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sub-Saharan Africa Topics specific to sub-Saharan Africa. (Includes all countries South of 17 degrees latitude)
Photo by Marc Gibaud, Clouds on Tres Cerros and Mount Fitzroy, Argentinian Patagonia

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Photo by Marc Gibaud,
Clouds on Tres Cerros and
Mount Fitzroy, Argentinian Patagonia



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  #1  
Old 8 Oct 2008
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Unhappy It is all being paved!!

We recently rode from Munich to Cape Town and two of the highlights of our journey were the ride through Sudan from Wadi Halfa to Dongola and the northern Kenya section from Moyale to Isiolo. Both tough rides but in hindsight (!) fantastic experiences.

When we went through Sudan we saw evidence of the road construction:



I just read a newspaper report about elephant poaching in Kenya is getting worse again because the Chinese are building a road north to Ethiopia:

"But Chinese newcomers may be stimulating the local market for poached ivory. Close to Archer's Post, a desolate settlement of tin-roof shacks 190 miles north of Nairobi, dust rose from a shallow mine where a Chinese engineer in a wide-brimmed straw hat had just detonated high explosives.
From across the scorched floor of the valley came the distant clank of heavy machinery at the Chinese work camp, where rocks released by the explosions are broken down to gravel to build a new road running to the border with Ethiopia."

I guess soon enough we'll be able to ride a K1200LT from Munich to Cape Town...
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Old 8 Oct 2008
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Yes its a damned shame for us overlanding types. You'll always be able to find crap roads in Africa but it just makes the whole Cape to Cairo seem that less adventurous.

If you're thinking of doing this trip do it NOW!
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Old 8 Oct 2008
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Hi Ekke, glad you made it home safe.

Yes it is a great pity!

North Sudan (Wadi-Dongolo-Meroe) - "Man for Roads and Bridges Company"; North Ethiopia (Metema-Gondor) - Japan Sponsored road; North Kenya (Moyale-Isiolo) - Chinese = All tarred in the next 3-5 years.

These sections of road being the highlights of our trip as well, it will take the challenge out of the route so go do it now.

Where to next...West Africa?!?

Charlie
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Old 8 Oct 2008
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Thumbs down Typical chinese quality

In Western Africa the chinese are working on the roads as well. See the many Angola threads in this section. But I wouldn't be to worried. The quality of the chinese roads is so bad (5 cm tar on top of gravel) that within 5 years they'll be completely fu**ed up again. Then the real challenge starts, like still in Angola, endless potholes. And by the time they are ready with logging and all the trees are gone, they will stop maintaining the roads too. So the end is nearing, don't know whether that is a good thing though

Cheers,
Noel
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Old 8 Oct 2008
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On the up-side there will be some awesome chow-mein & peking duck on future trans-africa's, instead of fried goats & injured chickens

Sorry I'm being flippant, it is a shame really.

I was most disappointed to see the new road at Dongola, as tough as the desert riding was.

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Old 8 Oct 2008
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I had forgotten Metema to Gonder...

Right, that was a rough stretch of road too though no-one fell off so maybe it wasn't as memorable. They were working on the road when we went through though:



Nice to hear from you Charles! Say "Hi!" to Rensche from us!
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  #7  
Old 10 Oct 2008
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ekke View Post
When we went through Sudan we saw evidence of the road construction:
That gives you a choice - old dirt road - or new sealed road .. the best of both ..
if either road is badly damaged then the other becomes a possiblity ..
or if you prefer one to the other you take your preference..

---------------------- If it is anything like the Australian road 'system' .. you can always go a different way .. could be a long way around though.
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