Riders: Gareth Morgan, Jo Morgan, Dave Wallace,Brendan Keogh, Tony Armstrong, Paul Swift
Motorcycles: BMW F650 GS Dakar, BMW F650 GS
Distance: 20,756km
Countries: South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya, Ethiopia, Sudan, Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Sicily, Italy, France, UK
Trip description: This trip is one of the most challenging we have undertaken and the big hurdle is having to be flexible enough to change motorcycle routes because of the uncertainties at any time over safe passage being possible through Central Africa. We have to be sufficiently flexible to be able to switch from one route to another even within a week, the volatility of the region is that high..
We set off early “5.30am” from the Western Desert town of El Farafra to get the sunrise over the white desert with all the amazing sand hewn shapes. The big red ball welcomes us to a landscape of wonder and beauty that later in the day would become a glaring furnace. The rocks were hard […]
Sex tourism center for the older or “feeling un-wanted” woman would have to be Egypt. The local men are quite blatant about their desires for a quickie. One charmer when asked what his wife would think replied “She is resting and I won’t tell her”. The same man told me he “very loved me” so […]
I think that should be my new name as I didn’t fall off in all the Sudan sand. Maybe I only fall off in unexpected sand, like a few of the un-named others. On the “off” score sheet I think the boy’s team has drawn with the girl’s team. Also I think they don’t tell […]
We arrived into Aswan off the Wadi Halfa ferry needing a shower. The pushing and chaos as we tried to disembark was to be marveled at and Dave left the boat by the cabin window to avoid the crush (or was it to avoid the immigration check). I was pleased to be off the ferry […]
The heat means you need to drink gallons of water. Most days you sip through 5 litres of the warm stuff on your back and more if you are riding in the heat. But where does it go to. Several of us got to the end of hot days with no pee. I did drink […]
Travelling in Africa brings people together, whether these are the locals from the country you are travelling in or whether they are fellow travellers on the same route. While looking through the photo archives I discover a photo of a couple that seems familiar. Does anyone know who these two fine gentlemen are?
There are a few days to look back on now from the comfort of Aswan in Egypt. Our last night in Ethiopia was in Gondor where an ancient castle of the kings of old graces the centre of the town. Lying outside the magnificent walls was a wrapped person with a chubby baby crawling over […]
Africa yields the oddest stories about people’s experiences when traversing not all of them full of the splendour and wonderment of the Dark Continent. Here’s a couple of tales that made us less than envious of their subject’s experiences. Our fix-it man in Wadi Haifa was keen to relate to us the story behind his […]
In one of the outer and poorer suburbs of Khartoum, Sudan lives a Kiwi hero – Barbara Gouldsbury who for the last 15 years has been looking after some of the city’s street-kids. She runs an impressive operation that includes a prep school for the youngest of “her boys”, houses older lads who go off […]
After completing 3 days in a row and exceeding 1600km we are hoping for a days rest but this is not to be. We have caught up with the main group but we must push on as the pressure of possibly missing the Wadi Halfia ferry drives our group decision. Once again we are up […]
