Arrival - koncno!

Kar nekaj ur svaljkanja po letaliscih in na avionih... Na to smo cakali mesece in koncno docakali. Pristanek v Nairobiju.Pricaka nas prijetno dekle - Anusa, ki je tu ze nekaj mesecev. Pripelje svojegataksista, ki nas za male pare odpelje v JJ - Jungle junction, simpaticen kamp, kjernas pricakajo nasi fantje in ki postane nas prvi dom. Fantje nam pripravijo najbolj simpaticno dobrodoslico - obilen zajtrk s klobasicami in kavo, ki nas po nic spanja spravi vsaj malo k sebi.Nazdravimo na srecen prihod in pricetek nase skupne poti.Dan prezivet v kampu prav pase. Toliko si imamo povedati, da ure minevajo kot minute.Dan 2 je pravi za hiter drive around. Poberemo nas avto, placamo 3-tedensko uporabo in potem se malo naokoli.Vecerjo pripravi Boris - stakei na zaru. Res nam ni hudega. In pivo, ki stane le crtico na papirju...Jutri startamo. Same, ker motorji se niso nared. Tu gre pac vse pole pole (pocasi). Ok, saj se jutri vidimo. Enkrat dopoldnedekleta odrinemo proti Arushi. Nova in zanimiva pokrajna vlece pogled ven. Ob poti nas spremljajo Masaji. In - kaksno nakljucje - kamp Massai postane nas dom naslednja 2 dni. Naslednji dan se odpravimo v Moshi, glavno izhodisce za izlete na Kilimanjaro.Sprehodimo se skozi vasi. Tu su domacini kar navajeni "mzungu" - belcev, cepravpogled na nas pri marsikom izvabi nasmeh na ustih. To je pristna Afrika in nam je vsec.Zvecer se vrnemo v nas kamp. Nekaj deznih kapelj, ki so nas spremljale na poti, se je v Arushi spremenilo v pravi naliv.Sotor sredi luze kaze na to, da bo noc potrebno preziveti drugje. Na sreco je se ena soba prazna. Dopoldan naslednjega dne startamo proti Ngoru. Fantje so na poti in nekje pred parkom se zvecer srecamo. Gregu posteno zagode motor. V temi vidimo odsev le dveh luci, Gregova ne dela. Pa ne samo luc-tudi kaj drugega je danes odpovedalo.Za trenutek pozabimo na tezave in uzivamo v ponovnem snidenju. Ob tem se nam na temnem nebu smehlja se luna.

Marko, helou

Driver switch...Charles

Nairobi by Tanja

Bend za poroke na poslu

1va vecerja

Vlet in Anusa

1vo popravilo

Na juzno poloblo

In smo ga. Precili Ekvator. viaJJ's. Jungle junction. Že 7 let crossroad za vse popotnike gori - doli in vv. by Cris Handschuh. Fotke nulte table z nami nismo napravili in filozofske razprave okoli tega tudi ne. Razen bogate plohe, ki nas je pošteno ohladila in kako smo se izgubili v Nairobiju, pa koncno v ISTI sekundi z razlicnih smeri pripeljali pred JJ's tistega dne, ni bilo repertoarja za poglobljen opis. Na dan odhoda iz Jungle-a nas skoraj ugrabi opisani efekt "check out, but never leave." Cmok, še prejšnji dan, kot ocitno vse poprej, pali za djabe, na ju3o odhoda pac ne. Sploh. Zbrana družba v slovo: Belgijci, ki so z napol delujocima Landroverjema vleteli (vec na njihovem blogu...uporabi google translate) prejšnji vecer oz. noc, ki je bila ponovnem snidenju primerna, okoli sveta potujocima, simpaticnima francozoma Marie-Christine in Alain, ki btw. za extra income piše za najbrano frencosko motorevijo, babyboomovcema, ki ravno tako round the globe, kolesnice vtirata enkratna Liz in Peter, ter že pogrešljivim Noel-om, se zavoljo morebitne pretirane pozornosti Cmoku vljudno obrne vstran. Ne pali. Uro kasneje, po menjavi sveck, beep in cau. Po Chrisovih navodilih ulovimo 2 uri proti Tanzaniji in meja, kot po maslu. Jambo Tanzanija. Še vedno vožnja po levi, kar tradicionalno sprobamo na cesti sami. Detour. OK, spodoben.Pozno popoldan in slabo uro od kempa, kjer bivajo Tanzanijske sopotnice. Cmok ne pali. 2ga, kontakt, push, go. Gre. A elektrika manjka in cukanje motorja ob vožnji ne godi.Noc in 65km do kempa. Gremo? Don't drive at night!!! Joško in Borix spredaj, pa je po lepi cesti šlo. Sam brez luci in gledanje fantovih spredaj je kot sedenje na zadnjem sedežu z volanom v rokah. Veliko lepih želja smo dobili za na pot in mislim, da bomo do konca izkoristili prav vse. No, sicer je pa tu še nekaj vošcilnih praznikov. Ne se šparat, vnovcujemo. Snidenje je bilo1A in zagotovo vožnje ponoci, vsaj brez luci, ne delamo vec...sure?

Branko, žal je to potrebno

Izdelava manjkajočih, odlomljenih kosov

Liz&Peter, nadvse prijeten babyboom gen. par na poti domov...avto Boris


Marie-Christine&Alain na poti domov...

90 stopinj

Vse najboljse za te...torta Made in S LOVE nija

Chris je prijazno stopil stopnico nize

tankanje, Masaji, meja, Tanzanja

Nocni piknik v Jungle junction

"Mad Max" s svojo 28letnico...50000km letno

Steaki na zaru

The ViaKaapstad Plus Rider

Travelling alone and with no specific deadlines to be met, I prepared slowly to leave Bahir Dar not knowing precisely where I'd be stopping for the night. Addis was a reasonable two day ride away and my route would take me there the following day I imagined, where I would stop to pick up my visa for Kenya... Looking at the map, Debre Markos seemed that it would probably be a good place for a stop over. The riding was good though, and since I was making good time, I started to feel no desire to stop early and calculated that Addis would be in easy reach for later that day. Usually I don't like to do big distances on a day, so I surprised myelf that I was thinking of doing a two in one, but for some reason getting to Addis that day started to become more and more compelling.

Getting to Debre Markos, my feelings about continuing were confirmed. It didn't have the feeling about the place that I'd be somwhere I'd particulary want to stop over. Now believe me, although I was by now planning on a big distance day, I wasn't riding stupidly fast. Luckily. Ahead of me I saw a donkey cross the road, nothing unusual, but then it decided to return, which was also okay. Plenty of room I imagined, it could still cross, and I could swing round behind it's tail. But then at the last it noticed that we were on a potential collision course, so it simply stopped to stare at my oncoming motorcycle. By now there was no time to avoid a collision, so applying all the braking I could muster, I braced for the impact. How I hit, and exactly what happened is still a bit of a mystery to me. My first memory is of realising that the engine was still running, and trying to stand up to get to the kill switch. I saw the donkey beneath the motorcycle, struggling to find it's feet, and then soon enough manage to get itself free and run away. I seemed to be okay, but by now my thoughts were of how I would have to deal with the angry locals, and how much cash this would cost to allow me to ride free of the fast gathering crowd around me. But I needn't have worried. The people were wholly concerned that I was okay, and told me not to be worried about their donkey at all. They assured me it would be okay. I was invited to go in to one of the houses for tea and some time to recover from the shock, which I regret to say was an enexpected result. But somehow the compulsion to get to Addis that day was still with me so I declined, dusted myself off, and continued. Addis was still in reasonable reach for later that day without having to break the fundamental rule of never riding at night.

I was to be taken completely by surprise though in the region of Dejen where there is the most awsome mountain pass descending slowly down in to a valley, then once again slowly up the other side. Absolutely beautiful, but the unexpected slow riding was by now affecting my chances of getting to Addis before nightfall. Nevertheless once up the other side of the valley I managed some fast riding again, and arrived in Addis as the day was starting to fade. Stopping a few times to ask for directions to the old Laghar railway station where I was sure I'd be able to find my way to Wim's Holland House, I arrived not long after dark. Only a little night riding, and just as well, because the front end of my motorcycle had been slightly rearranged with the donkey incident, and the headlight was pointing aimlessly into the night sky.

I found Wim's Holland house easily enough, and turning in to the yard it was wonderful to find three more motorcycles, those of the ViaKaapstad riders. First thing Wim did was take me across the road where he introduced me to Grega, Boris and Joško. Even better news was that they were riding south to Nairobi, and there was the promise of riding together for a few days perhaps. This would be a good thing for me. Having some company on a long solo ride is aways good from time to time, but the ride south to Nairobi would by all accounts be the most difficult of my journey from London to Cape Town.

I never know if I should believe in fate or in destiny. Why was it that I had felt such a strong compulsion to get to Addis? Somehow that evening it felt to me like destiny. The ViaKaapstad guys were only going to be in town another day, just long enough to get their Kenyan visas. I would be able to team up with them the next morning and get mine sorted out too, ready to leave again the following morning.

The details of the riding together are no doubt the subject of the ViaKaapstad blogging, and there is too much to be written without bloating this entry too much, so from leaving Addis as the ViaKaapstad Plus rider I jump ahead a few days in time to Isiola. Unfortunately my motorcycle hadn't managed it that far and was by now on the back of a truck which would be going on to Nairobi. I was quite gutted that I wouldn't manage to ride across the equator. Somehow this was important to me. Why should it be though? Somehow the equator is a significant point on such a journey, perhaps made more so by tales when sailors of yore would perfom all sorts of acts to allay a myriad of superstitions. So I considered getting my motorcycle unloaded from the truck in Isiola and hoping for an easy repair I would be able to ride across the zero degrees latitude. But this seemed silly as it might be that the fault was not trivial, and then I'd have lost the opportunity of it being trucked to Nairobi. So I asked Boris about the chances of riding with one of the ViaKaapstad guys. He counted himself as the most likely choice, but said that he wasn't confident about carrying a pillion. So what to do...? The dilemma ran more circles around my head, but then at breakfast Boris said that he'd give it a go, and if it worked out okay, then all good, otherwise I'd have to default to riding on the truck. Good news for me to say the absolute least, and thanks to Boris the ride went well, and he was happy for me to ride pillion all the way through to Nairobi. So I did get to ride across the equator, although not in the style I had imagined.

My time as the ViaKaapstad Plus rider has been a great experience. But now in Nairobi, where my motorcycle is yet to be repaired and where my body and mind are tired and need some days rest, I will stay on while they ride ahead. Thanks Grega, Boris and Joško for riding together, for looking out for me, and for the good memories.

Noel

Sunday paper

via, vaja, ven

Nekako tako je izgledal pristanek Noelovega mopka na oslu

žar v Addisu (JB in Nikki)

B alias via

J alias Kaap

G alias stad

detajl z motorja Mad Max-a...cela fotka sledi

67km pred Marsabit-om, dlje ni šlo

*vse fotke by Noel

Just today...daily update...twitter style

Druščina že poklopila. Jungle junction je place to be. Noel je povedal štorijo o komadu Hotel California (The Eagles)..."you check out, but you never leave..." in da tu ta komad aplicira.
Aplicira. Ju3 je že plan B, C. Tu pravijo, da ju3 na obstaja. Strinjamo...

Ok, pa še zares

Baje je najhujša cesta (Moyale - meja Eth-Ken - Marsabit) za nami. Lokalne info s postanka so, da januarja EU začenja graditi cesto na tej relaciji...smo torej zadnji, ki so to cesto prepeljali v trenutni obliki? 70km/h je prava hitrost preko RRRRRRRRRRebraste ceste. Cena za "udobno" vožnjo - stanje ves čas - so bili popolnoma polomljeni osnovni nosilci. A prvo najprej. Vlet na cesto ob megli iz Marsabita, polno spakirani in željni vožnje. Še 200km slabe ceste, a baje je boljša kot ta, ki je že jemala davek do Marsabita. Afriški info, kot že omenjano, je vreden kot njihova valuta. 2km in fantastična pirueta za 180stopinj zaradi vožnje preblizu robu (posekan grm ob cesti je bil jači od mojega kufra)...moj prvi in zadnji padec (bolj sestop sicer) na tem delu poti. Po tem krasnem delu poti iz mesta pa...ulala. Nosilci začenjajo popuščati, prvo vezanje z vrvjo iz ladje v Aswanu...divje opletanje levo in desno ob prehitevanju tovornjaka po 0.5metrskem grušču - gas pomaga, Borixu zaprpa pred 100metrskim tepihom peska - FLOP, Joškotu po 10km divjanju preko reber razpokajo ušesa nosilcev in oni sami. Zadnji tovornjak na poti prijazno pobaše naše stranske kovčke, a pot je še dolga. Nekaj km dalje Borixu nosilci popustijo in prazni povohajo gravel road. Tovornjaček je blizu, upload. Joškove nosilce naložimo nekaj 10km naprej. Že prejšnji večer so nam redcross-ovci zapovedali neustavljanje v "bandit area". In ko se tako olajšani prtljage podimo preko omenjenega area, meni že načeta jakna ulei med zobnik in verigo zadnjega kolesa. Uspel ne pasti in tudi veriga je ostala cela. "Don't stay here too long because of the area!", 1. mimovozeči, "The other bike ahead they load on the truck...!", Noelov BMW je doživel nek električni šok in bil naložen na isti, zadnji truck dneva, ki je že odnašal našo prtljago proti Isiolu. "You've certinaly found THE spot to stop", 2. in zadnji mimovozeči English priest. "Good luck with Slovenia in South Africa", sem mu še uspel reči in si misliti svoje, medtem ko smo žagali jakno izpod verige. OK, rešeno in dobesedno odpizdimo iz lokacije. Moji nosilci dobro povezani, Joško brez in Borix z le levim...skoraj 100ka in koncentracija 110%. V "safe zone", kjer kitajci že gradijo lepo, flawless asvaltirano cesto pridemo ob sundownerju. Po detourih, kjer linijo eden poleg drugega vodita Gamson in Orix, 33km pred Isiolom zavozimo na omenjani asvalt. Poezija. Kako dolgo bo trajala je vprašanje za drug internetni naslov.
OK, pisal, pisal, veliko je ratalo...to keep it short...smo na južni polobli, Nairobi, Jungle junction - vsi pridejo sem...in res se izplača.

Twitter style:
- Borixov motor ravno v garažo na popravo "frgazerja"
- dekleta prišla kot naročeno!? in trenutno z voznikom nekje in tako že cel dan
- mesnica je 2km stran in roštilj s Chris-ove zabave (CHRIStmas party je imel zvečer, zatorej danes pole-pole)
- glede na uro danes varjenja 0(nič), bomo podelali 1x na poti...za 14dni imamo pokrit prevoz prtljage, ju3 zju3aj via Tanzanija
- najnovije: Borixove membrane v frgazerju so preluknjene min. 10x..."You're so lucky to get here you don't know...don't kiss me..." je bil Chrisov komentar

"Konc asfalta, no more"...

Uletimo na etiopsko-kenijsko mejo, pripravljeni na pole-pole(pocasi-pocasi) varianto. Vse se zgodi z bliskovito naglico, celo nas po skoraj dveh mesecih preseneti. Ze smo na drugi strani in model rece,ju nau enter Kenya! Vse skupaj ni vzelo 45 min. Jel to moguce? Pa naj bo tako! Normalno najprej v prison kantino, na njama chomo, pa pompe baridi! Kraljevina ukinjena, stola ni vec!!Aljoša? Spanje pri policajih na odprti sceni, zjutraj lokalni zajtrk v lokalni kantini by Anna's. Kavica, pa kruhek z jajckom, spokamo in glej ga zajcka, luknja ne dovoli spet novega amortizerja. Cesta na bohorskih vlekah je dostikrat boljsa. Pogruntamo, da pri vecji hitrosti motor veliko bolje pozira luknje, kar gre prvih 100 km, pol pa res ne gre vec kot 25 na uro. Pa na nevihto se pripravlja, pade prvih 57 kapelj, Marsabit ze pred nosom pa, no go! Jutri dalje za nasimi kufri, ki se peljejo z Rdecim krizem, saj nasi nosilci ne dovoljujejo vec tega.

Dobro ju3o proti Yabellu

Şpomincek na prvo Kenijo

Pogled proti meji - Moyale

Dnevni pit-stop

Hepi birsday Joško! LY

Borix na dveh in Orix na dveh...poprej nobeden od njiju niti na eni

B&O

New:
- viaKaapstad+, Noel (+) JAR z nami na poti iz Addisa do Nairobija. BMW "DAK1"
- cesta najhujsa ever in doslej...glavni nosilci prtljage ne dihajo s cesto sploh
- Yamahe brez pardona...ne vprasa, ko zelis pici in da pici, je treba stisniti zobe in privezati se kaj
- lovimo (Twitter update UJELI") 15ega v Nairobi...kako in kaj sledi

Intro

... cilj je znan ...
... pot začrtana ...
... meseci pripravljeni na odštevanje...

... Cape town.
... oko na "Sekcije".
... ravno pravšnji za zaključek še ene krasne nosečnosti. Verjetno smemo povleči vzporednico tu nekje.

Pot se je spočela, v današnjem tempu, že davnega februarja 08' v Nairobiju. Z rahlimi zametki tudi kakšen teden prej, med odpravo Šerugove skupine po Etiopiji in Keniji. Krasni spomini, ki še vedno vpijejo po snidenju, čeravno v drugi, drugačni dimenziji.

Vse o tem in to spremljajočem dogajanju sčasoma na pričujočih straneh. Na vse, verjetno klasične in nesistematično drugačne načine. Dobrodošli!

Copy-Paste (CP) namesto PS
"Life's a journey, not a destination..."
Aerosmith