Hello, and I hope everyone has a happy 2003, wherever you are!

I have been planning an expedition for about 12 months. The "launch date" is late June 2003, and I was hoping to dip into the well of experience on these boards...

I would appreciate the help of any knowledgeable people who have ridden sections of this route, or know these areas. I have also asked for assistance in the Trip Paperwork section. So, are any of these borders closed? Am I a fool for attempting to go to place X? Should I not miss place Y?

Thank you very much people!

OBJECTIVES OF "PANMED 2003":

* To investigate themes of cultural continuity and change around the Mediterranean.

* To document environmental continuity and change.

* To raise money for Riders For Health(www.riders.org).

* To raise the profile of Riders For Health through the media.

* To produce an information-rich web page and photo-journal.

* To successfully ride around the Mediterranean Basin, overland.


OK, so here goes:


OUR ROUTE (ongoing and subject to change):

From the UK we will ride south, via France, Spain and Portugal, to Algeciras, where a well-established contact can provide maintenance if necessary, and the appropriate tyres for Saharan use. From there, we will take the ferry to Ceuta (a Spanish enclave) in northern Morocco, and cross the border, driving east through Chechaguene and Oujda to Algeria. Despite recent political troubles, we intend to cross Algeria via Mascara, Djelfa and Biskra. Recent FCO advice suggests that the less populous desert interior is safer than major towns and the coast road. Crossing the border, we will head for Tunis, where we will travel south, via Hammamet, Kairouan, and Tataouine. Entering Libya (probably via Nalut), a route will be taken to the Egyptian border at As Sallûm, where we will follow the coast, travelling through desert towards the port of Alexandria and the Nile Delta. This will be the venue for maintenance, and a possible return home in the event of unassailable problems (or escalating problems in Iraq and the Middle East). Crossing the Red Sea via the small ferry at B’ir Tãbã - Al’Aquaba (running?), we will enter Jordan and bypass the town of Ma’An, passing through to Syria via Al-Malfraq. As-Suwaydã provides a stopover in the Syrian Desert before continuing north through Aleppo to Turkey via the border control at Kilis. A stopover in Istanbul (after following a route through Konya and Ayfun) provides an opportunity to perform more maintenance before returning home via Bulgaria, Croatia, Austria and Switzerland.

For more route information, please do not hesitate to contact Lewis Miller (PanMed2003 AT Hotmail DOT COM).

Does this sound at all realistic?

I've been glued to the Sahara Overland and FCO websites for months!

Happy Travels
I can't wait to go!

__________________
=-=-= ON THE EDGE! =-=-=
My XR650L Pan-Med Expedition Site!

First order of business: Try to get all of your visas at home before leaving. The governments of the countries you'll be passing through can still change their rules, but at least you have their visas in your passport.
As far as I know, the border between Morocco and Algeria is still closed. If so, you can go south through Mauritania, then go east via Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, then north to Algeria. A long detour, but a great ride.