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It was another adventure to pass from DRC!

Sometimes, we can check everything a hundred times when we are on the road to don’t have any problem. We wish that nothing happens but it always find you!

When we were Cabinda they told us please take a military fly to Luanda from Cabinda or take a boat to Soyo in Angola and follow the road from there. (More info just click and open new page) They can be good option but we want to pass from DRC. We already couldn’t go to Kinshasa. 🙁 Nice to see some village on the road and learn a little their behavior even if it’s only a 330 km ride in DRC. We asked all overlanders who met on the road and they already passed it about information. And we had the visa already.

Before start to read all details of DRC you can watch a short movie where we could make video about the journey;

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We arrived the DRC border and a police came us to help. They were so friendly and helpful more than what we were expecting. One soldier took our Carnet de Passage and showed a building where he was going to get a stamp for us. Another police came next to us and showed us where we need to go for passport stamp. I didn’t want to leave motorcycles alone there, wanted to stay. A police stayed with me if anything happened, the other police went with Ferry. And than we switched it 😉 They were screaming each other to hurry up for “we need to ride again motorcycles as soon as possible and arrive to a hotel before it gets dark” Of course we didn’t understand why we must ride until we get to the road. 😉 I suppose it took one hour to finish all paper works in the border. Any case, we exchanged a little money there as well.

We turned to the road and welcome to soft sand. I have no idea why we didn’t ask details about the road anybody; all info for no mud 😉 First 40 km we were so slow after that we arrived to more hard and easy road and followed to ride on gravel.

They blocked the road for tax which price are so different for tourist. We started to complain about it to don’t pay. General a motorcycle doesn’t pay anything on the road in West Africa. After 10 minutes negotiating they allowed us to pass without any payment. I suppose 50 km later we came another one and same conversation and no pay!

Border crossing, stuck soft sand… etc we knew that we can’t go to Boma to find a hotel. Actually, it wasn’t our dream to go wild camping as well. But I wrote in the beginning sometimes you wish for nothing happened and always something happens. 😉 It was coming dark and we couldn’t find any spot to hide. We really started to worried. Ferry saw a small road what looks like trucks working there to get out sand. We don’t think so they work in the night. We turn there to look and we found a spot just behind a hill and no track from any tires but very close to the road. We can hear everything from the road where people were walking. Must be so silent! We set up the tent and decided to don’t cook because of fire and smell. We slept well in the night. 😉 we collect everything very fast in the morning and followed our road.

The plan was to finish the road fast and don’t stop if it’s not necessary. We didn’t think people were dangerous but when we stop they can come to talk a second and started to say have food or money. DRC is really poor country and they don’t have enough food. We were trying to share something with them if not a lot of people around.

We were very close to Matadi very early. Really!

We just turn one of the main road and came a big village or city. Ferry said ” wait, something wrong. No! I have flat tire again.” Looks like we would have interesting story.

I saw a little place what has a lot tires in front. Let’s go there and try our luck. In the beginning, they said no but help us. Ferry started to work with the guy to get his tire out at the same time the village started to come around us as well. Ferry told me to careful with all our stuff because all his papers and electronics in bags, also money. Do you have any idea how I can do that? We have more than 70 people around and coming more. One group was around Ferry’s motorcycle other group around me. No option to look two motorcycles at the same time just I can keep my eyes there. We saw that people didn’t interest with bags or something else. They were only looking us, some girls touching my hair or hands, trying to talk. I suppose 10-15 min. later one man came who everybody showed respect to.

They said he is chief for the village. He was so helpful to ask what happened, we need more help, we are hungry, want to drink something… etc. and he saw the camera and said that take photo please. Wowwww, it is great to that 😉 They were like watching a live movie, I was making a movie from them. We were so different and interesting for them who behavior were so interesting and different for me as well. After 30 minutes later, we were ready to leave. We said bye everybody to hit the road again.

Of course, we were more comfortable because of the welcoming behavior. We arrived to Matadi around 2 pm. The traffic was so crazy there and so hot; also road is so bad inside to city. But the city view is really amazing. We looked some basic hotel and saw that the prices are crazy. It is still early, let’s go to Songolo and find a place there. Songolo is the border city to Angola. We bought some food and turned back to the road.

Our first break. We just stopped and started to eat something we saw a lot of kids were coming. Where we stopped must be close to a school. We wanted to wait to see their behavior and give some candies to them. We spent time with them a while and enjoy a lot. When I was wearing my bandana they started to scream “Ninja! Ninja!’ Pardon….. Ferry was laughing and saying to I can show something to them. Make kids happy is the best there is.

When we are on the road if we find something, which is so interesting for us we always forget about time and where we are. Yes, it was coming to sunset and we were too far from Songolo to arrive in the daytime. Again, we must look a spot to wild camping. That time, was so hard because no space to hide or no road to leave from the main road.

Water pumps were keep continue all the main road and every 5 km they have a little enter to check pumps, I guess. No option more, so we turned one of them. So hard to somebody see you from the road, should be fine. It was almost dark, we wanted to set up tent as soon as possible. I saw a shadow on the hill, yes looked like somebody was walking. Ferry already saw as well. No idea what we need to do because we saw his rifle. He is a soldier but look like a little drunk soldier. We tried to talk and explain why we were there. Show the sky to dark, show is to no hotel, show motorcycle too dangerous to ride, show tent to sleep there. He said okay and than leaved. Almost one hour later we saw a light where was coming must be soldier again. Yes he was now more drunk and more talkative even if we can’t speak same language. He wanted from us cigarette and than leaved again. We slept a little early because of tired and wake up early.

Middle of the night, a big light was coming close to the tent so I wake up. It was a car. They didn’t stop, just went slow down and then followed to the road. I was thinking we were fine, don’t wake up to Ferry. I saw the car which went to the up hill and stopped there. I was hearing, they were talking. I suppose with the soldier who saw us there before. 20 minutes later, the car turn back and that time stopped in front of the tent to see us. I pushed to Ferry to wake up and I opened the zip so they can see me and talk. Ferry was telling me “Close to zip, mosquitos are coming in!” Really honey, I suppose you didn’t wake up. 😉

4-5 soldiers in the car and one of them must be a commander. They were look like angry until saw a woman. I suppose to be a woman on the road most of time advantage. We tried to explain same what we said the first soldier. He just said that please leave early. Don’t worry, we will….

6.30 am, just alarm ringed, the soldier was screaming “Bonjour, bonjour…” means really wake up time, I suppose. We waved hands and started to collect and get ready. 6.45 am, another man was walking. He got really surprise when saw us there. I guess he couldn’t find a word to say therefore he went. When he turned back we understood why everybody told us to leave early or so serious to check area.

We opened to the tent next to water pipes which goes all the way to Kinshasa. They have one rule: if you get close to the water pipe and any soldier see you there no question why you are there. You are going to prison. And we are there! They were telling us to leave soon because big boss searching around in the morning. If he sees us he can’t be so polite and we can go to a prison. Yes, we leaved as soon as possible. And we need to say all soldiers who saw us and allow to stay there. Thank you!

We ride to the border of Angola and leave the country…

GS

October 24, 2017
I wish we could stay more in Congo, Brazzaville

Any route plan didn’t work in Congo for us. Everything can change so fast in West Africa and we need to follow new rules and don’t be there in rain season by motorcycles.

Where we read or listened a story about Ndende, Gabon to Dolisie, Congo road, which is 280 km off-road dirt road or mud, just a nightmare. If it has rain you can stuck the road and no option to finish in a day. We need to pass to keep continue on Western Africa journey.

Before start to read all details of Congo you can watch a short movie where we could make video fun part of the road journey;

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We stayed a night in Ndende, Gabon and we bought a lot of food and water if we need to spend the night on the road. Our friend Nicholas passed to the road 10 days before us, he stuck there by motorcycle because of mud. 5 days before us, Kevin and Emma passed to the road to less mud with their 4X4. And last five days there was no rain so; we were thinking that Ndende to Dolisie should be ok for us.

First thing in the morning we needed to get our exit stamp from Gabon, we went to the office at 7:30 but nobody was there, we waited half an hour for the guy and got the stamp. Here we meet another rider, Alex from Spain. After a small talk we needed to say goodbye as we had a long day ahead. The Congo border is 50 km far from Ndende. First there is 2 km tar road and than when you see the Congo sign the dirt road starts 😉 When we started everything was fine. We arrived to the Gabon border and got our Carnet stamped and keep continue. After a couple of km. later started to mud. What do you think what happened? I lost to control and fell down 😉 Actually my motorcycle fell down I didn’t but it was a little hard to lift it up because the mud is so slippery.

We arrived to the Congo border, they were so helpful and happy to see tourist. Procedures were slow therefore it took 1.5 hours. It was coming 2 pm and we understood that no option to finish 280 km for us. We just wanted to ride 3 hours more and look for a spot to wild camping before it gets dark. We could manage only 70 km more and started to look a place. In the road we saw a lot of small village but we didn’t sure which one is so friendly and which one is not. Because when we were passing villages some of them was waving hand and so happy to saw us but some of them was just screaming and running behind. We don’t speak same language so, we can’t understand what they say and couldn’t be sure that say good or bad things. It was a decision to go a village and ask a permission to stay there from chief or find a place, hide our self and set up the tent.

We found very small road and leaved from the main road. Just 100 meters and we were behind to bushes where nobody can see you. We don’t make a lot of sound because the spot was just a few hundred meters far from another village. We waited a little to make sure the spot is safe after that we set up the tent and started to cook. The road is bad that’s why no car is passing in the night or it’s so much dark and nobody walking on the road. We just listened the village that kids where playing around and people were singing and drinking.

Next day, we woke up very early to hit the road again. We just went a few km and saw big trucks were working on the road to close a huge pothole. We waited a while and that they allowed to pass us. First a local motorcycle went, nice to see how they were passing after that Ferry passed. It was my time but I didn’t ride 🙁 all workers stopped and got a cigarette to watch how a woman can do that. They were talking and laughing. Just they were giving stress. I said Ferry to ride my motorcycle as well. It wasn’t good feeling for me the behavior.:(

The road was sometimes good or bad. We were just riding and focusing to finish the road. But we need to eat as well. 😉 Also, it’s nice to get rest for a while. We were saying “no rain, perfect” but the sun was burning. Did we complain that moment? Of course not just said “More sun more sun, no problem to burn, just dry mud!”

It was 2 pm and we saw tar road started which means we managed it in 1,5 days to 280 km Ndende-Dolisie road. 😉

The plan was go to Dolisie and apply to Angola visa. It was a dream to the plan works! We connected with our friend James who tried to apply in Dolisie, he only made it to the front gate and got send away from there. He was told to go to Point Noire. It was afternoon and Point Noire is just 170 km far from here, it’s a brand new tar road so let’s go there! We arrived there around 6 pm and went a basic hostel what is close to Angola embassy. It was Monday. You can apply a visa only on Tuesday or Thursday. Perfect time, right! 😉

We applied next days and we saw Kevin and Emma are still there. Also, James and Alex were there. If you have only one place to apply Angola visa you can see all overlanders there who you met on the road before. It was nice to spent time together. Luckily we took the visa in 48 hours. Some of them waited 72 hours some of them a week. Depends on your behavior and how much you can speak French as they are not helpful at all, I guess they liked our smiles and behavior.

We spent a little more time in Point-Noire to relax and went for a ride around the city to see some places, the country is beautiful and as we didn’t ride a lot through Congo we went north on the coast line to see something from the nature, we did just a day trip but it was really worth it. Also we went out for dinner at the beach in Point Noire, here we ordered the biggest pizza ever 🙂

Our Angola visa was 30 days and multiplies entry. 😉 We started to discuss which road we would take it. We wanted to go Brazzaville from Dolisie but we are in Point-Noire, which is 500 km from Brazzaville and also just 30 km from Cabinda, Angola border. If we go to Brazzaville we want to pass Kinshasa, DRC by boat and than go to Angola. But the boat is another terrible story. DRC border looks you visa where you get it. They want to see the visa is coming from your home country. If it doesn’t they sent you back to Congo. (Other way around more okay, which is DRC to Congo.) So, if we can’t pass Kinshasa we have to turn back to here again. We didn’t want to get risk as everything is chancing so fast here. Also, we read news about Ebola north-east of DRC. After talk a little our decision was so clear to go to Cabinda and read more news about DRC.

On Sunday morning, we decided to pass Cabinda with Kevin and Emma. It is just 30 km to the border but we made 10 km in two hours. It was no way to leave from Point-Noire. We didn’t know that Congo has a election very soon and the president was coming here on Sunday. 😉 You can imagine that all roads were close. We waited in a gas station next to the military for a couple hours. After that we could go to the border…

Do you have any idea how much your t-shirt can be dirty in 12 hours on Ndende-Dolisie road? 🙂GS

August 21, 2017
Gabon is another world!

After Cameroon we went to Gabon, the country is less developed then Cameroon but that makes it a more special place as well. This country is one big jungle except for the capital Libreville what is a pretty modern city and extremely expensive to stay in.

When we entered Gabon a bit late because the border crossing took long time. We don’t like to ride dark especially when we just enter and do not know anything about the country. We started to look a place to wild camping. We were lucky again when we found a lake just next to the road but not visible. It was lovely place. In the night only one fisherman came to catch fish. 🙂 But he didn’t disturb us we told a little. When we wanted to hide our self always somebody could see us.

Really, can we see Gorilla’s?

We didn’t had a real plan to what we wanted to do and see, the only thing we knew was that it was a good place to go and see Gorilla’s. This is something really high on my list and I definitely want to do/see in Africa now it’s still possible. We try to get in contact with some people around a national park nearby Lope, this place is far away in the jungle and you get there through a dirt road about 150 km from the main highway. So first we needed to buy some supplies to go there, we went to a village to buy some food. As we still didn’t get in contact with the people from Lope we decided it was a better idea to get some rest before we go and we changed our road to Libreville for the next day (the extremely expensive city to stay).

(Note: Loango National Park is other option to see Gorillas in Gabon but a little expensive than Lope national park and so hard to go there by motorcycle because they don’t have road to you need to take some boats. If the rain season the road is so bad as well. Therefore we skipped it there. You can check Loango National Park where also possible to see elephants as well.)

She never scares before go to wild camping!

As we changed our plan last minute and it was too late to go to Libreville. We looked for a basic hotel and found one, they wanted 65 USD. It is expensive, our daily budget 50 USD L so we decided to look for a wild camping spot again. We found a road to go in and look a place to camp. Unfortunately, nothing! It was already sunset. We looked around and look like the road is not use for a while. We can set up the tent on the road, why not… A couple of hours nobody passed, which is great so we started to cook. “Ferry look! There is a light like a truck.” Yes, it was a truck and carrying more then 50 people to a village, which is 5 km far where we opened to the tent.

One hour later a car stopped they can speak English and invited us the their home to stay but we already open the tent, ate and where getting ready to sleep. Really, it felt like we where next to a main road. We saw three more cars during the evening. Somebody open a tent on the road towards a small village is a little unusual, so everybody wanted to stop and talk with us. I must admit this was the first time She was scared to camp wild. It wasn’t because a lot of people past and see us or that we where close to the village, no because of the jungle. Gabon has real jungle and we don’t know what kind of animal can come face to face with us in the night. This situation is okay for me because I don’t go out middle of the night for pie. 🙂

Next day early, we had breakfast, collect the tent and leave. We passed the Equator line in Gabon. There is just a old sign next to the road, if you wouldn’t now it was here you will easily miss it. We knew and stopped next to the road for some photos and to think a little bit about this special moment. When checking the sign for signatures my eyes fell on some small text. Our friends Nicholas (we met first time in Bamako – Mali) and Olaf (we met in Togo) placed a small hello for us! This was so cool to see, somewhere around the world someone write down your name and saying hello. We where so amazed and happy to see this 🙂

When we arrived early in Libreville luckily we found a place at a church for a bit normal price, it was not cheap but the money is used for a good course so we where happy to pay it (18.000 cfa, 30 euro).

Let’s go! Gorillas are waiting for us…

Here we got in touch with the people to spot the Gorilla’s. After 2 nights we decided to head towards Lope National park and try our luck to see the Gorilla’s, we entered the dirt road got 50 km and camped next to the road we didn’t see any car during the day time that we ride here and in the night several trucks passed us. It was also a rainy night.

Next day morning we headed further on the road, we really enjoyed it because all the beautiful views along the way. After 60 km on the road suddenly the mud started this was not only because of the rain from last night, I passed both our motorcycles through 2 parts of the slippery mud then the 3^rd one showed up. This one was more serious, she walked through it and got half way to her knees in the mud. All this was in 3 kilometers, we talked a while with each other and unfortunately we needed to make the decision to go back. We didn’t know what was coming more last 40 km and if the rain keeps continue next 2 days we never turn back. It was a hard decision but sometimes you need to think about your own safety as well.

A surprise was waiting for us in Lamberene to motorcycles.

We camped again next to the road somewhere and the next day we went to a nice small city called Lamberene, we found a hotel in an old hospital on a nice location at the river. When we were riding to Lamberene first stop on the road, we saw some red points on my arms a lot, which was look like measles. Of course, we didn’t want to think that way. We had a good shower and sleep in a nice and comfortable bed, we really needed this.

Next day, we saw the red points are on my leg as well and she also has some. Now, it was scary and time to think about measles. First, I called my mother to ask about it. My mother told me I passed measles but very light. What does it mean light? Here is nice and next-door is a big hospital so we stayed one night more search about the measles and learn more. If anything happened we can go to the hospital. Next day, we were still healthy and what was writing on Internet about the symptoms we didn’t have. When we met other overlanders again we learned to who passed same road with us they had same thing as well.

Also we had the great idea to change our tires in Gabon, as we are staying a extra night in Lamberene. The reason we choose to do this in Gabon is that we had a new tire and a second hand in Nigeria, which we carried until here . 9000 km to Cape Town from Nigeria. So we needed to wait as long as possible, the road from Gabon to Congo is a muddy dirt road from 280 km so we needed to do it before that, that’s why this was our best option.

The thing we didn’t know was that there are no motorcycles in Gabon. This is some government rule they try to explain us but we didn’t understand why. Now the challenge to find a place to do this, we stopped next to the road at a tire shop to do the job. We told him we would help changing them, so I got my tire of and placed the second hand one on my motorcycle. This went pretty smooth even though I did most of the job.

Now we went for her tire to change, she got the new one. Of course this is more challenging, together with the local guy we managed to change it. He was a bit rough with putting the tire back on what concerned us both a little bit, so I jumped in to do the job. We finished it and put the tire back on, put air in and waited a little bit. Checked the pressure and it was totally gone, we had a hole on inner tube. So we got it off again and repaired the hole, now we put the air in and waited. Again a flat tire, she got really angry and upset as the guy didn’t know what was happening. He called another tire repair place, this guy did do the job before on motorcycles and managed it pretty easy. In the mean time it started to rain, we where not so happy about the whole thing. I placed here fixed new tire on the motorcycle in the rain and we left the place. This was a good lesson for us to not just do this job at the first tire place on the road, next we will do it ourselves or find a proper place to do the job. Do you have any idea how much we paid? When exchange USD maybe nothing but behavior really terrible. We were thinking that we are stupid! He said 5.000 CFA to change both tires. Most worked I did but no problem, he can take it… But end of the day He said that we have to pay 7.000 CFA. Why? Because he repairs her inner tube which he made a hole and other guy came to fix it. Also, we had to pay him. After 5 hours later, we didn’t say anything. We were enough tired to try to fix her tire three times.

Last stop N’ dende before hit the Congo road….

It was time to head towards N’dende and makes our way to Congo (Brazzaville), here is a 280-kilometer long dirt road waiting for us. We learned from some friends who passed here before us there are some bandits on the road, they stopping you with road blocks and want money to pass, luckily our friends didn’t have any big problems but it’s something to be aware of. Also they told us it’s going to be hard, a lot of mud so the road will be slippery.

Our last break on the road before arrived to N’dende one local person came to the road from the jungle. We were surprise to see him who also surprise as well. He waved his hand and pass but he turned back after a few meters, whoa had also a rifle. What happened next? He came next to us, said something but we couldn’t understand. He got some mandarin from his back and shows us. Still, we didn’t sure to he wanted to sell. No! he was trying to say the mandarin from jungle and wanted to we tried. He ate first and than gave last three mandarin. We gave cake to him and She wanted to have a photo with him.

We arrived to N’dende pretty early and went out hunting for shopping, basically water, a lot of water. As this road will be 280 kilometers it will take us 2 or 3 days to pass it. We went to a shop, started talking a little bit with the owner who wasn’t local so we where interested where he was from. He told us he came from Mauritania to Gabon and started a business here, we told him we passed there as well and to what places we have been. This goes all in French what is not our best language but with some body language we always get there. After buying all his water bags total 8 liter (this is not enough for us) he packed a six-pack of 1.5 liter bottles and gave it to us as a present for a safe journey. Sometimes the people can surprise you so much, a wonderful surprise for us and we could really use this.

What we saw in Gabon it was so bad and made us really upset!

The thing we noticed in more countries is that they sell the animals they catch in the wild they sell them next the road by hanging them to show. In most countries we see a lot of different animals hanging next to the road like bush rats, martyrs, small deer’s or some kind of big rabbits. Now in Gabon this is a little different, we did see a lot of monkeys, which are really different kind of we never seen before 🙁

We are always careful with eating the street food in these countries; with the knowledge that Ebola comes from monkeys we decided to only eat meat out of a can. Besides monkeys we also see small crocodiles for sale and some unidentified animals. For the local people this is normal and the only meat they can find to eat.

FS&GS

August 10, 2017
Beautiful Country Cameroon

When entering Cameroon our mouth fell open because of the beauty of the country, it was all green around us. Also we had a perfect new tar road, what was extremely nice after the horrible roads in Nigeria, there was nearly no traffic. Cameroon is one big jungle with a two big cities Yaounde and Douala. The rain season was about to start and the first rain already fell down we could see next to the road.

We had a long and hot border crossing so we really wanted a shower. We went to the first little city, is called Mamfe, to find a hotel, Kevin and Emma came with us. We stayed at a cheap place with just a half working fan in the room, a shitty bed, bucket shower and a lot of animals around us. But in the night we figured out this was the best decision we could make as the raining season showed it self really bad, rain and thunder all night long.

We had a couple hours of sleep and in the morning we decided to go to Lake Awing James recommended this place to us, we had about 10 kilometers off road after the tar road what I really loved to ride, in the middle of the jungle some hills, some mud but nothing to crazy I was having fun and she starts to have more and more fun with riding these roads as well. We arrived at a really peaceful lake and decided to stay there for the night, it was up in the mountains and for the first time since Morocco we felt cold again in the night, we where happy finally a night not so sweaty and rainy.

Next day we went to the d’Ekom Nkam waterfalls, we passed a horrible tar road. This one they forgot to replace I think, after that we came to a mud road luckily for us it didn’t rain the day before and when we where riding there. This road brought us through a lot of small villages we stopped at some places to have a taste of the local life what was amazing to see, all people are very friendly and welcome you with open arms.

We ride about 50 km through all these small villages, after that we did see Kevin and Emma again and together we ride to the waterfalls. We arrived at sunset so we set up the tent and enjoyed a meal together, next morning we had a small hike to the waterfall and took a well-deserved bath in the small river next to it. Suddenly, the rain started like a shower and didn’t stop until afternoon. So, we leaved here a little late to hit the road.

Now it was time to head towards the coast line, we decided to go to Limbe there is a big volcano next to it called Mount Cameroon, the beach is black and you can see Equatorial Guinea from the beach. From d’Ekom Nkam waterfalls to Limbe was only 217 km. but we couldn’t make it in a day because we started to ride late and rain. We found very narrow road and ride there to find a place to wild camp. We were lucky. We set up our tents with Kevin under the palm trees and just one km. from the main road but nobody could see you and the road didn’t use for local people.

When riding to Limbe I got my first flat tire on the trip. Luckily it didn’t got down so fast so we could ride to our camping spot and from there I went out to find a place to repair it. This is easy in Africa as so many people ride motorcycles and they never change tires, I repaired it together with a local at his shop asked him what I owned him and he gave the best answer ‘what you want to give me’ I know the price is about 500 cfa but I gave him 2000 cfa fro the job (3 euro) we where both happy. We stayed 3 days at the beach to relax a little before we started running towards Gabon, we don’t want to be here when it will be raining all day.

Actually, we were planning to hike Mount Cameroon but the weather didn’t allow to us, was foggy and rainy. Also, we had a plan to go southwest of Cameroon to Mboro. Other two overlanders rider (Nicholas and Olaf) were in front of us. They sent message about to road and crash motorcycles. The road was terrible because of the rain season. Unfortunately, we could want to take risk and skipped it.

We passed Douala without stopping and stayed in Yaounde for one night but we didn’t see the city, we don’t like cities. They are crowded dirty and there is basically nothing to see, also more dangerous than road and villages. Next day we ride towards the border and just before we entered the place we wanted to stay for the night it started to rain extremely hard and we had the full load, we arrived totally wet at the hotel. Good we are heading south and leave the rain season behind us.

Cameroon is a beautiful country what deserves more time to stay in and more to explore, the quality of the country is much better then what we passed before so if you are looking for something else try Cameroon (and Gabon). We had to pass Gabon fast because we got our Congo visa in Togo and when we stayed in Lagos more than two week, because of all problems , our visas were running out.

FS

August 3, 2017
Nigeria road, people, checkpoints are interesting experience

Who we meet on the road or lives in Nigeria said that we need to be so careful when we ride in Nigeria because of roads and traffic are a nightmare. Also, said that be careful to people. Of course, I scared a little after listen all stories. But sometimes people can be lucky or unlucky to meet wrong or right person. We learned about it in Nigeria. The country made us a surprise. (If you looking about visa detail or border crossing&bribe you can click and open another page)

Our first stop was Lagos. So, we leaved from Porto-Novo, Benin on Sunday and ride to Lagos in the less traffic. We passed the Idiroko border to enter Nigeria. We came in front of a building where is passport control and custom service. It is big burned building, broken windows and you need to go behind the building, which is like abandoned building. I was thinking welcome to Nigeria. 🙂 Anyway, police/military were so helpful. We leaved one hour later and started to ride, after 50 km you can understand how much drivers are crazy like they loose their mind or wants to suicide. Some trucks pushed us out the road and we hit some potholes very badly. We saw a lot of checkpoints. They have big wooden sticks to close road and stop cars. Also, some of them were talking a driver with a gun inside their hand ready to shoot. Nobody stopped us; no accident and we arrive to Lagos alive. J We stayed one of FS friends place. Unfortunately he was in a holiday and we couldn’t see him.

Incredible help from a local guy

After got rest a couple of days, we started to search rear tires. We couldn’t find them the last 4 countries but we need them before the Gabon-Congo road. We were thinking what we should do. One couple who we met on the road in Mali, they gave us a name which is Toyin. He is Nigerian and living in Lagos. We contacted him on messenger. He started to search it and gave some number to talk as well but we didn’t have any top up to call at the moment. He sent money on our phone for that. 4-5 days later, he found tires for us, one is second hand other one new. He barged to price and everything. Finally we could meet him but only 10 minutes.

We got the tires and met some other people, went to dinner with them and had a lot of fun. When we came home we remembered that we didn’t pay it. We wrote Toyin to ask how we will pay it. He said that he was happy to meet us and the tires are a gift for us to safe trip in Congo. We couldn’t find words to say.

We had another amazing memory as well in Lagos. We saw that our fork seal is leaking and we didn’t have extra one with us. We asked Toyin and Dele they asked in motorcycle groups how we could find it. Our size of fork seal in or around Nigeria, no way to find it! We got stuck in Lagos. 🙁

Philip, who is from Sweden and living in Nigeria, was in South Africa at the same time for work but he was so busy. He hired a taxi and gave him the fork seal size to look around to find it, 2 days later he found it. We knew that he was flying to Lagos but stayed only 12 hours and going somewhere else. Unfortunately, we couldn’t see him and meet. He gave our fork seal to security and we picked up there. We called him to say thank you and ask how we can pay it. He said that he was so happy to help us. And wish a safe trip for us. It was another surprise for us. He also, traveled by motorcycle and a lot of people helped him on the road and he believe to time to pay for that 🙂

Meeting this kind of people on the road is incredible….

Are you going to hurt/kill us?

2 weeks later, we could leave from Lagos. Our plan was follow the coastline and pass to Cameron as soon as possible. We passed many checkpoints on the road and nobody stopped us. We were happy for that. I suppose that if we don’t have any experience for the checkpoint we can’t leave from the country. They stopped us when we were going to Onitsha. One soldier/police was talking with Ferry; the other two were coming to me. I opened my helmet and said hello. They got surprised to see me because I am a woman. J They were smiling and trying to talk with me. The same time I heard a scream and I saw that Ferry grabbed the soldier by his shoulder. I can’t describe the soldiers face it was so scary. Ferry was telling “take your key from the motorcycle to me and give back my key to the guy. Our engine was on and he got the key because he didn’t like that. I saw his hand was going to the gun. I turned to the two soldiers but I was almost going to cry. I asked them “what did we do wrong? Why is your friend doing this? I am really scared now. The other guy was so angry. Who were next to me they started to talk to the guy to stop it and gave back the key. In the beginning he didn’t listen he was just screaming. And than he got a little calm down, gave back the key and took back his hand from the gun. I was telling two soldiers ‘could we go now, please? I am not sure about to next step now.’ Finally, they allowed us to leave. I am so lucky that it was our first and last experience for the checkpoint. When we were leaving they wanted to take photo with us and we learned that the soldier got angry because Ferry didn’t stop the engine when he was talking to the soldier. And he wanted to show power and took the key. We never stop engine when we stop any checkpoint and we never had problem before 🙂

We went to Onitsha and found a little cheap hotel to stay. We had time to walk around after that and had dinner. In the morning we hit to road again to Calabar.

Terrible road and helpful or so angry people. How much we where lucky?

We arrived to Lagos begin of April but we started to ride again after middle of April. Therefore, we caught the beginning of the rain season. We took the main road to ride but when we arrived in a small village there was no way to pass the road! The road is under the water, deep and muddy; nobody tried to pass. We asked some people which road we need to take. They show us a short cut, which was soft sand. Good thing was just 10 km. 🙂 we arrived to the main road again and it was looking very good. After 50-60 km later the tar road collapsed and only, huge potholes. We saw some motorbikes were passing very tiny road next to it. We tried same thing but with our side bags we couldn’t pass as it was to small. One person came to us and said that he could help us to pass from another road. We didn’t sure to follow the guy or not because no other road around but we didn’t have any option more as well. We told him that we don’t have any money with us just we wanted to go Calabar. He thought a little and said that he could help us just we need to follow him.

He was talking about another road right! There isn’t another road just we have to pass private properties where they grow vegetables or cooking. Who saw us when we were passing they were screaming behind us or running. Believe me, it wasn’t a good experience. We were fighting with mud to ride and angry people running behind you. We managed it and turn back to the main road, which was look like tar road again. Who help us said that ‘no more problem. Just keep continue’ Really, are you serious!

20-25 km later we had to stop. The road collapsed and had one big pothole, which is totally mud, and 4-5 meters deep. We saw local people were passing next to it or inside. They were taking everything from the motorcycle and carrying the motorbike. Get out all bags tried to push motorcycles and than carry bags. Never happened for us because we don’t want to leave the bags or the motorcycles. If we turn back we have to pass again private properties but we never find the road. If we tried to pass from here we have no idea what was next. What should we do? We stopped the motorcycles and start to think about what to do? Of course, again a local guy came and said that I can help. Again same conversation we don’t have money? Are sure after that road is ok? Where will we pass from a private property?

No option more! Kept continue the guy. He was in front, Ferry behind and I was last. I got stuck in the mud. When I was trying to move I heard some sounds from intercom, which were not good sounds. I just opened the gas and went very quick behind. Of course, we were in the middle of someone’s private property and the guy was keeping Ferry’s in front tire between his legs and screaming badly. Ferry was so calm down and trying to explain why we were there. Just we were following a guy who said that he could help us. We didn’t know we were going to his place. We needed to do something but what. At that moment the guy came back and wanted to explain the owner…. Etc. Owner didn’t want to listen but his voice was going calm down, look like. I was just behind Ferry but he didn’t see me just focus him. One old woman was sitting in front of the house. They speak English so we can talk with her as well. I opened my helmet and waved my hand with smile. Yes, she saw me and came. Shake hands and looked inside my eyes, which is very important for them. We saw this in a lot of African countries. They want to see your eyes. I just said ‘ so sorry to disturb you. We didn’t know the place is private. You know the road how much bad. It’s my fault. I couldn’t pass there and somebody offered to help us to pass the hole and keep continue our road. We are not bad people. Please tell us what we can do.’ Anyway it was a sensitive moment and tears came to my eyes, couldn’t keep them. She just smiled and went to talk with her grand son. He was still screaming and not looking around didn’t want to talk anybody. Finally, she pulled his t-shirt and showed me without say anything. Ferry and I got surprise because he stopped to scream. We were so curios for the next step. He came to me and very polite ‘this is private property. You can’t pass it. Look what they did our plantations.” He was right but we didn’t have any change more. I told him the same thing what I told to his grandmother. A minute just silent and he said that “Please, keep continue” Yes we did runaway. 🙂

Finally around 5 pm we arrived to Calabar and found a hotel very fast to stay.

Calabar is a nice green city

The next morning we went to the Cameroon consulate to apply for our visas. Here we met Kevin and Emma from Australia and they were on the road for two years. The consulate said that we could get the visa in the afternoon. So we stay one day more in Calabar. Kevin and Emma came to the same hotel. We walked around the city center during the day and in the night we got dinner with the 4 of us. People were nice and street food was really good. Around the city look like doesn’t belong to Nigeria 🙂 We decided to be together a little in Cameroon. And next day morning we hit to road.

Note: We would like to share a lot of photos like other our articles but Ferry didn’t feel safe, therefore we could’t use camera on the road 🙁

GS

July 31, 2017
Which type of motorcycle to choose beginning or travel?
When we search about choosing right motorcycle for beginner we can find a lot of articles for that. You find a lot of info about motorcycle type detail as well. Who write all articles most of them really expert. So, who am I? How can I write something for choosing motorcycles?

I am just a rider like you or I was looking to find a right type of motorcycle when I started like you. Just want to share my experience and opinion for that.

I bought my first motorcycle on 2006, which was Honda Naked CBF 250. After that I ride BMW 650 GS. I had a change to ride also Honda Transalp as well. I am on the world trip since 2016 and have been riding Honda CRF 250L. We can get a lot of messages about choosing motorcycle.

Let’s start some questions before tell which one is the right motorcycle for yourself :
- I don’ t know who you are. What do you like to do for your travel or weekend? Camping, hiking, sport, nature, easy weekend, push yourself sometimes….
- Why do you want to have a motorcycle? All my friends have, want to something different, I saw some shows, don’t want to stuck on the rush hours, and give a feeling to you freedom….
- Have you never ride motorcycle before? Are sure you like to do that?
- How much money do you have to spend for a motorcycle?
- If you have a motorcycle do you want to just ride or want to learn mechanic as well?
- Do you have any health problem like back, neck, heart…?
I asked them when I was beginning. I like camping and nature so much. I saw some movies and I wanted to have a motorcycle 11 years ago. I was thinking more freedom. Also, I was living in Istanbul and rush hours are crazy there and I didn’t want to sit many hours in the car for go to only 20 km.

When I started to search and ask about motorcycles to who was riding motorcycle they give their opinion and almost all of it was different type or model. 🙂 I am 169 cm tall and how I can ride a motorcycle if my feet don’t touch the ground. We had always rush hour and not good roads what I can do with race? That motorcycle how I can buy because you said best? Do you have any idea how much it is? I had an answer to almost everybody what they told to me buy.

I need to choose a model to start, first I wanted to learn what does it mean the type!

Naked (Standard): The other name is street motorcycle and upright sit position.

Touring: Long distant motorcycle. They are general more big and heavy. Can’t find small cc alternative. Like a big brother for naked. 🙂

Sport: For me, it means race. Open the gas and go fast J a forward leaning sit position.

Sport Touring: It is between touring and sport model.

Cruiser: Means Harley Davidson for me. 🙂

Dual purpose and adventure: It can vary off-road conditions from tar road to dirt. Upright sit position.

Off-road: Motocross, Enduro, Rally, Dirty bike… in the same category type. They are good for sand, gravel, mud, river and snow.

Scooter : To be honest I never search about it.

How did I choose my first motorcycle in the beginning?

Even if a dual-purpose type of motorcycle looked like right for me, after answer all my questions, I bought NAKED. I was beginner. I prefer was practice more on the tar road. So, first one can be a street motorcycle J

I suppose a lot of new rider think same way. I could learn to ride. I can drop it easily so, nice to be light. I am beginner and I don’t need power so much. 125 CC or 250 CC could be a good start. Maybe 250 CC is better if I like and want to keep the same motorcycle for a while.

The price is important. I don’t want to pay a lot of money. If I drop it the part must be cheap. Mechanic needs to be easy to understand. Therefore, I can fix some basic things. If I don’t really like to ride I want to sell it fast and don’t loose a lot of money.

I wanted my feet touch the ground, not only my toes like a ballerina. I was sure that I would have a balance problem a lot.

I didn’t look for side bags, window, hand protection…etc. If I want to have them I could buy separate.

And I bought HONDA CBF 250. I ride 2 years and like it. I made 15.000 km. Only, long distant journeys (each day, 400 km ride with it in 5 days) killed me because it isn’t that type of motorcycle. 🙂

If you ask about Ferry He had only one motorcycle which we have been riding for our world trip journey Honda CRF 250L 🙂
July 27, 2017
Why did we choose the Honda CRF 250L motorcycle for our world trip?

You want to go a world trip by motorcycle and you never ride motorcycle before how you can choose a motorcycle, first you should learn to ride!

I didn’t ride motorcycle for 8 years and Ferry never ride before. We were getting ready to our world trip. First, we asked somebody who I can trust their opinion. After that we searched a little who went to motorcycle world trip before and which motorcycle they were riding.

First of all, it is a world trip and each country can have different road conditions which can be tar road, gravel road, sand, mud…etc. So we need a motorcycle to ride mix road. Motorcycle type must be Dual Purpose & Adventure.

We were looking a motorcycle light if we need to push it in the river, mud and sand or lift it up. Also, we won’t have any plan to ride fast even on a tar road, max. speed will be 100 km. So 250 CC motorcycle should be fine.

We will be on the road and we need to fix our motorcycles when have a mechanic problem. We need a motorcycle, which one easy to understand mechanic detail and fix it without being expert.

Some countries don’t have motorcycle or have small one. If we need a part of motorcycle how can we find it? Therefore, which motorcycle we are going to choose nice to find a part easily.

We were looking cheap motorcycle. Quit the job and go to world trip many years means need money on the road. 🙂 Also most of parts are cheap to replace.

When we made the list, we saw to we couldn’t have a lot of choose. And we decided the HONDA CRF 250L was the best match for us.

We have changed something and modify a little for long distance ride. You can find detail here…

GS

July 27, 2017
Sleeping Bag and Hammock

Another hard choose for camping to have a correct sleeping bag. Maybe it it’s not important what we have if we go to camping only for a weekend or sometimes for just fun. But for a long journey, we need to find best sleeping for ourself. Unfortunately, we are still looking for it. If you have any opinion you should tell us. We would like to hear about it.

We have a hammock with us as well but believe me not just for fun….

Sleeping Bag

Still we have been looking to buy sleeping bag. 2.5 years ago, I bought my sleeping bag in US from REI. It is so light and three season sleeping bag. I don’t remember the model but writing on it is “Travel Pack”. It was a discount and I didn’t know that much things about a sleeping bag. It was good opportunity for me to buy 90 USD. I have no idea why but I bought two. 🙂

We decided to start our trip with them and when we find something what we need we can buy it. Almost pass a year and still we have been looking to find correct one. The sleeping bag is so small and also light, we don’t need to think about space. 🙂 But around 18 degrees we can already feel cold. When you are alone it doesn’t matter female or male sleeping bag. When you are couple you need them like that because you zip it together and you can use like one sleeping bag.

Hammock

We have a hammock. In the beginning, I didn’t want to have one. But Ferry wanted to enjoy. After a little search we choose ‘Eno DoubleNest’ which is small, light and 70 Euro. Maybe, we couldn’t use a lot in the camp but we have been using a lot on the road. We are in Africa now and it is so hot. We don’t want to ride motorcycles middle of the day. We can find a shadow, open the hammock and get rest. 🙂 I wasn’t thinking in the beginning it can be so much useful like that.

GS

July 26, 2017
Big Agnes Fly Creek HV Tent

Before ride motorcycle I was traveling in South America with my backpack and look a tent which is light and easy to open it. After all my research, I decided to have the ‘Big Agnes Fly Creek HV UL2’ which is only one kilogram, three season and two person tent. I bought a two-person tent because I was sleeping with my backpack. 🙂 I paid 370 USD. I bought on October 2014 and still it is with us.

What is my opinion after use 2.5 years to Big Agnes Fly Creek HV UL2?

I would like to write all detail what I have in my mind. It’s not only about the tent it’s about when you look a tent for yourself which one is best for you to think all details.

It is not only so light at the same so small to pack. So easy to carry inside the backpack. Also, I can set it up in two minutes. I was always so careful to check the ground where I can open it. The floor of tent material is silicone treated nylon, so it is flexible but feeling is easily can have a little hole from sharp stone or needle… etc. I didn’t have any problem for that just check and clean the ground first.

It is three season tent. I didn’t have problem with cold when I slept in it around 7 degrees. Further, when it was so hot i just use the inside tent only.

The wind storms and rain were a nightmare in Patagonia. If they start they never stop. 🙁 I am not expert about waterproof things but I can tell that I stayed a couple of times in the tent all day because of nonstop rain, which was sometimes light sometimes was heavy, the tent kept to the rain well, nothing came inside.

It has only one door which is in front. Therefore, when I stayed two person it didn’t have so much problem. I suppose always nice to have two doors left and right to move easily.

The tent length is 218 cm which is good but wide is different in front (132 cm) and back (107 cm). The high is 102 cm when you enter the tent but the feet part is more low. When I was alone it was nice for me to sit or change closed but when two person are inside it’s a little hard to sit together. When sleeping with 2 people there is no space for any luggage inside as the foot part is smaller then your head part.

When we started to use the tent with Ferry we had another problem with the tent size. Our sleeping pad! We didn’t bought regular one which are general 50-55 cm. Our sleeping pad is 62 cm. Therefore when we tired to put to mattresses inside we had problem for that. When I was a lone I didn’t know that. If you want to have small tent you should calculate to tent and your sleeping pad size. 🙂

In front of tent has a storage to put backpacks. When I was alone I was putting everything inside,just dirty boots was outside. With two person and very big backpacks could be hard to put everything in the storage.

You can buy a footprint separately. You can more protect to floor. I bought it. Just don’t forget that the footprint cover only under the floor, it doesn’t include to storage part.

If you are looking for a tent which is high quality, ultra light, comfortable and set up easy I can tell you to look Big Agnes tents. Their price is worth it! Just find a correct tent for yourself. If you are not sure you can write them. I asked many many question and I learned a lot.

The tent is still with us and we use for hiking and tracking. I said before that every kilogram is so important for us on the motorcycle because we want to be light. But it is only 1.2 kg. so we can always find a space and never feel one kg extra on the motorcycle. 🙂

Set up the tent, camp everywhere and enjoy to live in a tent: ALL AROUND THE WORLD TRAVEL CAMP

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GS

July 25, 2017
Save Money to World Trip! GS

When I started to work I was 20 years old. Very soon I figure out that I can’t work all my life. I like my job so much but go to work everyday and work more than 10 hours daily and also some weekends; it could be a little too much. Because I want to live my life what I want as well. What did I suppose to do?

It was a decision which is correct or not; I was young and had a lot of energy to keep continue work nonstop. Yes, I didn’t look for easy job, less hours work, more flexible… etc. I worked many hours to made extra money and got expert very fast on my business. Therefore, I got promotions very quick and made more money.

Welcome to see video :

Of course, I went holidays, spent times with my family and friends, wear nice clothes and go out to nice places. I wanted to do all to understand what I really want, what is so enjoyable for me. 5 starts hotel or restaurants are so good to stay or eat but I was happier to stay basic hotel/hostel and get more social. Also, eat with local people and talk with them about their life and culture. I wasn’t so happy to wear suit, make up everyday or go to hairdresser and spend a lot of time in there. Stayed big house, bought big cars…. etc were so nice in the beginning because my freedom and my money. 🙂 But I was more happy to stay in a little apartment. I am so glad to do all these things. Maybe I spent money for all but I understood what I want to do. What happened after that? I just focus to safe money and get retired early. 🙂 Means, go to discover the world and understand to life.

I worked 15 years and last 10 year only, I focus to safe money. I made a list to see I spent money where and how much. I did 3 months and wrote every detail. After that I could decide which details did not necessary or too much. Do not spend money again for that! I don’t need TV, a lot of clothes, shoes, hand bags, some bills, go dinner or out a lot … etc.

I closed the mortgage, sold my big apartment and bought a small one to rent and put money to safe account. I did same thing for my car as well and used more public transportation. I like to see my safe account to growing day by day. So, keep continue. But until when?

Sometimes, suddenly something happened in your life, which is unacceptable! I lost my mother. News came when I was on a holiday. She was only 57 years old and was such a healthy and happy person. I just thought, “Life is short. How long I want to work like that and safe money nonstop. Who knows that I am not going to die tomorrow.”

So, I quit my job. Collect my backpack and started my journey from South America.

GS

July 25, 2017