Hello everybody, a quick update for you all.

I am finally about to cross into Africa. The Cub and I have made it the 2000 miles down Europe, and I am waiting for the ferry to Tangiers.

Although it is only really the beginning of the adventure, I already feel a sense of achievement.

I have covered 2042.7 miles, only had one major mechanical breakdown, used a litre of synthetic, drank cognac in Cognac and champers in Champage, went through Rioja, but they didn´t have a bar, so I didn´t get to drink any. I´ve been proposition by a one-armed streetwalker (who unfortunately didn´t offer me a handjob, cruelly ruining a raft of punchlines.) I´ve had my beard stroked over a wonderful dinner by a gay German, who christened me his ´beautiful Afghan,´ before telling me ´it´s ok, I vill no rape you, ja?´ I´ve watched a Spanish football match and the sun go down on the Med from my luxury apartment, and stayed in a 10 Euro a night hostel so cold frost formed on the inside of the window. I rode to the highest town in Spain, in the dark, on a road like greased glass streaked with screaming Carlos Sainz wannabes. I´ve been accosted by a crazy pin ***** pupilled smack head, who was still hanging on to my panniers as I screamed off at top speed. I was held up by an avalanche in the Sierra Nevada, which had turned the road into a dusty broken waltzer of a ride, with cracked up concrete like broken ice on the surface of a puddle. I´ve learned precisely 12 words of Spanish, and can´t wait to get to a country where I can speak the language without resorting to the act of interprative dance. I´ve already had an awesome adventure, and it can only get better in Africa.

Look forward to seeing you all soon.

Joel

Well done Joel, now the real adventure begins if you get a chance get over to Chefchoen & book yourself into the Hotel Rif, great place, cheap & clean rooms & a Gaurd to watch your bike for less than a pound & you can sit outside with a Mint Tea & watch the world go by or go up to the old town.

If you want to camp there is a good site

Be good to see some pictures of you & the bike if you get a chance.

Take it easy & enjoy your trip

Hi mate. Enjoy the trip, I am very envious. Life's there to make it happen. Push the limits. Lindsay.

Have an awesome time mate!
I've just got back from a brief trip to Maroc, its stunning.
Spain is cold though no?!
I've put some pics and stuff up here if you need ideas for Morocco.
(although i'm sure you've got plenty of plans already!)

Loved your ride reports before you left, keep 'em coming - I do find it difficult to stifle the laughs at my desk though!

awesome stuff mate!!

Been looking forward to reading more of your adventures... inspirational stuff... keep us updated as and when you can

Turn back now you crazy fool, whilst you still have your sanity!

Ha ha, have fun playing in the sand.

I like!!!

Trip reports that make you laugh are always a bonus!!

Enjoy the rest of the trip and keep the updates coming!!

__________________
Adventure: it's an experience, not a style!
(so ride what you like, but ride it somewhere new!)

Very nice reports Birdy and Kipp. Thanks. I'm off next week on almost the same route.

Well done Birdy. Can't wait to hear more of you adventures. I am at home today with cronic wisdom tooth problems but you still made me laugh!

Thanks for the kind comments people.

Yes, Spain was bloody cold and miserable, France was even worse, it took me nearly 2 weeks to get through it all, by which time I was a thoroughly soggy mess. I got a little bored with scraping freezing fog off of my goggles and gloves!

I am still hiding from the weather, this time gales and rain, in Essouira. Gales that took me down to ten miles an hour on average, and kept filling my goggles with sand. I am now half blind and I believe my retinas are irreperably scratched!

Its all part of the adventure.

By the way; if anyone knows where to find an apostrophe on an Arabic keyboard please be my guest!

Birdy

I'm told you don't need apostrophes to write English these days, they're just an arbitrary embellishment so I wouldn't worry about it!

Laura

Hey Joel

Good to see you clocking up the miles.

Re the sand in the goggles, don't empty it out at the end of a hard day use it to time your boiled egg!

Kindest regards, Tina

Hi Birdy

No symphaty from the Ladies then?

Look forward to the next instalment.

Cheers


Chris

__________________
[/SIZE] "Live dangerously for as long as you can!"

No sympathy expected!

As for the apostrophes, I am indoctrinated, I feel like a terrible terrible person if I dont use them or use them incorrectly, despite believing them outdated myself!

I am staying in Essouia tomorrow, as I like the place. Plus the weather is shocking and I dont feel like riding in the rain! I will use the time to stick up yesterdays diary entry.

I must be getting old, I turned down a night of hash and whiskey with my new best friend Hisham who runs this cafe, to speak to my girlfriend online, sorry anyone who expected rock and roll excess from my stories, its more pipe and slippers than crack pipe.

Birdy

You did that on purpose, right???

__________________
Adventure: it's an experience, not a style!
(so ride what you like, but ride it somewhere new!)