UPDATE: Bikers complete punishing ride across Africa, Europe
The incredible adventure took 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) on fully-equipped BMW bikes.
Three friends, who embarked on an epic cross-continental motorcycle journey from Benoni to Bled in Slovenia, have successfully ticked it off their bucket list.
Benoni Small Farms resident Jacques Nel, Colin Britt from Farrarmere and Johannesburg-based Cronje Bruwer, were escorted by a group of local Slovenian bikers, who had met them in Croatia, into the Slovenian town on July 19 via that country’s capital Ljubljana, having left Benoni 62 days earlier on May 18.
Barring a few minor delays in the cross-continental transportation of the bikes between Egypt and Greece, an insurance issue at the Croatian border, some isolated dodgy road conditions and a malaria scare in Uganda, Nel described the trip as “relatively trouble-free”.
“I contracted malaria two weeks into the trip, but we had test kits with us. It was a very tough three or four days and I almost had to abandon the trip,” recalled Nel.
“Luckily we found a very friendly doctor in a town called Pakwach via a local guesthouse owner who treated me and after subsequently resting up in Nairobi, Kenya, we were back on the road.”
The trio had initial concerns about riding through North Sudan, but their fears proved to be unfounded.
“We encountered very friendly people on the ground and never saw any sign of military presence, but there were quite a number of checkpoints and stops.”
He also pointed out how Ethiopia had evolved as a country, and he and his riding pals had been astounded at times with that country’s breathtaking scenery and historical sights en route.
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On average, the group, unaccompanied by a support vehicle, covered 200 to 300 kilometres per day (at least 35%off-road in Tanzania, Ethiopia and Zambia), with a 700 to 800 kilometres daily stretch at times in Sudan.
“Overall, each of the three bikes covered 16 500 kilometres with surprisingly little rough terrain and not a single puncture,” added Nel.
Family and friends were kept in constant touch via a satellite phone tracking device and the three men exchanged regular sms’s with their loved ones.
