Africa bound!

We're off tomorrow for a cycling trip in South and East Africa. We land in Johannesburg, and fly out of Dar Es Salaam 11 weeks later, with more kilometres in between than we can possibly cycle, so we already know we will be making use of a few trains, trucks, busses, boats, or whatever other forms of transportation present themselves to us.

How did you decide where to cycle in Africa? This question has been asked of us a few times.
Well, we looked at some maps and dreamt a bit. Then we used the internet to see if anyone else has done anything like this. We found the website of Amaya and Eric, who have been cycling the world for years, and have over 85,000 km under their bike tires. They have a great article posted debunking some of the myths about the continent: www.worldbiking.info/resources/Top_Ten_Myths_Cycling_Africa_Bike_Touring_Resources.html Coincidentally, they are currently in Argentina and cycling some of the same places that Chris and I went.

We asked them about their favourite places in Africa, then planned a route going through many of them, doing a lot of reading of websites and guidebooks. You can see our potential route in the two maps here. The google map shows more details, but it makes it look like we are biking through the Congo, which is not true - I didn't know how to make google let us take a boat up the lake between Tanzania and the Congo, or a boat across Lake Victoria, both of which are good possibilities.

How do you prepare for such a trip? is another question we've been asked. Besides the research and buying our flights, most of the work has been in getting vaccinations and medications and getting our bikes ready.

I am bringing my trusty bike, protagonist of earlier adventures in this blog, who now has a name: Mo (after its new moustache handlebar - not to be confused with Nelson's handlebar moustache). Nelson didn't have a bike that would be appropriate, so we contacted Kona who does wonderful work supporting the use of bicycles in Africa through their AfricaBikes program: www.konaafricabike.com . They gave Nelson a great deal on a new bike, for which we are very grateful. More at: konaworld.com

We also have the good fortune of being friends with the Bike Doctor in Vancouver, who let us use his bike shop and gave us tons of advice and help, plus a skookum deal on everything we needed. Thanks Pol! Please see: www.thebikedr.com

How do you take three months off to do a trip like this? is probably the question we've been asked the most, though. What can I say? We are very fortunate to work with and for people who understand the importance of doing stuff like this. As for affording it, Eric and Amaya probably say it best in their article about financing a world biking tour: http://www.worldbiking.info/resources/Financing-Bike-Tours.html Not buying a vehicle when we moved to Nelson was certainly a key ingredient, plus lots of DIY (do-it-yourself) fun.