Cape 2 Cairo, long way up!

A month ago I bought my third and last BMW Dakar.

The first I bought new and mistakenly traded in and replaced with a BMW 1200 GS (safe and sound I hope in my garage at home). A great touring / dual purpose bike but too big and heavy for me for this trip.

The second I bought about 18 months ago second hand that turned out to be a "dog" and manged to sell on (after spending considerable sums to repair it).

The third, current and last is a 2005 BMW 650 Dakar with 22 000 kms on the clock.

The initial planned route is The initial planned route is Cape Town to Nelspruit through to Maun to meet up with David and Miles (around the 28th September), who will have travelled up from Cape Town via Namibia. From there the planned route is Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania, Kenya, Eithiopia, Sudan to Egypt.

Not sure who to attribute the quotation to, or even if I have it word perfect but I guess you will get the idea.

Thinking back on my previous two overland trips, firstly by Landrover from Nord Kapp Norway to Cape Town in 2003 and my second trip from Istanbul Turkey to Kasgar China by bicyle ( and with some assistance from the lunch truck) in 2007 my most vivid recollections are of the places we stopped and the people we met.

The days travelling on the road seem to have blended into one long day.

Round one of "essential items!!!!. Needlless to say could not fit into panniers. Have managed to reduce to 40kg's over two and panniers and one bag, will remain a work in progress as still far to much.

Note that the handbag is not mine and is not part of the lugguage!.

Do not try this at home

Frarewell luch at La Cucina Hot Bay

A final goodbye (until next week)!

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6th October
On the road again.... after a hiatus of two weeks in Cape Town and more recently Marloth Park . I spent the time having the thatch roof repaired as the local troop of baboons decided it made a great nesting place as well as various other smaller maintenance jobs.

Another day of hellish heat, over 40 degrees c. 8th October Tzaneen
Another day of hellish heat, over 40 degrees c. Spent first part of morning in the Tzaneen Mall (yes there is one!) at game shopping for a digital camera after which I found a coffee shop inside the local Woolworths’ (yes there is a large one). Tzaneen is no longer a small town.

Another day of hellish heat, over 40 degrees c. 8th October Tzaneen
Another day of hellish heat, over 40 degrees c. Spent first part of morning in the Tzaneen Mall (yes there is one!) at game shopping for a digital camera after which I found a coffee shop inside the local Woolworths’ (yes there is a large one). Tzaneen is no longer a small town.

Another day of hellish heat, over 40 degrees c. 8th October Tzaneen
Another day of hellish heat, over 40 degrees c. Spent first part of morning in the Tzaneen Mall (yes there is one!) at game shopping for a digital camera after which I found a coffee shop inside the local Woolworths’ (yes there is a large one). Tzaneen is no longer a small town.

First day of the three of us riding together11th to 14th October Nata, Livingston 2 Lusaka.
First day of the three of us riding together, very pleased to see that the pace was nice and relaxed, especially as the road was badly potholed in places with short dirt sections.

End of the dirt for now!

Great Northern Road or Paradise Found
15th and 16th, the Great Northern Road or Paradise Found
The group has split for a while. Miles and David are headed towards South Luangwa Park and Malawi, Omar (Egyptian on an Africa Twin), Bridgette his Australian girlfriend and I are taking the Great Northern Road direct to Tanzania. We all plan to meet in Arusha on the 27th for a side trip to the Norgorongoro Crater.
Omar’s (over) loaded bike.

The first order of the day was to buy petrol18TH Oct onward to Tanzania
The first order of the day was to buy petrol, we managed to each get 5 litres each at double the normal price at the side of the road,

After 2 days travelling through Tanzania without 25th October, Dar Es Salaam.
After 2 days travelling through Tanzania without much to see in between I arrived in the early afternoon to a traffic jam in Dar as there was no power and none of the traffic lights were working. Sounds familiar. The ferry across to the beach campsite where we had agreed to meet was an experience. A heaving mass of humanity all trying to get onto the ferry all at the same time. Cars, motorbikes, bicycles and people all competing for deck space all at the same time, not for the faint hearted.

Again sitting at a beach bar killing time waiting for supper2nd November
Again sitting at a beach bar which doubles as the local diving centre killing time waiting for supper. Yes, fresh fish and chips. I am at a dive resort in Kilwa which is has some ruins on a nearby island dating back to 800 ad which is a world heritage site. Unfortunately I was unable to visit them due to time constraints.