Friday
1st Nov.
My flight to Cape Town went very well even though it took more than twenty two
hours, including the stops. A quick phone call to the cargo department and I
knew that my bike had not arrived yet, will have to wait until Monday now.
My good friend Steven Raucher had arranged for
someone
to pick me up from the airport and to take me to a guesthouse. Steve rode a
motorcycle from England to Australia last year; he was born in Cape Town but
now lives in London. It just happens that he was in South Africa for business;
it was good to catch up with him. That evening his mum and his brother Robert
join us for a celebration meal.
Cape Town is a very beautiful city and has a population of 3.1 millions. Steve
took the time to show me around and on the Saturday night he insisted on taking
me clubbing, something I am not use to but it was an eye opener all the same.
Monday 4 Nov.
I was not looking forward of facing the trouble of getting my bike out of custom;
it can be a real pain sometime, the four days ordeal in Bangladesh five years
ago still fresh in my memory. As it turned up, things went so well that I had
my bike put together and out of custom in less than two hours with no fuss and
hardly any charges to pay. So, thumbs up to all the staff at the South Africa
Air cargo.
Tuesday
5 Nov.
This morning, it's "on the road again…….." that I am singing
in my helmet as I am making my way out of Cape Town, it's cool but sunny, the
road is perfect with some amazing scenery's. I reached the town of Prince Albert
in the evening, having covered four hundred kms. I have found a very nice little
cottage, fully equipped with kitchen, TV and garden at the bargain price of
US$7 per night, I have decided to stay two nights as I want to ride around this
beautiful region. Prince Albert is a charming village dozing at the foot of
the Swartberg Pass.
The
next day, I rode over 200 kms around the country side. The dirt road to the
pass is 26 kms long with the most spectacular views. The weather was superb
with a bright blue sky, just perfect for a ride, I had a great day. That evening,
Johann, local organic fruit grower, told me, over a beer and a meal, about a
more interesting route to Botswana.
Thursday
7 Nov.
The road I took turned up to be excellent, I had my first off road riding, no
problems, the Dakar is up to the job. I cross the karoo region which reminded
me very much of the outback of Australia.
The next day I reached the Botswana border, having covered 1600 kms in two days.
What is waiting for me on the other side
of the border? Coming up soon on Ride4Kids.
Click here for more photos.
Le
vol de Perth au Cape c'est trés bien passé, un peu long, 22 heures
car un arrêt à Singapour était nécéssaire.
Vendredi 1 nov.
La moto n'est pas encor là, donc il faut attendre Lundi maintenant.
J'ai passé le week end avec mon ami Steve, originaire du Cape mais vivant
maintenant à Londres. Il m'a fait visiter la ville qui est superbe mais
trés dangereuse.
Lundi 4 nov.
J'ai récupéré ma moto sans aucun problème, en deux
heures les formalitées de douane etait achevée et la moto etait
de nouveau en état de marche.
Mardi 5 Nov.
Ce matin il fait un peu frais mais je suis content d'avoir repris la route.
Le paysage est magnifique et la route excellente. Aprés 400 kms je fais
un petit détour par un petit village, Prince Albert, qui m'a été
recommandé. Petit village trés tranquille, au pied d'une montagne,
tout fleurit, oui c'est le printemps içi, les bougainvilles en particulier
sont magnifiques, je trouve cet endroit si sympa que je décide d'y passer
deux jours.
Le lendemain, je decouvre tout la region, d'abord par le col de Swarberg, 26
kms sur une route non goudronnée, avec des vues formidables et en plus
un ciel tout bleu, un vrai plaisir en moto, puis la ville de Oudtshoorn, réputée
pour ces autruches et le col de Seweweekspoort, alors pour la prononciation,
bonjour!
Journée superbe, 200kms en tout.
L'Afrique du Sud est un beau pays mais il
y a beaucoup choses choquantes, par exemple, il y a une illusion qui court
en ce moment qui dit que celui qui a des relations sexuelle avec une vierge
sera guerrit du sida, donc il y a beaucoup de jeunes filles qui ce font violer,
même des petites filles de deux mois. Dans toutes les villes les gens
ont peur, toutes les fenêtres ont des barreaux, les clotures sont electrifiés
et les gens ne sortent pas à pied dans les rues la nuit. Quelle vie
!!!
Jeudi 7 Nov.
Je suis à environ 1000 kms de la Bostwanie, je les parcourt en deux
jours en faisant un arrêt à Kimberley pour la nuit. La route
est superbe, mais le paysage est désertique, il me rappelle les paysages
Australien. J'arrive à la frontiere à deux heures de l'aprés
midi. Qu'est ce qui m'attend de l'autre coté ? Vous le serez
bientot en visitant Ride4Kids.
South
Africa seems to be a beautiful country, nevertheless, there is some very disturbing
things going on, one thing that really shocked me was the myth that is going
around, it goes like that; if you have sex or rape a virgin you will be cured
of aids or HIV, so now, its quite common to have little girls as young as two
months old getting raped. I think some serious education is needed in this country.
Suis
je toujours en Australie?
Bonjour à tous.
Cape Town, just about the
southest point in Africa.
Le Cape, la ville la plus au sud en Afrique.
View from the Swarberg pass.
Vue du col Swarberg.
Always something to do.
Pas le temps de s'ennuyer.
