Everything sorted! We’re ready to go!

Yes ! We finally sorted our visas for Libya !
With the unvaluable help of Greg (from our KTM dealer and partner JB's Moto) and Estelle (from MediMeca Assistance) our Libyan visas will be waiting for us at the border on the 1st of June ! So we re-scheduled the France-Tunisia ferry for the 27th of May.

The only "issue" is that we won't have "Transit Visa" as expected so we'll have to pay for a Libyan guide that will escort us through the country. But that's no big deal, it's part of the adventure

After many troubles we're going to make it !

aurel

First adventure is … administrative

Where are we? Shouldn't we be in Libya at this time?
hummm... it seems not. Let me briefly explain you the story :

End November 09, a BMW dealer in France did the best he could do for me : he sold me a second hand KTM 990 Adventure for this trip

Beginning December, I go to the town hall to get my registration document.
5 weeks later I receive it, but they made a mistake with one letter in my name, so I request a correction. The town hall official send a correction request.
3 weeks letter I receive a letter telling that my request is rejected. The town hall official give a call and she discover that she has to send half of the registration document to get the new one. Let's go.
3 weeks letter I receive a letter telling that I should have sent the other half of the document. Let's send it again...
Finally, beginning February I have the motorcycle registration completed.

One-way boat tickets for Africa booked !

Here are some news about the preparation. 43 days to go! We can't wait!

Libya just re-opened its borders ! So we're going back to our original plan which is taking a boat from France to Tunisia and then crossing Libya to arrive in Egypt before going South to cross Africa. We decided to go back to this plan because it's for us the easiest/fastest/cheapest solution.

Boat tickets are booked! We're leaving on the 13th of May from Marseille (South France)! We'll arrive in Tunisia on the 14th. Then we will ride 4500km along the North coast of Africa to reach Cairo.

Our new passports (the old ones were almost full) should arrive next week. We'll then apply for the visas, Libya and Soudan. For Libya we're going to ask for a transit visa (which I did in 2008 when I went to Cairo with my bike). This transit visa will allow us to cross Libya without a guide (who are very expensive!). But we'll have to stay on the coast road, we won't be allowed to go south in the desert. For all other countries we can get the visa directly at the border.

We'll also apply for our Carnet de Passage for the bikes next week. We'll get them from the ADAC in Germany. In France they ask for a deposit of 250% the value of the bikes to enter Egypt! With ADAC the deposit is 3000euros whatever the bike is valued.

ChevalierNoir is still working but I (aurel) already left my job. I feel like the trip has already started!

The bikes are almost ready on the accessories side. We still have to do a huge maintenance before we go. We'll soon detail the preparation of the bikes with all the accessories and the maintenance.

All the camping gear, cameras, clothes are almost already packed! We'll also detail all this equipment.

Thanks to all those who have already participated to our adventure!

To go South, go East!

The first ideal idea was to enter Africa by road (almost), through Spain, Morocco, Ageria, Lybia en Egypt.

Libya closed, route updated

Our beloved Libyan President KADHAFI decided to close the border of his country to all U.E. citizens. So we have to change our plans. Initially we were supposed to take a boat to Tunisia then go throught Libya to arrive in Egypt. No more possible.