Libië, Reisversekering, Wisselkoerse, Vodacom

(English below)

 

Nog net 43 dae oor. Ongelooflik.

 

Daar is weer lig voor in die tonnel met Libië, en dis nie te danke aan Abdul nie. Abdul het verdwyn. Ek hoop om binne die volgende paar dae meer te weet oor 'n moontlike visum.

 

Die reisversekering wat ek wou uitgeneem het, het platgeval. Ek het die volgende van hulle vandag ontvang:

 

"Thank you for the enquiry you had with us this morning regarding travel Insurance. I have sent your enquiry about the motor cycle trip through to our underwriters and they informed me now that they cannot cover you.  Under mentioned is what they have sent back to me. "Unfortunately we decline to quote as this is a very high risk."

Die belaglikheid van die hele saak is dat sou die motorfiets 200cc of kleiner gewees het, sou hulle my verseker het. Terug na die tekenbord.

Ek het gister vir my op Excel 'n klein wisselkoersprogrammetjie gemaak waarmee ek altyd met gemak geld heen en weer kan bereken. Die huidige wisselkoers is ook reeds in vir elke land waardeur ek gaan ry. In die aande gaan dit nou maklik wees om die kostes van alles ook in Rand te bereken.

Nog 'n tabelletjie wat ek gemaak het, is 'n lys van selfoonnetwerke in al die lande met wie Vodacom 'n ooreenkoms het. Nou kan ek dadelik by elke grens die regte netwerk kies vir die goedkoopste sms'e of internet. Net in Zambië, Tanzanië, Kenia en Egipte sal ek direk van my rekenaar berigte kan stuur. In die ander lande sal dit oor internetkafees moet wees.

Ek het die foto gister so 30km van Naboom geneem. Stem jy saam dat ek in die paradys leef?

 

Only 42 nights left over in South Africa. Amazing how time flies.

I again have hope that a visa for Libya will be granted. I should know within the next few days. Abdul doesn't play any role any more. He has disappeared.

My intended travel insurance is off. Reason? Read what they say:

"Thank you for the enquiry you had with us this morning regarding travel Insurance. I have sent your enquiry about the motor cycle trip through to our underwriters and they informed me now that they cannot cover you.  Under mentioned is what they have sent back to me. "Unfortunately we decline to quote as this is a very high risk."

 If my motorcycle were 200cc or less they would have done that. Back to square one for me.

Yesterday I used Excel to create a file, with which I can do calculations between different currencies within milliseconds. So many countries, so many currencies, so many dubious characters waiting at the border posts to rip off the innocent. 

I compiled a list of cell phone networks in the different countries, with which Vodacom has a roaming agreement. At every border one can now select the preferred network and save money. There are data roaming agreements only with Zambia, Tanzania, Kenya and Egypt. Only there I can do a daily update from my laptop. The rest of the time it will be from internet cafes.

I took the photograph yesterday about 30km from Naboom. Do you agree that I live in paradise?

Die laaste rondte begin ...

Goeie middag!

 

Die laaste rondte vir alle voorbereidings het begin. Vandag gaan al my visumaansoeke en paspoort in Johannesburg toe na die visumdiens wat vir my die aansoeke gaan doen. Omdat ek ver van Pretoria af is en die tolfooie so hoog is, kom dit vir my goedkoper uit om die diens die rywerk te laat doen as vir my om elke keer te ry. (Hoekom moet 'n motorfiets dieselfde tolfooi betaal as 'n swaar 4x4?)

 

Abdul het ek nou in die kassie van vergetenes gesit. Ek sal in Egipte na moontlikhede soek om in Tunisië of Griekeland uit te kom.

 

Volgende Donderdag moet my fiets in Johannesburg wees. Dan word die laaste paar veranderinge aangebring. Ek sal julle op hoogte hou wat alles gedoen is.

 

Al dokumentasie wat nog gedoen moet word, is die Carnet de Passage. Hiervoor is alle vorms reeds ingevul en die bankwaarborg en waardasiesertifikaat gekry. Dit stuur ek so drie weke voor my vertrek na die AA. Dan moet ek ook nog die Internasionale Rybewys kry.

 

Kenia: Dit is jammer wat daar gebeur. Elke mens wat doodgemaak word, is een te veel. Dit is egter nog 6 weke voor my vertrek en ek hou duim vas dat verstand seëvier. Ek dink aan alternatiewe roetes as Kenia onmoontlik sou word. Ek is bevrees daar is nie werklik veel opsies nie omdat elke opsie 'n streek het wat miskien net so gevaarlik is soos (Noord-Uganda, Darfoer).

 

Groete!

 

 

Good day to you!

 

I am on the last lap with all my preparations. Today all my visa applications were sent to Johannesburg from where a visa service will handle all the applications. I live just too far from Pretoria to go to all the embassies myself. Adding to the fuel cost are the toll fees, which are quite ridiculous. (Why must a motorcycle pay the same toll fee as a heavy 4x4?)

 

I put Abdul in the cupboard of people to be forgotten. I will try and find ways of getting out of Egypt while in Egypt.

 

Next Thursday the KLR must be in Johannesburg for all the upgrades that are necessary. I will keep you posted on what has been done.

 

The only outstanding documentation are the Carnet de Passage and international drivers' license. I already have all the documentation needed for the Carnet, the bank guarantee and valuation certificate.

 

Kenya: What a pity that so many lives were lost due to the political violence. The human being is quite often not worth the description 'human'. I have 6 weeks before my departure, and until then much can happen, for the better or worse. I am looking at alternatives but I am afraid the options are very limited. Two of the three options include even more dangerous sections, northern Ethiopia and the Darfur region, for example.

 

Regards!

Abdul, Kenia en visums

(English below)

 

Naand!

 

Abdul het nog niks weer van hom laat hoor nie. Die situasie in Kenia is 'n bietjie onrusbarend. Vanaand sit ek en tik reisplanne vir al die verskillende ambassades uit.

 

Oor Abdul: Ek gaan nog nog 'n paar dae wag en as hy verder swyg, gaan ek Libië finaal uitsny en dan sal ek in Egipte 'n manier gaan soek om in Tunisië uit te kom.

 

Kenia: Ek volg nou op die internet in 'n forum 'n paar motorfietsryers se kommentare. Blykbaar is daar nou polisiekonvooie vanaf die grens tot in Nairobi. Noord van Nairobi waar die Somali "bandits" aktief is, maak die ouens maar informele konvooie. Hoekom moet 'n opkomende land vernietig word om 'n politiek rigting as reg of verkeerd te bewys?

 

Ek het vanaand gesit en reisplanne uittik wat saam met my visumaansoeke moet ingaan. Ek het vanoggend 26 paspoortfoto's laat neem. Die fotograaf kon nie glo dat 'n mens soveel foto's vir 'n reis kan nodig hê nie.

 

Visums o visums. Die tyd kom nader dat ek net daar sal reis waar ek nie visums nodig het nie.

 

 

Good evening!

 

Three topics dminated the evening news at Naboom2Germany: Abdul, Kenya, visa applications.

 

There is again no sign of Abdul. I am getting tired of waiting and begging for emails. If a country is not interested in tourism let they go and play with themselves.

 

Kenya: I follow contributions of travellers in Kenya. The situation is not very good. Apparently there are police convoys from the border up to Nairobi. North of Nairobi where the bandits from Somalia are active, the travellers form informal convoys. Why must a country be destroyed to be proven right or wrong?

 

Tonight I sat and wrote itineraries to accompany my visa applications. The foreign embassies need those. This morning I got 26 passport photographs for all the documentation. The photographer couldn't believe his ears! 26!

 

The time is getting closer that I am going to avoid any country where I need a visa.

Abdul, where are you?

(English below)

 

Abdul het nie vandag van hom laat hoor nie. Dis moeilik om aan te gaan met visumreëlings as alles so in die lug bly hang.

 

Eerste Nasionale Bank is my bank. Toe hulle nog Barclays was, was hulle bereid om in die doodsnikke van my studentejare vir my nog 'n studentelening te gee sodat ek my Volkswagen Kewer se enjin kon laat oordoen. Hoe kon 'n finale jaar student sy meisie sonder 'n motor uitneem? Ek het toe ewige trou aan hulle gesweer. (Nie dat dit gehelp het nie. Skaars twee jaar later was ons verhouding  verby :-)

 

Gister was ek weer by FNB hier op Naboom om met al die papierwerk te begin: Bankwaarborg van 200% van die KLR se waarde wat nodig is vir die Carnet de Passage; sewe verskillende briewe aan verskillende ambassades om aan te dui ek sal daardie lande nie tot las wees nie, ek sal my eie koeskoes met tee kan koop. Mariaan Johnson van FNB het ten spyte van die daaglikse kragonderbreking alles binne ure gereed gehad.

 

Mariaan, baie dankie! Al ry ek nie meer my Kewer nie, julle het nog steeds my lojaliteit!

 

Geniet die naweek!

 

(Dit val my nou by, dis Vrydag, en dis soos Sondag in 'n Islamitiese land. Abdul werk dus nie vandag nie. Nou voel ek beter. Miskien is daar Maandag pos van hom.)

 

 

 

I haven't heard anything from Abdul today. It is so difficult to get everything done if one of the pillars is out of step.

 

First National Bank is my bank. When I was a student the FNB was called Barclays Bank. I was a student, a few months before completion of my studies. I had an old VW Beetle. The engine packed up. The biggest problem was that I had a girl friend. How could a final year student treat his love without a car? I tried various banks and only Barclays (FNB nowadays) was prepared to grant me a student loan while the sun was setting on my studies. I promised myself that I would stick to such a bank who understood my dilemma. (Not that it helped: We were out not even two years later :-)

 

Yesterday I was back at FNB here in Naboom. It was time to start with all the paperwork: Bank guarantee of 200% of the bike's value to get a Carnet de Passage; seven different letters for the embassies of the different countries to proof that I could buy my own 'Bazen' and would have sufficient funds available. Very capable Mariaan Johnson of FNB had everything ready and done within hours, even with a power cut in between.

 

Mariaan, thank you so much! FNB again earned my loyalty!

 

Enjoy your weekend!

 

(It struck me now: In an Islam dominated country Fridays are like Sundays. Abdul isn't working today. I feel much better now. Perhaps on Monday ...)

 

 

Libya!

Abdul sent me an email again! I nearly went over the roof of our office building, for two reasons:

 

1. There is a small chance now that I can get a visa for Libya!!!

 

2. The cost of that is going to be ridiculous!!! I dare not tell you how much.

 

Included are the following costs:

 

- Visa for three (!!!) people

- Rental of a 4x4 for my "guide" for 7 days

- 5 nights hotel accommodation and 6 nights for the guide (I don't have a choice of where and when, they control their tourists every second of the day)

- food for the guide for the duration of my Libyan crossing

- police registration

- coming to meet me at the border.

 

I am going to blow one third of my pension money on this trip. As I am single my biggest fear is that I will not get that old to enjoy my pension one day, so now I am going to enjoy it while I still can.

 

Soon I am going to advertise Naboom2Germany t-shirts, the same color and design as I am going to wear the whole trip, on the website. Included is a free DVD on the trips I did as prep. for the big one. Every t-shirt sold will cover a few inches of the Libyan crossing. Come on guys, buy your mother-in-law 10 t-shirts! She will love (most probably hate) you for that!

 

(Actually, that means there is one country where I NOT will get lost!!)

Libië

More uit 'n sopnat, grasgroen Bosveld!

Geen een van die Libiese reisagentskappe wat ek van die Libiese
ambassade gekry het, het op my e-pos geantwoord nie.

Abdul het na twee dae se stilte teruggeskryf. Hy wil my nou bel.
Miskien kom daar nou beweging in die hele sage oor 'n Libiese visum.

Sewe weke en twee dae ...

Ek is tevrede hoe die voorbereidings loop. Dis die voordeel van 'n
aanloop van 'n hele jaar.

Libië

I again had a request for a bit more English. It is only fair to help those who cannot read or speak the most beautiful language.

 

I sent Abdul again an email yesterday about costs. There is still no reply.

 

I spoke to the Libyan Embassy and received back a fax with a list of Libyan tour operators after 5 days. I sent emails to all of those this morning. Nearly half of the addresses were incorrect.

 

I decided that Libya is NOT going to irritate me. I will give it a hard go to get a visa. Isn't life always a reaction on an action?

 

And if I canot get a Libyan visa? I will cross that bridge when I sit under a palm tree in Egypt.

 

I've just received back another three emails. Incorrect addresses. On my list there are only seven left over now.