Pay only for fuel & food - 3 week Namib bike trip
 

My travelling partner has finally succumbed to the Corporate Monster and pulled out of our upcoming April 08 trip across the Namib and Kalahari.

Anyone interested in her place, get a free bike, free support vehicles and possibly a discounted flight ticket (from UK, if we can change names on the ticket).

The bikes are XT600E's and are waiting in JHB for us, they are paid for. The proposed itinerary is loosely based on what you can find here: Namibian Dreams

The only challenge is - you'll be riding with me. Which may or not may not be a bigger adventure than the Namib itself.

Gilrs, guys, old young anyone can apply. Would help if you can ride a bike - but at this point I'm so depressed, I'd even teach you as we go along.

wish I could get the time off, feet are itching like crazy at the mo'!
Have just started some consultancy work for the gov., will see if they can be at all flexible (would be out of character)....

That's a shame things didn't go to plan, good on you for continuing regardless.
What are the dates you're traveling exactly? I'm sure you have no end of offers, the difficulty will be deciding who to pick.

In fact scrub my previous post. Having had some time to think about it if you want me I will be there with bells on, already packed!

I haven't got much off-road or MX experience so I might slow you down a bit- in that all the experience I have had was on a massively overloaded bike but have loved every minute of experience I have had.

hi impasto,

please put me on your consideration list if the place has not yet been filled. i'm currently planning on an africa-overland trip from the uk, leaving sept'09, and could really do with the experience.

tyrone

When in April?
 

This has to be the opportunity of a lifetime, all the organisation done, just turn up and ride.

I am definitely interested if the dates will work, I am already booked to go to New Zealand in April - May for 3 weeks so the dates might not work.

Briefly
New Zealander male (or Kiwi bloke if your prefer)
30 Years riding experience, road and off road
My "go fast" gene has largely worn out and seems to be being replaced by a "go further" gene
Lots of mechanical ability, translation = good at fixing stuff
Pretty laid back, (even by Kiwi standards)
Useless at any foreign language, (even struggle with English when I’m tried)
Never been to Africa

Namib
 

When is the trip planned for....and when are the auditions?:clap:

Sounds like a fantastic trip...having riddena bit off-road at the other end of Africa, I am tempted to throw my hat in the ring!:funmeteryes:

Simon

Namibia calling
 

Hi Impasto,
What a brilliant opportunity! I'm down in muddy devon, how wonderful it would be to be biking in that part of the world. I was in Botswana and Namibia last september travelling by car. I was constantly trying to dream I was on a bike (probably a bit dangerous whilst driving). I could probably make it in April. If you could let me know the dates I could confirm.
Adrian

More details...
 

Ok guys... I should've added dates: the tickets are booked for 11 April to 28 April.

Please DO look at the blog I mentioned earlier.... but here's a few things to consider:

If you join me - YOU ARE JOINING ME AS A TEAM - not as a punter on a guided holiday (thats for the softies in the 4x4s :). Unfortunately, you dont have the luxury of dictating where you want to go -- but on every other level, you have to see it as YOUR trip and YOUR bike...

1. Its going to be hard work - especially the first few days, because we are playing catch up with the main group... so brace yourself for:

Landing at JHB aiport at 6am... picking the bikes up in JHB and riding 250 miles on the same day, to a rendevous point on the Botswana border.

So no time to be jet-lagged!


2. Our schedule is pretty flexible - we have only two deadlines - picking the bikes up on the 11th, and catching a flight back to JHB from Cape Town on the 27th. We rendevous with the main group at selected points - but these are flexible too.

3. In total - we've planned to ride around 3,000 miles (200 miles a day) - which may be completely insane... since I've never done that much myself either -- but basically, you must just be prepared to suck it and see... (like me!)

4. The bikes have been bought from a reputable dealer in SA, who I trust when he says they are perfectly road ready. HOWEVER - sh*t happens, and if either of the bikes go tragically wrong, the contingency plan is that we recover the bikes, and squeeze into the 4x4s.



I'm still a bit in a headspin about the whole thing - I'll get in touch with all of you's in the next few days with more definitive details... give me till after the weekend... when I'll be able to come back with definitive costs etc.

Hi Impasto,
I am very interested and am free to do this trip and dont mind contributing to some of your costs..email me more info , so i can give you a run down of who i am and my biking experiance on bikes..Kind Regards
Mark

Hi Impasto, I am quite possibly interested! Do you have facebook? I private messaged you my facebook name if you would like to get to know me.

Cheers,
Adam

edit: it says you have reached your pm quota!

I hope this works out for you.. one thing i have learned is NEVER have a deadline pending when dealing with customs and imigration!!!! :helpsmilie:

Other then that i would love to have joined you but am on assingment at that time..

Cost breakdown
 

Ok guys, I've made some sums (god help us!) and will PM each of you with details.

I like the audition idea - can I pick the outfits? :rofl:

I guess the fairest way to work it, will be to allocate the place to the first person who can confirm, by way of paying for the flight or shared fuel cost, or whatever.

Bikes waiting
 

Thanks Xander - but we PURCHASED the bikes in SA - they're sitting there, waiting for us.

Namib
 

Mardi

Got to post this publicly as i don't have enough posts to reply to your PM:rolleyes2:


I am away (in Mauritius as it happens) when you depart so will have to withdraw from the 'auditions'.:oops2:


It sounds like a wonderful trip....I wish you and the lucky co-rider a fantastic time and many great memories.

Hope you will take a lot of pictures and post here.

(Put my visa application in to the Syrian embassy this morning so do have that roadtrip :scooter:to look forward to as i fight back the tears!)

regards

Simon

Trip to SA
 

Hi Impasto,
Just to say I'm regretably unavailable for the trip, so thought I'd let you know. I'm sure you have a companion by now. Very good luck, have a great adventure.
Adrian

What a wonderful gesture on your part . May good Karma surround you and bless your trip.

Thanks!
 

Hey Mollydog - I thank you! I refrain from looking at your travel pictures too much, because I get a funny GREEN TINGE all over me... particularly because I was always under the impression that only Africa could possibly be that beautiful!


I've finally bit the bullet and picked a Yank (Javajunkie) to take Gigi's spot...

Not any other reason, than he'll eat Beef Jerky (Biltong!), likes to cook and the first question he asked, was how we protect ourselves from man eating lions whilst camping.

Clearly a man with his priorities in place: what to eat, and how not to get eaten!

I promised not to dress him up in pig tails and make him sing duets with me on the bike radios - but other than that... well, lets hope he makes it, sanity intact!

Javajunkie thinks cooking is not letting the can of whatever burn while heating it up...and the question about not getting eaten, he's thinking of the type of the weapon he should be packing - longarm or sidearm.

(if he can't make it, pick me! pick me!)

Of course, I'm not really worried about camping. I've figured out that I don't need to out-run the lions, I only have to outrun impasto.

Many a true word spoken in jest !! :rofl:

Oh dear. Was that a bad decision as to travelling companion? ;-)



Unfortunatley I was away last week and have only picked up on this thread today otherwise I'd have been interested. Snooze-you loose I guess.

Good luck all involved.

The final countdown...
 

Well, Javajunkie is winging his way to Africa as I'm writing this.... and I'm stuck in a snow clad London till Thursday!

After his comment about running away, I have a good mind to leave him to the lions -- only he is bringing a huge suitcase full of goodies I bought with cheap dollars and had delivered at his place. So, I guess I'll join him after all. :thumbup1:

(If you never hear from him again --- it means he never brought the suitcase!)

If anyone wants to leave their numbers with me on standby - in case he doesn't make it past week - I'll call. :rolleyes2: