Saturday, January 19, 2019

Cape to Cape

What sparked this journey (apart from my long-time desire to do a big bike trip - and Angelika's foolhardy willingness to join me) was the idea of travelling from the northernmost point of Europe to the southernmost point of Africa on a motorbike. It seems to me it would pique anyone's enthusiam.

(There's the small matter of a London to Nordkapp ride first.)

From here (Nordkapp in the Arctic Circle)...

Nordkapp
To here (where the Atlantic meets the Indian Ocean)...

Cape Agulhas
Well, it seems an obvious target. And as I once wrote, you're a Long Time Gone.

Thursday, January 17, 2019

Those who help (Africa)

Big mentions to three wonderful organisations/people who are giving us great help in putting this thing together.

Long distance motorcycling for dreamers and doers.

Its founders, Grant and Susan Johnson are friendly, down to earth and super role models, having done (it seems) several round the world motorcycle journeys. What they don't know, etc, etc. M'lady A and I met them at the HU convention last summer. Everything we needed to know in one weekend of presentations, seminars and beer.

I've been a member of this community since 2001, reading the posts, marvelling at the trips that real people are really doing to real places. Folks who are open to meeting others, who aren't afraid of the unknown, trusting that people are essentially good and that it's only by getting out there and meeting them that you'll fully appreciate this. It's been an inspiration to me and its bulletin board (HUBB) contains all knowledge regarding the above.

Chloe Grant aka CREER aka Kira seems to have appointed herself  travel ambassador for west Africa to the world. She's marvellously helpful, turning up on several bulletin boards and always being willing to offer advice, tips and ideas to those willing to venture to the part of the world where she now works and lives - always vigorously encouraging people to go there.

She founded the West Africa Travellers site and it's already proving to be a fabulous help. It's only if you're going somewhere as different as this region is to me and Angelika that you fully appreciate the value of input from those who are actually there.

We're hoping to meet Chloe en route.

This is a new one to me. Just today, on both of the above sites, I came across this app. It's used extensively by travellers and is free to download and use.

I haven't quite figured it out yet, but I think it'll give us info - on the road - on camp sites, refuelling places, etc and, I think, will prove invaluable.

Check it out and make a contribution - Jessica and Sam run this thing from their own pockets. We're nothing if we're not a community - pay a little back!


Thanks all!

Monday, January 7, 2019

Hmmm...
















It's en route. It'll be a year before we're there, though. Let's see...