Gael warning on the Ivory Coast

[Drumacoon Lad.]

Back in Morocco I've been resting up in Agadir, reading on the beach and watching the locals bathe.


Eating on Moroccan soup and baclava.


It's been a tough few days.

In fact I've been working on a plan to leave the bike here and fly back to pick it up in a few months time. There were 2 issues with this plan, Moroccan customs and finding a suitable safe parking space.

Surprisingly the customs side is easy. You find a safe place to park your vehicle. Then buy a flight ticket and when the police check your passport they will direct you to speak to customs. You tell customs where your vehicle is parked and the give you a form with permission to leave the country. The vehicle can remain here for 6 months.

Sadly the safe parking part of the plan was not so easy. The best I was offered was an outdoor spot on a campsite near the sea. Not an ideal parking spot for a bike for 6 months. So after a few days rest I'm off north in the morning.

Before leaving a felt a short service would do the bike good. The best bike mechanic in Agadir is Omar Echout, so I rode around to him this morning and he immediately started on the bike. He had a way of moving around the bike instinctively checking things, like wheel bearings, chain tension, front forks etc. He did an oil an filter change, cleaned the air filter, fitted a new spark plug etc. He also had a look at the vibration issue and noticed the wheel has had a knock at some time and is not true. He did some spoke adjustments which may help. I'll know better when on the motorway. Omar and helpers at work.


I also met this french guy on his Himalayan who is on his way to Capetown. He also plans to ride along the ore train tracks.


While checking the bike Omad pushed out a few of these in the radiator and it reminded me of riding through a swarm of them in the desert. They were about 6 centimeters long and they stung when the hit you. They look like locusts to me but I'm not sure. This is the remains of one he found.


Tomorrow I'll leave towards Casablanca and then onward towards Tangir Med and the ferry to Spain.

 

[simondippenhall]

And then it started to rain.

I knew that I was just doing this ride to see the mountains rather than to cross the country as originally planned to get to Ivory Coast. So my commitment wavered as I dig out my Scott Ergo waterproof jacket. Why not just turn back?

Of course the jacket did the trick and the rain stopped shortly thereafter. So I recommitted to the ride and ploughed on with the occasional refreshment/get into the shade stop
Soon I was 165 kms into the 257 km trip and feeling good about the last 90 kms to Labe where reputedly there was a lodging with both running water and air conditioning . I was told by one local I had done the worst of the roads so when I stopped to chat to two gendarmes entering the village of Kobo, and asked about the road to Labe, I was shocked when they told me it was ‘tres mauvaise’ with lots of mud.

I carried on a few kms only to come to a vast expanse of red mud, with cars dancing from side to side to cross it, and no reliable estimate of how many kilometres of this stuff lay ahead.

So it didn’t take much time for me to decide that, as rain clouds were threatening again and I would have to return along here the next day better to just turn around here.

So now I faced a 330 kilometre trip rather than a 257 kilometre one but at least the quantities of mud and potholes were a known quantity.

I realised on the way back, when I could enjoy all the twisted even more, that I needed sustenance

 

[Northern jock]

And then it started to rain.

I knew that I was just doing this ride to see the mountains rather than to cross the country as originally planned to get to Ivory Coast. So my commitment wavered as I dig out my Scott Ergo waterproof jacket. Why not just turn back?

Of course the jacket did the trick and the rain stopped shortly thereafter. So I recommitted to the ride and ploughed on with the occasional refreshment/get into the shade stopView attachment 458725
Soon I was 165 kms into the 257 km trip and feeling good about the last 90 kms to Labe where reputedly there was a lodging with both running water and air conditioning . I was told by one local I had done the worst of the roads so when I stopped to chat to two gendarmes entering the village of Kobo, and asked about the road to Labe, I was shocked when they told me it was ‘tres mauvaise’ with lots of mud.

I carried on a few kms only to come to a vast expanse of red mud, with cars dancing from side to side to cross it, and no reliable estimate of how many kilometres of this stuff lay ahead.

So it didn’t take much time for me to decide that, as rain clouds were threatening again and I would have to return along here the next day better to just turn around here.

So now I faced a 330 kilometre trip rather than a 257 kilometre one but at least the quantities of mud and potholes were a known quantity.

I realised on the way back, when I could enjoy all the twisted even more, that I needed sustenance

I like the food stalls with the “food is ready” signs that go up, then a plate of rice, add sauce, add veg, add protein depending on budget and faith in the protein. And a plastic jug of water on the shared tables.
Enjoy.

 

[gspod]

I have a feeling the red and white striped road on the map means road under construction

 

[simondippenhall]

Radio silence as wifi issues stopped le uploading a post describing my return north to Koundara. Hot and bothered, I filled up on my return at the Total station and devoured a couple of cold yogurts.

It was clear the station staff also desired such a delicacy but at €2 a pop () couldn’t afford it…so I treated the three of them, cue much smiling

 

[simondippenhall]

A few more snaps from my chaotic exit from Guinea…it was far more difficult to leave the country than enter! A furnace hot room full of shouting police and semi illiterate agents trying to type in lots of complex and unnecessary data (eg who cares the age of my bike when it’s leaving ? Why take my fingerprints again ?). And yet I was one of the lucky ones who got processed first amidst a sea of travelers.

They tried to scam me that I had overstayed my 5 days (beyond which a visit to Conakry is required) in order to fine me but I showed them that, try as they lay, the stamp said 9 November not 5 November. It helps to speak good French and be a former ‘fonctionnaire ‘ who is prepared to call ‘BS’.

The Customs at Sambailo, where I had lunched communally a few days before, was a pleasure by contrast. Hands shaken, fond farewells said. So the actual border came as a rude awakening, with the shouting and shoving a product I suppose if an overstretched system.

By contrast the Senegalese entry too 10 minutes and with a one month laissez passer on hand (unlike the paltry 48 hours issued at the North) I felt justified in splashing out in a few bananas.

Or at least, I thought it was a few until the little lady handed me 10 that I strapped to the back of the bike where they say happily on top of the Lagadan, ripening in the heat (more later ).
Spot the bag if bananas
An enthusiastic Guinean supporter

Not my support vehicle but a lesser loaded example of what I see on the road, typically with 2 or 3 people riding on top of the load!

 

[simondippenhall]

Back in Senegal I ride gently in the rising heat, depleted by the border antics u til I reached Velingara wheee, after auditioning a town centre hotel replete with smelly fresh paint, I decided to stay outside town at the lovely mission for mal nourished children as previously mentioned.

They didn’t serve supper (to me, I am sure the kids were fed!) so I ventured into town on the bike for what ended up being a roadside chicken dinner
My chef who also fetched me a Fanta from across the street.
Dessert was water melon from the adjacent stall.

Couldn’t resist this bakery so a baguette joined my payload

 

[Mike_E]

View attachment 459103

Great updates! Really enjoying it.

I saw this earlier but I'm amazed you have the handlebar muffs on the bike... With the heat and humidity I could not think of anything worse!! What's the driver for that?

 

[simondippenhall]

I slept well in the tranquillity of the mission where I was the only guest. Breakfast was sparse but a chance to up my (Nutella) chocolate quotient

Slowly I set off West into the Casamance, passing an important trip milestone - 4,000 miles!
The water lilies of the watery Casamance were beguiling, causing me to stop frequently and gaze upon them in the knowledge I was under no time or trip pressure


I was intrigued (but not tempted) by this track

Soon enough I arrived in bustling Kolda, where my goal was the best hotel in town for some relaxing and its tempting pool.

But rheee was a problem…they were full…and had been fully booked since three weeks ago…

 

[simondippenhall]

Great updates! Really enjoying it.

I saw this earlier but I'm amazed you have the handlebar muffs on the bike... With the heat and humidity I could not think of anything worse!! What's the driver for that?

Hands have never felt over warm and it’s good protection from both the sun and people who might like to fiddle with bike switches.

 

[simondippenhall]

My face fell when they told me they were full.

I thought quickly and stepped out to admire the pool…and rapidly booked the ‘non existent ‘ room they had on booking.com.

Then I showed them my reservation.

Cue 30 minutes of angry shouting between front desk and admin who had left Booking.com open. I sat calmly whilst they abused each other …and then me. . The senior lady called me a ‘voyou’ (rascal or hoodlum).

I continued to sit calmlyand enjoy the fun.

Eventually it all calmed down…and they found me a very nice room for the night.

Job done

 

[richardbd]

Once again Simon, I doff my cap to you

 

[Mad Hatter]

I propose your thread as being THE very best thread on this forum right now, it's a joy to follow your trip

 

[Kitsilano]

Simon & @Drumacoon Lad. I am sorry to have joined your thread and journey (now, journeys and wishing a safe passage home for @Drumacoon Lad ) at such a late stage due to other distractions (in Spain).

A BIG thank you for taking the time to share....WONDERFUL!

And thank you for continuing to inspire.

Safe travels and keep the daily experience coming for us all to enjoy!

 

[simondippenhall]

Thanks all for your support which is much appreciated.

After a day of some swims and an ‘acceptable ‘ plate of spaghetti Bolognese I settled in and slept well despite a horde of locusts or grasshoppers which invaded the hotel but few made it into my room
The next morning it was a Nutella baguette breakfast but the pain au chocolate and croissant improved it and we’re out away for elevenses.

My ride today was to be a gentle one, to a little town on a bend of the Casamance river called Sedhiou about 100 kms away.

 

[simondippenhall]

So I ambled along at 50-70 kl/h revelling in the countryside. The planned lodgings was very empty and my only company was coconuts falling dangerously near me. I sat by the Casamance river and ate my ‘piece’ and decided that, beautiful though it was, I wanted a bit more company.

 

[simondippenhall]

Whilst I supped a Coca-Cola by the road, pepping myself up for the further 120 kms to Ziguinchor, I got chatting to this moto taxi guy which was interesting, as he had moved back here from the touristic west coast where prices were much higher for him to live.

So on I rode, having called up (using Yolla, now that Skype has effed off with £20 of my dosh ) snagged a just-cancelled room at the riverside auberge « Le Perroquet »…no mean feat as there’s a full festival in town and the place is usually fully booked I am told.

To get into Ziguinchor you have to ride a long causeway of distorted obj g stones as I suspect that it’s all underwater during the rainy season.

Once there I remembered the vibe of the city from a couple of previous visits. A few snaps follow

 

[simondippenhall]

My first order of business was to pick up some oil from CFAO a trans-francophone africa motor and moto dealer
I felt that after 4,000 very hot miles the little 250 might enjoy a refresh….although it’s not been run hard, rarely above 6500 rpm (redline is 10k).

The original plan was to have CFAO do the oil change but it took them twice as long to tap out an estimate on their computer as I would have taken to change the oil ! And when I got the estimate it had €7 fir ‘brake cleaner ‘ and 11€ fir ‘assorted’….both bogus as it was a simple ‘remove silo plug/drain/refill and I provided the new filter.

So eventually I lost both patience and confidence and just bought the oil snd headed off….now will find a local mechanic serving the moto taxi market and with disposal facilities who will do it in 10 minutes.

 

[Northern jock]

You did well to find a sealed bottle of oil! A man with a spanner and bowl should be easier

 

[simondippenhall]

You did well to find a sealed bottle of oil! A man with a spanner and bowl should be easier

Indeed Alisdair…especially as I already have the man and the spanner and just need the bowl and the means of disposal