Lagos - Europe - Lagos

[BLANKS]

Am planning a trip from Lagos, Nigeria to Europe and back.

My trip will take me through the following countries; Benin, Togo, Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania/Senegal, Western Sahara, Morocco, Spain, Portugal, France, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, Ferry to Morocco Or Ride back to Spain and make return trip passing through the north of Ghana and then back to Lagos.

I have a choice of 2 bikes....my VFR1200FDA or the BMW R1200GS. Right now the argument weighs strongly for the GS but anything can happen

I have ridden to Senegal before and am quite familiar with the route...however, there is some degree of "uncertainty" concerning Mali as there was a coup there a couple of months back.....we will see.

I welcome suggestions on exact routing in Europe and suggested stops. Also if anyone is anywhere along my route, it would be a great time to meet and perhaps ride part of the route together?

My departure date if 14th of July and I expect to be in Morocco around the 22nd. I plan my whole trip to take me 4 to 6 weeks.

[RTW Motorcycling]

Hi Blanks,

Either bike will do as long as you don't take the hard seated KTM like our friend from Port Harcourt just did:)

Are you going to stop in Togo for a service or some parts? I debated about crossing in but stayed on the highway deaded north in Benin, one less border crossing and the road pops out into Burkina Faso pretty close to where the road from Togo comes in. I guess that borders and visas are less costly for West African residents though so it's probably the same either way. Hopefully Mali will be settled down a bit by the time you get there. Should be nice and warm at that time of year though.

In regards to Europe, there are plenty of different routes and things to see and do. Depends on how much overall time you have. If you only have a couple of weeks on the continent, then you'd probably only want to ride one way and ferry back but if you do have four weeks, a loop along the coast and then return trip inland will give you two chances to hit some of the classic roads. Anything in particular you want to see in any of those countries? It's a good starting point to have a few general objectives in each country and then people can suggest the most interesting routes in between. You may also want to try posting over at horizonsunlimited, it has quite a few UK and Euro members who can offer specific suggestions in regards to their various countries.

[BLANKS]

Thanks RTW!!

Inyang and I were actually supposed to make the trip together but couldn't get away from work!

I will do all my service in Lagos before I depart. No stops are planned for Africa on my way out. If there will be any stops, then on my way in. Plan to run Contri Trail Attack tyres which I will put on the bike a day or 2 before departure.

With regards to Europe....I have a black sheet of paper and about 3 weeks of time. Have no clue what to see and how to get there. YET!!! Have read several reports and would love to tackle the alps and all the fantastic biker destinations. The option of take a long circuit and a ferry on return might just be the way to go...I am open to suggestions.

Will do as you have suggested and get on horizonsunlimited.

[Wildman]

Take care in Mauritania. The FCO advise against all travel there right now.

Seems to me like a lot of miles (11,000'ish) for a 4-6 week trip. That's 260 a day if you ride every day. Doable but add in border crossings and it might become less than enjoyable.

[BLANKS]

Thanks Wildman!!!

Issues with borders are mainly in Africa...I plan 8 days to Morocco and then there are no more borders to cross!!

Will give an update as I go!

Any more info is welcome!!!

[ilikebass]

I'm planning a VERY similar trip to do starting in Jan/Feb or 2013. I'd like to hear about your decisions and experiences while on the road. Any updates for us?

[BLANKS]

July the 14th. Day 1, Ikeja, Lagos to Sokode, Togo
Temps: 23 low 28 high

Done 622km
So after some hitches with my phone we finally left my house around 0730hrs. MWe consist of myself and my EASY RIDERS brethren who have come to ride with me to the border and wish me a safe trip!

We eventually get to the border although some of us get separated. I clear all formalities in no time and its time to go! Bye guys! And I am off!

Go into the Benin side and the adventure begins! I have already clear all formalities but am stopped as I am leaving the border. I show my papers but the official there says my papers are wrong and that I have to pay to pass him. No sir, I will not pay. Instead, we can go back to th's customs post and I will do the right thing! So we go back and he is told that I am ok and should be allowed through! My first adventure......and so so early in my trip!

Going through Cotonou is uneventful and I am soon bound for the Togo border! Border and everything goes as usual. Have passed through this border several times so I know the ropes! Stamp my passport, get lesse passé and register with the police! Out of the border and my destination is set for Sokode. This town is familiar to me as we (the GS boys and Baba Ibadan) passed this route about 2 years ago!

Miss my way slightly in the town of Lome but am soon back on track and on the highway! The road is nice and the clouds overhead provide a much appreciated cover from the otherwise scorching sun! As I ride I pass the alma mata of all bikers, the WAHALA school.....so I stop for a photo. I believe we all must have passed though this school or its associates. Or else, why do we ride!



As I ride I notice that almost every town I pass along the way has a cemetery at its outskirts! Almost very town! Interesting because I didn't notice this the last time I was on the road!

Its generally a cool day and I find that I hardly touch my hydration pack! I also decide that I will not stop for lunch. I had breakfast while we were sorting out the phone in the morning so I am not feeling particularly hungry!

The kilometers roll by and I observe the darkening skies on the horizon! I watch with keen interest and the horizon becomes darker and darker. And then the lightening starts! But it's all on the horizon and slightly to my left so I am hoping I will be able to pass the storm without going through it! But even if I do end up under it, I really am not bothered; my rain gear is ready to protect me and the rain will cool me some, anyway!

Yes! The storm drifts further and further to my left and I can see that I will escape! But not so fast! Drops on visor! And I am in it! Very suddenly and without fanfare I get thoroughly beaten by this sneaky shower! And just as suddenly as it started, it's over and I am left feeling so cool and nice! Thank you Father! I needed that!

As I approach Sokode, I begin to wonder if I shouldn't just push on to the next town. It's less than 40km away and there is still daylight. Can't seem to make up my mind as I ride into Sokode. I pass familiar sights and as I approach the hotel we spent the night in during our Dakar trip. I flip a mental coin....heads I stay, tails I stay....so I stay!

Check-in is quick and I am shown my room! A cool shower and I am in the restaurant for dinner! I eat my food in silence as I am the only guest for the night! I recall when I was here the last time and remember the laughter and experiences that we all exchanged! Non of that today! My meal is over and I head to my room in silence! I begin to think of going back home tomorrow and forgetting about the whole trip! Don't know that I really like all this silence! At the same time I pull out my map and look at my goal for the next day, Bobo Dialaso! Over 800km and a border to cross! We will see when I wake up how I feel!

Say a prayer switch of the lights and search for the warm embrace of sleep! She is closer than I thought!

[BLANKS]

July the 15th. Day 2, Sokode, Togo to Bobo Dialaso, Burkina Faso
Temps: 24 low 28 high

Done 984km
The call to prayers from the nearby mosque wake me up and I know it's about 530ish!I laze around and eventually get up at 6! Outside, looking through my window, the sky is full of clouds! The clouds settle over my heart and I feel really slow and low in spirit! Take a warm water bath, get ready and I hit the road a couple of minutes before 7.

I don't think I will have it as good today as I did yesterday, weather wise as I see the amount of dark clouds over me! But I make up my mind to don my rain gear at the slightest hint of rain!

The road begins to wind up the range as I make my way to Kara in the north of Togo. I am at once struck by the beautiful scenery! The beauty before my eyes lifts my spirits and I am soon glowing again! I vow to take as many pictures as I can and I start at the first opportunity!







It's still very early and the road is quite free of traffic. The occasional truck is all I see as continue climbing! It's tough for the trucks and I see signs on the road of the ones that didn't quite make it! I can imagine in some places the plunge is as far as 200 meters! And those ascending are doing it in first gear! I hear their engines straining to hold the truck back from the plunge, long before I see them! But it's all so cool and nice and breathtakingly beautiful.

Soon enough the climb is over for me and the descent starts! Down down down I go and come up to this 3km long queue of trucks! I thank God I am on a bike and soon am at the cause! A truck had broken apart at a tight turn! It was in the process of having its cargo loaded on to another truck while at the same time leave just enough space for only 1 vehicle to pass at a time! That, of course, excluded me and in no time, it was behind with Kara in front of me!

Kara!!! Very nice town it seems. Perhaps even bigger than Sokode and I observe a very beautiful looking hotel on my left! I decide, there and then, to make this town my target the next time I take this route!

The road keeps on heading north to Mango and pretty soon the dark clouds begin to off-load their own cargo! I stop and put on my rain gear! It feels really nice to be insulated from the wetness and I soldier on through the rain. The heavy part stops after about 30 minutes and I observe that the temperature is at an all day low. In my rain gear I am not only insulated from the rain but also from the cold so it's ok!

My first stop is Mango and as I approach the town I start looking for the roadside canteen where we had stopped the last time! Spot it and come to a stop in front of it! The cook this time is a lady and I wolf down some bread, an omelette and a cup of coffee! Memories again of the last time; we had stopped here and met with some guys on their way to south Africa. We had all eaten together and taken pictures and laughed......and now, silence!!!

I could get used to this silence! I have to get used to this silence!

Breakfast over and the border beacons! Shortly, I am there and it's a breeze passing through! I wonder; why are the southern borders so stressful and the northern so easy to pass through?

The road leading up to the border has road works and with the rain, they have become a right muddy and gooey mess! I call on all my Guinea training to avoid an intimate knowledge of the mud and wonder what the situation will be after the border!

Don't have to wonder for long.....the road does improve and I am riding along at a good pace pretty soon. As I pass through Tindangou, I spot the exact place I had sat while we waited for the issues with Baba to be resolved the last time. Nothing had changed. Except that there was a lot less traffic now!

The weather remains cool and pretty soon I am approaching Ouagadougou! I begin to feel some apprehension as I recall all the road works from my last trip. Road works and rain don't mix very well for me! But it looks like I have nothing to worry about as everything is now finished and along with the many sign posts, I have no problem whatsoever in passing through the city and heading on to Bobo! Ouagadougou has become a really beautiful and opulent looking town, with flyovers and all!

I still have day light enough to hit my goal for the night so I am quite pleased. Traffic is light and I am amazed to see a Porsche Panamera on this stretch of road and it strikes me that in spite of the economics, there will always be some that have a lot more than others!

The kilometers count down and I am in Bobo Dialaso! Locate a hotel on the main road in to the town, reserve my room and I am off to look for a bike wash to have the bike cleaned. It is washed as darkness falls over the town and pretty soon I am back to my hotel!



At Saby Hotel, I get my dinner, some erratic wifi and a drink! I attempt to take a shower and discover there is no hot water! Reason! Solar heater has not worked for some time as its been raining almost everyday for the last couple of days! Ok, no problem, the kitchen will provide the hot water. And a bucket!Bath taken, I look into my maps and determine my goal of Bamako is doable for the next day! I need to reach the city early enough to get my Mauritanian visa and to do that, I have to start very early the next day! So it's off the bed for the night!

Silence is becoming OK these days! Or I am changing! Thanks you, God, for another great day!

[Gidoguess]

Hey Blanks (Foto),

Thanks alot for letting us in on your interesting experience. Reading through, I wish I was out there with you and all.Its quit fast the pace of your trip, and I wish you a safe trip all round.

By the way, this is SLEEK from naijabikers.com, you know, from Bauchi? I just pray hope you do not plan to miss the convension?




Safe trip.

[16GB1N]

Well done Blanks!

Please keep the stories coming