DanToughSunday
Pack Dog
After watching “Motorcycle Diaries” in my teens the thought of traveling by bike was awoken in me. So as soon as I could afford a bike I got one, an F800 GS about 3 years. I commute to work and have done a few small rides and trips, nothing more than 3 days, so this is my 1st proper mission …
After a bit of thought I figured out how I can live my dreams as well as spending time with my girlfriend … I’d ride to Zanzibar and meet her there for a few days, she gets her tropical island holiday and I get my adventure … So after a lot of hours spent searching the site, reading and chatting to other riders I worked out which route I wanted to take there and back and what luggage etc to take, I’ve done a lot of hiking and backpacking so in that area I’m cool.
As this report goes on there are mistakes i made and things i would have done different or taken along, but i've learnt from my mistakes and took them in my stride, so be dont give me too much slack :thumleft:
Botswana
Day 1 : Joburg to Elephant Sands, Nata 950km
To meet my girlfriend in Zanzibar on time I had to leave Joburg on Christmas Day, destination, Elephant Sands, Nata.
I hit the road early and after missing the N1 turnoff and turning around in Pretoria, stopping twice in the 1st hour to check if I hadn’t forgotten things and everything was secured properly I was on the road. Not much to say about the road to border, I rode fast and wanted to get out of S.A. Once in Botswana I started to feel like I was now on my adventure, I rode through a butterfly migration for about 200 km’s, millions of butterflies, quite amazing.
All packed and ready to leave !!
This guy wanted a pic with me ...
Roadkill for lunch
Botswana is full of donkeys, probaly not the smartest road users
As it became afternoon I was riding towards a storm, and rain it did, so raincoat on and carry on … This slowed my progress a bit as well as underestimating the distance to Elephant Sands, I thought it was 750 km, but it is more like 950km so I rode into Elephant Sands in the late afternoon in the rain, that road is quite interesting when it is half a metre deep in water, the sun is setting and elephant dung is scattered across the road.
Riding towards a storm
Met 2 Canadian sisters and there cousin traveling Botswana, so had the big Christmas dinner with them instead of sitting alone at the single table laid out with my name on it, then a few beers round the fire as an elephant drank at the waterhole … Tough end to a long day !!
After a bit of thought I figured out how I can live my dreams as well as spending time with my girlfriend … I’d ride to Zanzibar and meet her there for a few days, she gets her tropical island holiday and I get my adventure … So after a lot of hours spent searching the site, reading and chatting to other riders I worked out which route I wanted to take there and back and what luggage etc to take, I’ve done a lot of hiking and backpacking so in that area I’m cool.
As this report goes on there are mistakes i made and things i would have done different or taken along, but i've learnt from my mistakes and took them in my stride, so be dont give me too much slack :thumleft:
Botswana
Day 1 : Joburg to Elephant Sands, Nata 950km
To meet my girlfriend in Zanzibar on time I had to leave Joburg on Christmas Day, destination, Elephant Sands, Nata.
I hit the road early and after missing the N1 turnoff and turning around in Pretoria, stopping twice in the 1st hour to check if I hadn’t forgotten things and everything was secured properly I was on the road. Not much to say about the road to border, I rode fast and wanted to get out of S.A. Once in Botswana I started to feel like I was now on my adventure, I rode through a butterfly migration for about 200 km’s, millions of butterflies, quite amazing.
All packed and ready to leave !!
This guy wanted a pic with me ...
Roadkill for lunch
Botswana is full of donkeys, probaly not the smartest road users
As it became afternoon I was riding towards a storm, and rain it did, so raincoat on and carry on … This slowed my progress a bit as well as underestimating the distance to Elephant Sands, I thought it was 750 km, but it is more like 950km so I rode into Elephant Sands in the late afternoon in the rain, that road is quite interesting when it is half a metre deep in water, the sun is setting and elephant dung is scattered across the road.
Riding towards a storm
Met 2 Canadian sisters and there cousin traveling Botswana, so had the big Christmas dinner with them instead of sitting alone at the single table laid out with my name on it, then a few beers round the fire as an elephant drank at the waterhole … Tough end to a long day !!
