To all who wish to join me on this trip. I am pleased to announce that my holday request from work has been accepted and this adventure will be happeing. This has probably been my biggest challenge to date whilst planning this trip and will now be able to make some real progress.

Due to recent unrest in Syria I have had to review the route and am now considering shipping the bike to Nairobi then heading North into Ethiopia and continuing my route down in to Capetown from there.

By avoiding Egypt means also avoiding their expensive carnet making it a less expensive adventure.

Also, by altering the route this way will make more rest days available to actually explore the countries ill be travelling through rather than rushing.

Tommy

Keep me posted plse? Plan a trip in two acts?
 

Hi Tommy

Id be interested to know more I have mates in Nanuyki Kenya wd be keen to go that far at least if can get permission for some time orf loafing around from Head Orifice , when is the Bristol meeting? I have worked and travelled in Botswana Zim etc Id hazard the trip from Nairobi is pretty straightforward by comparison with the northern section and I'd plan to complete that segment separately. My plan would be to leave my bike in Kenya in secure storage and complete rest of trip a few months later then ship bike back. This is because I won't get 3 months maybe only 4 or 6 weeks first off.

Does anyone know if one can leave a bike on a carnet and exit a COMESA country like Kenya with the intention of returning a later date to exit with the bike on a road border crossing? When I was in Botswana they always stuck a big transit certificate in ones passport for a vehicle crossing into Zim for example.

Thanks for the two act planning advice, a good idea. I havnt researrched the carnets yet but have read of people leaving their bikes for a day or two whilst exiting the country. Something you will have to look into.

If you plan on shipping to Nairobi then it maybe an idea for you to purchase a bike in Kenya, if possible, then it would work out cheaper and should be able to then leave in storage.

Bristol HU gathering is 2nd to 4th sep. Let me know if you want to meet up.

Thanks, Tommy

Start istanbul nov 2012
 

Hi Tommy,

I'm still interested, but my first choice is still to start from Istanbul 2nd week in November and either ride through to the Syrian border or take the ferry to Alexandria.

Both of these routes are open to change depending on the situation of course.

I guess the cost of freighting to Nairobi would be similar to the extra cost of the Egyptian Carnet, but please keep me informed of the cost of this in case I decide to follow you on this route.

Is there is anyone who's interested in starting with a meet up in Istanbul around 2nd week Nov 2012 and heading south to Cape town with approx 4 months to complete - please PM me and I'll start a new thread.

David

nov-2012
 

Hi David,
i am a starter for nov2012, eventually Istambul.

Have tried to make contact with Tommy (see up this thread) but negative.

However, wanna do this trip in max. 3months if possible.
What is so expensive about carnet in Egypt?

Have yet some concrete ideas about the trip and interested in
some company!
regards----geert
geertvdgucht@yahoo.com

carnet
 

Hi Geert

rather than steal Tommys thread, I'll start a new one shortly, but a Carnet for Egypt is roughly 3 x the price of your bike to be left in gurantee. Other countries want a gurantee of the price of the bike. I haven't decided which bike to take yet. Depends on travel partners, etc. Either my old XTZ660 or might invest in a GS.

David

Carnet
 

You can apply for a CDP in Germany, Germans and EU-nationals.
the carnet is valid for Egypt aswell

http://www.adac.de/_mm/pdf/Antrag%20...20EU_18336.pdf

3000 eu upto value <15000 of your bike.

I know a guy in Belgium who completed the whole operation with
return of his deposit
rgrds geert

CDP does state that you can't leave the country without whatever it is that's on the CDP. It does vary from country to country with regards to them stamping your passport. Although if you had two passports with you...

Hey, Tommy, (or David!),
I'm interested in joining the trip, I live in Battersea, so not to far if you want to meet for a chat?
Re the bikes, everyone has there opinion, but I never met anyone on a 400-600cc bike wishing for anything bigger, but I have met plenty of guys on bigger bikes wishing for something smaller...also, there are three KTM 640 Adventures on eBay at the mo (ignore the pre 2004 bike though!).

Rick

Hi Rick, thanks for your post. Are you able to attend the Bristol, HU gathering? I'm hoping to meet up with anyone who's interested in trip. If not, I also live in London so could definately meet up another time.

Geert, with respect, it would be appreciated if you didn't post on my thread again. You have only ever posted on this thread once before and that was to advertise your website, of which I didn't take to, although I still kindly replied to your only question, which was where did I live! Therefore, reject your accusation. Its a shame, as a newbie, I still have faith that HU is a place to make friends. Good luck with your thread.

David, I just spent a fantastic weekend with Sam Manicom and Alan Davies. I'm still hoping to ride the complete top to tail of Africa but fear it will be rushed in the three months I have. Alan and Sam also agreed. They also commented that a GSA won't have any problems at all coping with the mostly tarmac and gravel roads.

RAC offer insurance policies for the carnets. I need to research this.

Suppose they way forward is to agree a route.

Hope to see you at the HU meeting.

Regards, Tommy

Can't make the HU meet, but perhaps grab a beer after it to have a chat? I don't think we're far away.

It seems they're tarmacking the world, gotta get out amongst it before it's too late! And I suppose the best bike for the trip is a bike you really like. I rode to Dakar a few years ago, and my friend rode on his 1150GSA, maybe I'll bring him with for the beer?

Rick

BTW, carnet is pretty easy to setup with RAC. It is much cheaper to leave money with them than using the insurance, unless of course you can't get your bike out of a country. But then I suppose a few $ to a border guard might get you an exit stamp you require... Also, depending on your financial position, I have heard of banks underwriting people's carnets, again cheaper than the insurance route. My last carnet cost me about £1k after deposit returned etc at the end of the trip, on a £3k bike. But that covered me for Iran etc, which are similarly draconian as Egypt. Easier than leaving the £15k with the RAC I guess...

Hi Tommy,

I really like the idea of riding the continent top to tail, rather than freighting part of the way. But as you only have three months and because of the political situation in Syria, this may be the only realistic option for you.

I have four months and I know I will be working in Istanbul first week Nov 2012, hence the Istanbul starting point for me. This is also going to be changeable because of the Syria situation. I was meaning to take the ferry from Tartous ( Syria ) to Alex, http://www.visemarline.com/en/homepage.php, but this ferry is now been put on hold, so it may be ferry from Venice to Alex, or even freight to Cairo

Rather than excluding people from threads I guess we should just put up our routes, destinations, prefered type of travel style/roads, e.t.a.'s etc on two different threads and see who wants to fit in with what.

I can't make Bristol, but am in the UK n.w. and midlands later on in Sept.

David

africa
 

Hi Tommy i have sent you a pm hope to see you at Bristol meet cheers Dai.

Trip London to Capetown.
 

Hi there, I am an Ozzie and have dreamed about such a trip for years.
How is the planning going? I am very interested. Obviously the planning from my end would be a bit more involved but I am very keen. I have a deal experience having had an 1150 GS and now a 1200GS, and ridden all my life. Pls let me know yr email address and we can discuss further.

Pete

Dai, thanks for the PM, hope to see you at HU, Bristol. Pls bring any plans you have already made and think of any places you wish to visit so we can discuss a route.

Pete, thanks for showing interest, what an amazing dream, isn't it? Mine also, though we need to turn that dream into reality.

All, before anyone commits, I have estimated an average of £50 to £60 per day when on the road and £30 to £40 on rest days inc fuel, accomodation and food. Not inc alchohol, shipping ferry,s, insurances or bike repairs. As you can imagine, over three months, this trip could cost upto £5400 and that's not including the the above.