the machine... now a pic....

the panniers....

panniers directly from KTM with the frame would set me back a cool R12'000, so basically that idea just flew out the window. the actual panniers are made by touratech, they look awesome, and seem to do the job, although the swedish dude I spoke to showed me his and they started tearing at the points where they were fixed to the frame...
so basically PK & I sent a couple hours the other day making the whole thing out of cardboard... seems like a winner here. we made a pannier first, then made another one coz the first one was too big. the frame also needed to be made so we jimmy'd the cardboard again and made the frame. basically we now have template to take to and engineering firm and ask them to make it out of metal. we are opting for the metal vs tubular (KTM's ones are like that) as we have no idea as to where we can have that made in CT. The metal will be 3mm thick - this however will certainly be heavier than the KTM/Touratech stuff...

another meeting...

these meeting are getting boring but something always comes of it...

visa processing firms:

The Visa Shop Cape Town
021:421-1059
visashopjnb@worldspan.co.za
description:Visa Processing


Youth Traveller
021:4394499
edv@corporatetraveller.co.za
description:Visa Processing

the gear...

this is most probably the most important part of all... the gear. protecting oneself on the bike with good clobber is vital. so far all I have bought are pants and a helmet, which does not speak for much, but on the flipside this gear is expensive. the touring pants set me back around 2grand. my matt black airoh helmet was a cool 2200, which is not a bad price. I've got some kit coming from Switzerland, touring jacket, a pair of gloves and a kidney belt, which could be useful when the roads get rough.

today I saw some awesome thor boots for 1750, they looked pretty good and a body armour set for 685 so that looks like the route to go and then I pretty done with protection... I think.

i'm itching to do a little trip...

the machine...

KTM 640 Adventure LC4 2006...

it's a single cyclinder, 4-stroke engine with a displacment of 625cc... although with my aftermarket pipe I get a little more!!
some equipment needs to be added for the trip, so far I have only managed to buy a tankbag...
pics to follow...

Who needs a visa...

• Gabon - if your South African no visa is required, 1 month stay
  
• Ghana - they said they would fax the forms to me... and they did!! - not issued at visa - TO DO!
• The Gambia - just in case we decide to go - Fax copy of passport, length of stay and reason for visit to 011-7840790 Att: Joy, they will issue a letter which will allow us to obtain a Visa at the border... you gotta love Africa!
• Namibia - for the visa section please press 1.... no answer
• Nigeria - We need to write a letter to the Nigerian High Commission introducing ourselves, pay Rand 400.00 into their Standard Bank Account at Arcadia, then send to them the deposit slip, with 1 passport photograph & the Passport and voila, you should receive your passport back within 3 working days... - not issued at border - TO DO!
  
• Cameroon - www.camhicom.co.za - I can't wait to get all those "requirements" ready!! - 80USD - no visa req for Germans, not issued at border - TO DO!
  
• Central Africa Republic - 011 970 1355 - check for latest update.
  
• DRC - letter of invitation... 2 passport photo's, 15 day visa = R750.00 (might need an agency to sort this one out!) - not issued at the border. Lonely Planet says you can get a visa if you come by boat from Kinshasa - TO DO!?
  
• Republic of Congo - 012 342 5508
• Cote d'ivore - 2 colour passport photos, letter reservation (hotel), vaccination yellow fever R500.00/single entry R1000.00/multiple entry. when I told them we were travelling overland by motorcycle, he asked me where I was going to sleep... - not issued at border - TO DO!
  
• Mali - R400.00 - Letter of invitation, 1 passport photo, 3 days to process - not issued at the border - TO DO!
  
• Mauritania - 2 colour photo's, R450.00, Dianh said she would call me back... she did, and will fax through the application forms, R450.00 - not issued at the border. TO DO!
  
• Morocco - 012 343 0230 - do not require a visa! 90 days issued. need to use EU & Swiss Passport.
  
• Angola - 021 425 8700 aasafaris@netangola.com - R750.00, letter of invitation, motorbike colour, number plate, passport number... this sounds like a complicated one... - swedes says they got a visa at the border. books say not issued at border. 2 weeks for issue. TO DO!
  
• Benin - YEEHA, no visa required for South Africans! - issued at the border if required!
  
• Burkina Faso - will fax the details... and he did!
• Togo - No representation in ZA... great! - required for all - border may issued 48hr pass.
  
• Senegal - YEEHA again, no visa for us South Africans! - not required for EU.
  

puke!

the route...

this is the route - don't hold me to it, it may change, it is Africa...

1. South Africa
2. Namibia
3. Angola
4. DRC
5. Congo
6. Gabon
7. Cameroon
8. Nigeria
9. Benin
10. Burkina Faso
11. Togo
12. Ghana
13. Ivory Coast
14. Mali
15. Senegal
16. Mauritania
17. Morocco

got info on any of these spots... leave us a comment.

to do list...

haha... the to do list

the first point is easy:

• Pascal - get a bike that can handle a dirt road... your MV Agusta looks nice, but it won't do.

Now that we have already had some meetings, although some ended with as many empty beer bottles as countries we want visit, they have yielded challenges...

mark to do:

• basically I have to organise where, how and when we get our visas for each country - with a swiss, british, german and a few south african passports it won't make it easier, but more fun...
• I also need to copy the maps out of the National Geographic African Adventure Atlas... there are lots of roads in Africa, just need to find a good one...

luke to do:

• luke has got to organize the shots - so, we all better ask mommy what shots we already got... I know I've had Yellow fever, got an extra shot at Sao Paulo Airport once, at a hefty price!!
• carnet - luke has looked into it, after I spoke to the Swedes, they reckoned it was useful to have one... check out their site http://www.tour-africa.se

now we can keep track of whats being done and not..!

the logo

just to show that we are serious... I mean really, not every idea has an identity like this...

this is where it starts

ok. so this has been the idea for way way to long... finally 3 of us have decided to set a date to this trip. On December 1, 2007 - we are gonna be at the start line (undecided until now). the trip is up the west coast of africa, with the ultimate goal being the straits of gibraltar. finally this is not only talk but actually happening!!

so spread the word about this blog... you never know what might come of it!