African Adventure Motorcycle Travel

Don't Just Sit There Watching Television - Ride a Bike!

 

The first television outing for the African Brew Ha-Ha went off without a hitch - in fact, apart from licking my lips incessantly as though I hadn't had a drink in a fortnight, I'm secretly quite pleased with it (don't you just hate smugness in bikers?).

To view my appearance on the Travel Channel's Holiday Show with Ginny Buckley (above) and Gareth Davis, go here

www.travelchannelvod.com 

Scroll down and enter

Username: tcvod
Password: fg634bq10

Then click on Show 31

I'm on at 14 minutes

Be patient, the buffering is quite slow.

African Holiday Ha-Ha?

The Travel Channel have asked me to guest on their Holiday Show, which airs on Sky Channels 251 & 252.

So if you've got a Sky Box, tune in on Friday April 30th. The show is aired at 6am, 9am, 12n, 4pm & 8pm. It will also go out on Saturday May 1st and Sunday May 2nd.

BBC calls ABHAHA then plays BG

 
Interest in African Brew Ha-Ha seems to be growing.

BBC Radio Solent called Brew Ha-Ha Towers this afternoon for a short chat over the wireless. The good people of Hampshire were treated to seven riveting minutes of me trying to convince them - and the presenter Alina Jenkins - that it was a perfectly normal thing to ride to Cape Town in search of the ultimate cuppa.

The good thing about radio is that they can't answer back, so I remain assured (in my own baselessly optimistic style) that all the listeners have placed orders for the book this very day at their local Waterstones.

The other guest on this afternoon's show? Boy George. Mum always liked him, so she'll get a kick out of that.

Portable as a Kindle - and often faster than the African Brew Ha-Ha

 

Lending Library in Garissa, Kenya.

Sahrawis in the News?

Here is a story that is destined to be a feature of our news broadcasts in the years to come - the Sahrawi fight for independence in the Sahara Desert. You would be forgiven for not knowing where Sahrawi-land is. Well, firstly read AFRICAN BREW HA-HA - failing that, the Sahrawis are the people in Western Sahara who were marginalised when Morocco took over the region when Spain was forced out in 1975. All very dry so far ...

Watch the film and you will get a good idea of the terrain in the desert in which I struggled and also the refugee-camp conditions in which the Sahrawis have lived - many since 1975. There is also a jutted-jaw attitude from people who will keep fighting - hopefully, by diplomatic means - no matter what, for their independence. When people are born into refugee status, it is difficult to argue against their desire for a homeland.

Of course, many others have integrated into mainstream society in Western Sahara, which continues to be administered by Morocco.

Look out for the berm - the two thousand-kilometre sand wall patrolled by the UN - at 8m 10s.

Riders for Health

Here's a wonderful organisation of social entrepreneurs called Riders for Health.

After battling with the roads in many African countries I can appreciate the dificult task of accessing healthcare, especially if there is a pot-holed nightmare of a road between you and a clinic. This organisation - now operating in 7 African countries - decided that the answer was to bring the medic or medication or health testing equipment to the patient - and the best way to do that is to use small motorbikes.

This is a short film made for BBC World News by Alvin Hall.

Dimanche à Bamako (Sunday in Bamako) by Amadou & Mariam

You may like to see what Bamako, Mali, looks like on a beautiful Sunday. There's even a glimpse of the Bamako train on which I spent a memorable night on the Brew Ha-Ha. But I never gave a bride a ride on the back of my bike.

Good tune, too.

Orchestre Baobab from Dakar

Terrific group and not difficult to dance to this (he says). I saw a loose collection of this band in Senegal in late 2007 on the Brew Ha Ha. Despite being extremely drunk I knew then they were exceptional players.

If you know what Dee Moo Woor means, I'd love to know.

The only Tiger in the desert

You too, can Springdoo

You too, can Springdoo