Ene 08 2011 Africa on a bike. One million rocks

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  An authentic account of a motorcycle trip through Africa. A book detailing the reality of the black continent beyond the postcards and luxury safaris. And "One million rocks" chewing desert dust, they suffer the corrupt, sometimes, African bureaucracy and finished the night drinking with the strange bedfellows who always invents the way.

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  An authentic account of a motorcycle trip through Africa. A book detailing the reality of the black continent beyond the postcards and luxury safaris. And "One million rocks" chewing desert dust, they suffer the corrupt, sometimes, African bureaucracy and finished the night drinking with the strange bedfellows who always invents the way.

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  An authentic account of a motorcycle trip through Africa. A book detailing the reality of the black continent beyond the postcards and luxury safaris. And "One million rocks" chewing desert dust, they suffer the corrupt, sometimes, African bureaucracy and finished the night drinking with the strange bedfellows who always invents the way.

• damages

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  An authentic account of a motorcycle trip through Africa. A book detailing the reality of the black continent beyond the postcards and luxury safaris. And "One million rocks" chewing desert dust, they suffer the corrupt, sometimes, African bureaucracy and finished the night drinking with the strange bedfellows who always invents the way.

Africa is a mythical, idealized to excess in film and literature. When he hears his name, even my neighbor immediately fills fifth imagination enticing images, of red dawns, vast deserts, verdísimas forests and herds of wild animals. She also dreams of African documentaries and a romp with Robert Redford.

But the real Africa is not an organized safari or a romantic movie where palmito look tapioca explorer costume. Traveled on a motorcycle is a harsh land, hard and, why not say it clearly, dangerous. Little has to cross borders suggestive Kafkaesque, corrupt cops, encounters with elephants, tropical diseases or accidents hundreds of miles from anything resembling a hospital.

Speaking of accidents, What I can say is that my trip came from a totally accidental. I had never been to Africa, but one day I was offered free to go to Kenya to write a report. Did you say a free trip? I gladly accepted the gift and I got vaccinated against cholera, yellow fever and tetanus. And positions, as I liked the bike and still had in his pocket the compensation for traffic accident, I thought to myself, Do you hear, why try to buy one there and you see a return?

KENYA

Nairobi is the great city of East Africa, a must for travelers visiting the continent. Most meet in the garden of Jungle Junction, German-owned Christofer Handschub. It offers affordable accommodation, camping facilities, and reliable repairs on vehicles of the Globetrotters before intruding into the jungle. "This is Africa", says to prepare for a fault with the simplest means. I saw him fix a buffer with wire and cloth. Beyond its doors, begins the realm of unpredictability and lack of spare parts. It has reached the North Pole on a motorcycle with sidecar. Nobody knows if it's true, but does it matter if organizes great barbecues on Fridays.
He had written an email asking for bikes that were available. He had two for sale, KLR with an enrollment of BMW South Africa and Kenya plates. These differences are important when crossing borders. With the South African was easier back, with the Kenyan was more difficult to get away without meat du passage, document could not get because I had no residence in the country. But it was love at first sight. While Kawa had a hard trip, BMW R80/GS year 92 had been imported from Germany and the owner, the head of the Germanic broadcasting in Nairobi, had used only. Looked like new and only asked 3500 EUR. A complete bargain considering its condition and the place where.

As I left the city I found that African roads are hell. Potholes, dust and smoking vehicles that only respect a law: the larger the. There are people everywhere. A market, cycling, in minibuses, in cars, in trucks, a scooter, in all that you can move no matter how old, that is polluting or hazardous. Driving in Africa is a continuous slalom to avoid pedestrians, animals such as swimming pools and deep holes.

As I left the city I found that African roads are hell. Potholes, dust and smoking vehicles that only respect a law: the larger the.

Around the equator, the horizon is the earth roars wild and intensely red. The tea plantations emerald hills sprinkled. In Nanyuki Indians stationed themselves in Ecuador signal of tourists waiting to do the stunt sump water runs backwards. Nor molested me. It was more interesting to look at the motley human landscape. This area is located the origin of the Kikuyu Mau Mau revolt against British colonial rule and in the days that I traveled again be plunged into violence. Kenya is a melting pot of more than forty tribes. The majority is the Kikuyu, to which almost everyone else hates. Although undoubtedly, the tribe most famous is the Masai. The lords of the savannah. The god who created all things granted ownership of all herds. So they say to justify their theft.

TANZANIA

The asphalt disappeared hundred kilometers before the border. The coarse gravel track was very busy for TIR trucks circulating old night and day to speed demon. Indifferent to all standard, crushed in its path which is not out of the way fast enough, animals are, stupid kids on bikes or motorcycles White.
Arusha is the gateway Kilimanjaro and houses the Special Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda genocide. It is not difficult to find accommodation although prices are high. In any hotel establishment have two rates: one for foreigners and one for people in East Africa. Of course, foreigners pay double. Or three times if it is Dar es Salaam, great port of Indian trade, gateway to Zanzibar, and the country's real capital.

Three hundred kilometers west, I went through Mikumi Park. Giraffes, Elephants, baboons and buffalo freely crossing the road. The animals looked skeptical resignation the intruder motor.

ZAMBIA

The horizon is a thick thorny bush that sprouts everywhere. What they call "The bush". Miles and miles of the same landscape under a uniform sky. Every so often, a village of huts. There is nothing more. Nor stations in more than six hundred miles.
In the motel bar Mpika Melodi coincided with a fun group of Somali truckers. Extraperlo made to diesel, illegally transporting passengers and at night were cooked with bourbon made in South Africa. At 6 am, resacosos and sleepy, came back to continue wreaking havoc.

ZIMBABWE

The former Rhodesia was a day for the highest income per capita in Africa. But Mugabe arrived and everything went to hell. As I said an African, if the government of the country they had given to his worst enemy would not have been so successful in destroying. Nothing works in Zimbabwe. The runaway inflation and attacks on farms plunged the nation into chaos, hunger and mismanagement. The coin itself has disappeared, replaced by the South African rand or the U.S. Dollar

Zimbabwe is a fertile country, verdísimo, crisscrossed by rivers and dotted with tall mountains. But, supervening poverty prostitution requires clerks to Harare, capital. Strange city with orderly planning of English ancestry who barely survives in the national shipwreck. While the world was collapsing, an elderly white woman going through the heavy traffic on an old bicycle pedaling. Her dress gas and straw hat were vestiges of another time unreal.

BOTSWANA

The largest producer of diamonds. A neat and slightly corrupt country. Gaborone, capital, is a strange city with incredible buildings of steel and glass glisten among vacant lots arid. The impression is of medium to large city. The main hotel is opposite the bus station and the market extremely lively. In the annexed pub party lasted well into the night.

The great river flows into the sea not, but in the Kalahari Desert where it forms an incredible network of tributaries and mazes. When the level, fills the entire area of ​​zebra, elephants and lions.

The main road to the northwest was a good sign, but the danger was constant. Circulating pets at home. Cattle, donkeys and goats are the masters of the asphalt. To the north is the wonderful setting of the Okavango Delta. The great river flows into the sea not, but in the Kalahari Desert where it forms an incredible network of tributaries and mazes. When the level, fills the entire area of ​​zebra, elephants and lions. From the tent pitched on the river could hear the snorting of the hippos.

NAMIBIA

I went into Namibia by the National Park Bwabwata. "Beware of the lions', the police warned me laughing, "I like white meat". In Africa, the humor has something peculiar nuances. The guards of the National Park Skeleton Coast would not let me; motorcycles are strictly prohibited. "I toured seven countries dreaming of seeing the Atlantic here and not go back. I'll camp until I let go or someone loaded the bike and take me to the other door ". They called their boss to explain that rare case of mad. Soon, I was told I had a special authorization.

When I entered I realized the ban. There was only sand, wind and sea water. Travelling by bike at that place was an odyssey. On several occasions I had to release a pulse of sand trap. The horizon was a hell-white under a sky covered with leaden clouds. Was immersed in utter desolation. On the beach appeared a thick carpet of debris thrown by the sea. Wood, bones and shells. Hence the name Skeleton Coast. But, one of the most impressive skeletons in the desert was not from the ocean. It was an old industrial facility corroded by rust, neglect and nitrate. One piece of earth was the real end of the world.
Desde Swakopmund, a track which crossed the Namib Desert led me to Windhoek, capital, where food poisoning that I fell in bed for three days of nightmare in which I did not know if she had malaria, dysentery and Ebola virus.

SOUTH AFRICA

Cape Town. Legendary destination. The most cosmopolitan, open and dynamic city of the continent. Founded in 1652 by a Dutch trading company, is the legitimate daughter of modern capitalism. Its first governor, Jan Van Rieebeck, was appointed by a shareholders' meeting and must not charge any king. It was also the perfect place to relax before starting the ascent route.
Hotels, restaurants and nightclubs. Two oceans that embrace. Magnificent wines from Stellenbosch and Constantia. A nice and cool with buskers and many young backpacker. The waterfront is a delightful place. In the evening, out to the balconies that provide groups of friends with fine wines at high crystal glasses. Cults, rich and beautiful, front of them floating on the sea a green spot. Robben Island is. Just a few miles far, but never saw. Nobody wanted to see. It spent eighteen years as a prisoner Nelson Mandela and no longer provide evening.

More countries, kilometers and misadventures in a million stone, Barataria editions.