Hi Jason, Just a few things: First, I'll be returning to Nairobi on 18 Jan, 2007. I left my motorcycle in Nairobi to visit the US for the holidays. Upon my return to Kenya I'll be heading south to Tanzania to visit the Serengeti N.P. and the crater before heading north to Cairo. I rode from Shinyanga to Kigali and found the roads to be reasonable- no major difficulties. The roads in Rwanda are better. From the Rwanda/Uganda border, heading to Kampala, the road was unpaved and in terrible shape as it had been raining, this was in november, 2006. Be advised: they drive on the right side of the road in Rwanda- I learned this the scary way! The roads are heavily pot-holed in Uganda. When a vehicle is overtaking another heading in your direction, you will rarely be given right-of-way and are expected to move out of the way- or off the road completely. This was very frustrating, like a game of "chicken" played over and over again. People told me Kenyan drivers were scary, but Uganda tops my list. Uganda was also the most beautiful country I've visited so far in Africa. Insurance can be purchased at every border, usually for $30-$50usd for 1 to 2 months. You will sometimes be told you can only purchase insurance for 2 months- when you politely tell the man you only need a 1 month policy and stand up to leave his office in search of another insurer, he'll probably change his tune. Also, any stated insurance rate is negotiable! There is a "yellow card" insurance policy available (mentioned by Matt). This card covers most countries in southern Africa- of course I didn't find this out until Uganda!! Despite what I was told by the Canadian Auto Assoc. Rwanda and Uganda wanted a carnet. DO NOT count on temporary import permits to travel through the countries you mentioned, these folks are comfortable/familiar with carnets and having one will make your travels simpler. In Uganda I was told I could obtain a temporary import permit at larger border crossings, but alas, I crossed into Uganda at a lonely post in the mountains. There are some aggressive drivers here and there, but it's not as scary as big city driving in Central/South America. Petrol has never been a problem in East Africa. Don't forget, BP and Shell ain't the only folks with fuel in these parts. Simply ask someone in any kind of town where you can buy fuel- it CAN be arranged, though it can be costly. If you're still worried, carry a 5 liter jug of fuel with you. Also, the road west of Mwanza is unpaved, this type of road can be rough in places (rain brings pain), simply slow down and expect some longer-than-expected days. If you don't have a place to stay in Nairobi, try the Jungle Junction. Hope to see you there on the 18th! H. Below is a pic of the road at the Rwanda/Uganda border.

Attached Images

 

__________________
"And I think to myself, what a wonderful world..." L.B. Armstrong. www.davesgreatescape.net
http://www.facebook.com/inbox/readme...e&id=661274218