Biarritz-Nantes
Got ready on Friday morning for 3 days riding the African Moped from Biarritz to Nantes , across the French country side. Stops on the way weren’t too nice compared to theses in Africa , where one can have food, shower, and a tchat all night long with local people in a village. In , instead, it’s only bush camping with Chinese noodle soup for dinner and wild animals sounds in the middle of the night!
Riding the Landes was endless, pine tree’s forests going on for 300 Km, Straight! Then, crossed the Gironde River to Royan by boat, before heading for the smallest road to Nantes that I could point on my map.
In a tiny petrol station on the way, the woman in charge came to me and asked:
« Where do you come from?
Quiet happy and proud to tell about, I replied:
-Coming from , in Africa .
-Oh... you’re only the second one this year!
-What?
-in early 2005, a young guy came to refill his overload moped like yours in my station (49cc MBK), he was coming from Africa as well, from or ”
Woooh, that’s much further, well done mate! Funny coincidence!
Before when I was in Bayonne , I heard more about the 2 guys who rode the same moped as mine from Bayonne to Dakar last winter (website link on the left side, some interesting pictures but in French only). Also got the web site of the longest journey ever ridden on a “true moped”, 18 660 Km in in 1978 in 3 months only (by Walter Muma). Moped travelling is not even original!
Sunday morning, during my last bush camp, gun shoots from hunters hurried me to leave early, wasn’t that far from hunting place, maybe inside in fact... As I heard some hunters got killed sometimes by their friends by mishap, I just packed my gear quickly before leaving!
Quiet happy now to be in Nantes , have met some family, and old friends from the Ingenior School , slept well in a nice bed, and had a well deserved shower!
Last days there before the final ride to Paris next week-end, where I expect my picture under Eiffel tower!
5 July 2005
African Moped, that's finish!
Final stage Nantes-Paris, I really thought I was going to drive under the rain, after so much luck for the whole trip.... but nope! got lucky one more time and now I can say I haven't ride during the rain more than 15 minutes since my departure from Ouagadougou !
On my way to Paris along the River Loire up to Orléans, I enjoyed a nice experience, being invited in a French family. As I was looking for a camping site near Orléans, I ended knocking at the town hall in a small village, and met Hervé, the deputy-mayor, who show me that French people were also able to welcome a stranger as Africans do.
almost there!
Samedi 9 juillet vers 15h00, j'aperçois enfin la Tour Eiffel après 11873km, et les vieux potes qui ne m'avaient pas oublié, arrivés avec une banderole et des T-shirts "African Moped", pour boire le champagne sur la caisse de la mob!
On Saturday the 9th of July, 3pm, I see Eiffel Tower , after 11873 Km; and my old buddies who didn't forget me, handing a big flag and wearing African Moped T-shirts, ready to have some a glass of champagne around my moped!
Then back home, my mother didn't forget me, and screamed her joy as I'm coming back!
la preuve en vidéo!
That's all folks for African Moped... finally got back home...
I still have to develop my black and white pictures that I realised mostly in African villages, and then will come later a new album for those pics.
Had had a great adventure during almost 6 months, sometimes a bit hard mentally, but always interesting, so many memories, and the felling that I've learnt a lot on humane speaking.
I owe a lot to the people I met, without whom I wouldn't have been that far.
Thanks a lot everybody, but particularly to Julien who told me at the very beginning "yes yes Africa by moped, it's possible" and who persuade me to leave, thanks to the village's chiefs in Africa who welcomed me so kindly, thanks to those who show me the way, even if they didn't know it, thanks to all those who proposed me women to marry, thanks to the people of Burkina, Mali , Guinea, Senegal, Gambia, Mauritania, Morocco, Spain and France who show me their country and taught me about their culture, Thanks to my moped which drove me back home and never break downed after all the bad road I decided to ride, thanks to the Spanish police for letting go to finish the "illegal" Challenge after arresting me, thanks to Brahim who brought 1260 Km northern in south Morocco because of the wind, thanks to all who invited me to share a tea or some food, thanks to you French guys who called me "the crazy guy on his moped" in the middle of the Mauritanian desert, thanks again to my old buddies who welcomed me with Champagne, thanks to my family for supporting me all the way, and thanks to all who talked, taught, or made me laugh during all my trip.
9 July 2005
