Made it happily to the Suakin ferry and very little sign of oil emissions 
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Gael warning in the Congo
- Thread starter simondippenhall
- Start date
Sudanese road hazard en route
The historic Suakin Port which goes back to Phoenician times and had houses built of coral, now mainly collapsed but supposedly being rebuilt by Turkey
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Basically overkill and worried about the tape end near the exhaust
Plus the more area you have getting heated, the hotter that the rocker cover and also the tapes glue etc is going to get and it may not stick so well for very long!
Better with 3 or 4 complete laps of tape at 20 mm wide to keep the "lid" pressed down than the big "blanket effect" Mark One Design
Jockser wasn't far off the mark either! (for a change!!)
So now sat at Jeddah port awaiting the bike's arrival off the ship.... And hoping the rider is competent (I was not permitted to ride it off myself but I ha e just whizzed through the immigration in 5 minutes even though the new tourist visa caused a ripple of excitement!
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Well done Simon. Really interesting to hear of an alternative route out of Africa!
Cheers Pete.
The boat ride was delightful...excellent AC cabin and even got to drive the boat
The preliminary stuff took forever but I was relaxed and the locals just offered me tea, coffee and conversation.
Then I was allowed on before the cars so I went and had a delightful shower in my cabin
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The boat ride was delightful...excellent AC cabin and even got to drive the boat
The preliminary stuff took forever but I was relaxed and the locals just offered me tea, coffee and conversation.
Then I was allowed on before the cars so I went and had a delightful shower in my cabin
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The first photo above is the Egyptian first officer who basically showed me the ropes but everyone on board was super friendly and helpful to the token European and only motorcyclist.
The bike tank is marked up for Customs purpo
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The bike tank is marked up for Customs purpo
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But before we could leave the ship we all had to have a flu jab and a anti-mengicoccal pill
Then we left the ship and were busses to an effortless immigration process (although the new tourist e visa causes a ripple).
Then we waited the best part of four hours for vehicles to pass Customs...part of which due to the fat f@&£?r who was in charge of the key, deciding to keep us all waiting
.
As we were all noted silly I showed them the map of my circuit of Africa which helped generate lots of chat!
I got a lot of help from this Bahraini in sorting out temporary import and insurance as English vs Arabic alphabet get in the way!
He runs Gulf Air operations in various places (he did 7 years in Iraq, several in Afghanistan, and has just done a few years in Khartoum.) He was bringing his car to his new posting in Jeddah.
As his brother is the Triumph distributor in Bahrain, this guy videoed me so (his words) he could show him ‘what a real motorcyclist looks like’.
Then the bike finally emerged (intact I am glad to say!) I faced the first challenge of this next stage...no GPS mapping!
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Then we left the ship and were busses to an effortless immigration process (although the new tourist e visa causes a ripple).
Then we waited the best part of four hours for vehicles to pass Customs...part of which due to the fat f@&£?r who was in charge of the key, deciding to keep us all waiting
As we were all noted silly I showed them the map of my circuit of Africa which helped generate lots of chat!
I got a lot of help from this Bahraini in sorting out temporary import and insurance as English vs Arabic alphabet get in the way!
He runs Gulf Air operations in various places (he did 7 years in Iraq, several in Afghanistan, and has just done a few years in Khartoum.) He was bringing his car to his new posting in Jeddah.
As his brother is the Triumph distributor in Bahrain, this guy videoed me so (his words) he could show him ‘what a real motorcyclist looks like’.
Then the bike finally emerged (intact I am glad to say!) I faced the first challenge of this next stage...no GPS mapping!
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I have been fretting about this for a while as I rely heavily on my Garmin.
However last night I ensured the Sena (which I don't really use) was charged and got it paired to my iPhone.
And when I rode off from Customs to my selected hotel (thank you Booking.com!) with the iPhone in the map sleeve on the top of my tank bag, and Mrs Googlemaps talking to me, I was delighted how well it worked. (I kept data running on it via a hotpot link to my Android with local SIM).
So if that continues to run well, it will be a great relief as I have no mapping until I get back to Garmin's version of Northern Europe!
Just wish I had packed my recently purchased Quadlock (bought for use on the old r50 which has 6 volt leccy).
View from my digs
The bike won't be parked in THIS lobby
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However last night I ensured the Sena (which I don't really use) was charged and got it paired to my iPhone.
And when I rode off from Customs to my selected hotel (thank you Booking.com!) with the iPhone in the map sleeve on the top of my tank bag, and Mrs Googlemaps talking to me, I was delighted how well it worked. (I kept data running on it via a hotpot link to my Android with local SIM).
So if that continues to run well, it will be a great relief as I have no mapping until I get back to Garmin's version of Northern Europe!
Just wish I had packed my recently purchased Quadlock (bought for use on the old r50 which has 6 volt leccy).
View from my digs
The bike won't be parked in THIS lobby
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Looks like there are motorways to Mecca and Medina with by passes so that you can go around both. Just as well ... . Exit.via Jordan seems inevitable but after that ... Israel? Getting in may be tricky though? Horizons Unlimited should have info?
. Exit.via Jordan seems inevitable but after that ... Israel? Getting in may be tricky though? Horizons Unlimited should have info?
Plan A is to get the ship from Dhuba in Saudi. Timing uncertain but I have a number for an agent in Turkey (the destination) so will call them tomorrow.
Thanks to Howz I have now been put in touch with the BMW service in Jeddah and will bring the bike there in the morning for an oil and filter change and a look at the leaking oil filler.
Looks like I may also be meeting up tomorrow with a local rider and a few GS riders here.
Depending on price and availability I may fit a new rear tyre also.
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Thanks to Howz I have now been put in touch with the BMW service in Jeddah and will bring the bike there in the morning for an oil and filter change and a look at the leaking oil filler.
Looks like I may also be meeting up tomorrow with a local rider and a few GS riders here.
Depending on price and availability I may fit a new rear tyre also.
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A few years back, pre Saudi-Qatar hostilities, a colleague rode a Harley back from Qatar to the UK. He had to have an armed guard/escort through the whole of Saudi.
His route was Qatar - Saudi - Jordan - Syria - Turkey etc
To miss the Syria/Iraq section, what about riding through Saudi and in to the UAe, then a ferry from Sharjah to Iran and then up to Turkey?
His route was Qatar - Saudi - Jordan - Syria - Turkey etc
To miss the Syria/Iraq section, what about riding through Saudi and in to the UAe, then a ferry from Sharjah to Iran and then up to Turkey?
Thanks but
a) no carnet
b) been around Iran on the bike recently
c) way too long
d) November it gets cold over the mountains of Tabriz and into Turkey (DAMHIK)
e) many more frontier crossings
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a) no carnet
b) been around Iran on the bike recently
c) way too long
d) November it gets cold over the mountains of Tabriz and into Turkey (DAMHIK)
e) many more frontier crossings
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Hard to beat a map and a compass at times At least you can head in a direction
Enjoying the report
How is the duct tape repair holding up ?
I doubt I would permit anyone "ride" my bike down to me especially a BM GS given that the average height of a person in the region is about 5 foot 6 !!!
I'd be asking them for the full cost of it first
Enjoying the report
How is the duct tape repair holding up ?
I doubt I would permit anyone "ride" my bike down to me especially a BM GS given that the average height of a person in the region is about 5 foot 6 !!!
I'd be asking them for the full cost of it first
Dr F
Duct tape fine. Bike now at BMW Motorrad for oil and filter change and investigation of leak. Not optimistic as they seems rather clueless but master technician due back tomorrow so hopefully he will be better!
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Duct tape fine. Bike now at BMW Motorrad for oil and filter change and investigation of leak. Not optimistic as they seems rather clueless but master technician due back tomorrow so hopefully he will be better!
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Buy More Duct tape !!
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