Ride to Mountain Gorillas | 2026

Chapter 1: Arrival in Cape Town

January 9 - 12: Calgary to Cape Town!

I had always known that it was going to be a long journey to Cape Town with an 11-hour layover in Frankfurt followed by a 12-hour flight to Cape Town. The flight to Frankfurt was unexpectedly pleasant. Discover Airlines changed their aircraft the night before my departure. Unfortunately, they changed my chosen (and paid for) seat in Premium Economy to one I didn’t like as much. I mentioned this at check in and was able to change to an aisle seat even though they weren’t allowing people to change seats (it would be chaos if everyone changed their seat). Then just as I was going to the gate, I got a message on my phone that my seat had been changed. Again. I went to the counter and was given a new boarding pass. For business class! Nice! It makes such a difference on an overnight flight to be able to get some sleep, it almost eliminates jet lag. 

As soon as I deboarded in Frankfurt (all refreshed from my nap) I went through Immigration and jumped on the S-bahn to downtown Frankfurt. At the Hauptbahnhof I went outside into an icy cold snowy taste of winter to find a currywurst. Obviously. Then a coffee shop to read up on Africa before catching another train back to the airport. A very nice layover indeed. Just as boarding was completed for the 10:00 PM flight to Cape Town the captain came on and announced our flight had to be cancelled. The software that flies the plane was broken. Of course, passengers near me had helpful tips, have you tried rebooting it? How about unplugging it and plugging it back in? But alas we weren't going anywhere. Lufthansa put us up for the night with an expected departure of 1:00 PM the next day. After a good night’s sleep that changed to 5:15 PM so had another day, this time not venturing to downtown. We really did get going at quarter after five, finally arriving in Cape Town at 5:40 AM local time on Monday morning. I had called the hotel and told them I would have a late check in. Very late!

The Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof on a snowy, cold day


I came all this way for "Canadian Streetfood"?


I have never, ever seen currywurst at any Canadian streetfood


In addition to currywurst, Frankfurt is also a financial capital


Downtown Frankfurt


Back at the airport I share a moment with Albert Einstein

After a 7:00 AM check in at the Harbour Bridge Hotel I had a lovely day in Cape Town where I had a chance to meet Michnus and Elsebie at a coffee shop inside a BMW Motorrad shop. It was great to meet them in person. They run a few Facebook forums and make motorcycle soft luggage at Turkana Gear. And to top the day off, I got a message that I can pick up my bike at Econo Trans at 9:30 AM Tuesday! Let the adventure begin.

Good morning Cape Town! As a Standup Paddle Boarder commutes to work on the canal


Walked to the V&A Waterfront


The clock tower at the waterfront


I'll have to pick up this little souvenir when I return from Uganda




The coffee shop inside Donford BMW Motorrad


Hello Elsebie and Michnus!


Sunset over Table Mountain

 

The Tablecoth on Table Mountain

Good night Cape Town!

January 13: Capetown

Wow, what an easy pick up of the motorcycle. I took an Uber over to Econo Trans at 9:30 where Wayne had me sign some paperwork and pay for processing the bike through Customs (about $750) and then took me out back to the warehouse. My bike was in a nice crate (built by Moto Freight in London) and just needed to be freed. Lennox and a couple of other staff did that and then Lennox helped me put the windshield and mirrors back on. I put my Lefthand Drive sticker in the tankbag and then I was set to ride in South Africa. And what a beautiful ride it was, heading towards Cape Town with Table Mountain as a backdrop. What a great first ride of the season! 
Just before riding to Moto Freight back in London I noticed an oil leak from the rear shock. I tightened up the damper adjustment where it was leaking and that seemed to fix it. When picking the bike up in Cape Town it still wasn’t leaking but I wasn’t especially confident in riding all the way to Uganda and back. I rode out to MP Suspension that afternoon for them to have a look at it. Martin was out, so I left the bike at the shop and took an Uber back to the hotel. That evening Jilly and Keith dropped by and we went for a lovely dinner at Miller's Thumb. I can see why Cape Town is a “foodie” destination! Audrey and I had met Jilly and Keith in Namibia in 2008 where they invited us to their place in Cape Town, so it was quite special to reconnect with them. The chapter where we first met: Chapter 19: South Africa - We Did It! and then again at my birthday lunch: Chapter 21: South Africa - To the end of an amazing continent.

Arrived at the Econo Trans offices


Nicely crated bike


Voila!


Lennox helps me to put the mirrors and windshield back on


Woo hoo!


Riding in South Africa!


Riding towards Table Mountain (Keep left, look right. Keep left, look right!)


Iconic Table Mountain


Jumping for joy!


Meeting Jilly and Keith for supper


We met Keith and Jilly in Namibia and then visited them in 2008


At my birthday party, June 11, 2008, in Cape Town at Five Flies

January 14 – 16: Capetown

It has been a lovely few days in Cape Town, meeting friends (new and old), enjoying the perfect (if windy) weather and getting the motorbike sorted for the trip. After getting the leaking rear shock repaired I took a test ride down the coast to Hout Bay and pronounced the bike ready to ride to Uganda. That afternoon I met up with Robin Goode, whom Audrey and I had ridden down a good chunk of Africa with. We had first met at Aswan, Egypt before taking the boat to Wadi Halfa, Sudan back in December 2007. Our paths crossed numerous times and finally said goodbye in Cape Town at my birthday party. It was so good to reconnect, even for a short time. Friday I met up with Keith at a regular breakfast he has with riding buddies and then took some nice backroads to his house for a cup of tea with Jilly. Now it’s time to hit the road!

Heading back to Cape Town after the shock repair. This view never gets old!


Out for a test ride along the coast


Karbonkelberg near Hout Bay











Returning to Cape Town, skirting Table Mountain


The cafe in Donford BMW Motorrad makes a mean chai latte


Meeting up with Robin Goode with whom Audrey and I rode through Africa in 2008


We first met in Egypt before taking the boat to Sudan in December 2007


Robin riding south through Sudan


The Ducati Multistradas were surprisingly reliable


Robin begging for gas


The gang all meets at Jungle Junction in Nairobi


Robin and Matteo at Ekke's birthday party, June 11, 2008


Walking along Roggebaai Canal in Cape Town


Going for a ride with Keith after breakfast


Does look a little like Saskatchewan doesn't it?


Keith's new Honda Transalp


Jilly has promised to make me a bobotie when I return in April


One last blueberry smoothie and the best French fries at Shift Espresso Cafe


Good night Cape Town, see you in April!

Chapter 2: Heading North

Chapter 2: Heading North

January 17: Cape Town to Gordons Bay

On the road! OK, Gordons Bay is only 50 km from Cape Town, but I did take the long way, going over Chapman’s Peak Road to the Cape of Good Hope (almost) and around False Bay. The day had everything from rain to sun and steak & mushroom pie to robots. I rode through Hout Bay to get to the famous Chapman's Peak Drive and through Simon's Town to get to the Cape of Good Hope. As I was riding I saw a house with solar panels on it, since I was southbound I thought it strange that the panels were on the north facing roof. After almost a week in Cape Town it only hit me then that I was in the Southern Hemisphere. It was slow going through either city traffic or Saturday afternoon traffic but eventually I got to the entrance to the park. I was rather taken aback by the 515 rand entrance fee. If I was going to spend the day exploring the park perhaps that would be OK, but I just wanted to recreate a photo from 2008 and didn’t think that was worth $45. I turned around and went back to Simon's Town to the Sweetest Thing Patisserie for lunch of steak & mushroom pie. This and the architecture of Simon's Town really reminded me of New Zealand. Then around False Bay to Gordons Bay for the night. The first day of the ride to Uganda is in the books!

Heading south towards Hout Bay






Hout Bay from Chapman's Peak Drive






It's a fun road


Nordhoek Beach from Chapman's Peak Drive


Robot is South African for traffic signal. Anyone else imagine Bender from Futurama directing traffic?


Simon's Town architecture really reminds me of New Zealand towns


False Bay


515 rand ($45) ?!?  I don't think so.




A lot of AC Cobras around. I mean a lot. I saw a group of six of them earlier. I imagine they are rentals.


As recommended by Robin in Simon's Town


A steak and mushroom pie reminds me of New Zealand too


Around the top of False Bay


Drifting sand reminds me of Mauritania


Approaching Gordons Bay


The long way from Cape Town to Gordons Bay

January 18, 19: Gordons Bay to Victoria West

I had planned to ride up to Kimberley from Gordons Bay, crossing the Karoo fairly quickly, with one stop. But a stomach bug made me lose my confidence in being able to manage it, so I broke the ride into three days, stopping in Oudtshoorn and Victoria West. On Sunday I left Gordons Bay and rode the N2 for almost 200 kilometres before turning onto the R324 towards Barrydale. It was a pleasure to get off the busier N2 and onto a smaller road, crossing the Tradouw Pass to Barrydale. Here I stopped in at Diesel & Creme, a cafe suggested by Michnus. It was a very busy place on a beautiful summer Sunday. While the milkshake and hotdog probably weren't good for my stomach bug, they sure were delicious. A few kilometres further through the Klein Karoo was the famous Ronnie's Sex Shop. It was Ronnie's vegetable stand until some friends decided to prank him by adding the word "Sex". Ronnie noticed that business picked up and now it is a must-stop when crossing the Klein Karoo. In Oudtshoorn I had booked a room at the Duckpond Lodge, in the town's suburbs. Richard was the host for this lovely homestay, and it was such a treat to have a pleasant evening conversation with him rather than being in a sterile hotel room by myself. Monday, I rode through De Rust on to Meiringspoort, a nice canyon through the Swartberg mountains. Unfortunately, the drought in this area meant that the famous waterfalls were dry. It was a nice walk to the falls though and the temperatures weren't too high to be walking around in full motorcycle gear either. After stopping for lunch at 4 Sheep deli in Beaufort West (Lamb Sandwich) I continued on to Victoria West and the Victoria Oaks Guesthouse. I arrived fairly early, and my stomach had held out for the day so I probably could have made it to Kimberley, but in situations like this discretion can be the better part of valour.

Good morning Gordons Bay!


Heading over the Houwhoek Pass, leaving Gordons Bay


Across the plains where the orchards are protected from sun and birds


Nice to get off the N2 






A family of baboons crosses the road


Stopping by the Diesel & Creme cafe for lunch


A hotdog and a milkshake probably won't do my stomach bug any good, but it sure was delicious


Crossing the Klein Karoo


An institution and a "must stop"


Lots of wide open spaces make for easy riding




Oudtshoorn is famous for its ostrich farms and a great place to buy a feather duster




Richard comes out with a warm welcome


I love the inside of the home. Check out the inside of the thatched roof!


Water levels on the pond are way down but there are still some birds


Quite a few "African Sacred Ibis" taking advantage of the low water levels


Thanks Richard for a great stay!


A group of riders entering Oudtshoorn as I leave. Undoubtedly picking up some feather dusters.


The "other" suburbs of Oudtshoorn (I found this dichotomy uncomfortable when we were here last time too)


Passing by an ostrich farm




Crossing the Swartberg Mountains via Meiringspoort




Well, it says there is a waterfall...


Nice hike to the falls


Umm, doesn't a waterfall need actual, you know, water? The drought has not been kind.




Entering the next province




Pulling into the Victoria Oaks Guesthouse

January 20: Victoria West to Kimberley

It was an easy ride, crossing the Great Karoo, to Kimberley. The GPS can sure be a nice tool. As I was approaching Britstown, I looked for a coffee shop. The GPS found The Old Mill off main street. I never would have seen it riding through on the main drag. And it was a cozy little local coffee shop too, with eclectic decorations and a not half bad cappuccino (I am a firm believer that the only really good cappuccinos are found at the top of a mountain pass in Italy). I arrived early enough in Kimberley to walk over to the Big Hole. I had booked myself into the historic Kimberley Club hotel, but I didn't know quite how historic until I was at the diamond museum and saw the club mentioned in an article about Cecil Rhodes. Apparently, Cecil Rhodes was a founding member of the club and had a hand in building the club. Rhodes of course had an outsized influence on Southern Africa as a diamond tycoon (starting De Beers), as prime minister of the Cape Colony and founding Rhodesia (now Zambia and Zimbabwe). As seems to be the pattern of all colonizers, whether it be in Canada or New Zealand, he also did some evil things, such as expropriating land from black Africans and effectively barring them from voting. But, the Big Hole you ask. What's that all about? It's the diamond mine at the centre of New Rush, now Kimberley. It's the largest hand-dug hole in the world. In the search for diamonds, miners dug to a depth of 215 metres. The mine produced over 2,700 kg of diamonds between discovery in 1871 and ceasing operations in 1914.

Good morning Victoria Oaks Guesthouse!


Riding across the Great Karoo


What a fabulous find on the GPS

Enjoying a cappuccino with the Girl with the Pearl Earring




These roadside picnic sites are placed fairly regularly along the highway


Time for a picnic lunch


Hopefully those rain clouds hold off (they did).


Entering the diamond city of Kimberley




The main entrance to the Kimberley Club


A grand entrance it is too


I love these character hotels


Walking to the Big Hole on the rough and tumble streets of Kimberley




Out to the viewing platform


174 metres down to the water level and another 41 metres below the water level for a total hand-dug depth of 215 metres


Some of the mining equipment at the museum


The story of Cecil Rhodes


Wait, what? That's my hotel!


An open-air museum at the Big Hole






Pure luxury

January 21, 22: Kimberley to Mahikeng and the border with Botswana

That's South Africa for the moment; I will be back in April! I debated whether or not to ride from Kimberley to Gaborone, Botswana in one day. While it was certainly doable it would mean getting an early start and putting off updating my website for another day. I decided to break the trip into two days. The road to Mahikeng was 365 kilometres of easy riding (or boring depending on your definition, but for me riding is never boring) so I left late and arrived early, including a lunch stop in Vryburg. I stayed at a business-oriented hotel in Mahikeng so that it was easy to finish getting caught up on the website. Thursday was then an even easier ride but with the unknown of a border crossing thrown in. South Africa and Botswana are part of the South African Customs Union so in theory I shouldn’t need to stamp my Carnet de Passages en Duane out of South Africa and into Botswana. On the other hand, it would probably be safest to stamp into and out of every country. Fortunately, the Ramatlabama border crossing is very quiet (I was the only non-truck driver there) and the Customs officer was very friendly. I showed him my Carnet and asked to be stamped out of South Africa. He asked where I was going and then said I would get it stamped when I left Botswana and entered Zambia (which isn’t part of SACU), not now. That confirmed what I thought but I joked with him and said if I had any trouble leaving Botswana, I would call him. Then it was a quick stamp in the passport from Immigration, and I rode into no-man's land.

Good morning Kimberley!


Seems like an appropriate message leaving Kimberley




The further north I rode the more the landscape changed from scrubby desert to farmland


Time for a break?


Don't mind if I do


Nutella, the perfect food for any occasion


Easy riding


A coffee milkshake at the Daily Grind in Vryburg


OK, more easy riding


Look! A tree!


Arriving in Mahikeng (which, like Kimberley, was under siege during the 1899 Boer War)


Good morning Mahikeng after a pleasant stay at the Protea Hotel


A short 15 minute ride to the border


2.3 kilometre long queue of trucks before the border


Only a few minutes later and I am out of South Africa and in no-man's land

Tracks through South Africa

Chapter 3: Botswana

Chapter 3: Botswana

Thursday, January 22 to Friday, January 23 – Mahikeng, South Africa to Gaborone, Botswana

Botswana! After filling in an immigration form and getting my passport stamped I was ready to enter Botswana. Just one last step where my luggage was inspected. The officer asked if I had any shoes in the luggage and was then told to dip them in a disinfecting solution. Apparently, this is part of Botswana's agricultural protection program. As was riding the motorcycle through a disinfecting pool. Into Botswana it was immediately apparent I was in a different country. There were hardly any fences and as a result livestock was just walking around willy-nilly. I stopped at the first town I came to with the idea that I should take some money out of an ATM. Unfortunately, I hadn’t looked up the exchange rate and didn’t have a clue how many pulas there were to the dollar. Do I take out 50 pula or 5000? It pays to do a bit of prep doesn’t it? Entering Gaborone was a pleasant experience as the traffic was probably the most laid back of any capital city I have been in. On the way to my hotel on “The Mall,” in the heart of the city, a motorcycle courier nodded hello and then chatted with me at the next light. After checking in I wandered around downtown, checking out the market on the mall and the parliament buildings. At a KFC I saw the motorcycle delivery rider again and chatted with him. He said he had sent me an email (!) about a motorcycle breakfast run on Sunday. Sure enough I checked my mail and there was a nice letter from Phazha with a picture he took of me riding into town and brochures for the ride. He had taken a picture of the map on my saddlebag which has www.ekke-audrey.ca on it and then followed the link to my email. Pretty solid detective work! Friday was a day of exploring Gaborone. The National Museum didn’t have too many displays and the one I was really interested in (origins of the country) was closed until April. At least the museum was worth what I paid for it (it was free). But that left plenty of time then to walk a couple of kilometres over to the Three Dikgosi monument, honouring the three men who were influential in the shaping of modern Botswana. That and some time in a couple of coffee shops made for a relaxing stay in this laid-back capital city.

Entering Botswana and right away things look different






Entering Gaborone and the courier rider takes my photo (and emails it to me)


The Cresta President Hotel backs on the Mall where a street market is set up


A sunset walk to the parliament buildings


Botswana's Parliament


The first president of Botswana after independence in 1966




The next day is museum day


Love the exterior design of the museum


Once I knew what this was, I saw signs for them in most communities I travelled through


I always love the presidential cars exhibits in national museums


The three Daimlers used for presidential purposes


The first presential Daimler


I love transportation!


A small women's art exhibit upstairs in the museum


Walking back to the Mall under the Pula Arch. (Pula means the coming rain and is also the name of the currency)


Walking a couple of kilometres to the statues


I am going to the memorial museum dedicated to Khama III tomorrow


Back at the parliament buildings I notice the "kraal" behind the presidential statue


Yes, a symbolic Kgotla at the parliament 


The street market is set up again on the Mall


And then it takes two hours to disassemble in the evening


At 6:00 AM they start assembling the market again


Going to stay in Palapye tonight so I can get to this event at 7:30 AM Sunday morning

Saturday, January 24 – Gaborone to Palapye

I left Gaborone and crossed the Tropic of Capricorn, northbound, heading towards Serowe. There I wanted to visit the Seretse Khama III memorial museum to learn more of the history of Botswana. Khama III was one of the Three Kiglosi or great chiefs and the grandfather of Seretse Khama, the first president of Botswana after independence in 1966. The doors for the museum reception were locked but as I was heading back to the bike, Kabo came out and gave me a tour of the museum. He had lots of great stories about both of the leaders. The grandson (first president) married a white woman while attending Oxford in the UK. This was a bit of a scandal at the time (1948) because the hereditary chief doesn't typically choose his own wife, nevermind one from a different country or a different skin colour. But eventually it was worked out (including banishment) and having the first president (almost 20 years later) in a biracial marriage led to Botswana being the open and inclusive country it is today. 

Leaving Gaborone

Northbound




A comprehensive museum about Seretse Khama III


Khama III, one of the Three Dikgosi played an important role in the birth of Botswana


Khama III in a Kgotla


Seretse Khama, the first president of Botswana, married a white woman in the UK

Sunday January 25 – Palapye to Nata

Saturday night I stayed in Palapye so that I could join the Ubuntu Breakfast Ride at 7:30 AM Sunday morning. About 30 people showed up for this, the tenth anniversary ride. As we were mingling before the start of the ride, Masego asked if she could ride pillion and I said sure. It was nice to have the company on the bike as we rode through the countryside passing through villages. After stopping at a village to mingle some more we rode back to Palapye. Just as we turned onto the main road (leading to the border with South Africa) another motorcycle joined our group coming from the direction of South Africa. I caught up to him and noticed the bike had a Quebec licence plate! I pulled up beside him and shouted that I was from Alberta. It would have been nice to chat with him but when our group went to ride around Palapye he went back to the highway. The Ubuntu riders ended up at Pub Twenty2 at 11:30 for speeches and ordered lunch. I still needed to ride almost 400 kilometres to Nata but thought if I had lunch now I wouldn’t need to stop for lunch on the road. By 1:20 I still didn’t have my food but really needed to get going, so said goodbye to my new friends and hit the road. I arrived in Nata before sunset, but the dark rain clouds made for an early twilight. The new lodge wasn’t on the map yet (the owner said I was their third guest) so I ended up on some sandy tracks looking for it. When I stopped, I was quickly surrounded by a group of kids wanting to help. No one knew of the Makgadikgadi Riverview though. I finally used WhatsApp to phone the lodge (no answer) and when the kids saw the WhatsApp profile picture of a horse statue they knew immediately where it was. They ran ahead and I dutifully I followed them down a few more sandy tracks to get to the rear entrance of the hotel. Unfortunately, the hotel didn’t have a restaurant, so I needed to go back to a gas station for a bite to eat before those dark clouds opened up. At least I now knew the shorter, sandy track to the highway. Whew, what a day.

Gathering for the Ubuntu Bikers Breakfast Run


Getting the rider's briefing from the organizer and the police


Heading out behind our police escort


My new pillion, Masego


Stop at a village for more mingling with new friends

All the bikes lined up

Masego and her daughter


Bathusi, the Gold Wing rider


Returning to Palapye


When we rejoin the main road a new bike joins the group. With Quebec licence plates!


Lunch (not!) at Pub Twenty2


My Ubuntu Ride badge


Now, 400 kilometres to Nata


They're harder to spot when they're lying down


My bike turned over 250,000 km!


A quarter of a million kilometres and 19 years old, still looks OK


Wait, what?!? I have to watch for elephants too?


Dark storm clouds means an early twilight


The Nata River is running very high


Pulling into Nata


Found the Makgadikgadi Riverview and its famous horse statue

Monday, January 26 – Nata to Kasane

Wildlife! Elephants and ostriches and elands and giraffes, oh my! In the wet season (I will get to that in a moment) wildlife sightings are not as frequent, so I am glad I saw some lovely animals today. It was an easy ride except for some seriously potholed construction zones. And then there was an enormous elephant beside the road! Amazing! A little further along a pair of ostriches were a bit more skittish than the elephant and scampered into the bush on my approach. Same with the elands. Riding along I saw a huge giraffe lope across the road in the distance and when I got there it had gone to hide behind the first bush. Its rump was still sticking out and it was peeking over the bush, so it wasn’t hiding all that well. As I approached Kasane, dark storm clouds signalled that my luck with avoiding the rain was about to run out. When I saw the rain coming down ahead of me, I whipped a U-turn and beat a hasty retreat of a kilometre or so to put on the rain gear. After some on and off again thundershowers, I arrived at the Old House just as it started pouring rain again. I had planned for a cruise on the Chobe River that afternoon but that wasn’t going to happen during the storm. Oh well. Still, I am so happy with my first wildlife sightings!

Leaving the Makgadikgadi Riverview via the front gate


Only 300 metres of sandy track going this way


Quite a few sections of construction and potholes


Cool, termite mounds


Reportedly a wonderful place to stay, but the timing didn't work out for me (I would have had to miss the Ubuntu Ride)


Run, Ekke, run!


Well, hello there




140 km to Kasane, my destination near the border with Zambia


A giraffe galloped across the road and tried to hide in the bushes


Yes, I can still see you


My luck with riding in the rain is about to run out


A wall of water and a hasty retreat


Rain gear on just as the storm approaches


When it's not raining the rain suit is like a sauna and needs to be opened up


Arrival in Kasane





Well, I guess we're not going for a boat cruise

Tuesday, January 27 – Kasane to Livingstone, Zambia

What a great way to finish my time in Botswana! I met Heidi Van der Merwe. She is a liver cancer survivor and is riding a Harley Davidson Pan America to raise awareness of the disease. As an extra added challenge, she is riding with her dog, Harley. (I guess if I had a dog, it would be named Beemer or Boxer) This makes borders especially challenging from a paperwork perspective. She rode from Livingstone early in the morning so she could get to the Kazungula border crossing in time to process Harley into Botswana and then ride as far south as possible, hopefully Francistown. I checked out of the Old House and rode a few kilometres out of Kasane to a gas station and mall near the border to wait for her. It took quite a while, but she sent me messages on WhatsApp to keep me up to date on her arrival time. I grabbed a Stoney (a brand of ginger beer) and waited at the Hungry Lion. At a little after 11:00 I heard the sound of the Pan America, and she pulled up. She still needed to go to the official veterinary office in Kasane for the dog paperwork but had some time to visit. It was such a pleasure to meet her, especially because she had just done almost exactly the same trip as I am riding. You can follow Heidi on her Facebook and Instagram pages where she has great write ups on her travels (in Afrikaans but Facebook will translate for you) and also give you the option to donate to her cause. Then at about Noon we parted ways, I rode across the new bridge to Zambia, destination Livingstone and Victoria Falls and she was off to the vet in Kasane and then hopefully on to Francistown.

The Chobe River cruise boats docked up at The Old House


Waiting for Heidi at the Hungry Lion


I love ginger beer!


The sound of a Harley Davidson Pan America alerts me to Heidi's arrival


Getting Harley's leash


I think Harley is sticking out his tongue at me because I ride a BMW


Scan to QR code to go to Heidi's Instagram page


Going our separate ways after our brief visit


Crossing the Zamezi River to Zambia


Where the Chobe and Zambezi come together


Back in my day we had to ride through the Zambezi (2008, southbound from Munich to Cape Town)


The integrated border contral station for both Botswana and Zambie is on the Zambian side of the river

Map of my ride through Botswana



Chapter 4: Zambia

Chapter 4: Zambia

Tuesday and Wednesday, January 27 and 28 – Kasane, Botswana to Livingstone, Zambia

Victoria Falls, Zambia! I crossed the Zambezi River to the combined customs building on the Zambian side. The building had the exit from Botswana on the left and the entry into Zambia on the right side of the hall. And the booths were helpfully labelled and numbered. Exiting Botswana was super easy (and getting the Carnet stamped out of the SACU was a nonissue) and then I crossed the hall to enter Zambia. Instead of the two wickets on the Botswana side, here there  were half a dozen which included an insurance booth (mandatory before they would stamp the Carnet) and a computer station where I could pay the road tax, carbon tax and the bridge toll. So a bit more work but still not especially difficult. Then it was a short ride of 70 kilometres to Livingstone. The roads were wet in spots but I missed the rain until the last 300 metres to the hotel. Then the heavens opened up. I parked up under a tree and checked in. After the rain had stopped I went for a walk around town, with the goal of checking out the Golden Leaf restaurant for reportedly delicious Indian food. Alas, they were closed for maintenance. A pizza at Debonaire's it was then. Wednesday morning, I rode the 11 kilometres to the Smoke that Thunders where parking was free but entry to the park was US$20. I think these are the most spectacular falls I have seen (which includes Fos de Iguatsu and Niagara Falls as well as a bunch of spectacular falls in Iceland). Even more impressive is that the Zambian side of the falls is about 1 kilometre wide and the Zimbabwe side is another 700 metres. Since I declined to rent a poncho I was soaked in a matter of moments. That afternoon, after drying off and getting a change of clothes at the hotel I walked over to the Livingstone Museum which had displays on the origins of humanity, village life, local fauna and of course an exhibit dedicated to Dr. David Livingstone. Unfortunately, no photos allowed inside this fascinating museum. Afternoon coffee and a scone at Cafe au Lait was a tasty treat. I had a read through the Zambia chapter written by Audrey in 2008, what a treat! Link to Chapter 16: Zambia.

Yep, in a different country. Here there is charcoal for sale every few hundred metres


And lots of people on bicycles (which means it isn't common for vehicles to drive on the shoulder)


Wet roads occasionaly but I missed the rain


I love these signs when I've been to places: Rio de Janeiro, Mt. Everest and Northern Lights


St. Theresa's Catholic church in Livingstone


The Livingstone Museum I'll visit tomorrow


Ah, that's why it wasn't that expensive. The Fairmount hotel, not the Fairmont


One entry ticket


What could be beyond this point?


Wow, spectacular rainbow! Apparently you can see a rainbow here on a full moon.


A small section of the 1.7 kilometre wide Victoria Falls

Soaked in a matter of seconds


Well, at least I don't need to do laundry this week


Lush green grass has a constant supply of water


Probably not a glacier lily


Looking across to Zimbabwe






Back along the Knife's Edge


Taking the trail down to the Boiling Pot you have to be careful not to trip over the baboons


I think I am just going to relax right here






Lovely baobob on the way back up the Boiling Pot trail


No photos allowed inside so that's it




Who could this be?




A Canadian connection!

Thursday and Friday, January 29 and 30 – Livingstone to Lusaka

I was a bit reluctant to ride from Livingstone to Lusaka in one day, with a distance just shy of 500 kilometres. Back in 2008, when we rode the reverse direction, this road was full of potholes, and it was slow going. (Chapter 16: Zambia) But when I left Livingstone on Thursday I was greeted with picture-perfect pavement. The first 100 kilometres seemed to pass by in the blink of an eye with light traffic, nice weather and of course that perfect pavement. There were a couple of toll stations where signs indicated the tolls were being used for “sustainable maintenance”. The toll for a car was 20 kwachas (about $1.30) and I would happily have paid but motorcycles were free. The only slow downs were in hectic towns that had numerous speed bumps and at the occasional railroad crossing that would have a queue up to a kilometre long as vehicles (especially trucks) had to crawl over the rough crossing. The traffic built up as I approached Lusaka but was always well-behaved. On Friday I walked over to the Lusaka National Museum, past the huge bus and train terminal complex and associated markets. It was quite crowded, and I had two instances where a man came up to me and started a friendly conversation. Then walked quite close to me, even brushing against me. They were obviously trying to pickpocket me, but I kept my hands on my pockets (I should have transferred my wallet to my bag beforehand) and they came away empty handed. I hope they enjoyed the conversation. The museum itself had art and the story of Kenneth Kaunda (first president of Zambia) on the lower level where photos were allowed and a display similar to the Livingstone Museum with archeological exhibits and the history of Zambia on the second level where photos were not allowed. It’s too bad photos weren’t allowed because they certainly help me remember things. I walked back to the hotel on a longer route that passed through a university campus that felt much safer, stopping at a Steers restaurant for lunch. That afternoon I did a little more trip planning, using Heidi's trip reports to get a better idea of what the Great Northern Road would be like as I ride towards Tanzania.

Leaving Livingstone


Wow, what perfect pavement


Cutting the grass using a scythe


No tolls for motorcycles


Entering Lusaka


Anyone else think it's ironic that the Freedom statue is behind a fence?


The statue commemorates those who gave their lives for Zambian independence


The Lusaka National Museum


Gorgeous art exhibit in the atrium


The ground level had the story of Kenneth Kaunda, the first president of Zambia


President Kaunda was influential in southern Africa politics

Saturday, January 31 – Lusaka to Fika Lodge

I left Lusaka on Saturday morning, going against the traffic heading into the city. Whenever there are predictable queues of traffic (like rush hour or at a speed bump) there will be people selling everything from bananas to popcorn to sunglasses. This allows you to reframe congestion. It isn’t so much a delay in your trip but a shopping opportunity. After a few shopping opportunities I was out of the core and heading north on a four-lane road that soon turned into a two-lane road with the other side being under construction. This went on for a couple of hours, all the way to Kabwe where I stopped at a Hungry Lion for an ice cream. At Mposhi, a little further north, the Great North Road turned east while the T3 continued north. Mposhi was especially hectic with truck traffic, but the traffic dropped off significantly when I left town and it was much more relaxed riding. Soon I pulled into the Fika Lodge, a spot that Heidi Van der Merwe had stopped at and really enjoyed. I relaxed in the restaurant with a cappuccino (more a cafe au lait) and a chocolate bar. For dinner I noticed bobotie on the menu, a dish that I make regularly at home from a Knorr package. The flavours were similar, but “my” (Knorr) recipe had a few different ingredients (like green beans and green apple) but it was fun having it in the “wild”.

Heading out of Lusaka on Saturday morning


Four-lane highway doesn't last long


Lots of construction


Hectic going through the many towns






Hungry Lion ice cream time!


Bit of a mess at Mposhi (this kind of truck chaos seems to happen wherever there is a weighbridge)


Then it is clear sailing on the Great North Road




A really nice cabin, though a bug the size of my hand freaked me out when I went to close the mosquito net that evening


Cappuccino and a bit of trip planning


Bobotie on the menu!


OK, not quite the same as make at home but tasty

Sunday, February 1 – Fika Lodge to Mpika

Sunday morning, I chatted with Johan Olivier, owner of the Land Cruiser pulling half a dozen BMWs on a trailer. He runs a South African tour company called Wild at Heart and he was bringing the bikes to Tanzania to run a tour. Our paths may cross over the next few days as I head to Tanzania as well. The riding was still nice when I left the Fika Lodge, on a good road with very little traffic. The reason for the lack of traffic became apparent before I got to Serenje. I came upon a queue of trucks several kilometres long. I passed the long line, ducking back into line when the occasional car came from the other direction. When I came upon the section where both lanes were jammed, I started squeezing the big BMW between the trucks and buses to get to the front. There I found a washout had created two enormous potholes (maybe a metre deep) blocking all traffic. People were filling one of the holes with sticks and stones and a couple of trucks had just started crawling across when I arrived. I crossed on the “bridge” between the holes and followed the trucks for several kilometres, stopping every now and again as an oncoming car blocked our progress. Finally we cleared the opposing queue and I passed the trucks with a clear road ahead. I gassed up in Serenje and emailed Johan to let him know of the blockage and struck out again on the Great North Road. From here the road became much more difficult to negotiate. The shoulders of the road were crumbling off with a sharp drop off and potholes, so the tarmac section narrowed down far enough that the trucks had difficulty passing each other. Soon I figured out a bit of a pattern, whenever I saw skid marks, I knew that there was a pothole coming up (the skid marks were from trucks slamming on the brakes to avoid the pothole or an oncoming truck also avoiding a pothole). On the motorcycle it was easy enough avoiding the potholes, but sometimes I would get stuck behind a truck weaving all over the road trying to negotiate their way through. Or oncoming traffic would suddenly veer onto my side of the road trying to avoid a huge hole. It made for slow going with the occasional heart stopping moment but eventually I made it to Mpika and the Northern Rock Lodge. I was initially told that they had no room for me (it looked like a conference was being held tomorrow) but while I was on my phone looking for alternatives suddenly one opened up.  Yay! That certainly beat heading back into the rain. Later that evening I got a message from Johan saying that he arrived at about 8:00 PM, well after dark. He said he really missed his motorbike, and I could see why since I beat him here by about five hours.

Johan is taking his tour company's bikes to Tanzania for a tour


Motorcycles still don’t pay a toll but these toll stations they didn’t want me to ride through. No signage indicated I was to take the sidewalk on the other side so I had to push the bike back and ask three vehicles behind me to back up.


Riding is good to Serenje


Ouch


A queue of trucks is several kilometres long but I can pass on the motorbike


Buses passed as well but then got stuck (with the other buses) a few hundred metres from the front


The crowd people is where the blockage is. So close!


Made it over the "bridge" between the holes as people fill the holes with sticks and stones


Stuck behind a truck with no opportunity to pass until we are past the queue on the other side


Had to whip a U-turn and got the raingear on just in time


On the other side of the jack-knifed truck was a rolled minibus


Some close calls as we both avoid potholes


Sharp dropoff means I can't just go to the shoulder when there is oncoming traffic


Skid marks tell me there is a pothole ahead


When two trucks try to avoid a pothole and end up colliding


The other wreck is in the mirror


More rain ahead


There is a truck passing two other trucks on a blind corner in the rain. What could go wrong?


Yay, they have a room for me afterall

Monday, February 2 – Mpika to Isoka

Monday turned out to be quite a short riding day. I knew it wasn’t going to be long, so I did some border preparations in the morning while I had Internet. I contacted a fixer (I had heard and read that this was a fairly chaotic border) via WhatsApp and told him I was crossing from Zambia to Tanzania on Tuesday. He asked me to send him scans of my documents so that he could prepare the paperwork before my arrival. In the end I could probably have stayed a little longer to update Facebook while I had good Internet but with the way the road had been and the rain the day before, I thought I should get going. For about 150 kilometres it was the same road conditions as yesterday with the narrow road and potholes, but then 100 kilometres from Isoka we had a brand new road, with perfect pavement and wide shoulders. When I came across a toll plaza, a sign indicated that a motorcycle was tolled 20 kwachas, like a car, and I was happy to help pay for road maintenance if we could have more roads like this. Alas, they wouldn’t take my money and said motorcycles are free. With a speed limit of 120 km/h I made really good time to Isoka (even though I was riding at 100-110 km/h), getting there just before 2:00. I could have made the remaining 120 kilometres to the border, but I didn’t want to cross late in the afternoon and border towns are usually a bit too hectic for a good night's rest. So I pulled up to the Gracious Lodge when a bakkie stopped and the driver said you want the next building over. I wasn’t sure but followed him over anyway and it also had a Gracious Lodge sign but quite a bit nicer than the one I was at 100 metres away. Weird that they would both be called Gracious Lodge but maybe I was at the old one. In any case the room was nice and clean. There was no Internet and while my cell phone had a good signal it didn’t seem to have any data. Good thing I had downloaded a few books before I left home. What a pleasant afternoon. For 250 kwachas they even brought dinner of chicken and chips to my room (no onsite restaurant). How gracious is that?

Good morning Northern Rock Hotel!


Looks the same as yesterday


Being a truck driver on this route is a hazardous occupation


Sometimes the road was OK


And then... Wow, what a beautiful new road!


Still quite a few pedestrians and cyclists along the road but much better than before


Yay, I can pay for the road maintenance! But no, they wouldn't take my money.


Enjoying the nice ride between rain showers


Looks like I won't be able to avoid the rain much longer


Seems like a nice spot to fill up. Too bad they didn't take a credit card.


The Gracious Lodge next to the Gracious Lodge

Tuesday, February 3 – Isoka to the border of Tanzania

After having a breakfast delivered to my room, it was only 115 kilometres from the Gracious Lodge to the border. With that perfect new road, it was an easy ride and I arrived at Nakonde on the Zambian side of the border at about 10:15. Like most border towns, Nakonde was hectic and then I entered the actual border zone which was really chaotic. Someone came up to me and said they were a friend of Richard, the fixer I had texted the day before, and to follow him. He ran ahead through the chaos until I met Richard at the combined Zambian/Tanzanian customs and immigration building. I could see now why Johan really dislikes this border crossing just from a parking perspective. On the bike it was easy enough to park off the road, in front of the building. Richard guided me first to the health check where they checked my Yellow Fever vaccination card and then to Zambian immigration to get stamped out. That was quick and easy. Right next to that was the Tanzanian immigration which was a bit more convoluted. I had to fill in a card with my information and then we had a discussion about getting a transit visa or a 90-day tourist visa. Since I was coming back through Tanzania, they suggested the more expensive tourist visa because then I wouldn’t have to pay again when re-entering from Kenya. With that figured out, I then took a piece of paper to a bank in the same building where they took my US$50 and gave me a receipt to give to immigration who then stamped my passport. (Though it said “single entry” I was assured by the immigration office that I could enter Tanzania again if I came from an East African Community country, like Kenya) Now Richard took over with my carnet, getting it stamped out of Zambia and into Tanzania (with various customs officials coming out to inspect my bike and its VIN). This process took a while but after about two hours I was ready for Tanzania!

Good morning Isoka!


Downtown Isoka


Out on the nice highway with the 120 km/h speed limit you still have to watch for pedestrians and cyclists


A traffic jam, I mean, shopping opportunity




Still no luck trying to pay the toll


He really should have a "wide load" sign


Entering the border zone at Nakonde it was a chaotic mess of unlabelled buildings and a jumble of cars and trucks (glad I got a fixer)

Tracks through Zambia

 

Chapter 5: Tanzania

Chapter 5: Tanzania

Tuesday, February 3 – Zambian border to Utengule Coffee Lodge (near Mbeya)

After exiting the border zone at 12:30 (I had entered at 10:30), I went with Richard, the fixer, to buy some insurance. He thought it would be possible to buy COMESA insurance, valid for most of the countries I was travelling to, but the person selling that was out of the office. So he bought insurance valid just for Tanzania. I paid him and he said he would send a copy of the insurance via WhatsApp. Later, when I received the insurance certificate, the invoice was for a lot less than what I paid Richard. Either he mistakenly charged me for the COMESA, or he blatantly ripped me off. I have had something similar happen when using a fixer to buy insurance before. The problem is that he does his business with the insurance broker while I wait by the bike so I have no idea what really transpires. Mental note: don’t let fixers buy the insurance. Anyway, I was in Tanzania! I had booked the Utengule Coffee Lodge, just before Mbeya which was about 100 kilometres away. As was normal near a border the truck traffic was pretty heavy and the roads were crowded with tuk-tuks and small motorcycles (that’s different from Zambia!) so it took a couple of hours to reach the lodge. It was 8 kilometres up a rough road from the main highway but oh so worth it when I got there. It was situated on a hillside with spectacular views, so I ordered a cappuccino and a handful of shortbread cookies to enjoy on the veranda. A coffee-infused carbonara was tasty for dinner as was the coffee mousse for dessert (hey, it’s a coffee lodge!). As I was finishing my carbonara Angus and Sally showed up. I had seen them at the border earlier, but their process took a lot longer. Five hours versus my two. Their challenge was getting the temporary import permit as UK citizens with a South African registered Land Rover. We had an absolutely lovely evening together, sharing travel stories. Hopefully our paths will cross again as they have a gorilla trek booked for February 17 and mine is February 15.

Richard the fixer sends me the insurance documents

Wow, this is different from Zambia, tuk-tuks and motorcycles!




Wide Load


Sorry for the poor picture quality, but I just had to try and get a photo of the Tanzania traffic cops. Great outfits and I love the rubber boots.


Oh, that sunshade looks like a good idea. I wonder if it would work at 100 km/h on my bike?


A future BMW rider! (Also, I love dad's Valencia MotoGP circuit T-shirt)


Turn off the main highway and head up to the Coffee Lodge


School's out!




Dirt track heading up


Reception has a nice rhinoceros horn to hang your hat while you check in


Nice!

The pool might be nice if it wasn't the rainy season


Some of the welcoming committee


When I took this picture, I thought what am I going to do with those coffee beans and flower petals? But they had a turn down service so when I got back from dinner it was all cleaned up and the mosquito netting put down.


I have to remind myself every now and again that it is February


Cappuccino with a view




Doesn't that sound delicious?


Yep, delicious indeed