Three amigos adventure biking from South Africa to Slovenia
Riding from Benoni to Bled.
Three friends have embarked on an epic motorcycle journey that will take them from Benoni to Bled in Slovenia.
Benonians Jacques Nel (a Benoni Small Farms resident) and Colin Britt (a Farrarmere resident) are currently making their way through Africa alongside their friend Cronjé Bruwer (a Johannesburg resident) with the aim of finishing in Bled, Slovenia, where Bruwer intends to emigrate.
After months of planning and sorting out numerous visa requirements, the three pals left from Nel’s home on May 18 for an estimated 70-day trip that will take them through nine African countries (Botswana, Zambia, Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, North Sudan and Egypt) and seven European nations (Greece, Albania, Montenegro, Bosnia, Herzegovina, Croatia and Slovenia).
The trio’s BMW adventure bikes are kitted out to the maximum with around 50kg to 60kg of luggage carried on their motorcycles, including camping gear, tools, spare tyres and medical equipment.
Bruwer initiated the idea last year and the friends decided to take on the challenge.
“We are not getting any younger,” said Britt.
“I’ll be the toppie on the trip, so it’s kind of a now or never type thing for me.
“I always wanted to do the Dakar Rally, but never had the money for it, so this is the next best thing.”
Nel said he and Britt often take 10-day adventure biking trips to the Eastern or Western Cape, but this journey is going to be a life changer for sure.
It hasn’t all been smooth sailing in terms of preparation, particularly for Nel whose original bike, in true South African fashion, was stolen from his home two weeks before the trip.
He managed to source another one just in time.
Some of their concerns around travelling up the continent include the threat of bad weather and the condition of the gravel roads they will drive on.
“We also hope North Sudan is kind to us as there’s just been a coup there,” said Nel.
“We have had some help from guys who have done this trip before, but I suppose we’ll figure it out while we’re out there.
“We are not going there to just drive on highways and break speed records.
“We are going to explore and see the sights in the various countries.”
At the time of going to press, the three friends were somewhere north of Lusaka, Zambia.
Follow their trip on their Facebook page: Long way up: South Africa to Slovenia
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