Preparations still ongoing, Africa-time is asking for patience. Bike back in workshop, visas almost done, but good mood!The first week in South Africa has been on filled with activities and patience. After having dropped off the new set of tyres at the workshop (Annakee 2, not available anymore in ZA), where my bike was already waiting, I went to the Saudi embassy in Pretoria to enquire about transit visa. They didn't say no straight away, but sent me to their visa agency in Sandton instead (VFS Tasheel). You need to make an appointment online, I got mine for Friday.

At night I arrived at my friends' place, where I was to stay until the departure, and where I had stored my riding gear and equipment since the last trip in October.

The next day I spent organizing a few more details, met my ZA colleagues for lunch, saw Ken from Drifters) who gave me some last minute recommendations for the route through Zimbabwe and Malawi, and later met with two of my bike buddies from the October 2014 tour:
Alan, who had the most spectacular crash on the trip, falling off his bike and breaking 9 ribs (all healing well), and Nick, who broke off all unneccessary parts from his 1200 GS by dropping it several times and making somersaults over potholes. This time he was in hospital after sliding over some razor wire with brand new tires on his bike. He learned the hard way that you should rather take it easy with new tires...

On Friday it was visa-time again: First a strict "no" to any transit visa request, then after some calls with the embassy a slim "mayb", and "come back Monday". So far so not bad for a start.
Then it was pick-up time for the bike! Friday afternoon traffic madness around Johannesburg CBD garnished with a serious thundershower, leaving traffic lights out, streets flooded and traffic standing still for hours. Not exactly the best conditions to take a bike with brand new tires on the road (see above...) so I decided to come back in the morning, which was a very good decision.

It was even a better decision when I met Alan at CYTECH the next morning, a serious motorbike adeventurer, who came from Switzerland to South Africa on his motorbike back in 1985 (it took him more than 7 months, just armed with map and compass, a much more serious adventure than today). We had met previously, and he was again a great source of information for the trip, especially around Lake Victoria, where he has been a few times before. I left with a list of recommendations, a contact in Malawi, and the news that the infamous Marsabit-Moyale-Orad in Northern Kenya has been tarred almost all the way by now, only about 50km of "adventure" seems to be left right now, which will be gone by end of 2016 the latest.

Together with the brand new land border crossing between Sudan and Egypt, which replaced the ferry crossing from Wadi Halfa to Aswan since September 2014, this now makes it possible to go from Cape Town and Cairo all the way on tar. Just in case one has to, which I certainly haven't!

After a relaxing weekend with friends on a beerfest and a braai, the week started with dissapointing news: No proper feedback from the Saudi embassy and the discovery of an oil leak and clutch problems on the bike - which meant I had to delay the departure at least until Wednesday.

A nice lunch at Nelson Mandela Square with Illana from Tourvest , who had put me into contact with her colleagues in Eastern Africa, arranging accommodation on Zanzibar, Gorilla trekking in Uganda and a Serengeti Safari... (watch this blog for upcoming reports!), lifted my spirits.

Tuesday the bike was back in the workshop and I applied for a visa for Mocambique, which I have to transit now in order to shorten the schedule by not going via Botswana, Victoria Falls and Zambia (sorry, Allan at VicFalls, will see you in September instead!).

Today, Wednesday, I received the visa, the bike was overhauled (oil loss stopped, broken clutch replaced and front end welded) and tomorrow morning I will fetch it, do the packing and plan to leave for the Zimbabwean border around midday. FINALLY!!!

T.I.A. (This Is Africa)! But all in all not too bad, despite the four day delay. I'd rather have all these repairs and arrangements done before I leave, than finding out on the road, where it might have caused me a much bigger headache or even worse. So spirits are high, now I finish my coffee here at TASHAS and head home for the final preps.