Malaria

Well Malaria is just one long giggle.  O what fun it is. I've been feeling bad for over a week now.  Doing the denial routine,  that it could be Malaria. But knowing whatever I had,was similar to Thyphoid. Which I had back in 2010, in Cambodia.

So past three days I've been sweating my bits off. As it hit me big time.Throwing up and basically having a jolly good time. All whilst I took some very powerful medicine. Artefan 80/480.

Feel 80 % ok now. And am looking forward to getting back to the challenge. Next stop is Leo frontier crossing,  between Burkina Faso and Ghana.

Lots of technical issues here. Can't upload and so on.

Here's some photos of my journey to Bobo Duilassa. Keeping it short. So hopefully it will publish.

Please,please remember....I am putting myself through all this. To raise awarness and donations for wounded servicemen. CLICK HELP FOR HEROES LOGO. TOP RIGHT.

Ps. Or I will give you the lergy !!!

Bobo Doiulassa . Foret Diasso auberge.

I've got some sort of sickness at the moment. I'm hoping its just food related, namely the lack of. They are long, long days on the road. And bits of dried bread and luncheon meat, just isn't enough basically.

From my research in the beginning of the year. I knew of a Dutch couple who had camping facilities and an Auberge. Here in ' Bobo '. So using my Mk1 pen and paper, drew a map,when I had wifi. Well I'm pleased to say im here now. 2,000 cfa a night. The lady is Dutch and the husband is from the Ivory Coast. She provides meals,using the garden as the restaurant. It's all pretty cool and well worth a visit.

Just find the roundabout with the metal pyramid on it. Here in Bobo. And ask someone. You are 600 m away. Rooms are 8,000 cfa. But I can't warrant the extra money. Being on a tight budget.

Stopping here for two nights. Mainly to get some real food down me. And just in case there is something really wrong with me. Such as Malaria.

If all is well, I'm going to take a mooch around the town. I never get to do any touristy things. Due to bike security.

Ps. Since I wrote this, turns out I do have Malaria. Comes and goes. Cyclic symptoms. Sat outside. Eyes going again. But will stop skiving in two days. Just letting medicine do its thing.

Please donate to wounded servicemen via clicking the Help For Heroes logo. Top right. Past £6,000 raised. Make my efforts worthwhile please.

Or I will give you the Lergy !!!
Will

Victor Meldrew meets Ewan Mcgregor

Burkina Faso. Bobo Ouilassra.

Fifty odd failed publishing attempts later. I've redone it and see how this one goes.

Right. I want to moan. Kidding. Been ill for a number of days. Just cant stop feeling sick. So have stopped at a Dutch couples house. Camping in the garden and trying to get some nutrition in me.

Done around 500 -520 kms since Bamako. The terrain changing drastically. Its getting greener and greener.

No bribes at the border. Just had to pay 5,000 cfa for my Lasser Passer for Burkina Faso. I already had my multi entry visa, costing 31,000 cfa.

Keeping this short,as wifi can't hack it.

Im about 250 km from Leo border crossing. Keep meaning to get a map. Looking forward to Ghana.

Ok speak soon. I'm doing this so you will donate to my charity page. Click the Help for Heroes logo to donate.

Only thirty quid short of £6,000 .....

Global launch of the Suzuki Van Van XT 600 hybrid.

Well "oow bloody la lar ".

Had a 'To Do ' list for today. Find somewhere to get twenty more passport photos. Buy some more tinned food,that cost less than its weight in plutonium. And adjust the chain on the bike.

Having bought a knife off a Toureg tribesmen. Who 'seemed ', I'll say that again. 'Seemed',to speak English. I employed him to explain in French, what was needed with the bike chain. As these guys over here,just potter on slow Chinese mopeds. They simply tighten them to the max. And I couldn't explain, that their was going to be more luggage. ( my tent and sleeping bag ).Going on, the rear axle actually needed to be perfectly straight. And the chain at the right tension, allowing for the future weight increase.

I can't convey how frustrating it is when i can't make my point understood. And.....and...it turned out Soro. Captain English.  Knew about as much English, as I knew French! !!! So there was the mechanic talking in tribal language to Soro. Who did a great job, in translating, to bloody French !!! Mon ami !!! Jai non compronde !!!

I started to get somewhat frustrated. Needed not have. As the good news kept on a coming. The previously broken frame and suspected broken rear shock absorber,turned out to be true. Not just the frame. !!! " oooo ##### la lar ### lar "!!!!

Knowing how rare the Suzuki Van Van shock absorber is in the UK. I knew there was no chance in Mali. They don't even sell the bike here !!

So it was literally 'game over', or make something fit. Bring on to the stage the Yamaha XT600. The shock absorber , longer and the top fitment, much wider,our hybrid ' delux avec le bodge Gti ', started to take form.

We agreed a price, translated wonderfully into French for me. And work began. The top of the shocker was cut by 10 mm. Made more narrow. The chain re adjusted. Fitted...and tad dar !!!! 

Admittedly, the Van Van looks like it's hit the gym. And is giving it 'billy big poatoes'. It's seat now, about 3" inches higher. But....it seems...it seems, to work! ! I've gone two up, over rough ground and all is well.

So fingers crossed the global  launch, here in Bamako,of the Suzuki Van Van XT goes well. It's proving ground is from Mali to the Congo. Angola to South Africa. So one shall jolly well see. :))

Some final bits to get tomorrow morning. Then I'm going cup in hand, to a Army training camp. On the scrounge for. ...well anything they might have :)  namely, boil in the bag rations. I've lost so much weight, it's a bit shocking.

Wish me luck. Triggers 'original' sweeping brush 'springs' to mind. See what I did there ?? Comedy genuis me. :)

And once again. Thank you to Suzuki GB. Who gave absolutely no assistance or support, what so ever. But at this rate, I shall be arriving on a Yamaha anyway !!

Ok. Some pics below of product development. Lol.

Top tips. Cheers and fears.

Ten days stuck waiting, here in Bamako, are nearly over. I'm no mechanic or linguist. But as far as I can tell, my bike luggage frame broke in several places. My rear tyre subsequently getting worn out,by the rear Fender scraping on it. The rear shock absorber seems ok,but there is a noise occasionally from that area. Whilst going over rough ground. And my engine at high revs,makes a tinging noise.

The locals only see and work on Chinese mopeds and speak French. Trying to explain anything, is nigh on impossible for me. Despite taking my pocket note book,with drawings and sentences in French. That I've copied when using wifi.

Today 'Soro',a Toureg tribesmen is meeting me at 11 am. He does speak some English. I'm taking him with me to get my chain adjusted correctly. And engine noise diagnosed properly. It maybe the tappets need a tweek. Also on the 'To Do' list, are getting twenty passport photos. As the ten I brought from the UK, have all been used up. ? I still have ten plus countries to get visa's for.

I wanted to say a massive " thank you ," to all those who have supported and helped me over the past ten days. In times of need you truelly find out the value of those around you.

So to Nick Bayes, a guru of IT, Twitter and administration. " Thank you very much. I look forward to that beer." And Darren Hinch,who I've known since school. "Thank you inchy ". He's always promoting the challenge and being there for me. And finally Simon Hayes,who I was in the army with. He has raised and donated £1,500 to my charity page. Sent over the most expensive tyre,outside of F1,to me here in Mali. Not to mention loads of technical bike support. I don't know how to thank these guys enough. I do know that Tennants are sending Nick a crate of beer. So that can be a start point :))

Outcome of this ? You can not do this alone. You need an address in the UK. And a support team.

Tips . Photocopy your passport 30 times. Have thirty passport photos. Know all currencies exchange rates written down prior to departure. Not your home currency to. But for example. CFA to Ghana GHS.and so on. No.1 tip??? If riding solo,do a course in French. English is worthless here. Worthless.

And remember, your plan is only as good as the information you base it on. Research, research, research. But insure the information is accurate, credible, up to date. And applicable to you. ie. On the complcated subject of African visas. A French passport holders requirements are different to a British passport holders. And so on.

To any 'Overlanders'. Bamako is pretty safe and a nice place to be. Hotel Plage Bamako. On Rue 92. Toroboroboogoo. Is a great place to stay. Whilst you get visas etc. I pay 4,000 cfa a night, to camp 15 meters from the pool. There is wifi and a restaurant, security and helpful, informal staff. I've learnt about forty French words here. They are always keen to teach me.:) 

( just stop bring me omelette. When I'm asking for butter. )

You may note also Overlanders. I managed to get the infamously difficult Nigerian visa here. 66,500 cfa. One form. Two photos and 24 hrs. Saves going to Niger and getting it there. Despite it being 42,000 cfa there. You are saving on about 1,000 km of fuel and time. Accommodation and of course, the visa cost for Niger.

My route now is dictated by the need for visas. Angola being the most difficult in Africa. So I'm taking in as many Angolan embassies on the way. So after Burkina Faso.  I drop into Ghana. And apply at Accra. Failing that I still have Togo and Benin. Before I get to Nigeria. Where I am most likely to get the Willy Wonka Golden Angola Visa ticket.

The terrain is going to change rapidly now. The Sahel region is behind me. That being desert or sub desert. Fears ?? Well, lots of new wild camping mates!! Crocodiles, hippos and elephants. Replace,sand,sand,bugs and snakes. Looking forward to the challenge. (No ravioli will be left out. That's for sure. )

It's been a very costly and frustrating week. I've seen the true colours of some folk. And been humbled by others. I won't forget the help and support I've received.

Will

Rear suspension has broken. Help !!

I'm some 600 km inside Mali now. I found a hotel complex in Bamako, the Capital, that let me camp outside. It has security and wi fi. What a result !!!

On route to Mali: Wild camping !!Low quality food every day, i am afriad.

The past 1,300 km from the Gambia to here have been hard going at times. The road sometimes being perfect. And clearly brand new. But other times,completely destroyed. Off road or dust track is  one thing. But huge,deep pot holes. Sometimes the size of car,connected together by a slither of tarmac has broken the seal on my rear mono shock absorber.

frame and the shocker have been damaged !!

Result being the rear mudguard is banging on the tyre,at the slightest bump. To counter,I have been stood up on the foot pegs for most of the past 360 odd kms. Not easy when you have lost 8 or 9 kg in weight.( over a stone in English. Or 18 lbs ish ) It wasn't like I had a lot available to loose in the first place. :)))

I have two requests folks. Firstly, this Challenge, despite mine and others best efforts, has only raised €100 in the past two weeks. £4100 in total.  Christian Walking Around Britain, in aid of homeless servicemen, has raised over £100,000. Difference being his charity donate page went viral on Facebook. Due to folks ' SHARING 'it. And most importantly, his challenge is constantly in the public eye,via the papers. He's even had international interest from TV broadcasters.

This isn't about him and it isn't about me. It's about helping men and women, who have served our country and returned in a wheelchair. Their arms and legs blown off by IED's. And over 70% of our servicemen who have lost an arm,get turned down for Incapacity Benefit !!! As if its their left arm and they are right handed.The governments paid for doctors, say they can still work and do not qualify! !!!

Can you please help me ? A.) Make a donation via the Help for Heroes logo top right. B) SHARE this blog on Facebook and Twitter.

As I mentioned before, my suspension is broken and my rear tyre is now worn. Due to the bottoming out. The mudguard rubbing against the tyre.

With the bribes and over charging of everything, my budget is 100% going to run out, way before Johannesburg.

Can you help me ?

The further and longer I go. The more charity donations we recieve. If you like what I am doing,please make a donation via THE TEAM FUEL BUTTON.

Ive had £85 donated. But the cost of shipping a rear shock absorber and tyre, plus fitting,will be more like £300. And I simply can't cover the cost.  Plus Visas, Passavonts,bribes for the next ten odd countries.

Please don't just hope someone else will do it. Because they will be thinking the same.

Im stuck here in war torn Mali. With my fingers crossed.

Below are some photos I took for you all along the way.This guy looked happy to see me.....not !!! Came over as the kids were showing me their school books. Kids so far, have been lovely. Heart melting stuff.

Super No1 make this bike. Check his tank !

Kids suround me; proudly shows me his school book

I am only ever one incident away from major trouble: personal protection:

on the roqd i hqve q knife under my tank bag:

You can see the where the tyre is bottoming out on the fender :

And into Mali. A country in civil war.

136 km the road stone said to Kidra, the frontier town. It sits on the river that separates eastern Senegal and Mali.

Up at 7 am and saw the sun rising. Had the usual bread,fried luncheon meat and water. Packed my kit away and tried out my phone camera, attached to the left indicator. ( Both of my head cams have now broken. The Braun,literally shaking apart inside. Due to the ' road '.)

The rest of my journey to Kidra was a road from hell. Constant stream of pot holes. Just everywhere. The bike taking another major pounding.

It was hard,hard work. Very hot and humid,particularly in mid day. But by 1 pm.i was at the border town.

 

Guess where .......river Nijer seperates the two countries

Familiar with the border routine now. And intrigued to see if the Senegal Gaustapo would notice I'd not been into Customs at Karang. And didn't have a Passavont for the bike.

Into see the Police,no bribe and stamped out the country. Into Mafia Customs.......They looked at my ' Passavont ', and I said " plus dou joules.  Karang ". And.... .cha pooow. Stamped my passport and I was out of Senegal. Result. Didn't buy another Visa or Passavont. Score evened.

Over the river and into see Mali police. Stamp in passport and over to Mali Customs. 5000 CFA later,I had my Passavont and was finished. No bribes and no hassle.

 

 

 

 

First thing i see inside Mali.....blown up or just an accident:

Starting to see a lot of these..........can you guess ........ant hills !!!!

One big down side,my rear shock absorber has gone. The rear mudguard hitting the tyre over the slightest bump. This is a very expensive part in the UK. And I very much doubt possible to get here in Mali. (I only ever see Chinese mopeds.) Plus the tyre is now worn,with the rubbing. The Suzuki Van Vans rear wheel size is its Akilease Heal. It's unique and Suzuki don't sell this bike here. So I will have to courier one from the UK.

Without a solution, this challenge will be over. But.. .but...We are not done yet. I am now 400 km inside Mali. Writing this two days in arrears. I have 300 km to Bamako. The capital. Where I will try and fix it. I don't have the money and you know they will triple the cost.

One solution is to retro fit a Chinese moped shocker on the near side. To take most of the weight. Watch this space. I've got about £1500 to my name. And with a dozen more Visas and Passavont s to pay for. Fuel and food,I'm getting desperate for a bit of charity myself. If you can help,please donate to the Team Fuel Button.

Lots of accidents on the road today. Helped a tiped over bike,come pick up. Stopped for an artic lorry that had rolled over. And saw another truck all burnt out.

 

Rest of the village came out and we got him right way up!

I've been trying to get a few good pics. I went to a watering hole. No,not a Pub. Chance would be a good thing. Saw loads of animals and met their herdsman. They looked at me like I was from a different planet.lol nice moment.  :)))

Watering hole...no Fosters! Wouldnt be surprised if i was the first white guy thed met!

I've been wild camping here in Mali. But do plan to get a cheap room in Bamako. As it's been ten days since I had a shower. ( The Mandinka tribes idea of a shower, was a tap and a cup.) So I'm pretty smelly basicly.

Im sat under a tree,by the road side. Middle of nowhere. Yet four mopeds have past,each one offering to help.But its the usual fried Luncheon meat and biscuits for me:Lost 9 kg easy so far .Washed down with a glass of tea:Nice.

 

 

They live as we did 2,000 years ago. Mud huts,usually round with straw roofs. Protected by sticks in the ground. They wave when I toot the horn. But absolutely gorp at me at the same time. I think I've heard them shout " M J ". Or similar. 

Can you spot the Cell tower.........villagers tapping into free elctricity

I've found it really hard to find St vendors. So been buying biscuits and frying the luncheon meat I bought back in The Gambia. Definitely lost quite a lot of weight. Feel slightly weaker, but nothing too bad.

Ok. Im heading to Bamako. Be there in the morning. I have no internet. I can text but can't receive them. Will publish blogs if I can find wi fi anywhere.My kit is slowly but surely,falling apart.Latest to break is my Head Camera.It was actually the replacement !!! It litterally shook apart from the road.

Huge fingers crossed I can somehow fix the bike. I don't want this to be the end.

Braun camera in bits

Flint coming out of the ground,thought it was a grave yard at first.

Can you see the village huts ...

......and behind me ...

Setting the ground on fire........no idea....

animals at the watering hole

surprised heardsman in the middle of Mali savvana

another feast.......

fire...birds dropping out of the sky..

Life is well, enjoying the challenge. But ridding with these bike issues is very hard going. Remember,this bike is designed to pop to the shops. Its loaded to the guns.And is now damaged.

Will