Africa Trip Planning - help and advice needed

[Subi]

Originally Posted by salcar

However, I'm dealing with a few issues
1. since the carnet de passage is only valid for 1 year I haven't done and not sure if I can do it from here (Bali)
2. I don't have an international driver license and from reading online is needed in most African countries

more soon....

I have done South-Africa - Holland this summer. Came back in september in did it in 8 weeks. In Turkey we noticed we forgot our International Driver License and told the guys we just have our Dutch license. Was not a problem at all. In Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt they didn't even ask for it... so we noticed we forgot them when we wanted to enter Turkey but haven't got any problems with it. But... maybe we were lucky.

I shouldn't know why you shouldn't be able to arrange your carnet from Bali... we arranged it in Germany while we live in Holland.

[salcar]

Originally Posted by Subi

I have done South-Africa - Holland this summer. Came back in september in did it in 8 weeks. In Turkey we noticed we forgot our International Driver License and told the guys we just have our Dutch license. Was not a problem at all. In Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt they didn't even ask for it... so we noticed we forgot them when we wanted to enter Turkey but haven't got any problems with it. But... maybe we were lucky.

I shouldn't know why you shouldn't be able to arrange your carnet from Bali... we arranged it in Germany while we live in Holland.

Dear Subi! Thank you so much for making this your first post! 8 weeks sounds like a marathon! We are planning to do it in approximately 5 to 6 months. Do you have a blog? How did you get your bike from Egypt to Europe?

Please share any advice that you can!
SalCar

[Subi]

8 weeks was enough, but 5-6 months, wow, that's nice! We had problems with the ferry wadi-halfa to Aswan. Well, not really big problems, but we had to wait in Aswan for 10 days for the motorbikes, because all the captains from the barge were on holiday (at least, they told us... but we were in the period of the party (don't know the English word ,sorry ), after the ramadan).

We came to Europe by boat from Egypt, Port Said to Turkey, Mersin (naggar shipping) and there is also another shipping company which goes from Port-Said to Iskenderun (Turkey). We had to wait another 5 days because (we think) there were troubles between the shippingcompany and the Egyptians (probably about money and papers, but twice a day they changed the reason why the ship wasn't there, we heard something about problems in Saudi Arabia, so 'our' boat had to go there, something with engine problems, something with an ill captain, something with... , and every morning they said: it will come this afternoon, and every afternoon they said: it will come tonight). But finally the boat arrived and we could go to Turkey. In theory the boat should go 3 times a week from Port-Said to Mersin.
We were on the same boat as the bikes, with 62 Turkish truckdrivers and there trucks.

Edit: I haven't got a blog. Well... just a really short one written in dutch on a motorforum ;-) But if you've questions, just ask. Maybe I can help.

[salcar]

Originally Posted by Subi

Edit: I haven't got a blog. Well... just a really short one written in dutch on a motorforum ;-) But if you've questions, just ask. Maybe I can help.

Hi Subi, do you have any GPS tracks of the route that you did that you could share?

I have started the a thread about the trip here: http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=848133

I arrive in Cape Town on the 11th. I hope you check the thread and provide guidance a long the way.

Thank you!
S

[Subi]

Originally Posted by salcar

Hi Subi, do you have any GPS tracks of the route that you did that you could share?

I have started the a thread about the trip here: http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=848133

I arrive in Cape Town on the 11th. I hope you check the thread and provide guidance a long the way.

Thank you!
S

Well... actually not yet. But I can make one with the route we did, if it would help you. But we have only done the main routes, because we hadn't that much time... so we did, Cape Town, Stellenbosch, Springbok, Ais-Ais, Fish River Canyon, Aus, Luderitz, Keetmanshoop, Windhoek, Walvisbay, Etosha NP, back to Swakopmund/Walvisbay, , Solitaire, Sossusvlei, Windhoek, --> Botswana, Maun, Letilhakane (uh, something like that, south of the MagadikgadiPans), Francistown, Bulawayo, Vic-Falls... and than you're already in Zambia. That's the short version... if you want more details, just ask.
I just made another track in Mapsource for South-Africa and Namibia... just offroad (just the bordercrossing Tar), if you want that one, I can sent it.
Have a good time!

By the way... nice threat about you're trip :)

[michnus]

We have done this trip 2 years ago and just finished it to Europe.

If you need info let me know, I would be happy to help.

www.pikipiki.co.za