60 in Africa (London to Ghana)
- Thread starter Davey Bee
- Start date
So I got to Santiago De Compostela without incident, got a decent hotel for 30 euros. the bike is running perfect and I enjoyed the ride, though it was cold and I spent most of the time on the motorways. I'm going to stay for a couple of days so I can look around the cathedral.
So I'm sat here having a beer, outside the cathedral in Santiago I pick that the 2 young girls on the table next tome are from the South of England. We have a brief conversation, they ask me why I'm here, I mentioned that I'm on route to Africa, one asked where, I tell her Ghana and says she's finished a study on democracy in Ghana. This is such a small world. She's been there twice loves the country and is considering doing her Masters on the same subject.
So I'm sat here having a beer, outside the cathedral in Santiago I pick that the 2 young girls on the table next tome are from the South of England. We have a brief conversation, they ask me why I'm here, I mentioned that I'm on route to Africa, one asked where, I tell her Ghana and says she's finished a study on democracy in Ghana. This is such a small world. She's been there twice loves the country and is considering doing her Masters on the same subject.
Davey, 
you absolutely chilled out on the ride and that is how it should bee ! 
enjoy (PS: say hello to James )
Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk
you absolutely chilled out on the ride and that is how it should bee ! enjoy (PS: say hello to James ) Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk
So this is one of the cathedral I really wanted to visit. My relationship with cathedral is strange to say the least, I'm agnostic, though I went to Methodist chapel as a child. To me they symbolise the corrupt power of the "church estate" but still I love them. I respect the devout belief of the people that visit them. Like I said, a strange relationship. But here are some photos.
I loved this statue
The resting place of St James the Apostle
I loved this statue
The resting place of St James the Apostle
The old town Santiago is really nice with a touch of romance about the place. This appears to be a good time to come. I got a decent 3 star hotel for 30 euros, which when you consider the exchange rate at the moment, (a half eaten Mars Bar) is very good. It's cool but not uncomfortably cold and I'm not having fight my through thousands of other tourists.
luke scott
Registered user
Don't take pictures in Western Sahara unless you can hide them on a usb or similar. My mate had his phone taken off him at the border crossing into the Mauritania and when they saw his pictures he was accused of all sorts of things (spy/journalist) and arrest was discussed. After a lot of talking they agreed to allow him to delete the pictures in front of them. He then went on his way and is now in Cameroon getting ready to ride the Congo's. Enjoy your trip.
The Tour ended and the Adventure got on the way on Sunday morning. I'd plan to move on having had an enjoyable stay in Santiago de Compostela, I was down to my last €10 in cash, so I found a ATM. Although it let me go through the process, it delivered no cash at the end of it. I tried a couple of time with no joy. Although there was an english translation, there wasn't an explanation to the issues. No problem thought I I'll find another later on. I had breakfast at €5 and off I went.
Well, was going to go, using the sat nav to get me out of town. Trouble was the sat nav didn't want to work. I messed around for a little while, with no joy, but I was keen to get on my way, I fancied getting to Lisbon and need to crack on. So not a problem thought I, I'll just retrace my tracks to the motorway and away I go. No problem?
I found my way back to the motorway, and headed South. Then you know how you get those nagging doubts in your head? well there was one chipping away at me, was I heading south or was it north? When I find a safe place to stop I'll pull over and check my map. The trouble was that there was no immediate safe place to stop. There were cold, foggy climbs for kilometre after kilometre. I eventually came to a parking area, got the map out and yes I was heading north, shit. No Problem?
Ok off at the next junction and turn around, but theres a toll station before I got to the next junction. I pull up, switch the bike off, dismount, gloves off, why is that cars head for the booth that has the motorbike in front? the fellow in the booth points out the price €6.75, I only have €5 and I bit of change, not a problem they accept cards. Well they do, but the machine won't accept mine.... This is now a problem, by now a number of cars behind me, the attendant speaks no english and me not enough Spanish to explain that the bank most have blocked my card because they don't expect me to be in Spain, trying to take cash out of a machine.
Now while our friendly attendant may not speak English, he has a very English solution to my lack of understanding Spanish, it is in the tried and tested old english tradition of saying it louder, in fact just shout. Thankfully I have the present of mind to realise that him shouting in Spanish and me shouting in English will not resolve the problem. He has a choice of 2, he can have me arrested for €1.75 or he can let me through. After a while he decides on the latter, but not before he's taken all the cash I have left, problem solved? Well not really, I'm now in the middle of Spain with no money and it's Sunday, I need to find another safe place to stop and call the bank, thank god for phone banking.
After an expensive call, I'm told there is no issues with my account, because of the weak pound, the euros I wanted took me over the daily allowance, and the toll machine just didn't take my kind of card. Problem solved? not really finding a ATM at services in NW Spain is impossible, you have to go into towns, but at least I can eat.
Later I stop to do just that, the day has gone on. My wrong direction had added a total of 100 kilometres to the day. I decide to stop at Porto, for the night. Problem solved? I have something to eat and head out again, electing to use my ear plugs as the exhaust had been getting on my nerves a bit. Maybe I hadn't put the plugs in correctly, the exhaust was still bloody loud, then I thought comes into my head, could there be a problem with the exhaust? I'll find a safe place to stop, which turns out to be the junction for Porto. I pull up on the pavement to take a look, shit the f-ing thing has blown itself apart. Never seen this before.
I fellow on a cool, 450 Husqvarna pulls up (Pedro) gives a phone number, tells me that he's just got back from North Africa, exchanges phone numbers and tells me that he has contacts in Morocco that will look after me if I want to play out there. While having something to eat earlier, I'd found a cheap hotel in Porto, 12 quid! so I limp slowly there. There's a reason why things are cheap, and you'd have thought after nearly 60 years on the earth I'd know that, but I'm still learning. Room 1 cold and not very nice, room 2 she assures me is better, yes it is, but better doesn't mean good. I say no thank, but thank you and leave.
I quick look at Laterooms throws up a 4 star hotel just down the road for less than 50 quid with parking, that'll do me, thank you. I book for 2 nights and later find a good restaurant/cafe/bar. An Adventure indeed.
Well, was going to go, using the sat nav to get me out of town. Trouble was the sat nav didn't want to work. I messed around for a little while, with no joy, but I was keen to get on my way, I fancied getting to Lisbon and need to crack on. So not a problem thought I, I'll just retrace my tracks to the motorway and away I go. No problem?
I found my way back to the motorway, and headed South. Then you know how you get those nagging doubts in your head? well there was one chipping away at me, was I heading south or was it north? When I find a safe place to stop I'll pull over and check my map. The trouble was that there was no immediate safe place to stop. There were cold, foggy climbs for kilometre after kilometre. I eventually came to a parking area, got the map out and yes I was heading north, shit. No Problem?
Ok off at the next junction and turn around, but theres a toll station before I got to the next junction. I pull up, switch the bike off, dismount, gloves off, why is that cars head for the booth that has the motorbike in front? the fellow in the booth points out the price €6.75, I only have €5 and I bit of change, not a problem they accept cards. Well they do, but the machine won't accept mine.... This is now a problem, by now a number of cars behind me, the attendant speaks no english and me not enough Spanish to explain that the bank most have blocked my card because they don't expect me to be in Spain, trying to take cash out of a machine.
Now while our friendly attendant may not speak English, he has a very English solution to my lack of understanding Spanish, it is in the tried and tested old english tradition of saying it louder, in fact just shout. Thankfully I have the present of mind to realise that him shouting in Spanish and me shouting in English will not resolve the problem. He has a choice of 2, he can have me arrested for €1.75 or he can let me through. After a while he decides on the latter, but not before he's taken all the cash I have left, problem solved? Well not really, I'm now in the middle of Spain with no money and it's Sunday, I need to find another safe place to stop and call the bank, thank god for phone banking.
After an expensive call, I'm told there is no issues with my account, because of the weak pound, the euros I wanted took me over the daily allowance, and the toll machine just didn't take my kind of card. Problem solved? not really finding a ATM at services in NW Spain is impossible, you have to go into towns, but at least I can eat.
Later I stop to do just that, the day has gone on. My wrong direction had added a total of 100 kilometres to the day. I decide to stop at Porto, for the night. Problem solved? I have something to eat and head out again, electing to use my ear plugs as the exhaust had been getting on my nerves a bit. Maybe I hadn't put the plugs in correctly, the exhaust was still bloody loud, then I thought comes into my head, could there be a problem with the exhaust? I'll find a safe place to stop, which turns out to be the junction for Porto. I pull up on the pavement to take a look, shit the f-ing thing has blown itself apart. Never seen this before.
I fellow on a cool, 450 Husqvarna pulls up (Pedro) gives a phone number, tells me that he's just got back from North Africa, exchanges phone numbers and tells me that he has contacts in Morocco that will look after me if I want to play out there. While having something to eat earlier, I'd found a cheap hotel in Porto, 12 quid! so I limp slowly there. There's a reason why things are cheap, and you'd have thought after nearly 60 years on the earth I'd know that, but I'm still learning. Room 1 cold and not very nice, room 2 she assures me is better, yes it is, but better doesn't mean good. I say no thank, but thank you and leave.
I quick look at Laterooms throws up a 4 star hotel just down the road for less than 50 quid with parking, that'll do me, thank you. I book for 2 nights and later find a good restaurant/cafe/bar. An Adventure indeed.
Thanks Luke, always fancied being the first Black Bond though, would that count?
Looking good Davey. An adventure already.
Re the North/South/East/West thing. I always use the sun or the shadows where I can for a general confirmation. No good if it's grey/shit but it usually works! Sun direction and the time of day should about see you right.
Re the North/South/East/West thing. I always use the sun or the shadows where I can for a general confirmation. No good if it's grey/shit but it usually works! Sun direction and the time of day should about see you right.
Oh, I know all that, but I had to much confidence in what I didn't know to use what I did know. My mum use to tell pride comes before a fall. Shame I didn't take note.
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Enjoying this.
Without sounding like a smart arse, a small compass wouldn't go amiss.
Good luck with the rest of your adventure, and a great decision re the 4* hotel. A man after my own heart.
Going to get going again this morning, I'll be heading towards Lisbon. I'm not sure if I'm going to spend anytime down there, as I'm falling behind a little. Portugal is certainly a little gem that I've missed in the past and I will making a point of returning, but next time I won't be passing through. Porto itself is a town that needs more time to explore.
Porto overlooking the river
I took a train ride yesterday from Porto to Regua along the Douro Valley. If every there was an area that needs riding, this is it. Unfortunately trying to get decent pictures from the train doesn't work. I should imagine the best time to come here is early or late summer. I'm sure that 2 weeks would be enough time if you got the ferry to North Spain and maybe return the same way.
Sunset in Regua
Sorry the pictures are not too good, but I hope it gives a flavour
Porto overlooking the river
I took a train ride yesterday from Porto to Regua along the Douro Valley. If every there was an area that needs riding, this is it. Unfortunately trying to get decent pictures from the train doesn't work. I should imagine the best time to come here is early or late summer. I'm sure that 2 weeks would be enough time if you got the ferry to North Spain and maybe return the same way.
Sunset in Regua
Sorry the pictures are not too good, but I hope it gives a flavour
Stopped in Lisbon overnight, but I'm not spending any time here, that'll have to wait for another day. Going to head for Huelva today. Then tomorrow visit Palos de la Frontera. I'm keeping off the motorways and toll roads. Yesterday was a boring, expensive ride, from Porto to Lisbon. Just short of €22 for less than 200 miles. It cost me less in fuel ffs. I think I'll try a get to Morocco by Saturday, no later than Sunday. Before I do that though I have to get new tyres. There's a scooter dealer just down the road from the hotel, I may stop there and see if they can direct me to somewhere that sells TKC 80. You never know.
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Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Portugal is full of lovely trails. Spent 2 weeks last summer to the northeast of Porto & had a ball.
Ride safe & keep posting
Lisbon to Huelva
Well yesterday was another character building day. As I left Lisbon the rain started, along with the wind. And oh did it blow, I really became aware of it once I started to cross the Tagus river mouth. The "Vasco da Gama” bridge, is the longest in Europe at 7.6 miles long. Now take a moment to think about that, 7.6 miles on a bridge in high winds on a motor bike weighing 150kgs, with little ol' me on it. At 60 mph I had 7.6 minutes of weaving across two lanes to give this my undivided attention. I don't care what women have told me over the years, seven and a half minutes is a F-ing longtime. When I stopped at the toll booth the other side, I'm not a shame to say, I was shaking like a leaf.
I left the motorway there and started to head across country towards Spain. I was using my sat nav having got it working again, but the cradle wasn't charging it. What I've been doing is only using it on the technical parts of the journey to save the power, using maps the rest of the time and recharging it each evening. However there would be a number of road changes on the route and stopping and reading a map in the wind and rain would be interesting. I was hoping that the sat nav at full charge would last the day. Of course on a day such as this, that was never going to happen, and about 2 hours into the ride, the low battery warning came up. I had no choice but to stop and try to repair the cradle.
First I needed to find some kind of shelter, but I was in the middle of open country, with very few man made structures, with the acceptation of some pigsties, tempting, but not really big enough to stand the bike in.
Eventually I came across a small fuel station with a little restaurant, but with only a couple of pumps the canopy wouldn't allow me to work on the bike and others to use the pumps. However around the back of the to the buildings, there were some unused pumps covered by another small canopy. The rain was blowing underneath it, but I wasn't going to get as wet as I would in the open. Now what was interesting , was that I there the better part of 2 hours, and no one challenged me in anyway, no “you can’t stop there” nothing. A waiter wished me a warm good day on his way to get some kind of provisions, from a stockroom across the yard, but that was it. Eventually I got the cradle working but I’d now lost a lot of time and although I was hungry, I really didn’t have time to get anything to eat. I didn’t want to be on the road after dark, even more so, as I was going to be out in the Portuguese wilderness. The weather really slowed me down, it was relentless, but at least the sat nav was giving me decent information now, which allowed me to concentrate on the road ahead.
I came across a old village straight out of the movies, I kid you not. there were no pavements, with the white and blue washed buildings lining the narrow cobbled road. This was the main road through, on any other day i would’ve stopped and taken a few photos, but today I had lot more important things to consider. I’ve said this before, but I really do want to comeback to Portugal, and retrace my steps. It’s a country that deserves a touring holiday of its own.
As if the weather couldn’t get worst, it did. I was now gaining a growing respect for Noah. The rain literary came down
on a biblical scale. At this point I started to realise that although my clothing was waterproof, this came with a caveat, it was waterproof in all conditions accept “biblical downpours. I was now soaking wet, in the middle of nowhere. It was as far back, as it was forward, I had no choice but to think happy, and refuse to embrace the discomfort soaking wet brings. I stopped and put on my down jacket, to keep me warm, but how long that would work for once it was wet, was anyones guess.
The light which had been poor, was now fading, I still had over a hundred miles of twisty roads to cover, roads that on a sunny day would’ve been heaven, but today they were hell. I really couldn’t see much of the surrounding area, but at one point I was aware of crossing a gorge, which looked pretty spectacular. (Another note to myself, come back on a summers day).
At last there were signs for Spain and soon the A22, once I was on there it was only a few minutes until I crossed into Spain, I stopped and filled up with fuel and 3/4 of an hour later I was riding into Huelva, where I had a hotel booked for the night. Of course the rain stopped 10 minutes before I arrived, but there was no surprise there. When I got to my room, there was nothing I was wearing, that wasn’t wet, I mean everything.
What I did learn was when I cross the Sahara, I need to leave each day at the crack of dawn, so if things go wrong and I have to stop, I’ll still make my destination before dark.
Fortunately, there was a restaurant across the road from the hotel, luckily the food was good, but I was so hungry, by now it really didn’t matter. I went back to my room, phoned home, although I can’t remember any of the conversation, I was safe and well, and after the day, that was in itself a major success.
Sorry there are no photos today.
Well yesterday was another character building day. As I left Lisbon the rain started, along with the wind. And oh did it blow, I really became aware of it once I started to cross the Tagus river mouth. The "Vasco da Gama” bridge, is the longest in Europe at 7.6 miles long. Now take a moment to think about that, 7.6 miles on a bridge in high winds on a motor bike weighing 150kgs, with little ol' me on it. At 60 mph I had 7.6 minutes of weaving across two lanes to give this my undivided attention. I don't care what women have told me over the years, seven and a half minutes is a F-ing longtime. When I stopped at the toll booth the other side, I'm not a shame to say, I was shaking like a leaf.
I left the motorway there and started to head across country towards Spain. I was using my sat nav having got it working again, but the cradle wasn't charging it. What I've been doing is only using it on the technical parts of the journey to save the power, using maps the rest of the time and recharging it each evening. However there would be a number of road changes on the route and stopping and reading a map in the wind and rain would be interesting. I was hoping that the sat nav at full charge would last the day. Of course on a day such as this, that was never going to happen, and about 2 hours into the ride, the low battery warning came up. I had no choice but to stop and try to repair the cradle.
First I needed to find some kind of shelter, but I was in the middle of open country, with very few man made structures, with the acceptation of some pigsties, tempting, but not really big enough to stand the bike in.
Eventually I came across a small fuel station with a little restaurant, but with only a couple of pumps the canopy wouldn't allow me to work on the bike and others to use the pumps. However around the back of the to the buildings, there were some unused pumps covered by another small canopy. The rain was blowing underneath it, but I wasn't going to get as wet as I would in the open. Now what was interesting , was that I there the better part of 2 hours, and no one challenged me in anyway, no “you can’t stop there” nothing. A waiter wished me a warm good day on his way to get some kind of provisions, from a stockroom across the yard, but that was it. Eventually I got the cradle working but I’d now lost a lot of time and although I was hungry, I really didn’t have time to get anything to eat. I didn’t want to be on the road after dark, even more so, as I was going to be out in the Portuguese wilderness. The weather really slowed me down, it was relentless, but at least the sat nav was giving me decent information now, which allowed me to concentrate on the road ahead.
I came across a old village straight out of the movies, I kid you not. there were no pavements, with the white and blue washed buildings lining the narrow cobbled road. This was the main road through, on any other day i would’ve stopped and taken a few photos, but today I had lot more important things to consider. I’ve said this before, but I really do want to comeback to Portugal, and retrace my steps. It’s a country that deserves a touring holiday of its own.
As if the weather couldn’t get worst, it did. I was now gaining a growing respect for Noah. The rain literary came down
on a biblical scale. At this point I started to realise that although my clothing was waterproof, this came with a caveat, it was waterproof in all conditions accept “biblical downpours. I was now soaking wet, in the middle of nowhere. It was as far back, as it was forward, I had no choice but to think happy, and refuse to embrace the discomfort soaking wet brings. I stopped and put on my down jacket, to keep me warm, but how long that would work for once it was wet, was anyones guess.
The light which had been poor, was now fading, I still had over a hundred miles of twisty roads to cover, roads that on a sunny day would’ve been heaven, but today they were hell. I really couldn’t see much of the surrounding area, but at one point I was aware of crossing a gorge, which looked pretty spectacular. (Another note to myself, come back on a summers day).
At last there were signs for Spain and soon the A22, once I was on there it was only a few minutes until I crossed into Spain, I stopped and filled up with fuel and 3/4 of an hour later I was riding into Huelva, where I had a hotel booked for the night. Of course the rain stopped 10 minutes before I arrived, but there was no surprise there. When I got to my room, there was nothing I was wearing, that wasn’t wet, I mean everything.
What I did learn was when I cross the Sahara, I need to leave each day at the crack of dawn, so if things go wrong and I have to stop, I’ll still make my destination before dark.
Fortunately, there was a restaurant across the road from the hotel, luckily the food was good, but I was so hungry, by now it really didn’t matter. I went back to my room, phoned home, although I can’t remember any of the conversation, I was safe and well, and after the day, that was in itself a major success.
Sorry there are no photos today.
Character building indeed!!
Fair play to you, you are making the most of it. I remember crossing from Spain into Portugal about 15 years ago, it was like going back 50+ years, at least in the villages near the border..
Hope you got a good rest and are on your way!
Fair play to you, you are making the most of it. I remember crossing from Spain into Portugal about 15 years ago, it was like going back 50+ years, at least in the villages near the border..
Hope you got a good rest and are on your way!
One of the drawbacks of forward planning
I know it doesn't suit everyone but I like to leave deciding my destination until I've almost had enough riding for the day. I find that much less stressful than worrying about getting somewhere that I've booked in advance.
Anyway, as you were...
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Brilliant ride and article. Good luck and stay safe
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