At breakfast, even the table was so cluttered, I could barely eat without spilling my coffee or knocking over the plates, glasses, cups, baskets, flowers, napkins, more lamps, beads, them lace mat thingy me bobs, each table even had its own toaster. There was a lovely view out of the window overlooking the similarly cluttered garden so I set about the task of relocating the tables contents on to the table opposite. Oops, the waitress notices, snitches the objects back and slam them down back on to my table. Ok, that’s it, I’m out of here. Give me a campsite

I excitedly walk round to the BMW showroom to pick up Livingstone. I knew he wouldn’t be ready but I missed him, and wanted to see Gavin at work. Along the way I safely walk the streets of Upington to call at the local camping shop, but its closed. At the showroom, Gavin was half way through the service. I ask if the shaft oil is due to be replaced, Gavin replies telling me he had already changed it and does so on every service, now that’s what I call having pride in your job. The used oil was white

After a day and a half locked in my room with depression at the thought of this adventure coming to an end, I wake up this morning in a better mood. The sun is out and Livingstone is calling. I can’t wait to hit the road to see what the next town has to show me. A relatively short ride planned today from Vryburg to Upington. Along the way, I pass some stop/go signs and roadwork’s but nothing too disruptive and the road is long and straight the whole way. From Vryburg to Uppington, there is nothing but red deserted

449 miles I leave the unwelcoming Francistown and head South towards South Africa. For once, I am unsure of my plans and just keep riding. Up to now, I haven’t been lonely along this adventure and when I have been riding with fellow ABR’s I often look forward to going my own way. Today is different, I’m alone and 10,000 miles away from home. I like the loneliness and want it to continue. As the famous Ted Simon wrote, “Helmets are dangerous places”. Well I agree, especially when it’s been stuck in one for over 10,000 miles. Cattle, donkeys and

Setting off early from my Livingstone lodge in Zambia, I soon cross the mighty Zambezi River using the well-known bridge into Zimbabwe acting as a natural border. Crossing the bridge I see the empty falls revealing its sharp cliff faces. There was nothing to pay leaving Zambia and had my passport and carnet stamped in super-efficient time. Entering Zimbabwe I had to purchase a visa even for my very short stay at accost of 45 USD. Also, I had to pay towards the carbon emissions tax which Livingstone may cause during his journey through Zimbabwe at a cost of just

For a change, a lie in this morning, waking just in time for my all inclusive English breakfast whilst the thatched roof was removed from above. It had come to the end of its ten year life and the proprietor was taking the opportunity to replace during the off peak season. As it goes, Im the only one here at the Bush Front campsite. I like it that way, it’s peaceful and I receive lots of attention when I need something. For the price and location, I recommend it as a good travellers stop over. It even has a pool

Today, Dai will be proud of me as i totally scrapped my planned third leg of the journey in search of continuing my real African adventure. The rugged roads I once dreaded when riding through Ghana, Cameroon and Congo, I now yearn for. I miss the challenges, people and the cultures. As many of the messages I received describes: “Don’t worry; you are not losing your mind. You have experienced first-hand how difficult and precarious the lives of the common people are in Africa due to no fault of their own. We, only because we were lucky enough to be

An early depart from the luxurious Safari lodge in Etosha National Park, along the boring, straight, long tarmacked road to Popa Falls, a Namibian tourist attraction. The most excitement of the ride, a slight bend in the road then passing through a diseased animal checkpoint where they just waved me through. Next, a police officer’s wagging finger telling me off as I zoomed past his mobile speed camera. I look for the speed limit signs, there aren’t any, so travel at what I think is a safe 70 mph whilst keeping an eye out for nervous goats, which look but

After an early breakfast at the Safari lodge, I jump in the green camouflaged, eleven seated Land Rover four by four to join the rest of our party of six including Jessica, our lovely Ranger. We head off out of the lodge and along the tarmacked road to the park entrance only five miles away. As soon as we entered the tarmac turns to hard compact gravel which makes for a bumpy ride. The sun is rising and can be just seen through the Acacia trees. Up ahead, in the distance, we see a large bull elephant plodding towards us,

0 miles. I lie in this morning and wake just in time for a breakfast of cereal, coffee and bread with jam. The choice is overwhelming compared to my usual porridge cooked on my gas stove. Today, I had nothing planned so relax around the deserted pool and watch the wild water hog family strip the grass from the recently watered lawns. The two younger hogs play fight by violently colliding tusks. I sneak up quietly to take a photo, but the mother turns quickly and charges at me. I take a step back just missing the pools edge, I

Miles unknown Bruce being the doer he is clears our rubbish whilst I crouch behind my designated bush to do the business, and then cover with sand. We debate whether to pay the chief some lodgings, Bruce is against it and I understand why but Adrian and I think that considering his pigs have just eaten the poo we buried and used his firewood then we should pay him something, so make a small contribution and bid our farewells to his family. To re-join the road, we need to climb a steep bank of sand left behind by the heavy

Miles unknown. Before departing our triple shared room, Adrian asks the porter if there is anywhere for us to buy Angolan stickers for our panniers. There isn’t, but the porter pulls an old suitcase out from beneath his bed full of merchandise. He kindly hands out T shirts, badges and baseball caps all printed with the current Presidents face, name and slogan. The T shirts are clean so we take the opportunity to replace the dirty, sweaty ones we’re wearing. It was hilarious; we looked like some kind of party promoters all wearing the same bright white T shirts and

Miles unknown. Now I have successfully completed the Congo’s, I feel my unbreakable motorcycle has now earned a name for itself. I only received two suggestions, one of which is a sure winner and I could not of thought of a more suitable name. I hereby, proudly name my motorcycle “Livingstone Congo”. I’m sorry Aunty Anne, “Mighty Marfa”, didn’t really compete. Along todays ride, I cross an old bridge. Whilst doing so I put on my glasses to protect my eyes from the dusty road. I notice a metal sheet covering a whole in the surface so aim straight for

To be published. Here’s a sneak preview: “Soon after, as Advised by Louis I turn left off the major road and on to a gravel track. The rain poured and soon the track became a shallow fast flowing river and with no where for the water to drain it became deeper and deeper.”

To be published. Here’s a sneak preview: “The ferry had now docked and the carrying boys started to unload the heavy bags of merchandise from Kinshasa. Before they fully unloaded my agent instructed me to bring my motorcycle through the crowded port gates and up to the ramp. With my legs shaking form fear, I engaged first gear and gradually made my way through the crowd whilst revving my engine to warn the brawling crowd I was coming through no matter who was in my way. Nearing the ramp, a security guard tells me to wait for the boat to

To be published. Here’s a sneak preview: Miles unknown. “Louis has been on the road for almost two years and has no end destination, visas, carnet or planned route. He will go where permitted and has managed to get this far without the expensive documentation I took so long to prepare. A true adventurer in my eyes.” “That evening, we all meet for dinner at the Hippo where we are joined by some UN helping clean up the aftermath of an arms depot explosion which caused a crater 500 meters wide and injured 3000 people. I find this amazing it’s

To be published. Here’s a sneak preview: Miles unknown. “The ladies follow behind and chuckle at the thought of this white man taking a bath in their river. Along the way we pass three man made ponds covered with Lilli pads where father and son fish with cane rods and some kind of animal gut. Their catch is small but plentiful. In one of the ponds women wash vegetables and the skin presumably eaten by the fish. Another pond, woman wash clothes with huge bars of what look like natural soap. We arrived at a paradise oasis with a natural

Approx. 120 miles ? To be published. Here’s a sneak preview: “What happened next I can say for sure is the most emotional evening of my life. I hear the choir begin to sing just next from the church adjoining my chalet. Their voices loud and beautiful accompanied by the beating of a drum. Although not Catholic, I can’t resist but to dress in my best clothes and go to witness a local ceremony. The church is in darkness because there is no power, apart from four candle lights all placed in one corner of the church where the thirty