Harry the Buffalo
Race Dog
:happy1:
Nearly 18 000, in Alexandria
- Thread starter FlyRide
- Start date
FlyRide
Pack Dog
- Joined
- Jan 20, 2010
- Messages
- 194
- Reaction score
- 0
- Bike
- BMW (all models)
Hi All, Pics etc on blog
5 April 2011 – Wadi Halfa
We are now in a small local hotel, in Wadi Halfa. Everybody said it would be terrible, but then, they were going South!!! So far, not bad!! Amazing how your standards change!
Khartoum to Atbara, en route we stopped off at the pyramids at Merowe, huge and most of them in amazingly good condition. Some of the entrance tombs have been restored and it was fascinating to walk around that area, it was unbelievably hot and we managed to get under a reed carport and have our lunch which was a roll and a cooldrink, within minutes the roll was dried out almost like a rusk! In Atbara we again stayed in a local hotel, the Nile Hotel basic but clean for a change with hot water!! We were also served a local meal which was a quarter roasted chicken each, omelet, with a salad, rice and noodles in a oily sauce and chick pea soup and bread, with an orange for dessert. Yves who is still travelling with us decided that he could not afford the hotel so he went to the local filling station and spent the night on the petrol attendants bed!
The next morning we met up with Yves at the filling station and set off for Merowe and Karima, Yves ran out of petrol about 3km from the filling station and we had to siphon some from Larry’s bike. The temperature was already at about 45 degrees and getting hotter, we had decided to see Jebel Baikal, lots of pyramids but the condition was not great. We went back into town and found the one and only supermarket and bought lots of frozen water, cooldrinks, chocolates and some bread and after hanging around the shop for a few minutes Yves got us all invited the owners home to have a rest and get out of the heat. They could not have been kinder, we were given their beds to lie down on and offered tea or coffee and Yves managed to have a bucket shower. At 5pm we left the house and went back to the shop to say goodbye to our new friends and stock up on some more water. We had decided to camp wild in the desert and so we drove for about 50km into the desert and found a spot to get off the road and not tackle too much sand. Along this stretch of road there were a few abandoned villages and some very recently built houses and we found one of these buildings to spend the night. By this stage the wind was blowing and we had to cook our supper in the building – we had spaghetti and meatballs and sweet corn all mixed in one pot with lots of bread and a tin of peaches for pud!
After a very pleasant night in the desert we packed and got ready to leave, we were ready and waiting for Yves when the wind started to blow really strongly and we got a glimpse of the desert’s moods, one minute fairly calm and the next wild. We rode for about 20 minutes in a very strong sand storm and suddenly come out of that into the bright sunlight, when you are in the storm the sun is completely blocked out and there appears to be a huge black cloud over the whole world! We rode in and out of the sand storms for the next 120km until we reached Dongola. After breakfast at the local supermarket we set off for Abri. While sitting on the veranda eating, we saw 3 trucks piled very high, with baggage and about 100 people on each. Refugees from Libya!!! Once we got there we had a look at the hotel there and standards have dropped but not that low! So we decided to spend another night camping in the desert, the only problem is the desert is not sand but jagged black rock, not inflatable mattress friendly and so Larry picked a spot alongside the Nile where there is a drop off point for fish. We camped under the palm trees and this was much better than camping in the open and the howling gale! Next morning we were up before any of the locals had surfaced and heading for Wadi Halfa and the ferry. The weather was cool and pleasant for riding, with a slight headwind, nothing like the heat that had been predicted, very lucky !!
5 April Wadi Halfa
Within minutes of arriving in Wadi Halfa our tout, Mazaar found us looking for the ferry booking office. We went and had a small glass of tea with him and discussed the procedure for getting onto the ferry, not a simple task. We had been warned about Mazaar and Larry was determined not to be ripped off by him and told him so in no uncertain terms. We seem to have everything straightened out in that regard. We eventually booked into the Kiloprata Hotel in town at a cost of SP15 (about R30), just two beds in a bare room and two shower/toilets for the ladies and same for the gents, no water in the basins so very basic! But better than other places we have had to stay.
Yesterday afternoon at 15.30 Mazaar’s uncle Magda arrived at the hotel to tell us that the three motorbikes and us could get onto the ferry that same afternoon, we had 30 minutes to get ready, after rushing around like blue tailed flies we were packed and ready to go and we set off for the ferry in convoy with Madzar leading the way and smoothing the path in front for us. We arrived at the ferry terminal and there were lots of people milling about and we were shuffled from pillar to post getting carnet stamped and waiting for the immigration official to stamp our passports when a very loud announcement came over the PA system and people started existing the building. Magdi came over and told us sorry the ferry is not sailing with passengers!! So back to the hotel, we were in luck and our bedroom was still available but other bedrooms had already been hired out to other people!! There is a large group of Europeans all hanging around the hotel waiting to get onto the ferry, also a few overlanders heading South, waiting for their vehicles to be off loaded. I can’t wait for the chaos again in the ferry terminal!!
We have just received the very sad news that our friend, Jack Pearson, passed away last night, our thoughts are with his family.
So, with a bit of luck, we will leave Sudan this pm, and head for Aswan, Egypt, and a break on the Red Sea. We will try to catch the Ferry from Egypt to Venice on the 24 April, a 3 day trip. In time for some late season Ski-ing in Italy ????
7 April 2011
We spent the early part of the morning having my bike repaired again! Another of the pannier brackets / attachment points needed welding. The rest of the morning was spent around the hotel waiting to be called by Mazaar for the ferry. Eventually at about 3pm we were told that we could start getting our things packed and head for the ferry terminal. Larry and I had packed things so that we would be able to take a small bag plus sleeping bags into the cabin with us and so we set off with the bikes piled very high to the ferry. Once we arrived there Mazaar was like an old mother hen with his brood of European chickens (about 12 people) and our path was really made smooth all the through the customs and immigrations. The three bikes were rushed off to the ferry and we managed to get out back pack and sleeping bags into our air-conditioned cabin which was right at the end of the passage. We had to wait for all the passengers to board before we could even consider loading the bikes. Loading the ferry is basically done by who ever brought the goods to the ferry and we were horrified to see that the loading ‘ramp’ into the ferry was a number of wooden pallets as steps and then onto a small barge and then down two steps into the ferry, Yves bike and my bike no problem but Larry’s bike another story. With the help of Yves, Mazaar and another Swiss guy we managed to get all three bikes onto the barge. In the meantime the other passengers had been putting all the bigger luggage into the passage area that had been set aside for the bikes. The loading of the passengers and goods was total chaos with lots of shouting and pushing and shoving but eventually it was done and we could get the bikes onto the ferry at about 6.30pm. But we were told once the ferry was under way we would have to move the bikes so that the two bigger bikes were in the door way where we had boarded and Yves was in the passage. After the sunset prayers the ferry eventually started to move at about 8pm and we went down to the bikes to do the shuffle!! Luckily we found the captain there as the local women had set up a souk (market) around and on top of the bikes and he got them to pack up and move while we moved the bikes around.
Everyone coming from the north had warned us of how terrible the ferry crossing is, one ferry had about 2000 people on it when it is only rated to carry 500!! Sudanese refugees are streaming back from Libya in huge numbers but we were lucky that we were heading in the opposite direction and we only had about 250 people on the ferry but even so the next morning the toilets where absolutely disgusting. Other than that our cabin was habitable and comfortable and we managed to get a few hours sleep. We were due to reach Aswan by 12noon (now back on Central African Time) and Larry was called up to the bridge and handed a cell phone where the next fixer, Kamal, was waiting to talk to him, he told us that the traffic offices closed at 2pm and would only open again on Saturday as Friday it the religious day in Egypt but that he had started the process for us already. We managed to speak to the Captain and he agreed that we must get the bikes off before any of the passengers. Once we had docked the Egyptian immigration and customs officials come on board and no-one may get off the ferry until they are satisfied that everyone’s passport is in order, I was standing alongside the bikes when an official came up to me and introduced himself as the Traffic Court Official and that if we could get out passports stamped we could get the bikes off and start the process, Larry rushed upstairs got the stamps and we moved the bikes out (just one step this time) and Kamal started the process of getting the paperwork sorted out, we eventually got out there at about 4.30pm with our set of really tatty number plates that cost us LP40 (about R50) and we left for the hotel in Aswan. I am sure without a fixer it would have taken at least three days to clear the bikes.
Egypt is much more advanced than Sudan and the hotel vastly better and restaurants that serve food that we recognize and can eat! The people constantly hassle you with whatever they are selling and become quite aggressive and angry if you don’t buy anything from them! You have to bargain for most things, even down to a coke or a bottle of water!! Very alien to us.
The traffic moves at a much faster pace than in the East African countries and no-one uses headlights and we are constantly being told that we have our headlights on and we can’t turn them off!! So I am sure there is going to be lots of fun ahead of us!
We are heading to Luxor tomorrow and then onto the Red Sea for some diving and hopefully we will bypass Cairo and then to Alexandria and onto Venice. Aswan has lots of tourists and they seem to be coming back. We watched a march or protest ofsome sort past the hotel twice today but everything seems to be perfectly calm in Egypt. We are staying at a hotel called Hator, on the banks of the Nile, with a nice view, and a rooftop pool! About R120 per night.
Tomorrow, 9 April, we will have been married for 28 years!!!!
5 April 2011 – Wadi Halfa
We are now in a small local hotel, in Wadi Halfa. Everybody said it would be terrible, but then, they were going South!!! So far, not bad!! Amazing how your standards change!
Khartoum to Atbara, en route we stopped off at the pyramids at Merowe, huge and most of them in amazingly good condition. Some of the entrance tombs have been restored and it was fascinating to walk around that area, it was unbelievably hot and we managed to get under a reed carport and have our lunch which was a roll and a cooldrink, within minutes the roll was dried out almost like a rusk! In Atbara we again stayed in a local hotel, the Nile Hotel basic but clean for a change with hot water!! We were also served a local meal which was a quarter roasted chicken each, omelet, with a salad, rice and noodles in a oily sauce and chick pea soup and bread, with an orange for dessert. Yves who is still travelling with us decided that he could not afford the hotel so he went to the local filling station and spent the night on the petrol attendants bed!
The next morning we met up with Yves at the filling station and set off for Merowe and Karima, Yves ran out of petrol about 3km from the filling station and we had to siphon some from Larry’s bike. The temperature was already at about 45 degrees and getting hotter, we had decided to see Jebel Baikal, lots of pyramids but the condition was not great. We went back into town and found the one and only supermarket and bought lots of frozen water, cooldrinks, chocolates and some bread and after hanging around the shop for a few minutes Yves got us all invited the owners home to have a rest and get out of the heat. They could not have been kinder, we were given their beds to lie down on and offered tea or coffee and Yves managed to have a bucket shower. At 5pm we left the house and went back to the shop to say goodbye to our new friends and stock up on some more water. We had decided to camp wild in the desert and so we drove for about 50km into the desert and found a spot to get off the road and not tackle too much sand. Along this stretch of road there were a few abandoned villages and some very recently built houses and we found one of these buildings to spend the night. By this stage the wind was blowing and we had to cook our supper in the building – we had spaghetti and meatballs and sweet corn all mixed in one pot with lots of bread and a tin of peaches for pud!
After a very pleasant night in the desert we packed and got ready to leave, we were ready and waiting for Yves when the wind started to blow really strongly and we got a glimpse of the desert’s moods, one minute fairly calm and the next wild. We rode for about 20 minutes in a very strong sand storm and suddenly come out of that into the bright sunlight, when you are in the storm the sun is completely blocked out and there appears to be a huge black cloud over the whole world! We rode in and out of the sand storms for the next 120km until we reached Dongola. After breakfast at the local supermarket we set off for Abri. While sitting on the veranda eating, we saw 3 trucks piled very high, with baggage and about 100 people on each. Refugees from Libya!!! Once we got there we had a look at the hotel there and standards have dropped but not that low! So we decided to spend another night camping in the desert, the only problem is the desert is not sand but jagged black rock, not inflatable mattress friendly and so Larry picked a spot alongside the Nile where there is a drop off point for fish. We camped under the palm trees and this was much better than camping in the open and the howling gale! Next morning we were up before any of the locals had surfaced and heading for Wadi Halfa and the ferry. The weather was cool and pleasant for riding, with a slight headwind, nothing like the heat that had been predicted, very lucky !!
5 April Wadi Halfa
Within minutes of arriving in Wadi Halfa our tout, Mazaar found us looking for the ferry booking office. We went and had a small glass of tea with him and discussed the procedure for getting onto the ferry, not a simple task. We had been warned about Mazaar and Larry was determined not to be ripped off by him and told him so in no uncertain terms. We seem to have everything straightened out in that regard. We eventually booked into the Kiloprata Hotel in town at a cost of SP15 (about R30), just two beds in a bare room and two shower/toilets for the ladies and same for the gents, no water in the basins so very basic! But better than other places we have had to stay.
Yesterday afternoon at 15.30 Mazaar’s uncle Magda arrived at the hotel to tell us that the three motorbikes and us could get onto the ferry that same afternoon, we had 30 minutes to get ready, after rushing around like blue tailed flies we were packed and ready to go and we set off for the ferry in convoy with Madzar leading the way and smoothing the path in front for us. We arrived at the ferry terminal and there were lots of people milling about and we were shuffled from pillar to post getting carnet stamped and waiting for the immigration official to stamp our passports when a very loud announcement came over the PA system and people started existing the building. Magdi came over and told us sorry the ferry is not sailing with passengers!! So back to the hotel, we were in luck and our bedroom was still available but other bedrooms had already been hired out to other people!! There is a large group of Europeans all hanging around the hotel waiting to get onto the ferry, also a few overlanders heading South, waiting for their vehicles to be off loaded. I can’t wait for the chaos again in the ferry terminal!!
We have just received the very sad news that our friend, Jack Pearson, passed away last night, our thoughts are with his family.
So, with a bit of luck, we will leave Sudan this pm, and head for Aswan, Egypt, and a break on the Red Sea. We will try to catch the Ferry from Egypt to Venice on the 24 April, a 3 day trip. In time for some late season Ski-ing in Italy ????
7 April 2011
We spent the early part of the morning having my bike repaired again! Another of the pannier brackets / attachment points needed welding. The rest of the morning was spent around the hotel waiting to be called by Mazaar for the ferry. Eventually at about 3pm we were told that we could start getting our things packed and head for the ferry terminal. Larry and I had packed things so that we would be able to take a small bag plus sleeping bags into the cabin with us and so we set off with the bikes piled very high to the ferry. Once we arrived there Mazaar was like an old mother hen with his brood of European chickens (about 12 people) and our path was really made smooth all the through the customs and immigrations. The three bikes were rushed off to the ferry and we managed to get out back pack and sleeping bags into our air-conditioned cabin which was right at the end of the passage. We had to wait for all the passengers to board before we could even consider loading the bikes. Loading the ferry is basically done by who ever brought the goods to the ferry and we were horrified to see that the loading ‘ramp’ into the ferry was a number of wooden pallets as steps and then onto a small barge and then down two steps into the ferry, Yves bike and my bike no problem but Larry’s bike another story. With the help of Yves, Mazaar and another Swiss guy we managed to get all three bikes onto the barge. In the meantime the other passengers had been putting all the bigger luggage into the passage area that had been set aside for the bikes. The loading of the passengers and goods was total chaos with lots of shouting and pushing and shoving but eventually it was done and we could get the bikes onto the ferry at about 6.30pm. But we were told once the ferry was under way we would have to move the bikes so that the two bigger bikes were in the door way where we had boarded and Yves was in the passage. After the sunset prayers the ferry eventually started to move at about 8pm and we went down to the bikes to do the shuffle!! Luckily we found the captain there as the local women had set up a souk (market) around and on top of the bikes and he got them to pack up and move while we moved the bikes around.
Everyone coming from the north had warned us of how terrible the ferry crossing is, one ferry had about 2000 people on it when it is only rated to carry 500!! Sudanese refugees are streaming back from Libya in huge numbers but we were lucky that we were heading in the opposite direction and we only had about 250 people on the ferry but even so the next morning the toilets where absolutely disgusting. Other than that our cabin was habitable and comfortable and we managed to get a few hours sleep. We were due to reach Aswan by 12noon (now back on Central African Time) and Larry was called up to the bridge and handed a cell phone where the next fixer, Kamal, was waiting to talk to him, he told us that the traffic offices closed at 2pm and would only open again on Saturday as Friday it the religious day in Egypt but that he had started the process for us already. We managed to speak to the Captain and he agreed that we must get the bikes off before any of the passengers. Once we had docked the Egyptian immigration and customs officials come on board and no-one may get off the ferry until they are satisfied that everyone’s passport is in order, I was standing alongside the bikes when an official came up to me and introduced himself as the Traffic Court Official and that if we could get out passports stamped we could get the bikes off and start the process, Larry rushed upstairs got the stamps and we moved the bikes out (just one step this time) and Kamal started the process of getting the paperwork sorted out, we eventually got out there at about 4.30pm with our set of really tatty number plates that cost us LP40 (about R50) and we left for the hotel in Aswan. I am sure without a fixer it would have taken at least three days to clear the bikes.
Egypt is much more advanced than Sudan and the hotel vastly better and restaurants that serve food that we recognize and can eat! The people constantly hassle you with whatever they are selling and become quite aggressive and angry if you don’t buy anything from them! You have to bargain for most things, even down to a coke or a bottle of water!! Very alien to us.
The traffic moves at a much faster pace than in the East African countries and no-one uses headlights and we are constantly being told that we have our headlights on and we can’t turn them off!! So I am sure there is going to be lots of fun ahead of us!
We are heading to Luxor tomorrow and then onto the Red Sea for some diving and hopefully we will bypass Cairo and then to Alexandria and onto Venice. Aswan has lots of tourists and they seem to be coming back. We watched a march or protest ofsome sort past the hotel twice today but everything seems to be perfectly calm in Egypt. We are staying at a hotel called Hator, on the banks of the Nile, with a nice view, and a rooftop pool! About R120 per night.
Tomorrow, 9 April, we will have been married for 28 years!!!!
Skipskop
Race Dog
Thanks for sharing,I don`t think I will be able to handle all the b/s that comes with Africa,so I will stay put.
I take my hat off to you guys for doing the trip,well done sofar :thumleft:
Happy anniversary and enjoy the day tomorrow :mwink: .
I take my hat off to you guys for doing the trip,well done sofar :thumleft:
Happy anniversary and enjoy the day tomorrow :mwink: .
Charka
Pack Dog
good luck!!!!!!!
FlyRide
Pack Dog
- Joined
- Jan 20, 2010
- Messages
- 194
- Reaction score
- 0
- Bike
- BMW (all models)
Hi All
Now in Alexandria, waiting to take ferry to Venice, leave Sunday Eve, arrive Wed am, for phase two of our trip.
Below is a bit of text which might be useful, or interesting, and pics of our tyres after nearly 18 000 km.
FR
The Do’s and Don’t’s, now that Phase one – Africa - is done!!! This list is what we have found on our trip.
Items essential, or used regularly, wouldn’t do without
Intercom system – Sena Sh 10, Excellent, good value, performed flawlessly
Rechargeable Led camp light, a bit heavy, but have only needed to charge once, great light output etc.
Cell phone, Sat phone not necessary, buy local simcards, I think only once during entire trip no coverage
Laptop or notebook, used all the time, with maps, internet etc.
GPS – buy good quality. Try for as many maps as possible. T4A very outdated!!! Lots of new roads, hotels etc. Egypt particularly bad, cell phone has much better city maps!
Tent – not to small, take gear inside for rain or security. Check Vango Hurricane 200 or 300
Decent pillows!! We took a good one, cut in half and made pillow cases.
Groundsheet for tent.
Our self inflating mattresses leaked, first Ascent, bought cheap inflatable in Nairobi. Sent ATG stretches home, damaging tent floor, not couple friendly
Zip together sleeping bags for when cold
Small cooler bag, for water and drinks, daily. Try to Freeze water at night, lasted the whole day.
Credit cards – Use everywhere at ATM’s, except Sudan.
Small collapsible bucket, clothes washing etc.
Kindle E Book, can load hundreds of books to read.
Roc Straps
Dry bags, bags connection – we used 2 large, for tents, sleeping bags, inners for suits, rain gear etc.
Business cards for swapping info.
Small notebook for taking down info from other overlanders etc
Best quality riding gear and boots. Sharon would have had broken knee if not. BMW Ralley suit.
Tea, coffee, mugs.
Sharp knife
Leatherman
Suncream and sunglasses, with spare set.
Buff, helped a lot in the heat and wind.
Small day pack – should be a backpack for carrying clothes to and from bikes and putting your shopping in
Electrical adaptor – 2 prong
Items only used occasionally
Medical kit –but might have needed it more
Multi fuel stove – Ours poor quality, leaks, and constantly blocks. Buy Primus or MSR
Pots and cooking gear – very limited place to carry extra food, meat, or perishables
Camp chairs – normally somewhere to sit
Binoculars
Music
Dry food – Oats, cup of snack, game colddrink etc.
Mozzie repellant. We didn’t take any anti malaria tabs.
Invertor, better to buy adaptors
Items never used
Spare tubes, and puncture repair. Who Knows???
Most tools ????
Extra fuel bladders – not needed, seldom no fuel, refill regularly
Small axe
Small spade
Pepper spray – glad we had no use for this
Portable shower
Portable sink
Tie Down straps – who knows???
Extra shoes, all we have used is riding boots or crocs (sandles)
Should have Taken
Lonely planet or Bradt guides. Online version for kindle available.
Pair of padded cycling shorts??
Clothes list
Two or three sets max, with extra underwear.
3 pairs riding socks
Warm top for cool days
Long sleeve shirt and 3 quarter pants for Sudan – bad to expose knees or shoulders, especially ladies
Tips
Use your Carnet for all countries, even if not compulsory, much easier than the Temp import permits, and cheaper.
Local food is fine
Travel desert sections, Masabit in a group.
Beware of stone throwing in Ethiopia especially! Back person always gets the stones.
Stop and talk to other overlanders, lots of info to be swapped.
New tar road from Marsabit to Moyale under construction, means entire trip can be done on tar soon.
Apparently roads from Sudan to Egypt are opening, if not open already. This means that you can miss the fun of the Wadi Halfa ferry!!!!! From Port Sudan up the Red Sea to Egypt apparently already being used.
Top 3 are the the 650 Heidis, and bottom 3 of the 1150
Now in Alexandria, waiting to take ferry to Venice, leave Sunday Eve, arrive Wed am, for phase two of our trip.
Below is a bit of text which might be useful, or interesting, and pics of our tyres after nearly 18 000 km.
FR
The Do’s and Don’t’s, now that Phase one – Africa - is done!!! This list is what we have found on our trip.
Items essential, or used regularly, wouldn’t do without
Intercom system – Sena Sh 10, Excellent, good value, performed flawlessly
Rechargeable Led camp light, a bit heavy, but have only needed to charge once, great light output etc.
Cell phone, Sat phone not necessary, buy local simcards, I think only once during entire trip no coverage
Laptop or notebook, used all the time, with maps, internet etc.
GPS – buy good quality. Try for as many maps as possible. T4A very outdated!!! Lots of new roads, hotels etc. Egypt particularly bad, cell phone has much better city maps!
Tent – not to small, take gear inside for rain or security. Check Vango Hurricane 200 or 300
Decent pillows!! We took a good one, cut in half and made pillow cases.
Groundsheet for tent.
Our self inflating mattresses leaked, first Ascent, bought cheap inflatable in Nairobi. Sent ATG stretches home, damaging tent floor, not couple friendly
Zip together sleeping bags for when cold
Small cooler bag, for water and drinks, daily. Try to Freeze water at night, lasted the whole day.
Credit cards – Use everywhere at ATM’s, except Sudan.
Small collapsible bucket, clothes washing etc.
Kindle E Book, can load hundreds of books to read.
Roc Straps
Dry bags, bags connection – we used 2 large, for tents, sleeping bags, inners for suits, rain gear etc.
Business cards for swapping info.
Small notebook for taking down info from other overlanders etc
Best quality riding gear and boots. Sharon would have had broken knee if not. BMW Ralley suit.
Tea, coffee, mugs.
Sharp knife
Leatherman
Suncream and sunglasses, with spare set.
Buff, helped a lot in the heat and wind.
Small day pack – should be a backpack for carrying clothes to and from bikes and putting your shopping in
Electrical adaptor – 2 prong
Items only used occasionally
Medical kit –but might have needed it more
Multi fuel stove – Ours poor quality, leaks, and constantly blocks. Buy Primus or MSR
Pots and cooking gear – very limited place to carry extra food, meat, or perishables
Camp chairs – normally somewhere to sit
Binoculars
Music
Dry food – Oats, cup of snack, game colddrink etc.
Mozzie repellant. We didn’t take any anti malaria tabs.
Invertor, better to buy adaptors
Items never used
Spare tubes, and puncture repair. Who Knows???
Most tools ????
Extra fuel bladders – not needed, seldom no fuel, refill regularly
Small axe
Small spade
Pepper spray – glad we had no use for this
Portable shower
Portable sink
Tie Down straps – who knows???
Extra shoes, all we have used is riding boots or crocs (sandles)
Should have Taken
Lonely planet or Bradt guides. Online version for kindle available.
Pair of padded cycling shorts??
Clothes list
Two or three sets max, with extra underwear.
3 pairs riding socks
Warm top for cool days
Long sleeve shirt and 3 quarter pants for Sudan – bad to expose knees or shoulders, especially ladies
Tips
Use your Carnet for all countries, even if not compulsory, much easier than the Temp import permits, and cheaper.
Local food is fine
Travel desert sections, Masabit in a group.
Beware of stone throwing in Ethiopia especially! Back person always gets the stones.
Stop and talk to other overlanders, lots of info to be swapped.
New tar road from Marsabit to Moyale under construction, means entire trip can be done on tar soon.
Apparently roads from Sudan to Egypt are opening, if not open already. This means that you can miss the fun of the Wadi Halfa ferry!!!!! From Port Sudan up the Red Sea to Egypt apparently already being used.
Top 3 are the the 650 Heidis, and bottom 3 of the 1150
Attachments
Laban
Race Dog
FlyRide, Thanks for the information sharing, take care and enjoy the rest of the trip!! :thumleft:
