Fanny has now arrived in Cape Town and today at last the famous South African winter sun is out and our spirits have cheered somewhat.

Fanny’s has got her Namibian and Botswana visas and Mr Magibisela, Vice Consul at  Botswana Consulate is arranging some send off for us and looking after our itinerary and lodgings in Botswana which we are very appreciative of.

We have just has 5 injections each at the Medi Travel Centre at Waterfront for various tropical lurgies… primarily Yellow Fever which we need to prove we have been inoculated against before being allowed into several African countries, like Kenya.

Also, in the general interest of general well being on the trip I have bought various items that under the Offences Against Persons Act  would be deemed “made offensive weapons”. Nuff said… Any robbers, hijackers or wild animals reading this blog ” Beware!” Bike trip preparation taken a bit of a backward step, with the  orange KTM, sadly,  in the workshop with what appears to be a gearbox/clutch issue that must be sorted… probably just plates or springs.

A bit pissed off that I bought a new and expensive bike with a problem … and one that required a full service… but I’m sure the team at KTM cape Town will get it sorted… eventually. Also,  the belly pans / sump guards we had fitted have been returned to KTM  as they are as much use as chocolate fireguards.   I have insisted on Kappa or Touratech parts .. or anything that is going to protect the underside of bike from inevitable knocks and bashes.  Other additions fitted to bikes include steering dampeners, heavy duty 6mm tubes (to reduce chance of annoying punctures), headlight protectors, crash bars, panniers, touring windscreens, heated hand grips, and gel seats.

My bike has a Garmin Zumo 220 GPS fitted to cockpit. Still  waiting for registration details, which are needed for insurance and carne de passage applications which are behind schedule and a bit of faff.

For anyone interested in the carnes de passages en douane… these are  documents required  to temporarily import and prove subsequent export of motor vehicles through… essentially…. third world countries with dodgy economies. South Africa is a good place to get them and here they are issued by the local Automobile Association in Johannesburg.  Being British, I need to deposit 200% of the value of both bikes in my name to guarantee the “carne de passage” …  because of Egypt which insists on this crazy double book value  (most countries don’t require it and those that do  just require 100%). As Egypt has become the only route out of north Africa because of wars and revolution we have to like it or lump it…

So… in summary… Andrea is going to have to wind the countdown clock back to 12 June. It does mean Fanny can do the elementary off road course with Country Trax on 11 June in Western Cape and we can start straight afterwards and aim north to our first camp in the Cederberg So, until then… filling forms, faxing forms,  battling with merchant bankers, and  … perhaps a weekend in Arniston preparing kit and bikes and trying the new vintage of of Flagstone Winery’s ” Dragon Tree”. CHEERS!!!!!