Pascal and Sylvain's bike journey from Johannesburg to Paris via Central and West Africa.
Follow this story by emailA Travel Story by Long Way Up - Africa 2015
Isiphango - Pascal and my Mother examining Pascal's bike
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Updates
Isiphango - Pascal is checking the bike - big moment!
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Bike arrival in SA - all is looking good
Last checks on the KLR - done. Reqdy to go !
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In Lusaka
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In Lusaka - a bit of an unforeseen hurdle - DRC embassy doesn't wish to issue our visas... Beginning with a plan B approach tomorrow : heading to the border with a bottle of whisky and some dollars. More later with some pictures - especially on the first part of the trip through Botswana, Zimbabwe, and into Zambia. Main highlight : Victoria Falls - what an absolute treat.
Road to Bostwana
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Road from Polokane to Bostwana
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRri1V9UvVU
First day of riding
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First spin of wheels since JohanesburgJust started from Joburg and testing the bikes and gears.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cz00gF73kGw
Road to Bostwana
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Road from Polokane to Bostwana
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRri1V9UvVU
Farewell Party - Joburg
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This is already more than a week ago - happened on the 16th of January. Thank you all for coming and take care !
In Botswana
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Before depart
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Packing Before departure
Sometimes we think that we haven't packed enough !!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCE7BGIxAD4
Chilling on the road
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Deep in discussion with Roger - our new Swedish rider friend
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Roger is on his way - on an Apache bike no less - to Kenya
Pascal in full gear
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Sylvain in full gear
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Vic Falls from another angle
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This is a bit of back tracking in time but we thought that we would share another picture of Vic Falls
Map up to Ndola
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About 3 000 km since Durban. But by far the most difficult border to cross.
Hitting the mud in DRC - from Lubumbashi to Kinshasa
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First day of what will become 2 weeks of mud, water, sand, rocks. What a road !
On a ferry in DRC
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A bit of muscle often very much needed - still in DRC
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River crossing in DRC
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Actually this was not supposed to be a river crossing but the severe rains created some sort of flahs flood. Locals improved a raft in order to get bikes and passengers accross. Another day where we travelled far less than 50kms.
The mud before was a bit of child s play - opening up to a world of multiple levels of pain
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In DRC - some of the excited, surprised, scared (sometimes) kids whom we encountered in most the villages we came across
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In Gabon - about 100km from the Equator
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We made it to Gabon - we re now about 100km from the Equator. The road was good today and we managed to enjoy some of the scenery rather than focusing on where to steer our front wheel : villages, trees that fill the horizon and locals selling a variety of bush meat hanging from wooden displays on the side of the road. Yum. Spending the night in Lambarene - quaint town by a river.
Pointe Noire beach in Congo
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Congo has been great. Very welcoming, cool people and lovely hosts in Pointe Noire. A great thank you to Cecile and Angelo + Alexis and Marion for their hospitality.
Still on the road to Gabon
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A new type of mud - la Territe. Nice when dry - a hellish sort of slippery cement when wet. Slippery in the sense that it feels like you re riding on ice and cement in the sense that it accumulates in every corner of the bike
Brief rest - strange how getting closer to an objective (the border in this case) always seems like one is going backwards...
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Crossing the Equator
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We're practically at the half way mark and have reached Yaoundé after a couple of days in Gabon. Heading to Douala and then Nigeria - as far south as possible...
Equator - personal touch
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70 odd km from Mamfe
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Officially in West Africa - in Nigeria between Port Harcourt and Benin City - on our way to Lagos
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Roads are good - drivers are borderline suicidal especially truck drivers. Anyway - enjoyed the nice tarred path all the way to Lagos. Will be there for a couple of days - time enough to organize a visa and say hi to a few friends. We are lucky enough t be hosted in Lagos by Joy and Abu and kids in their lovely home.
Bridge on Kumba - Mamfe road - Cameroon
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Taking a side a roadside break in Cameroon
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Some maintenance on Sylvain s bike in Lagos - a great thank you to Ogbonnaya for his great help in sorting this out
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Some maintenance on Pascal's bike in Lagos
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Address for some videos of the trip - enjoy and thanks Olivier for uploading them
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https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDnvROAXOhgIJbO0c5MHglwhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDnvROAXOhgIJbO0c5MHglw
Cape Coast - taking in the view on our way to Ivory Coast
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Always a solution ! Disks from the gear box need to be changed - no problem and you re good to go.
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Cape Coast Beach - Ghana - on our way to Ivory Coast
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Beach in Cotonou - Benin
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In Togo - outing with the Togo Moto Club
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Cotonou city - from the main bridge
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Outing in Togo - a bit of an issue with the bike
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Heading towards the Mali / Senegal border
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Just outside Bamako at Le Campement - other view
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Just outside Bamako at Le Campement
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Stepping into history in Grand Bassam - Ivory Coast
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Last one - still in Assinie - beach side
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In Mali - on the road in the South heading to Bamako
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In Nianing - 70km from Dakar - nice peaceful town before we start heading North to St Louis and Mauritania
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A little sightseeing in Dakar - Goree Island
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Faidherbe bridge in St Louis in Senegal - on the fleuve Senegal. One of these must see places
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A feel of the Saint Louis vibe - Senegal
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Heading into the middle of Morocco from Agadir
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Coastal road heading to Tan Tan - Morocco
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Crossing the Tropic of Cancer - Morocco
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Into the desert - Zagora area - Morocco
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Riding in the Cirque de Jaffar area - some passes are above 2000m - big change from the desert - heading to Fes and then Tanger
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Desert view in Northern Mauritania
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Tinerhir city - Morocco
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Close to Al Hoceima in Morrocco - the Meditarrenean !
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Chefchaouen - Morrocco
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20km from France crossing the Pyrenees
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In France ! Little stop over at St Jean Pied de Porc
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Chilling at one of the many cafes in Larrache - Morrocco
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Larrache in Morrocco - about 80 km south of Tanger
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Chefchaouen - Morrocco
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Beach close to Larrache - Morrocco
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