Flash back from before the trip

As promised we will start posting reflections on the Crossing Africa trip, including some stats mined from the GPS and our diaries.

The first update will cover our highlights and lowlights of the pre-trip planning stage. To see the blog posts during this period click on: http://www.crossingafrica.co.za/c200c/pre-trip-planning/

Francois’s highlight:

Tania and I are not the best at planning and admin, and as a result we left most of the important stuff to the last minute. The highlight of this part of the trip must be preparing the bikes for the trip. After we picked up the bikes from Motomia we spent one all-nighter at Eon and Mari’s fitting the GPS and a Hella plug to my bike and a 12V cigarette lighter plug on Tania’s. I lost the latter fitting’s bracket and we subsequently fashioned one from one of Mari’s baking trays.

We also spent the second to last night at our place fitting the drain pipe tubes (that housed the spare tubes and our rain coats) and other spares to the bikes. My favourite photo was of the first test ride with Eon on the back. It was too cold outside so we staged the ride in the living room:

Francois’s lowlight:

There weren’t many, but I think for me it has to be when the AA phoned me informing me that the minimum value on the Carnet de Passage is higher than the value of the bikes. This put some serious strain on the budget, but was sorted when the bank gave us an indemnity letter. Now we just hope the bikes arrive in SA! When I got the news from the AA I said to Tania maybe we should just turn around in Ethiopia and come back. Luckily she talked some serious sense into my head!

Tania’s highlight:

Riding my brand new 200cc Motomia for the first time, starting out with only 2km on the clock and realising I will be doing what I love for the next three months.

Tania’s lowlight:

Sorting out the final admin for the trip, whilst still working full-time in the last month before leaving for Cairo. Thank goodness women can multi-task!

This shot (excuse the pun!) was my favourite in the pre-trip planning phase. The doctor had a hard time focusing on giving me these shots trying not to laugh while the two of us had fun taking this pic.

And for a final trip down memory lane, we have put together the following video for you… enjoy!

 If you have trouble opening the video above you can also click here to watch it on YouTube.