What's the story with Libyan visas
 

How does one get a visa for Libya and what are the chances of getting the right papers to bike across the country?
I am planning to ride from Egypt to Tunisia on a bit of a pilgrimmage but everyone seems to have nothing but hassle stories.
I suspect that my South African passport will, for the first time ever, be more of an advantage than an encumbrance, thanks to a warm friendship between our respective leaders. But my wife is British and unlikely to get past the front door of the Libyan embassy.
One of the major reasons for doing the journey is to get into Libya so for me there's no point in going via West Africa or by ferry from Israel.
Any ideas on how to solve this impasse?
Thanks