Tejsa1

Hey
My name is Jonas, I'm from Denmark. I'm 19 years old (Don't care about your age, as long as you're friendly) and will soon finish college. I'm taking a gap year, and I'm looking into a 7-8 months bicycletouring trip:
1. Starting in Cairo, Egypt, and cycling south to Cape Town, South Africa.
Starting in August, September or October 2016. The route can start in Cairo or in Cape Town, it doesn't really matter. The routes then follows: Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Botswana, Namibia and South Africa. The route is about 12000 - 14000 km and take from 4 months to 7 months. I'm looking for a companion for the entire trip, or mayby we could just start off together.

I'm a funny, friendly and very open-minded person and I can really be with any person. I'm very good at adapting to any sitaution, therefore your riding style doesn't really matter, but my general style is 80-100 km a day plus a rest day every 5th or 7th day (But I can easily adapt to any style!). I like eating what the locals are eating and cooking my own meals.
I'm looking for a friendly, funny and too open-minded person to ride with. Message me, and we can plan this amazing experience!
PS: I haven't done a multi month bicycletouring trip before, but I have done small trips here in my home country

Machka 

Have you considered this:

Tour d'Afrique | The original cross-continent Africa bike expedition | TDA Global Cycling

fietsbob

CTC,England another much older touring organization https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cycling_UK..

maybe the guided fully supported tour type is better since you are of little touring experience.

companions that are Paid.

Tejsa1

Yeah, I have seen that, but it is just too expensive...

Tejsa1

Well it is not that I don't know how to tour. I have done trips in my home country, and it is my time to start a multi-month-trip.
But I don't know about CTC. What is it? And what's your point?

fietsbob

You dont have experience back to the 1870's, they do. and May have more information that other cyclists have gathered riding thru Africa Long Ago

another place to seek a more experienced companion .


the adventure cycling assocoation also has a companions wanted page

and read a lot of stuff off Crazy Guy On A Bike ..

try German Language forums too. Germans seem to be travelers , maybe they have longer Holiday time and more Income.

Machka 

CTC is Cycle Touring Club UK ... now Cycling UK ...

We are Cycling UK | Cycling UK

I think the suggestion is to have a browse through the CTC (Cycling UK) site and see if there is an event that would cover all or part of the route you plan to do.
UK Cycling Events | Cycling UK

Another idea might be to contact them to see if anyone there might be interested.

You might do the same with a few other cycling clubs.

imi

Are there any blogs on crazyguyonabike.com with people who have independantly done Cairo-Cape Town?

I imagine there are are a number of logistical problems to be sorted out, such as visas...

I hope to do the TdA sometime in the next few years, but this thread has got me interested in researching if a solo trip is realistic (emphasis on that last word)

Tejsa1

Hey Timi
I saw you asking about cycling solo Cairo to Cape Town. I want to let you know, that a lot of people have done that solo, and it is durable by a lot of people. That's why I'm trying to do that route solo, if nobody had done it, I wouldn't do it

jefnvk

Ewan McGregor did a motorcycle documentary running a similar route back around 2010. Visas were ridiculous, every member of the team had multiple passports they had to mail out to the various embassies, there wasn't the space or time to only have one passport out for approval. Having local knowledge of the route is also valuable, mapping of remote areas and dissemination of information on conditions still is not great. There were areas (at least back then) that roads simply didn't exist, and your only way through was a once a week ferry.

Another prime concern which may warrant advice from those better suited: security concerns. Lot of "hot" areas from the southern part of Egypt down through the next few countries.

That said, wish I had the time to join you, sounds like a fun adventure! I'm incredibly jealous of the European gap year.

dim

you are brave .... I lived in South Africa for over 30 years. It is not safe riding a bike there. You will get bricks and bottles hurled at you and have your bike and all your belongings taken

not sure what it's like in the rest of Africa, but if you do decide to do this trip, be prepared for drama

Tejsa1

I have a danish visa. I only need visa for two countries. That won't be a problem.
As for roads, a lot have happened in these countries in 6 years. Talking to cyclist who have done the route lately, said that it was a great experience.

imi

Tejsa1:
Are you going to blog your trip?
I for one would be really interested in reading about it!

Tejsa1

I will be blogging a bit. I will send you a link, when I get it up and running

imi

You didn't miss this did you?
https://www.bikeforums.net/touring/10...g-company.html

alan s 

Definitely not the same guy. 19 yo from Denmark vs. 29 yo from Sweden.

lightspree

If you google Peter Gostelow Africa it might be of interest.

The machete incident can be taken as instructive or suggestive of certain things not to do if you want to stay out of trouble.

JustCycling8

Hi Tejsa1! I know this was posted a while ago, but if you're looking for a cycling companion in future for any journey, feel free to contact me. I am 18 years old, I have decent fitness but not much experience of long distance cycle trips.

fantom1 

In this day and age, you've got some brass ones to take on that trip! Good luck.

BigAura

Brass! Ha! Steel is generally preferred by most on this site.