Reasons for optimism

Almost departing, some people are still skeptical about the trip. I don't fully understand...

1. Only two people are going (on only one motorbike)
2. Less than 50 kg of luggage (on the same motorbike)
3. It's a brand new motorbike (perhaps not built for such a trip and with only 125 cc...)
4. I did several questions to the mechanical guy: "How do I adjust the transmission chain? Where do I check the oil level?, ..."
5. I have experience driving (I took my driver's license more than two weeks ago...)
6. It is a beaten track... just going overland to South Africa to get cigarettes.
7. Finally, the equipment! They are only skeptical because they haven't seen neither the equipment...

... nor the cargo!!

Hope for a Transit Visa for Angola

A smile was not enough. The tourist visas issued to Angola have a 60 days validity. No more, no less. With that, there is no point on getting a visa now. It would be totally useless...

Fortunately, not all were bad news! It should be possible to obtain a transit visa to cross Angola in 5 days. That allows us to cross to further south in DR Congo (avoiding the crazier areas) or, in the very best case, directly to Zambia!
According to the Angolan consulate in Lisbon, it requires:

• Complete application form
• Passport with 9 months validity and with a valid visa for the destination country
• 2 photos
• Copy of the ticket to the next country
• Criminal record   

detailed information here (in Portuguese)

We don't expect it to be a straight forward process, but we have hope to get the transit visa... with a smile!

A smile for the Angolan Visa?

After reading the testimonial of a father and son's journey throughout Africa, we confirmed that the Angolan Visa is one of the hardest ones to obtain for the entire trip and, virtually, impossible to obtain on the road. Nothing new. What we didn't know were the options to circumvent Angola (quoting Carlos Carneiro on his tips for Angola):

For those coming by car [...]: (a) load the car onto a freighter in Ponta Negra to South Africa and fly there, (b) do the terrible road all the way to Lubumbashi and descend via Zambia, the latter only for the brave with 4x4s and that have adequate mechanical and dry season know-how, (c) otherwise, one may make use of air cargo in Kinshasa that costs $ 5,000 to load the car and a further $80 per person.

Even though we are riding a motorbike not a car, this does not sound great...

At least we are going during the dry season said Sweet Potato, with an impressive cold blood and full of optimism. I reply with Yeah, we hope!  while opening our brand new Rough Guide for First Time Africa. On page 263 the rainfall figures for Democratic Republic of Congo pop-up: 165 mm in August, 183 mm in September, a yearly max of 218 mm in October and 198 mm in November. Yes, if you think we plan to be in that region of Africa in October, you won!!


Anxious, I check Angola: 5 mm of rainfall in October! Tomorrow we are going to the Angolan Consulate in Lisbon!! As Sweet Potato doesn't live in Portugal, we hope her smile can obtain the Angolan Visa... If not, Tear Drop is the next on the mud!

Tear Drop

"We want a 125 cc motorbike to take us from Portugal to South Africa!"
......

This was the introduction to several motorbike dealers in Lisbon.  Every single one of them was shocked, some called us crazy, others just said that it was mission impossible (without Tom Cruise), but after all, one dealer sold us a bike! The chosen one was the Yamaha 125 YBR Custom.

This seller was not too shocked, being more than happy to sell another bike. The main concern was don't forget to change the oil. If you do that, the motor is gonna survive! Definitely, it doesn't have the look of a Tenere, Varadero or BMW which are the usual choices for this kind of trip. It looks more like a "bad ass" one (or American cruiser look, using a more polite way of speech). The engine of the reliable 125 YBR contributed to our decision and the shape of the gas tank did the rest!!

In fact, the tear drop tank shape and the tears we are gonna drop to reach the final destination inspired us to baptize it: Tear Drop!

Now, we are three on the way to South Africa: Sweet Potato, Clark and Tear Drop!

Route to South Africa

Today when I told an old friend about my plans, his reaction was "Are you crazy? That's a really bad idea!!"

So, I decided to research a bit more about a potential route to reach South Africa. Using The UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office I was able to make an entire list with the current conditions (as of 12 July 2012):

• Spain: No restrictions in this travel advice

• Morocco: No restrictions in this travel advice

• Western Sahara: No restrictions in this travel advice

• Mauritania: Advise against all travel to Tiris Zemmour, Adrar, Tagant and Hodh el Chargui, Daklet-Noudhibou and Inshiri, and against all but essential travel to the rest of the country

Definitely a country painted on red and orange is not the most encouraging thing to see, but there is no alternative route as the border with Algeria is closed. I don't think we will be able to avoid crossing Mauritania!! Fortunately I have a friend who came from Gambia to Spain the last week. Time to ask for advice.

• Mali: Avoid all travel to whole country

After years dreaming about going to Mali and particularly Timbuktu, it seems I will have to postpone to the next time... Going to avoid Mali and cross through Senegal!

• Senegal: No restrictions in this travel advice

• Guinea: No restrictions in this travel advice

• Côte d'Ivoire: Avoid all but essential travel to part(s) of country
  • We advise against all but essential travel to the western regions of Dix-Huit Montagnes, Haut-Sassandra, Moyen-Cavally and Bas-Sassandra. 
  • The regions to avoid are located on the Southwest, close to the border with Liberia (a country with the same disclaimer: Avoid all but essential travel to part(s) of country). 
  • However, using Google Maps, there is a route from Conakry (Guinea) to Abidjan (Cote d'Ivoire) through Kankan (Guinea) avoiding the more dangerous areas. 

• Ghana: No restrictions in this travel advice

• Togo: No restrictions in this travel advice

• Benin: No restrictions in this travel advice

• Nigeria: Avoid all but essential travel to part(s) of country and avoid all travel to part(s) of country

Not the best news but not as bad as they seem at first sight when looking to the map. The way from Benin to Cameroon should be done with caution but it is not under alert.

• Cameroon: avoid all travel to part(s) of country
  • We advise against all travel to the areas bordering the Central African Republic, Chad and Nigeria, in the region of the Bakassi Peninsula. 
  • Not the best news, but crossing the border close to Gembu (Nigeria) avoids the Bakassi Peninsula and Central African Republic and Chad are not in the travel plans 

• Congo: we advise against all travel to the Likouala province, and against all but essential travel to the Pool region
  • Likouala is in the North, bordering Central African Republic and Democratic Republic of Congo and Pool in the East, bordering Democratic Republic of Congo. Both of them are easily avoidable when traveling South. 

• Democratic Republic of Congo: we advise against all travel to specific regions of DRC and against all but essential travel to the rest of the country
  • We advise against all travel to eastern and north eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). This includes entering DRC from Uganda, Burundi and Rwanda.
  • We advise against all but essential travel to Kinshasa and the rest of DRC because of continuing tension and insecurity.
  • It seems it is going to be a challenge to cross... A good alternative is to go through Angola which seems to be in a much better shape. The "only" hassle is to obtain the visa.

• Zambia: No restrictions in this travel advice

• Mozambique: No restrictions in this travel advice

• South Africa: No restrictions in this travel advice

Certainly it is not going to be the easiest trip, but it seems feasible!!!