speak French so they left. Then a third car stops, The guy talks to me in English. We talk and he insists he will show me the way, I don't trust him as he tries to drive back into town. Now whilst all this is going on I put a new Senegal border post into the satnav. It says about 50km away in the direction he says. So what the hell I follow him through the shacks, we stop at the edge of town to a rather shocked civil police post. A dirt road ahead of me. The guy tries for money, I say no and just ride off. The dirt road is good solid piste. I eventually stop and get the map out. I am heading for the border post of Diama.
I ride through the National Park, something I have read about on the HUBB. At the end a checkpoint and an army looking chap collects the park tax. 5000 ogs, shame the receipt only reads 2000. So the chap had me for about £6 hahaha, the start of the corruption. Now I should of stopped and camped as it was nearly six and I believed that was when the border closed. Nowhere I could easily hide cropped up and I ended up riding the 10km to the border post. I think I will camp there (As I did at the Morocco-Mauritanian border) but as this is a little out post not like Rosso I am called up to the customs box.
The guy and I have a little chat. He wants me to pay to get the bike released through the border. I tell him I already paid the tax on the way in and make it quite plain that I think he is ripping me off! He says it is 4000 ogs, about £8 to stamp the bike out and refuses to do anything until I pay. He has the same big book as the chap on the way in. So I make him write it all in there and give me its receipt, not the photocopied one he wants to use. He writes the bikes exit in the passport, stamps it and I pay. I still think he ripped me off and I now know the guy on the way in took me for 800 ogs.
Ok, as I leave an old fella with a dodgy receipt book want 500 ogs for tax to the community of D'iago. Hahahaha, what ever. At lest his receipt is right, £1 handed over. The only part where I don't mind being fleeced, good luck to him.
Right, into the Police office. Nice chap, does the paperwork and stamps the passport. Then asks for 10 euros. I say no, he asks again. I tell him I never pay the police anything. He smiles, shakes my hand and tells me to go. As I leave I expect the guy at the barrier to try it, but no he just opens it and I head into no mans land.
So out of Mauritania for 9500 ogs about £19 pounds, £4 of which I think is legit.
I hide up and put $50 into my sleeve, I think I may need them. Right across the bridge to the barrier and guess what a toll! 6500 ogs or 16 euros. I get my phone out to check the conversion, much to the crowds amusement. I try to play dumb and give the chap 65, but no way is he having that. I have 6200 in my wallet, so I show him that and say now what? Hahahaha , what a surprise, he says ok and the barrier is lifted. A con of course, but they know I have no choice.
Up to the border police with a chap who just doesn't believe I have no money. The guy stamps the passport and asks for 10 euros. I say again that I never pay the police and he backs down. There is no ATM here and only a few people. But most noticeable only one fixer-hustler. I have the carnet, but as expected the border guard says he can do nothing with it. I have to get the Passavant from him and take it to Dakar in 2 days. He wants 5000 ogs for it. I say no it should be free due to the carnet or at the very least only 2500 ogs. We basically have a row, he gets quite worked up and I leave. I talk with the fixer outside about it and the assurance. I don't know what to do about it and that they are hot on it for Senegal. I want to wait and get it later in St Louis. But it is getting late and starting to get dark. Hmmm, not too good. So of course the fixer can help me. At his argued about bad exchange rate ($1 for 200cfa not 280 as the phone says), $80 dollars, about £50 will get the Passavant and the fixer will escort me to St Louis and get me the months insurance for Senegal and the Gambia. I have no idea how much he is over charging me but what the hell it gets me away from the border, into town and gets the insurance sorted. There is also a Mauritanian chap with the car for whom he is doing the same thing.
So we all drive together. True to his word we get to the assurance office which is closed, he is straight on the phone and a chap turns up. The paperwork is sorted in minutes! The fixer tries to get more money out of me but I say no. So about £60 to get into Senegal, I have no idea how much of it is legit. About £80 spent crossing the border and getting the months insurance. Hmmm The police wanted but didn't get the 20 euros, so at least that is a bonus.

Ok, so there it is. I have heard stories of 200 and 300 euros. Now I know everybody is different and every one has a right to approach things in their own way. I am not trying to say look at me is this good, I just hope it helps someone else make an informed decision.

Well done , great post , I am leaving for Africa in October still undecided which route to take so this helps a lot . Enjoy the Zebrabar.

Gareth

Thanks for sharing this extremely detailed experience!! bier

Good on ya John but wheres the pics :Beach:
Phil

Diama crossing
 

This is very interesting and encourages me to try the Diama crossing when I go down in October. I fancy riding along that little road to Diama particularly as you say it is a solid piste. As be on a G650x so should be fine, what can go wrong! Zebrabar seems a good place to stay for my first night and maybe 2nd! Thanks for the information.

I only plan to go to Senegal and then return to UK I will not have a Carnet so this will be different. I know you arrived late at Diama, do you believe it is possible to get insurance at Diama if you arrive when things are not so quiet, or is it always necessary to go in to town for insurance?

Time for some more ramblings.

I am still in Dakar, just chilling out deciding my next move. I believe there is a Mali Embassy here and also maybe a Cameroon one. So I think I will check that out on Monday.

I have had some fun here. Strangely I spent a couple of days rebuilding a broken 950, not mine I must add. But now I must sort out a plan.

Hey Big John,

Great to see more details of your epic trip here - I'll be following you here from now on :thumbup1:

Regs

Simon

nice to read this as being usefull information....
leaving in october for Africa from Europe and final destination is cape town

Hello everyone, back again.

I am learning that having no plan is a good way to travel. When I was leaving Dakar I was asked where I was going, I said I didn't know. The young lady told me I must go to Kedougou and offered me a phone number. So that was that, decision made.

Three days staying with a chap setting up a gold mine! I learned more in those three days from Ibou than I have in the trip so far. Some of the history and social fabric of Senegal. I sort of, in a very small way now understand why the people are so relaxed with each other. To me it is a very healthy approach to your fellow man that a whole lot of other places could learn by.

The next step was to head over the border into Mali and aim for Bamako. I looked at the sat nav and sorted a route that went into the forest. The road is on the Michelin map but is not a main route. Three days of no tarmac with everything from graded dirt road to single track through the forest. Just spectacular in everyway. I ended up at a place called Cool Camp in Manantali How to get there | Cool Camp Mali . As usual I thought I would be there a couple of nights to sort the gear but stayed a week. A small village with a lifestyle I seem to drop into too easily. Casper the owner spent 10 years travelling the world, a huge mountain of knowledge!

Now I have finally made it to The Sleepy Camel at Bamako. I need to work out what to do next, but hey no rush..................

Hahaha, sorry for the first picture. My lack of computer skills!

Nice.
 

Way to go. Go with the flow:-))

Thank you for the update and the pictures bier

Sound like a wonderful experience! Let us follow your further progress!

Surfy

Way to go John
was strange not having you missing all the bends on the HISS this year :mchappy:

keep your posts coming
shan

Hahaha. Hey no worries, I have missed a few out here too. The landing was a lot softer, but also a lot wetter!

If I ever get back to Europe I will be doing another HISS. Definitely my kind of event. Relaxed, well set up, amazing trails and above all good company.

Good on ya John :D

Hello everyone. So how you all doing?

I think I am getting too chilled out for my own good. All that hustle and bustle I used to have back in the real world, maybe I miss it............................................. Yeah right!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have made it to Ouagadougou, a place full of hustle and bustle. A couple of cracking nights wild camping, and now I am being all posh with a backpackers hotel and a real bed! Soon be back out in the rough though no worries.
It seems that try as I am really the only sensible way out of West Africa is to ship the bike past the Ebola and political problems. Now I must stress I am one man on my own so maybe other travellers will do it differently and fair play to them but for me Ghana and the port of Tema is calling. I am not exactly sure what I am going to do when I get there but......... Well something will fall into place I am sure.

So a few nice pics to keep everyone smiling.

Good to hear from you mate and i reckon the boats a good call , hell it's all part of the adventure and sea sickness has to be better than a dose of Ebola !!

Phil

Really good thread and very relevant for us, we are just crossing into Mauritania tomorrow.

Please keep us updated with regards to Tema, we may well have to do something similar!

And what a small world, I'm just down the road from Alton, normally.

Still with us mate ?

Hello everyone. Yeah still here, still bumbling along. Sorry it's been a while. I dropped off the net for a while and then when I was somewhere with the internet it was so hit and miss it just drove me crazy. I swear the electronics, the phone, the computer and the sat nav are the hardest part of this whole traveling business.

So now I have learnt a few things! I now know I do not need a dongle, in fact because the airtel operating platform in Ghana is not the same as in Burkina when I cross yet another border it will be obsolete! So of course I have to get another sim card, I am on I think my fourth now, and then use the data connection and make the phone a portable wifi hotspot and link it to the computer. I guess to many people this is just obvious but to me........... Well I still write letters and I can make fire! Hahahahahahaha

I have obviously left Burkina. I took a few days and went back country, just the way I like it. I will post a few times over the next day or so and get the wayward tale up to date.

Right Burkina, lovely place. I liked it and the people very much. I got some route information from the owner of the hotel I stayed in. He used to run trail tours so when I explained my phobia for the tarmac he was delighted to draw on my map and give me some pointers.
There then followed 7 days or so of wandering into Togo with the rough plan being to get to Lome for shipping questions. I wild camped I think it was 5 nights out of 7. I found some fantastic trails many of which although marked as a road there is no way you would get a car down them. I some cases they simply weren't big enough. You would be there forever cutting back the scenery. And wow! What fantastic scenery! Togo is Jurassic Park. The place is just amazing, green, impressive and mind blowingly beautiful. The route was along the mountains that separate Ghana from Togo. Just winging it sometimes, but always mindful of the overall direction. Solid days of trail, tarmac only to get fuel and supplies.

Togo was without doubt one of the best places so far. I like the desert, it gives me a chance to open the bike up and really use it. The forests of Mali were amazing, on a scale I had never experienced in Europe. And Togo, tropical forest in all its glory and so full of sound. Mother nature showing off and showing who is boss. Trail riding at its best.

So for the first instalment some pictures of the roads and scenery I rode through to get to the coast.

Good to hear from you mate places sound and look great really envious

Phil

Looking good mate keep it rolling :thumbup1::mchappy:

Try that with your iPhone tech nerds :rofl:

Hi Zedsdead,

I have heard on the grape vine that the border to Nigeria and Cameroon have closed? Do you have any up to date info on this? Im heading down taking the same route. If they have closed the borders what is your plan?

Cheers

Patrick

PS here is a link to my blog for my West Africa Adventure ride

https://www.facebook.com/drcanafrica...homepage_panel

You on that boat yet mate ?
Phil

And breathe........................................... ......... Hahahahahaha

Hello everyone. I think this is the twentieth time I have tried to do this. The internet is such a nightmare out here. So I have come to a ridiculously posh hotel to get a good connection. Prices for a drink rival London hotels. This is Africa! I just paid more for a Drambuie and coke that many people out here earn in a day! The world is a mixed up place. The girls by the pool look cute though :innocent: .

Ok so an update is needed. I am back in Togo. The boat business has progressed. I do not want to tempt fate so I will say no more about it for the minute. When the roller coaster is over I will write the whole thing up for others benefit.

Now I do not read the papers and as I haven't had a reliable internet for a while I am behind with the news. My travel among the coast from Ghana back to Togo was met with a lot more road bocks and question about my travel and Ebola. No problems just a lot more open questions about where I had been and for how long. The level of awareness seems to have gone up a bit. Maybe it was just because I was on a main road for a change and I know Ghana is proud of its no Ebola status. Maybe I am reading too much into it? I don't know but for those of you traveling as well just be aware, be polite and be careful.

Pat. As for the Nigeria/Cameroon border, well I have no idea. My best, limited advice is use the Sahara Reporters and World Health Organisation web sites. They seem to be good for advice. I had no wish to ride through Nigeria. I wore a uniform for 20 years and I clash strongly with others in uniform who abuse their position. I always knew I would find Nigeria a challenge, one I am just not bothered to push. For me this is not a trip with a route and a list to follow. I am free of responsibility and can wing it. I don't mean that too sound arrogant, I am just lucky that way at the moment. So I will take a boat go somewhere else and ride again.


Right lets see if an overpriced drink will let me get some pictures up!

How's it going Zed, been a while?

Sorry everyone. Yeah you are right it has been too long.

So the big news is I am back in England....... And I want out! Hahahahaha! The container was sorted, both myself and my travelling companion loaded the car and bike. Customs sealed the box and that was that. I hope to be reunited with the big box of fun in Namibia. But........................ it's Africa! At present we are unsure if the container has left Lome. It was supposed to have gone last week! Hmmmm.................... You just have to love Africa. I am chasing the shipping company here in England and Albrecht my container sharing buddy is doing the same from Johannesburg. It will get sorted I am sure and at the moment I am not worried. We will see, after all this is an adventure not a sanitized holiday.

I have taken the opportunity to pop back to Blighty and sort things out. The best bit is seeing my children for the first time in four months. I am also using it to refresh and renew a few things based on the knowledge the travel has given me. Boring stuff that makes life on the road a lot easier.

And I want to get back! Wow do I want to get back. I like life on the road, I like the freedom that life is giving me. I am under no illusion as to how lucky I am to be able to do this. My return to Africa will be like going home. Back to my bike, my tent and my choices. I intend to carry on in the same way. There is a very rough plan, but essentially I wing it. I do not look further than a week in front of myself and did at times have no idea where I was going next. It worked out well so I see no reason to interfere with a good system.

I will as promised write up the whole shipping experience when I am back there reunited with my bike. Hell I may even write more on here as I go stir crazy waiting to leave.:taz:

Good on you , nice to see your keen to get back to it

Hope all goes to plan and you don't have to sit in that cold wet place for to long:rain:
all the best

Good to hear Zed and hope it works out for you.

Managed to get down to Gambia myself and on my way back in the Sahara at the moment.

Anyway keep us posted.

Man! I wish I was there!

Yeah me too, reading all this makes my heart ache for life on the road. I really like your seewhatcomesnext attitude. I leave in three weeks for South America, my first solo motorcycle trip, and this is exactly how I want to experience it. Go with the flow and no planningstress :) Looking forward to updates!

Odiel, enjoy it my friend. Be safe, be aware and be open minded. I know I am biased but for me it is just a great way to live and travel. Everyone has their own way and they are all right!

So Jim Lad where are the pics? I never made it to the Gambia, I talked myself out of it after all the corruption bs in Senegal. It's good to hear you are still safe and enjoying it. I hope one day to return to the Sahara. I have many places to go first, but one day. It is just such a special place for so many reasons.

I hope soon to be leaving Blighty and returning to Africa. The container is finally on its way. A 30 day passage has been hinted at but I will get to Namibia before then. To be honest I am kind of done with England, it no longer feels like my home. I have no idea where my home is and I like that feeling. I know it is in my tent but other than that it could be anywhere.

I am very much looking forward to returning, getting sorted and then riding again. The route? Hmmm........... I'm not sure yet, but as always something will fall into place. I do know though that I have to ride over the equator. The bike will have gone over by sea and I will go over by air. But that is just cheating!

It's exactly how our travels have been since being on the road from June...no plans, just thinking " Nice here lets stay" or "Jeez what were we thinking, lets leave"
Good luck on your next trip...we will keep an eye on where you are and you never know maybe we will bump into each other for a beer.

Cheers Kevin and Heike.

I am always up for a beer and a chinwag, no worries.

Where are the pictures, he asked!
 

OK, as you asked Zed, here's a link to some words and pics. Tha Gambia was OK but a bit English for me. I didn't ride 3000+ miles to find 13A plugs. Borders were easy but the ferries were fun. The roads in south Senegal tested me in 40C heat. Anyway, if you fancy a read or look at the pics here you go:-*


Basingstoke to Dakar


I'm back in a week and may be up for a pint if you've not left. In Casablanca at the moment sorting out some paperwork difficulties....

Wow cracking stuff! Much better camera work and writing than I seem to be able to muster. I am about until the 17th of December then Namibia bound. Finally!

If we can sort out a beer, sounds good.

Hi John
looking forward to the Namibia bit :D

and big thanks to Jim for a great tale and all the info ....i'll heading to at least the Tropic of Cancer and hopfully Dakar next spring :thumbup1:

Phil

You and me both Phil. All I want or Christmas is a big steel box with a KTM inside it! Hahahaha.

Hello everyone! I hope you are all well and the New Year has broken in gently!

Well I am back in Africa and reunited with the bike. I will as promised later write up the whole shipping experience. I have been in Namibia since just before Christmas. The place is very, very different from West Africa! It is modern and structured. Nice but................

I have been out wandering around the south of the country and am now back in Windhoek. The rear shock on the bike has cried enough and the stand I damaged in Togo has just died so I am awaiting parts. I want to move on! The countryside is astounding to look at, the city has no appeal to me at all!

So pretty pictures I hope. And Jim, sorry the beer never happened. It will next time!

Good to hear from you mate , i'm with you on the city front ....give me wilderness any day
Have a good one and take some more pics as its not hot here :freezing:

Good to see the bike back on the road John. Like the photo of it next to the Capricorn sign, something for me to aspire to. Look forward to the rest of the photos.

Where you heading next?

Yeah the wilderness is cool.
As for where next? Well for a change I have thought about it. I will wander north possibly up to the border and then along to Livingstone. Should fill out a week or two :cool4:

Great pic John :thumbup1:

OK, possibly Horizons worst reporter clocking in!

I am still wandering around, had a moment of conscience the other week and looked for the plan! Hahahahahahahahahahaha, yeah right!!!!!!!!!!

The shipping experience. I am putting this up because it is a question that comes up on the site and when I tried to look into it I struggled to find many results. So maybe this will help. It is what happened, nothing is inferred or implied it just is what I did.

I was stuck in West Africa due to the Ebola and politics. I had looked into riding out, but too many people said it would not be a wise move. I was fortunate in meeting another traveller in Burkina Faso who was in the same position. He had a land cruiser and we decide to pool any knowledge we could with the possibility of working it out together. Our rough idea was to look at shipping from Benin, Togo or Ghana. He then got malaria so I ended up leaving a week before him to check out Lome in Togo. Neither of us were in a rush so there was no real pressure time wise.

The final result was, organized by my friend a lot more than me, a container from Lome to Walvis Bay in Namibia. We used MSC shipping and the whole process took about 2 months. It breaks down into 3 distinct parts;

1. Getting it organized in Lome. This was a little hard but mostly due to our lack of experience. There are a few shipping company offices in Lome and they can all give prices for containers but never even when directly questioned give advice on the process. Lots of talking and lots of frustration. However we picked MSC at $1700 for a 20 foot container. The next thing was to get the loading and customs stuff sorted. West Africa is fun for official stuff so we learned quickly. Go to the port ask around for a transitier/agent. There are lots, choose with prudence. Once you have chosen start to play the game. Do lots of homework checking people and local prices/bribes. Then go for it. On the surface it is a huge pain, but with two of us to play good tourist, bad tourist ( guess who I was hahaha) it was ok. After all our digging, checking, negotiating and confirming with others we were told our price was on the expensive side of average. We paid CFA450,000 as there were two vehicles involved, so two lots of some paperwork. I would use the same guy again, and I know he would remember us!

2. Container leaves Lome for Walvis Bay. Now to be honest MSC were a pain about this. The leave date was postponed more than once. Information was hard to get and not promising. However, when I returned to England I had a heated discussion with the English office and they were good. They explained the shipping process and why it was vague. The bottom line is with international shipping there are just too many variables to give a delivery date. Anything from politics, to weather, to piracy can be in the mix. MSC had a very good tracking system that told us where our container was and an anticipated time for its next movement. It went Togo, Ivory Coast, South Africa and then Namibia!

3. Clearing customs at Walvis Bay. I did not get involved with this at all. My companion was in Walvis Bay a week before me. Namibia is in the real world and he found a good agent. Most prices were the same and reputation was the order of the day. From memory the clearing company was called East To West something or other. I can check if anyone wants. It was the run up to Christmas and they were excellent. They aim for everything to be sorted within 24 hours of the ship unloading. They did exactly that and took us to a yard where the cleared container was waiting. All we did was unstrap the car and bike then ride/drive away. It was £5000 Namibian for each vehicle. I would definitely use them again.

As I said that is just the way we did it. At times it was stressful but overall it was a success. We moved 1 car and 1 motorcycle from one part of Africa to another. Neither vehicle was damaged or molested.
Hope all that is of use to someone and if you did it a different/better way, well done.

Pretty pictures will be back next time I write.......................................
Take care everyone.

:mchappy:

Glad to see all is on track again .

Come on its not good to post photos of Tropic of Capricorn

The old boy has always wonted to go there , your just winding him UP:nono:

Hello everyone. Update, sort of and pretty picture time.
The last pictures were Namibia so I will bring this up to date as far as the border.

I had a problem with the rear shock and waited in Windhoek to get it rebuilt, then off again. I went north with the intention of staying on the gravel and getting up to Epupa Falls on Kunene River. The plan was I would ride a trail along the river bank back to the tarmac road. Note use of the word was! Hmmmmmmm Best laid plans and all that.

Namibia has great open scenery, huge distances and good gravel roads. Fuel planning was needed, especially as my third tank had been destroyed by the terrain. I now have a soft 5l bag from South Africa. Oh well.................

I got to Epupa, having been told more than once by the locals the trail was bad I was eager to go for it. See the Falls, nah, just press on. Silly, silly boy.......... hahahahahahaha. The trail is good for a while, right up until you pass the bulldozer and the grader making the good trail. Then, well it kind of tapers off a little. There are lots of dry river beds to cross, full of sand and loose gravel. So the numpty on the big overloaded adventure bike with the wrong tyres goes for it!

Trail riding rule 1, Do not ride alone...........Hmmmmmm
Trail riding rule 2, Tell someone where you are going.....Ah whoops!
Trail riding rule 3, Do not fall off, lots!..........Definitely a problem there!
Trail riding rule 4, Do not break the bike falling off 3 times!......Damn!
Trail riding rule 5, If you are stupid enough to not read the first four rules do not wild camp next to river where you have been told there are crocs big enough to eat you!.................Oops, busted! hahahahahahahahahaha.

It is very pretty up there you know. The first 40km I can definitely vouch for as I saw them on the way out and on the way back. Hahahahaha, man I never want to grow up! The real world is just way too boring. Hahahahahahaha.

In fairness the trail was about 150km long. My bike, the right tyres and no luggage, it would have been a fantastic and very doable run. I was tired started too late and then lost fuel in a get off. It is not somewhere to take a risk over fuel range, it is just too remote. So I camped at a beautiful spot, sorted the bike and backtracked the following morning.

Hmm. Ok, try again with the pictures.

:rofl::rofl::rofl: You weren't joking about camping near the river !!! you were nigh on in it :rofl::rofl:
How do you rat the soft gas bags ?

Ok, ok! Hahahaha. Phil, it possibly wasn't the best place to camp! It did look pretty though. And I feel that I have unfinished business up there so if you are ever out that way for a spot of trail riding let me know, I will tag along. :scooter:

As for the fuel cell. I have this one; Desert Fox (5L Fuel Cell)
I didn't pay that much though, mine worked out to £36 sterling. I have used and refuelled it maybe ten times now. It sits well with my gear. The shop who sold it to me did say they had had some ( BMW ) riders complain that it had split on them. I think maybe they didn't look after it well enough. The inner is a plastic bag, the outer is canvas. I guess if you kept folding it to store you may eventually break the inner. When I am not using it I roll it to store it in with the camping gear. For me it is good value and I trust it.

Very exciting posts indeed, and great with some pictures too.

Hey, BigZee! Great report and good to know you're still out there. I'll defo be following your trip from now on.

Jealous? Moi! :thumbup1:

Cheers

Simon

Hello Simon. I hope everything is still going well in your neck of the woods. Still chilled out and only bothered by fools on motorcycles :mchappy:

Life is good out here, the road is a great place to call home. I think I will be Zimbabwe bound next. I aim to leave tomorrow, but have to get a couple of bits sorted first.




For anyone out here on a bike. Ray Wilson is the guy you need.
He and his family have been out here for a fair while, he is originally from England and runs KTM's only Zambia dealership. He is heavily involved with the motocross scene out here, so not just tied to KTM. He allowed me to use his workshop to do maintenance and obviously has the gear you need. They are based in Lusaka, all the details are on the web. A good guy to meet and good tea in the workshop!

Nice report a bit jealous as this is a trip I hope to undertake in the future. I have some unfinished business in Bulawayo.:rolleyes2:

Tramp put me on to this ride of yours a little while back, if I can help with anything in Zimbabwe let me know. Already trying to get you a bed and beer will let you . of any offers.beer

Enjoy the rest of the trip don't camp to close to rivers as it isn't the crocodiles you have to worry about it is the foraging Hippos ;)

Zimtim, pm sent.

As for the hippos, you are right I should have known better. I did have the sense to drag some branches about and make a small boma, but in the great scheme of things it was still not my wisest campsite!

All great here thanks J. Envious!

Simon & Polly

I will get you some info and PM you as soon as the HUBBs recquisite amount of post :ban:

PM replied

Update needed John :scooter:

Ok chaps point taken, update time. In my last waffle I said I was off to Zimbabwe. So obviously I am still in Zambia! Back at the site I used last time. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, sometimes this travel malarkey makes up the rules for you!

I eventually left Lusaka bound for Lake Kariba with a couple of chaps from the camp. Cracking place! A few more days relaxing and then I found a route down to Vic Falls. The Lake Road................. Only spoken of in hushed voices by the locals................... a three day journey, they said............. if the road was passable! oooooooo!!!!!!!!! Has to be done then does,t it. Hahahahahahahahaha. Me, big tough adventure bike rider! Me, also a bit daft, should go well then........................................

I left in bright sun light with beautiful blue skies. Good trail, dry with some soft sand but no worries really. I soon lost sight of the lake as I plunged into the undergrowth. The satnav had a panic and lost the trail, no worries, way point set. To be honest it was wonderful, I was enjoying myself.

Now, why is it that when you drop a bike even in the middle of nowhere ther has to be 30 school kids watching? Oh how we laughed! So bike up, a little spurt just to get rid of my embarrassment and into the rain! Well when I say rain I mean deluge. Hmmmm, sort of takes the edge off things a bit. Then Tarmac! Out in the middle of nowhere! Right speed up and blast through the rain. Tarmac becomes good gravel, good gravel becomes bad gravel, then the road workers compound comes up. Now bad gravel becomes very bad trail and rivers. Lots of rivers!
It was good, very varied, very slippery and very wet. I passed many bridges, I even got to ride over a couple and some just sat there in the middle of nowhere dreaming of a day when they would be useful! I rode through many fords, unpacked the bike few times, took forest detours and walked the bike through a couple of the deeper rivers. Did I mention it was wet?

I wanted to put the tent up in the dry so I pushed on. I had a get out road logged for fuel and I hoped to be near it for the first night. Then I dropped the bike on an easy stream crossing! just too tired really. So campsite found! Tent up, bike up, brew on and rest. The storm was kind, it didn't start until late and then it really went for it! At least I was dry. The bike fell over in the night as the ground softened up.

So in the morning I had to do a carb strip. No problems, done between rain showers! Then I saw the game changer! A broken and cracked frame! Oh Bugger! My big tough adventure bike has a limp!

A very slow 20km to the good gravel, then a gentle 50km to the tarmac. Feeling the break whilst riding confirmed the frame was flexing a little. So back to Lusaka and the KTM dealer. Strange how the first thing he asked was what had I broken! Hahahahaha. Time for plan B.

Plan B, to follow......................................

Can you post a pic of the break? Where did it fail?

Great to hear from you John - keep 'em coming :)

Simon & Polly

Good luck with frame repair and the rains . I have been travelling around here since November , now in Zim on my way back to Cape Town to ship home .
If you get the chance go to South Luangwa , Marula Lodge Mfwe , great place to stay and much wildlife , spent 3 weeks there waiting for tyres .

Gareth

Pan Without a Plan on Facebook

So Plan B! Simple really, fix bike then go wandering again. :rofl: Don't want to over complicate things!

Ray at KTM Lusaka had a quick look, went hmmmmm a lot then made a phone call. Top bloke! Directions given and off I go to meet Barry who has an accident repair shop in town. Barry had a quick look, went hmmmmm then said, no worries just give me the frame and we can weld and plate the breaks. Result! He gave me some workshop space, I laid the tools out and was a blur of sockets and spanners.

Both top tubes had broken behind the headstock. One completely, the other about 75% around the tube. My bike is 10 years old. It has done 40,000 miles, 30,000 of those I have put on and I can confidently say 10 to 15,000 of those have been off road. I have only crashed it gently twice, stop laughing please Simon and Phil, but I have stepped off it a few times! Hahahaha. I am surprised it had broken but then I do ride hard and fast at times. It is an adventure bike after all!

Barry, Leon and the staff were fantastic. A lesson to the world in hospitality and good grace. I am indebted to them.

Good thing you found that when you did! Other 950 frames have cracked there as well.

SHIT !!!!! was there a need to strip it right back to just the frame !!!!

"fall off" looked more like you needed a rest to me :rofl:

Broken frame
 

Wow John, seems you are tougher than the bike. Good luck with the repair.

Hahaha, I had Lego and Meccano as a kid. The bike was stripped, welded. painted and rebuilt in two and a bit days. I have since left Lusaka and stuck a few hundred test miles on it. No worries.

So once again destination Zimbabwe!

Where are you heading in Zim ? I am in Chimanimani at the moment going South .

Well for once I almost know where I am going. Tomorrow I head here; UNICA .

I met one of the people involved with the place last year whilst in Mali. He came across as one of the better people I have met and I said I would drop in if I was ever near. So time to drop in. I have no idea what is going to happen, should be fun though.

howdo
 

Howdo mate...

Tramp here aka Russ....

keep up the reports as it really cheers me up...thought only ccm`s broke frames ..lol..

mines just had new bearings again and well off to france soon to visit mad phil
....

what would life be without a few interuptions and problems to solve....its all part of the adventue...bangers and mash with baked beans for tea tonight...

Great writing, really entertaining!!!!

Hello Russ. Oh man what I wouldn't give for some good Lincolnshire sausages, some rough mash with a bit of sweet potato in it and a dollop of beans that have ben cooked just too long so they are soft and mushy! Last nights cold corned beef and a tin of tomatoes doesn't quite cut it! Hahahaha.

Have fun in France. Take care of Phil, the guy works harder than is good for him sometimes.

Don't forget to drop in for some socarrat if you're passing our way going home John :)

Simon & Polly

PS nice to see you here Russ, albeit under a new disguise! Hmm, I wonder who 'Mad Phil' could possibly be? :innocent:

Home? I put it up most nights. I am starting to lose the concept of a fixed home now.

But I will always know where my friends are. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qfNNb2qOOo
Good times. Hahahaha.

update time.

I have moved on again. I spent just over a week at the childrens charity. Helped where I could and generally joined in. Before I went there I had no idea what to expect, my only idea of charities comes from my old job. Hardly any use out here!

I had a cracking time there. I learnt a lot, mostly about what it takes to run and maintain something that so many people come to depend on. A drive and a lot of very hard work. I am astounded by the dedication and commitment people put into it.


But I am a traveller and I want to get back on my bike and ride. Zimbabwe for me was a decision place. East through Mozambique or west through Botswana. Before I left on this trip I had read a book, Cry Of The Kalahari. And besides the deserts always intrigue me. So I guess my mind was made up mostly before I left. Botswana it is then........................

Good to hear from you John and well done for lending a helping hand BUT WHERES THE PICS doh
I hate you for going to Botswana it's one of my top 3 places to go so please show me some pics
:palm: Phil:palm:

Pic, pics, pics, Phil one day you, Russ and myself are going to have to go wandering. You can do the pictures, Russ can tell us where to go and I will............ ah damn I have no idea what skill I can bring. A little chaos maybe. Hahahahaha.

Ok Botswana, more specifically the Kalahari. It is most of Botswana after all. Now for some reason I like deserts, I feel quite at home in them. The Sahara is one of my favourite places. The combination of beauty and downright ruthlessness is amazing.

The other night I was within 60km of the Salt Pans. I want to see them so I waited for the heat to turn down a bit and at 4pm plotted a route to discovery. The Kalahari had other ideas! The sand was deep and the heat was still enough. I worked the bike hard, too hard. The result was the fuel boiled in the tanks, pressurized one tank to push it all into the other and started to blow it out the overflow. Ahhh bugger. Best stop then and turn back.
How far, mighty traveller did you get? I hear you ask. Maybe 10km in the sand! Oh yeah the Kalahari kicked my bikes butt. Out and back in 2 hours, total distance 26km, bike hiding sheepishly at the campsite whilst I downed 2 litres of fluid and frown at it!

A rethink is required! Hahahahahaha. So whilst I wait at Maun for some new tyres I am doing a lot of homework. And I thought my only problem would be the lions, and the elephants, and the snakes, and the scorpions, and the lack of water, and the lack of petrol stations.......................................... ..

So not too many pictures yet. But have faith, I shall overcome.

Good man ........proper envious :taz: and i'll hold you to that wander :mchappy:

Hi John having sold all the bikes ( medical problems and age ) i will look forward to you getting back to the part of the world . I may be able to ride off road by then . And maybe Phil + Russ would allow me to join them
But for now keep up with the regular posts loving it
all the best keep safe
shan

Guys...you humble me with what you say bier always happy to ride with the "band of brothers" if a little mad and senior :clap:

I know what you mean about deserts..Forests are the same....ISOLATION...nature at its purest...

keep it coming beg fella :D

So that settles it then. At some point four slightly deranged misfits need to get together and hit the road less travelled! Sounds like a plot for a B movie! Also sounds like it would be a bloody good laugh! Hahahahahahahahaha.


Happy Easter everyone.
I move on again tomorrow so it is only right I bring you all up to date with my meanderings. Well the thing about not getting to the salt pans..... I don't like to be beaten. I know when to turn back, traveling on my own and all that precautionary bs. But, I don't like to be beaten! So new tyres and plan B. Dammit I am starting to plan stuff now, got to stop that! But can't be beaten, just goes against the grain.............

New route sorted. For those crazy enough to look stuff up I went down to Letlakane below the pans, turned north off the tar with the intention of getting to Nata via Lekhubu Island. Looked good on the map and a check with those in the know said the roads were passable......well the chap on the island said " The road is bad, make sure you take the adventure camp road and if you are adventurous you should make it." Oh yes my kind of advice.

So I left the rain of Maun and headed for the rain of Leltakane. Bugger! four days of rain overall, so two nights waiting at letlakane before the trail to let me and the ground dry out. More confirmation of the state of the road, "wet, dry and bad in places, ask advice at the vet gates." No worries then off I pop!

Day one; To the Island. Head in the right place, sun in the sky and sand on the trail. No worries big bike, big power loads of fun! Up to the edge of the pan. Hmmmm, the road goes out there, so do some vehicle tracks. Ok so the pan is a mudflat about as big as a county or two in England, what could possibly go wrong? Hahahahahaha. The top is a dry crust, underneath is the mud. Think tea tray on ice and you get the idea. So no braking, gentle rolling on and off of the throttle and keep your head up. Made it about a mile before dropping it. Hahahahahahahahaha. No worries just pick it up and go again. Ah man anyone ever tried to pick up a loaded Adventure on an ice rink! Hahahahaah. Slip, slide, spin, dance a flipping jig and then fallover in the heat laughing like a fool! I don't think I ever got the pannier of the ground! Hahahaha. Ok so unload the bike, do a bit of digging for foothold and pick it up. Sorted, reload slowly get to the edge of the pan and plan to follow a rough route along the edge to the vet gate. There were even tracks at the edge and the sand, mud was a little more consistent. Ah cracked it. For maybe another half mile when the back and front swapped ends! The bottom line is it took a while to get across the first bit of pan and this was supposed to be the easy bit!
I had a good laugh with the chap at the vet gate, who was there before I was! Hmmm I wonder why? He told me the route to follow. The direct way to the Island was impossible due to all the rain. Take the north road and it is on real ground........across another section of pan! To be fair this was a lot harder, mud with a lot of salt leached up to the surface. Also some vegetation which firmed stuff up a bit. Time for that big power again, read the terrain and power across the soft stuff hoping to get through it before you run out if revs. I did most of the time, only dug the bike out once! The last part was a sand, rock, gravel trail. The bikes true home! A fantastic blast to end the day.
Day two; North back to the tar and fuel. 90km according to the signs and good trail according to the only other people on the island. Again check at the gate as there are two trails. It was glorious. At the gate I was told take the high road it is dry, the low road along the edge of the pan was wet! Also was asked if I wanted a beer. I politely declined, it was about 9:30am! The trail went through some amazing scenery, huge grassland to the left and an even bigger vista of nothing across the pan to the right. Lots of sand some deep and lots of undergrowth encroaching the trail. At times my hand guards and luggage took some big hits. Sand! 2nd and 3rd gear constant roll on power through, roll off stabilize and power up again for the next section. Good riding, but very hard work. Getting to the road was good. Fuel up and head back to Maun. Just 180 miles away, fortunately it only rained for 170 of those..........................

Nice one mate , love the foot prints walking away from the bike in the 3rd pic :D

lol..mad Bugger...

I had Easter out on the plain of wiltshire with the ccm guys...loved the Rutts ..not much mudd as its very dry here....better still no break downs...

Camping this weekend trial run before France adventure.....

update..forgot to measure gate opening before trying to ride through with soft panniers..

still they are soft and sqish easily..lol

so you didnt lick the salt pan then ..

Ah yes, the wide bike syndrome. I have a few scrapes on the panniers for the same reason :oops2:.

For some damned fool reason I decided the sand at Le Kubu just wasn't enough. A new plan formed, cross the Kalahari but not on tar. The route was simple, head to Ghanzi and go south. There were some trails on the map so it looked possible. I asked advice in Maun and was told the sand would be a big issue. Wild camping was ok but be aware. No worries then!

The first part was good, easy trail and a pleasant night camping out in the sticks. I left in the morning and the trail soon got worse. Nothing too bad just a good top covering of sand. This is ok but it means the speed has to go up so I can skip over the imperfections and let the bike wander around a little, 50 to 60mph worked best. The trail was straight and in a corridor of bush. Not very inspiring and when crossing the highway showed more of the same I couldn't be bothered. I joined the road down to the next section. Here the sand was better, for about 10 miles then the deep stuff came in. I pushed for about another 10 miles then knowing, I had about 100 more to go I back tracked to the tar found a place to camp and got the maps out. Hmmm Damn!

So day three and a new route. Tar for a bit then turn off. Good graded track to start then the sand came back. Reasonably even, about 3 to 4 inches deep and rutted by traffic. Time to get the speed back up. Here 60 to 70mph worked best, very hard work but doable! So blast along for a while, stop and rest when the arms got tired, then go again. I have no steering damper on the bike and one here would have really helped. I crossed tar to what I hoped would be the final stretch to the border at Bray. It started well the went back to a sand pit. A deep sand pit! Kalahari sand and Sahara sand are very different. I guess it must be because it is so much wetter here. It is like riding through builders sand. It grabs at the bike and pulls it away from you. Deep ruts are hard slow work.

The main problem was when I needed to dab. As soon as the foot goes down it sinks into and is grabbed by the sand. As the bike goes forward anyone with panniers knows, you then get belted on the calf and your leg can get trapped. It makes it very slow going. I had already set myself up for two days to do the last stretch but just kept falling and being trapped by the bike. I decided a broken leg out here would be too much. So I turned around. It was yet another time when I know I would be ok with an unloaded bike, but fully loaded is too risky.

Damn, damn, damn. I hate to be beaten! Three times the Kalahari got the better of me. I need a support crew like Ewan and Thingy. Then I could dump the luggage, blast the trail and emerge the intrepid wanderer............... But that would be cheating, Hahahahahahahahaha

Blaa blaa blaa .......blaming the sand :innocent: i seem to remember laying down was a fun part time for you :tongue3:

It dose look heavy going mate especially lugging a half ton tangerine around, bet you wish you'd taken your bucket and spade :rofl:

Look out for these nosie rascals
http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/...a_2017584i.jpg

Hahaha. I heard plenty but never saw any. Jackals yes but nothing bigger. The noises out in the bush are fantastic, I have no idea what they are!

Now I have moved on again. After the trails of the desert I made it into South Africa and the rain! Hmmmmmm, I went via Pretoria up to Drakensburg for a look round and really only saw clouds! I have ridden through a lot of scenery reminiscent of North Wales and Scotland. A lot of the towns have names Brits would recognize and trout fishing is big out there. All very beautiful but for me, meh. Also the pace of life has rocketed, everyone seems to be in such a flippin' rush! Hmmmm, I believe so called civilisation and self importance go hand in hand.

So I packed up my wet gear and hauled south. Through the pine plantations and round Swaziland. It rained on me I think only four or five times during that day! But as I got into Natal and the Zulu territory everything got much better. I wild camped in the bush. Just the best way to live, it's brilliant

Now I am in Durban, doing the washing and other chores. tomorrow I leave and head for somewhere very special. Oh I have to service the bike too and again that is going to be special as well. Yep looking forward to moving on in the morning.

Brilliant posts big man - for some reason I only get notified avery four weeks or so!

See you sometime - have fun, and live to tell the tale :)

Simon & Polly