Author Topic: Africa our way !! ( Complete...... or is it? ) (Read 50311 times)

Fuzzy Muzzy · « **Reply #240 on:** January 25, 2011, 11:51:19 am »

Thanks bud.. I will do a separate thread on the bike revamp after the trip.

Baches · « **Reply #241 on:** January 25, 2011, 05:45:02 pm »

Muz could you give a estimated cost of the trip. Will be interesting when one wants to set up a type of budget for a similar trip.

Fuzzy Muzzy · « **Reply #242 on:** January 26, 2011, 09:27:11 am »

Um, the cost of the physical trip was actually very cheap, much cheaper than I expected. On average we were spending between R400 and R500 a day which includes fuel, food and accomodation. I can hear everyone thinking that this is far too cheap but I did'nt go into how we actually lived and ate on this trip much in the rr. We really went budget, 4 out of 5 days were camping and making our own food. The days we did sleep in a dwelling of sorts it was because we negotiated a rate that made it worthwhile not to unpack the tents.. In many of the places camping can be found for anywhere between $4 to $7, we did not eat steaks.. trust me, we ate local food on the side of the road, cereals etc. Also we did'nt buy things like coffee, if we could'nt make it ourselves we did'nt just go and buy it. After a few days of living like that we would splash out on a pizza or burger and chips. I eat very little, but Martin, who eats double what I eat really struggled and at times complained that he was so tired of always being hungry so he carried extra food with him. The whole trip cost me just on R25k over 60 days. This excludes anything I spent on the bike prepping it, equipment and gear.

Prepping the bike and equipment costs were probably more than actually doing the trip. Chain, Sprockets, Oil, Tyres, all the small things like pressure guages and on the bike itself things like handle bar raisers, crash bars, higher screens and gear like neck braces, knee guards and boots, I also had a huge expence of sorting the bike out after the off in Namibia.

But yeah, actually travelling through Africa can be done on R500 a day, if you really go large you can still come in at under R1k a day.

DirtHound · « **Reply #243 on:** January 26, 2011, 10:03:29 am »

Quote from: Fuzzy Muzzy on January 25, 2011, 10:16:43 am

Thanks very much.. yeah an epic rr like this is a labour of love but it was really cool doing this and I enjoyed every bit of writing it, remember the ride was done a year ago, since we have been back we have done 'The Revenge of Namibia" you can find Waynans rr. It was just cos my mates kept on bugging me that I did this rr. I had to really dig deep and try to remember where we went and what we did because so much of what we did was by the seat of our pants and unplanned but as I got back into it everything all came back to me.. i am still a bit sad that we never made it to Uganda but all in all it worked out well.

What I try to express to people I know who are not bike riders is that trips like this just simply change who you are, you stop sweating the small stuff and really start to appreciate what you have because the people you meet and the places you go have so much less than you do at home. For sure the Africa trip was a teenage dream of mine. No regrets.

All I can say to okes thinking of doing a trip of 60 days plus is to just go for it.. don't wait, don't delay, don't overplan.. you will love every second of it even if you find yourself in a deserted place with no fuel, no food and a puncture. Everything can work out if you use common sence and don't take hectic risks. The people you meet change your mindset and the places you see alter your reality.

Getting home was awesome, we had some friends waiting for us and special braai's were organised because so many people wanted to know all about it. Stories were told for months afterwards.

For me personally it was a tough trip emotionally and I did not go too much into this in the rr. My fiance and I had split a few monthe before the trip and I was having a hard time with getting to grips with the situation, the trip was also my way of getting out there into a different environment and finding myself, who I am.. you get so bogged down with daily life, work, commitments and the daily slog that i wanted to get back to raw living and reconnect with who I was.. I am just so happy that I did this trip because it was mission successful in that regard. I had no contact with anyone for the whole trip except my son who i phoned twice. It was that total disconnect which made the whole trip so hectic spiritually for me.. I am pleased to report that whan I got back my ex and I knew that we just had to be together.. we started dating again as soon as I got back and we got engaged again 4 months ago.

Martin had a different experience personally and emotionally, he left when things were stressed with him and his GF, his business had failed and things were in a very rough state, so this trip for him was for very different reasons. Upon his return he saved his relationship by getting back before Xmas and spending the holidays with his GF.. they have just sold their house in CT and are moving to JHB.. they are trying for a baby.

My next dream trip is Northern to Southern America in possibly 2013.

Happy riding guys, be safe out there and remember, we do this because we love it.

This has been one of those "can't put it down" reading moments. Well written with a passion for bikes, and the feeling of freedom they bring. I read "The long way round" a little while back, and thought that was cool until I stumbled upon this. Kudos to you guys!

Some of this RR gave me goosebumps, and some of it brought a tear to my eye. I love the way you guys make do, and make a McGuyver when the time comes.

Having a wife and young kids makes things a bit more difficult to be away from home for so long, but I'm slowly getting them all into it! Kindof the inverse of "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em"

.

Baches · « **Reply #244 on:** January 27, 2011, 08:55:23 am »

Thanks Muz. Now why do people spent thousands to fly overseas and do the tourist thing. Rather explore our own continent on a bike. Great RR.

onderbroek · « **Reply #245 on:** January 27, 2011, 10:01:40 am »

great RR,

I stopped reading after i read about the accident thinking that's how the RR ended. big up for going at it again!!!!

Fuzzy Muzzy · « **Reply #246 on:** January 27, 2011, 11:04:39 am »

lol.. no dude, we don't give up that easily !! The off prevented us having enough time to ride around lake Victoria which was our goal but we still went off and did whatever we could.

I think I understand why people pay to go overseas when you could do a trip like this.. bottom line, it is uncomfortable! You have to really have this in your blood, it really has to be something you want to do. there are things to deal with like dust, bugs, bad food, fuel shortages, saftey issues and it is really physical.

I will give you an example, I read the rr on Zim, now i want to go to Kariba.. nice ! so I ask the miss to join me as pillion and she gets excited.. this morning she sends me a mail.. 10 days in Patong, in a 3 star hotel for R9k, flights etc all included. Now one can make a good case for 10 days in Thailand for under 1k a day. Especially if you are a girl and you don't like spiders

Fuzzy Muzzy · « **Reply #247 on:** January 27, 2011, 02:39:00 pm »

Quote from: DirtHound on January 26, 2011, 10:03:29 am

Quote from: Fuzzy Muzzy on January 25, 2011, 10:16:43 am
Thanks very much.. yeah an epic rr like this is a labour of love but it was really cool doing this and I enjoyed every bit of writing it, remember the ride was done a year ago, since we have been back we have done 'The Revenge of Namibia" you can find Waynans rr. It was just cos my mates kept on bugging me that I did this rr. I had to really dig deep and try to remember where we went and what we did because so much of what we did was by the seat of our pants and unplanned but as I got back into it everything all came back to me.. i am still a bit sad that we never made it to Uganda but all in all it worked out well.

What I try to express to people I know who are not bike riders is that trips like this just simply change who you are, you stop sweating the small stuff and really start to appreciate what you have because the people you meet and the places you go have so much less than you do at home. For sure the Africa trip was a teenage dream of mine. No regrets.

All I can say to okes thinking of doing a trip of 60 days plus is to just go for it.. don't wait, don't delay, don't overplan.. you will love every second of it even if you find yourself in a deserted place with no fuel, no food and a puncture. Everything can work out if you use common sence and don't take hectic risks. The people you meet change your mindset and the places you see alter your reality.

Getting home was awesome, we had some friends waiting for us and special braai's were organised because so many people wanted to know all about it. Stories were told for months afterwards.

For me personally it was a tough trip emotionally and I did not go too much into this in the rr. My fiance and I had split a few monthe before the trip and I was having a hard time with getting to grips with the situation, the trip was also my way of getting out there into a different environment and finding myself, who I am.. you get so bogged down with daily life, work, commitments and the daily slog that i wanted to get back to raw living and reconnect with who I was.. I am just so happy that I did this trip because it was mission successful in that regard. I had no contact with anyone for the whole trip except my son who i phoned twice. It was that total disconnect which made the whole trip so hectic spiritually for me.. I am pleased to report that whan I got back my ex and I knew that we just had to be together.. we started dating again as soon as I got back and we got engaged again 4 months ago.

Martin had a different experience personally and emotionally, he left when things were stressed with him and his GF, his business had failed and things were in a very rough state, so this trip for him was for very different reasons. Upon his return he saved his relationship by getting back before Xmas and spending the holidays with his GF.. they have just sold their house in CT and are moving to JHB.. they are trying for a baby.

My next dream trip is Northern to Southern America in possibly 2013.

Happy riding guys, be safe out there and remember, we do this because we love it.

This has been one of those "can't put it down" reading moments. Well written with a passion for bikes, and the feeling of freedom they bring. I read "The long way round" a little while back, and thought that was cool until I stumbled upon this. Kudos to you guys!

Some of this RR gave me goosebumps, and some of it brought a tear to my eye. I love the way you guys make do, and make a McGuyver when the time comes.

Having a wife and young kids makes things a bit more difficult to be away from home for so long, but I'm slowly getting them all into it! Kindof the inverse of "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em" .

Thanks for the comments, it is appreciated.

I know what you mean by finding it tough to get away, having a family and a business or job makes it almost impossible to get away. For sure long trips mean making sacrifices. I was away for my kids 10th birthday and it was a tough days riding when your eyes are all welling up.

Our original plan which was to go around Lake Victoria really did not have a deadline, we figured that 4 months would be more than enough time and that was the plan. Basically from Sep to Dec. We really were penny wize pound foolish trying to make our own panniers and luggage sets and ended up being so unprepared that we only left in October, then I had my off in Namibia which set my foot back 5 weeks so we really only left at the end of October, so it ended up being 2 months. With the original 4 months we would have done places like Burundi. Uganda and Kenya.

I tell you , for 2 pins I would ship my bike to Dar and carry on, I would love to do Kenya, I really wish we could get through some of the parks thou

bud500 · « **Reply #248 on:** January 27, 2011, 04:37:20 pm »

WOW! Your RR just cost my employer a bunch of money....

Really great reading, well done on the trip and a big thanks for a thoroughly entertaining read...

BlueBull2007 · « **Reply #249 on:** January 27, 2011, 08:14:15 pm »

Yeah, I just toasted the whole morning reading this awesomeness.

Brilliant brilliant brilliant. Kudos to you for pushing on despite that very hectic crash. Thank God you never got hit by that bakkie either, it would have been tragic.

Quote

When traveling you have to take the human dynamics into account and after so many days of traveling so close, making decisions on everything together it is bound to happen, you can’t plan for it, you just have to roll with it. During this rr I have not really touched on many of the problems and trying times you face, there is the ever lurking crime, poor communication, bad weather, terrible food at times, suspect accommodation, corrupt officials, you name it, you will have to face. How you face it will determine ultimately how you perceive the whole experience of traveling by bike through a country far away from home.

Very very wise words these.

So if Im still here when you come to Peru, you have a place where you can R&R for a couple of days. PM if you need any help with routes, planning etc. - Ah I forgot you dont like maps!

Waynan · « **Reply #250 on:** January 27, 2011, 08:50:32 pm »

I can tell you guys one thing NEVER and I mean NEVER allow Muzzy near a map, it will just never be the same afterwards

Lem · « **Reply #251 on:** January 28, 2011, 08:01:59 am »

epic journey!

Fuzzy Muzzy · « **Reply #252 on:** January 28, 2011, 09:19:49 am »

Quote from: BlueBull2007 on January 27, 2011, 08:14:15 pm

Yeah, I just toasted the whole morning reading this awesomeness.

Brilliant brilliant brilliant. Kudos to you for pushing on despite that very hectic crash. Thank God you never got hit by that bakkie either, it would have been tragic.

Quote
When traveling you have to take the human dynamics into account and after so many days of traveling so close, making decisions on everything together it is bound to happen, you can’t plan for it, you just have to roll with it. During this rr I have not really touched on many of the problems and trying times you face, there is the ever lurking crime, poor communication, bad weather, terrible food at times, suspect accommodation, corrupt officials, you name it, you will have to face. How you face it will determine ultimately how you perceive the whole experience of traveling by bike through a country far away from home.

Very very wise words these.

So if Im still here when you come to Peru, you have a place where you can R&R for a couple of days. PM if you need any help with routes, planning etc. - Ah I forgot you dont like maps!

Hectic.. thank you very much for the comments, coming from you it is an honour. I am only planning Peru in 2013, possibly 2014, before then there is a possible Zim trip to be done and now the miss is begging to do Malasia, Thailand, Cambodia & Vietnam, inbetween all of that I have to make enough money to do these things. I will pop you a mail though I do have some questions.

Thanks a mil

Muz

Mzee · « **Reply #253 on:** September 14, 2011, 02:18:30 pm »

Excellent RR. I did a similar African trip here: http://mzee-jaki.blogspot.com/2009/10/everyone-has-dream.html

Fuzzy Muzzy · « **Reply #254 on:** September 14, 2011, 03:03:18 pm »

Yeah thanks, it was an awesome trip, one which I would love to do again, for sure I will go back to Malawi which was a real highlight and Diving off Tanzania.

White Rhino · « **Reply #255 on:** September 21, 2011, 05:34:58 am »

Quote from: Mzee on September 14, 2011, 02:18:30 pm

Excellent RR. I did a similar African trip here: http://mzee-jaki.blogspot.com/2009/10/everyone-has-dream.html

Great Odyssey there Mzee!

LangKat · « **Reply #256 on:** September 21, 2011, 03:37:54 pm »

Quote from: Fuzzy Muzzy on January 12, 2011, 09:40:36 am

Riding along the coast I saw a sign from heaven .. I was not sure what the whole sign included but I saw the words “Swimming Pool” I think it was the quickest I have ever turned.. boy oh boy was it worth the extra time and ferry ride.. we found a slice of paradise called Mikadi beach Camp. I will let the photo’s speak for themselves. We settled down for the day after securing a sweet deal for a boma right on the beach.

Stayed at Mikadi beach camp last year; absolutely awesome place. The owner and staff were all very keen to help us out with where to go and the best places to exchange money.

Would definitely recommend it to anyone staying in Dar.

kwagga-sakkie · « **Reply #257 on:** September 21, 2011, 06:40:52 pm »

Hi FM. Thanks for the report man. I just waisted the whole day on it. I will save this one as reference as I realy want to do Malawi and Norhtern Moz.I enjoyed your report very much.And your sentiments.
South America is also on my bucketlist. Well done. Thanks again.

wildside · « **Reply #258 on:** September 21, 2011, 09:18:53 pm »

What a fantastic read

. An adventure that is so good for the soul !!
It certainly gets the 'riding juices' flowing.
Well done to both of you - memories for a lifetime.

McOets · « **Reply #259 on:** September 22, 2011, 01:39:43 pm »

Great RR thank you

Glad you guys got home safe !