Cheers...just strolling along the seafront now, turn around and have to eject a teenager who is sitting on the bike
(and whom I had just told 'dont touch')
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Gael warning in the Congo
- Thread starter simondippenhall
- Start date
(and whom I had just told 'dont touch')
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The offender on right
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I neglected to mention that in Port Sudan I met the only other overland bikers ...4 guys who were taking a scuba diving break. I net two again by coincidence the next day at Suakin
João on the left is from Madeira and Michel (??) on right is Belgian.
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João on the left is from Madeira and Michel (??) on right is Belgian.
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Thanks Naveed and all your friends for the generous reception and all the help you gave me!
The same generous spirit was evident today when I filled up with fuel. An older gentleman was coming out of the adjacent shop, saw me and welcomed me. He insisted on giving me a packet of biscuits from his shopping as a gift.
before wishing me well for my travels.
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The same generous spirit was evident today when I filled up with fuel. An older gentleman was coming out of the adjacent shop, saw me and welcomed me. He insisted on giving me a packet of biscuits from his shopping as a gift.
before wishing me well for my travels. Sent from my G8441 using Tapatalk
Genuine hospitality (as opposed to the fake version which is based on being after something) is a real pleasure and does wonders to your impression of a place, and you memories of it
Indeed, Jock and I have really enjoyed it, most recently here in Saudi but also in Sudan. Sadly Ethiopia seems to be all about the money!
I am conscious the update has been very disjointed. Let me be a bit more organised :
Last night my plan was to go to Al Ula where there are fabulous Nabatean rock buildings... Saudis Petra.
But Naveeds friend Shehab had advised me to check it was still open. Good thing he did... As it's closed until 2020. Unfortunate timings with Saudi opening for tourism! And personally disappointing... but at least I got to Petra 11 years ago when I rode the GS to Syria and Jordan.
So I left the hotel at 0635 profiting from the light weekend traffic.
And basically I sat on the bike until 16.15 when I found a hotel in Duba.
The 800 kms has NO shade except for below the rare bridges. So little temptation to pull off for a break.
Petrol proved more challenging than expected for two reasons : hardly any fuel
are on the main road so you have to forage in the town which, with the big concrete lane dividers, can mean a long backtrack.
And by lunchtime the were deserted and i started to worry about shortages and weekend closing.
Eventually I realised that my fuel stops every 100 miles or so were coinciding with Friday prayers and, those over, I was eventually able to refill... Although outside Jeddah 95 octane is rare and I have to make do with 91...which is probably a lot better than I have been getting in Africa
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I am conscious the update has been very disjointed. Let me be a bit more organised :
Last night my plan was to go to Al Ula where there are fabulous Nabatean rock buildings... Saudis Petra.
But Naveeds friend Shehab had advised me to check it was still open. Good thing he did... As it's closed until 2020. Unfortunate timings with Saudi opening for tourism! And personally disappointing... but at least I got to Petra 11 years ago when I rode the GS to Syria and Jordan.
So I left the hotel at 0635 profiting from the light weekend traffic.
And basically I sat on the bike until 16.15 when I found a hotel in Duba.
The 800 kms has NO shade except for below the rare bridges. So little temptation to pull off for a break.
Petrol proved more challenging than expected for two reasons : hardly any fuel
are on the main road so you have to forage in the town which, with the big concrete lane dividers, can mean a long backtrack.And by lunchtime the
were deserted and i started to worry about shortages and weekend closing.Eventually I realised that my fuel stops every 100 miles or so were coinciding with Friday prayers and, those over, I was eventually able to refill... Although outside Jeddah 95 octane is rare and I have to make do with 91...which is probably a lot better than I have been getting in Africa
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Hi Naveed, thanks for giving Simon what sounds like a great time, glad we managed to sort something
please give my best regards to DT in Dubai Howard
So after my 800 kms marathon yesterday, I needed food. Found an excellent fish restaurant and has a lovely fresh fish and fried shrimp which were both delicious (although I reckon they overdid the brown rice!)
Walking tiredly home to my hotel, I wondered what today would bring. I woke at 9630 after a 9 hour sleep so I was obviously knackered.
Expecting a hit and sandy ride for the 300 kms to the Jordan border south of Aqaba. I was surprised by how cool it was . I was also surprised by how mountainous it became and I ended up having a lovely ride, even occasionally putting the heated grips on!
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Walking tiredly home to my hotel, I wondered what today would bring. I woke at 9630 after a 9 hour sleep so I was obviously knackered.
Expecting a hit and sandy ride for the 300 kms to the Jordan border south of Aqaba. I was surprised by how cool it was . I was also surprised by how mountainous it became and I ended up having a lovely ride, even occasionally putting the heated grips on!
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I was apprehensive about leaving Saudi as the Jeddah Customs has given me no paper receipt for entry and it had all been so chaotic that I had not followed up with them. I had visions of being sent back 1100 kms to Jeddah to get it
.
And indeed they immediately asked ‘where is your permit ‘. My heart sank. But when I told them Jeddah Customs had not given me anything they laboriously constructed some sort of record on their computer that the motorcycle had left .
So soon I was entering the Jordan frontier. It was very amiable if a little long winded...they gave me a free transit visa for 3 days (I was going directly on to Israel 35 kms away by road). There was lots of to and fro, and I was given tea...but they insisted quite reasonably that I needed insurance for my 49 minute ride through Jordan. So my wallet was lightened by $50 or so for the minimum one month insurance.
The view of the Sinai and the Red Sea made up for a lot
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.And indeed they immediately asked ‘where is your permit ‘. My heart sank. But when I told them Jeddah Customs had not given me anything they laboriously constructed some sort of record on their computer that the motorcycle had left .
So soon I was entering the Jordan frontier. It was very amiable if a little long winded...they gave me a free transit visa for 3 days (I was going directly on to Israel 35 kms away by road). There was lots of to and fro, and I was given tea...but they insisted quite reasonably that I needed insurance for my 49 minute ride through Jordan. So my wallet was lightened by $50 or so for the minimum one month insurance.
The view of the Sinai and the Red Sea made up for a lot
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Once released into Jordan I rode slowly to nearby Aqaba...at one level that completed the London- Capetown-London for this bike and this rider as in 2008 I rode it from home down through Syria to Aqaba (and back).
But that’s irrelevant since I need to bring the bike back into the EU!
So I headed straight to the border near Eilat. Leaving Jordan was easy- they just cancelled my one month insurance, stamped my passport and said goodbye.
I was braced for the long security procedures for Israel
All luggage (including top box contents) has to be carried into the security building and scanned.
Then I repacked the bike and went to Customs. They asked if I had a green card for my planned 6 day visit and I told them my f@@k-witted insurers in U.K. won’t issue a green card anymore.
So I am directed to the exchange office...who spend the next 2.5-3 hours trying to get their computer to work, eventually contacting another border post to get them to issue and fax it. I doze on a nearby bench and eventually, embarassedly, they give me tea and biscuits.
I learn that
a) I cannot leave without insurance
b) they cannot print it
c) I cannot leave the motorcycle in Customs and go to nearby Eilat for the night.
All very Catch 22 and I am looking for comfortable spots to spend the night.
Then the certificate arrives and I ask the cost: ‘oh not very much it’s about 600 shekels’. Clueless and without a local SIM to check I ask what that is in Dollars? ‘Oh about $170’ . WTF
Anyway it’s clearly a form of legalised robbery as there is no competition so, with a very bad grace I emptied my wallet for them.
So I took the cherry to Customs so they could issue a temporary import permit. As they started their hunt and peck typing if the details my highway robber arrived to say there was ‘a problem with the certify’ and we were back to square zero. Seeing my face, the Israeli Customs man went to make me
️ 
.
Eventually it was all resolved except the rip off price...effectively $25 a day...and I set off to Eilat rather tired and grumpy
I had no internet so had to do the old school thing of looking around for hotels.
I came upon a big one near the beach and enquired the price. It was high but they kindly gave me their WiFi ode so with Booking.com I brought it down by 20%. Then the cheery front desk manager arrived and asked me why I was only staying one night. I courteously gave him both barrels about Israeli rip off merchants!
I stretched the reality to explain I was a travel writer and would be blogging my experience (that’s you, guys).
So the kind gentleman decided to reverse my views by upgrading me (twice, I was losing track, to a magnificent suite complete with terrace with private Jacuzzi...as below
He carried the fine name of Abraham Ber Lincoln and was from an Ethiopian family now Israeli
But that’s irrelevant since I need to bring the bike back into the EU!
So I headed straight to the border near Eilat. Leaving Jordan was easy- they just cancelled my one month insurance, stamped my passport and said goodbye.
I was braced for the long security procedures for Israel
All luggage (including top box contents) has to be carried into the security building and scanned.
Then I repacked the bike and went to Customs. They asked if I had a green card for my planned 6 day visit and I told them my f@@k-witted insurers in U.K. won’t issue a green card anymore.
So I am directed to the exchange office...who spend the next 2.5-3 hours trying to get their computer to work, eventually contacting another border post to get them to issue and fax it. I doze on a nearby bench and eventually, embarassedly, they give me tea and biscuits.
I learn that
a) I cannot leave without insurance
b) they cannot print it
c) I cannot leave the motorcycle in Customs and go to nearby Eilat for the night.
All very Catch 22 and I am looking for comfortable spots to spend the night.
Then the certificate arrives and I ask the cost: ‘oh not very much it’s about 600 shekels’. Clueless and without a local SIM to check I ask what that is in Dollars? ‘Oh about $170’ . WTF
Anyway it’s clearly a form of legalised robbery as there is no competition so, with a very bad grace I emptied my wallet for them.
So I took the cherry to Customs so they could issue a temporary import permit. As they started their hunt and peck typing if the details my highway robber arrived to say there was ‘a problem with the certify’ and we were back to square zero. Seeing my face, the Israeli Customs man went to make me
️ 
.Eventually it was all resolved except the rip off price...effectively $25 a day...and I set off to Eilat rather tired and grumpy
I had no internet so had to do the old school thing of looking around for hotels.
I came upon a big one near the beach and enquired the price. It was high but they kindly gave me their WiFi ode so with Booking.com I brought it down by 20%. Then the cheery front desk manager arrived and asked me why I was only staying one night. I courteously gave him both barrels about Israeli rip off merchants!
I stretched the reality to explain I was a travel writer and would be blogging my experience (that’s you, guys).
So the kind gentleman decided to reverse my views by upgrading me (twice, I was losing track, to a magnificent suite complete with terrace with private Jacuzzi...as below
He carried the fine name of Abraham Ber Lincoln and was from an Ethiopian family now Israeli
He also sent up a bottle of wine and some chocolates, and rang me whilst I was at dinner to check everything was to my satisfaction.
So a day that definitely improved.
I then went in pursuit of a SIM card in the mall opposite and was so shocked by the amount of flesh on show by both sexes (I guess Eilat is hedonistic even by Israeli standard?). Such a contrast with the Islamic countries I have been travelling through...and I am not sure which is the better approach
And of course had to make use of my Jacuzzi
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So a day that definitely improved
.I then went in pursuit of a SIM card in the mall opposite and was so shocked by the amount of flesh on show by both sexes (I guess Eilat is hedonistic even by Israeli standard?). Such a contrast with the Islamic countries I have been travelling through...and I am not sure which is the better approach
And of course had to make use of my Jacuzzi
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Btw to return to what this blog is supposed to be about: the silicone repair to the oil plug seat seems to be working 
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It's such a shame you couldn't visit Al Ula. I was just watching BBC World News and they did a feature on this area (Hegra), it looks fantastic.
Bob
Trevor: I agree...I was very disappointed too!
So today I am planning to send my soup to Jerusalem.
Google gave me this route along the Dead Sea
However my reading last night says the West Bank is not the best place...as a minimum there will be lots of security checks, with the possibility of delay.
And I rode alongside the Dead Sea and swam in it on my previous ride to Jordan...and I recall being rather hot.
So I shall instead go via Beersheba...looks more mountainous which is good. Still prospecting for lodging in Jerusalem...seems extremely expensive but I guess it's a tourist magnet, right?
And this morning, as the song goes, I looked over Jordan and what did I see...
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So today I am planning to send my soup to Jerusalem.
Google gave me this route along the Dead Sea
However my reading last night says the West Bank is not the best place...as a minimum there will be lots of security checks, with the possibility of delay.
And I rode alongside the Dead Sea and swam in it on my previous ride to Jordan...and I recall being rather hot
.So I shall instead go via Beersheba...looks more mountainous which is good. Still prospecting for lodging in Jerusalem...seems extremely expensive but I guess it's a tourist magnet, right?
And this morning, as the song goes, I looked over Jordan and what did I see...
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Johan
Registered user
I looked over Jordan, and what did I see? A stadium of silent Englishmen who stopped singing the anthem perhaps?
Just arrived in the Old City of Jerusalem...thank goodness for google maps and live traffic data to get there
A lot of American pilgrims (or at least, their suitcases) clogging up the corridor of my peaceful backstreet hotel...which has secure parking.
And using a motorbike allowed me to bypass the barriers regulating access to the Ild City.
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A lot of American pilgrims (or at least, their suitcases) clogging up the corridor of my peaceful backstreet hotel...which has secure parking.
And using a motorbike allowed me to bypass the barriers regulating access to the Ild City.
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The ride through the Negev desert was spectacular... hadn't expected so much desert and superb scenery
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And my juvenile sense of humour could not resist this
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So last night and today have been spent being a tourist in Jerusalem. wandering the old city and its labyrinthine passages and markets.
I appreciate this is not the stuff for rufty tufty adventure riders (especially those with proper aluminium luggage, unlike me). So I will post some photos later which you can view it ignore as you please.
But as I took an evening stroll near Jaffa St, outside the old city (which has too many tourists for my liking although it's still wonderful) I came upon an outdoor adventure shop having a sale. So I managed to blag a fleece and a proper winter neck warmer - so I feel a little better about the ride from Athens through the mountains to Bulgaria
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I appreciate this is not the stuff for rufty tufty adventure riders (especially those with proper aluminium luggage, unlike me
). So I will post some photos later which you can view it ignore as you please.But as I took an evening stroll near Jaffa St, outside the old city (which has too many tourists for my liking although it's still wonderful) I came upon an outdoor adventure shop having a sale. So I managed to blag a fleece and a proper winter neck warmer - so I feel a little better about the ride from Athens through the mountains to Bulgaria
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