Rikus & Arina's Cape to Cairo

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Rikus' latest entry

Feb 20, 2011

Tunis, Tunisia

18 February 2011 Total Distance: 22618 Distance covered today: 345 km Start: Hotel, Tripoli, Libya Finish: Hotel Marhala, Matmata, Tunisia Yesterday afternoon after emails were done, we walked again from our hotel to the medina where we enjoyed coffee, fresh strawberry juice and a lovely light chocolate cake. On the way there we …

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Rikus Visser
Last visited:
Tunis, Tunisia

Welcome to our travel Blog through Africa. Our plan is to start from Cape Town on the 20th of November 2010 and finish in Cairo towards middle of February 2011. It will only be 2 people - Arina Du Plessis and Rikus Visser Arina - owner of the Landie and many years of travel experience in Southern and East Africa. Did a top job in preparing the vehicle and getting enough food to feed Africa! A brave lady who has a big heart and not afraid of a challenge and adventure. Rikus - owner o…

Rikus Visser

Welcome to our travel Blog through Africa. Our plan is to start from Cape Town on the 20th of November 2010 and finish in Cairo towards middle of February 2011.

It will only be 2 people - Arina Du Plessis and Rikus Visser

Arina - owner of the Landie and many years of travel experience in Southern and East Africa. Did a top job in preparing the vehicle and getting enough food to feed Africa! A brave lady who has a big heart and not afraid of a challenge and adventure.

Rikus - owner of a Toyota (who will wait sadly in the garage until the owner's return). Traveled the last 15 years through some 20 African countries including London to Cape Town in '97 on the West Coast of Africa.

We met at a 4x4 club and stayed in contact since then and traveled once together (in the Toyota :-) through Mozambique.

The route: It will basically be - South Africa through Beitbridge into Zimbabwe, Victoria Falls, Lusaka and with the Great Eastern Highway to our first major stop - South Luangwa National Park. Really looking forward to see this magical place. Then jogging at a fast pace through Malawi as we both know very well. Into Tanzania and away from the 'tourist route' by venturing up the shoreline of Lake Tanganyika to Ujiji where Stanley uttered: Dr Livingstone I pressume. Then into Rwanda to see some chimps. Further north into the Garden of Africa, Uganda where we hope to visit the famous Murchinson's Falls.

Continuing into Kenya, pass Lake Baringo and its flamingoes to Lake Turkana and onwards to Ethiopia. Really looking forward to see this amazing country with the famous rock-hewn churches, Great Rift Valley, Simien Mountains, the Omo people (big disks in the lips), source of the Blue Nile and off course the old religions. Into Sudan. A lot of bad press but every visitor said it is the friendliest people in the whole of Africa. Everybody. Seeing Khartoum where the two Niles meet and then north to the lesser known pyramids of Meroe.

Heading onwards through the Sahara Desert to Waida Haifa (the infamous town) where we are suppose to get a ferry to take us over Lake Nasser to Aswan in Egypt and on through Luxor and ending at the pyramids of Cairo.

Afterwards we will decide if we ship from Alexandria to Venice or drive via Jordan, Syria, Turkey, Greece to Italy. We intend to ship the vehicle home from Italy and we will fly home on the 5th of March 2011.

You are welcome to follow us through Africa and our adventures.

Contact Us:

Should you wish to email us. leave a message on the message board or use our private email addresses. Should you wish to sms us or call us, we have a satellite phone. Please do not leave a voice message unless it is a matter of death (if it is life, then it is not an emergency :-) Rather email us on 870776411735@message.inmarsat.com (remember max 130 characters per email but can send up to 10 emails per day). If the message is not urgent, we will reply once we get to an internet cafe (or where they bang the drums in the bush). Should you wish to call, do so on

+870776411735

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New blog entry posted

Feb 20, 2011

tunis, Tunisia

18 February 2011 Total Distance: 22618 Distance covered today: 345 km Start: Hotel, Tripoli, Libya Finish: Hotel Marhala, Matmata, Tunisia Yesterday afternoon after emails were done, we wal…

Latest comments

Lehan en Tania Hi julle Wat 'n "mean team" Ons is trots op julle. Geniet die laaste paar dae in Italië. Julle kan gerus julle toer verder met ons kom deel. Hier is baie slaapplek op Strandfontein. Dankie weereens dat ons kon saamreis. Veilig vlieg en laat ons weet wanneer julle in Kaapstad aankom. Arina, ons lief jou. Lehan, Tania en die kinders

Feb 21, 2011

Lucile This is an experience which will stay with you for the rest of your life!. The good and the bad, all of it is all positive!!. Now about time thinking in producing something concrete like a video, or a book , so more people can enjoy your experience and give them the desire to do like you. Better ambassadors for Africa will be difficult to get!. Well done. See you soon.

Feb 22, 2011

Ryno Dit was soooooooo lekker om saam te toer. Gaan defnitief die blog en stories mis. Ons glo daar is nog baie wat julle persoonlik gaan deel ook. Dankie rickus dat jy mooi na ons ma gekyk het. Sien uit om julle terug te hê. Ryno

Feb 22, 2011

New album created

Feb 20, 2011

Bizerte, Tunisia

tunis

8 photos

New album created

Feb 20, 2011

Tripoli, Libya

Libya

17 photos

New blog entry posted

Feb 19, 2011

Bizerte, Tunisia

19 February 2011 Just another quick update: We are just north of Tunis. Tonight is our last night in Africa and the African journey is at an end. Tomorrow we will quickly drive further north t…

Latest comments

lucile Well, a new record for you two. From the most Southern Point to the Northern Point in Africa!. Well done.!!! Quite an experience!.. Europe will be a shock price wise! But good pizza and pasta always welcome. Enjoy. Will be thinking of you at 16h . Hopefully you won't encounter any delays.. One more week to go!.. See you soon.

Feb 20, 2011

New blog entry posted

Feb 19, 2011

Kairouan, Tunisia

Just a quick note from and internet cafe. We are in Tunisia and heading for Tunis where we catch the ferry tomorrow to Italy. All good and no troubles here.

Feb 22, 2011 re: tunis, Tunisia

Teena Poem for Arina & Rikus As you set out on your venture and you waved goodbye to friends Your thoughts were full of details and plans to get you to the end. We had details of the little things that caused havoc at the start But you have overcome adversity and proved the Landie has a heart You now delight us with your tales and we dream to be with you And your journal is one that is written by a hand that knows its true That we share this world with family and with friends we've yet to meet And its beauty is only ours for a moment, but never ours to keep So as you meander through the countryside and we follow on your map You drop the occasional line so we know just where your at. Then embrace each sunrise warmly as it greets each brand new day For you to see some more amazing sights to be viewed that certain way They are kept secret from the most of us but we believe it might be true That god has created all this glory and he placed it there for you You have made us laugh and you made us cry with your tales from far away And you have made us all remember proudly that when we set you on your way If your mind is always open your heart will skip a beat At the fascination people that we are lucky enough to meet On a journey of discovery not just of a land so true but a discover of Ourselves as if we took this trip with you.

Feb 21, 2011 on the message board

Teena What is a girl to do without her daily blog check. I groan when there is nothing and sigh when there is ... but soon it will all be over. I know Rikus.... in 18 sleeps it's my turn!! It has been a great joy and privilage to follow your journey. I have laughed at your tales and cried, no doubt, with you as you remind us of the realities that is Africa.

Feb 21, 2011 on the message board

Feb 21, 2011 re: tunis, Tunisia

Jocelyn Daly FANTASTIC! WOW - what else can we say? You did it - not just dreamed it, spoke about it, perhaps about it - well done guys! We can't wait to welcome you back home! xxxxx YOU DID IT!

Feb 21, 2011 re: tunis, Tunisia

eduan Hi Julle Dis soos tjoklitkoek. Die lekker is darem wraggies vinnig verby... Geniet die laaste paar dae. Dit sal goed wees om julle weer terug te he op eie bodem. Net om julle te orienteer met jul terugkeer: Suid Afrika Politiek : Banana Republiek Petrol: Moer duur Mense: Meeste maar moer suur. Welkom terug

Feb 21, 2011 re: tunis, Tunisia

Gina You are lucky to be out of Libya ... pics on the news are not good ! Enjoy Italy and have a safe trip home !

Feb 21, 2011 re: tunis, Tunisia

Linde-Marie dit klink als so baie baie lekker. geniet italie dis once in a lifetime mamma. laf u.

Feb 20, 2011 re: tunis, Tunisia

Ryno en Linde-Marie hallo julle. so bly dit gaan goed. hier darem ook als voor die wind. weet julle het n fantastiese toer gehad, maar glo my ek is darem nou ook bly mamma kom terug. dankie dat jy so mooi na die ou lady gekyk het rikus. geniet die laaste stukke van jul toer. c ya.

Feb 20, 2011 on the message board

Anet Rikus and Arina, thanks for sharing this adventure with us in the way you did. We will miss the blog and all your positive stories, the lovely paintings of Africa, you painted with words. Thanks for sharing. Enjoy the holiday in Italy!

Feb 20, 2011 re: tunis, Tunisia

Feb 20, 2011 re: Bizerte, Tunisia

Jocelyn Daly So you are homeward bound now! It feels like such a let down to me reading your news regularly - it feels just like yesteday that you left! My Mom says it is a great pity that you did not get into Syria - she really loved it! Libiya was not her favourite as a young adult. Your driving these past few days has been hard - so enjoy and relax as best you can when you get to Italy!! It is a pity to end your journey with all this red tape and it was going so well until then! Without the changing historical landscape - just imagine how it would have been!And your photos are beautiful!!xxxxx

Feb 18, 2011 re: Tripoli, Libya

lucile Well, it takes a boer to help a boer!.. No mistake there!. My feelings for the Arabs stays!.. Only had contact with them in the South of France in my youth, and I have not changed opinion since. I am no surprised you got so much attitude and negative response. But what wonderful history ! North Africa has. Not only Romain occupation but the Moors were the inteligencia of their days ( the Halambra in Spain is proof. ) Pity the descendants are what they are!. Well, soon you will be on your way back and will reflect with pleasure on even the worst time. So enjoy your trip. And Italy!!

Feb 18, 2011 re: Tripoli, Libya

rika hallo, ek het bietjie laat op die bus geklim maar elke entry gelees. All in all, wat 'n ervaring - Geluk met Cape 2 Cairo!! En dankie dat ek op die manier kan saam toer.

Feb 17, 2011 re: Tripoli, Libya

last visited

travel plan

Pretoria, South Africa 21-Nov-2010
Nata, Botswana 25-Nov-2010
Livingstone, Zambia 26-Nov-2010
Lusaka, Zambia 27-Nov-2010
Chipata, Zambia 28-Nov-2010
South Luangwa National Park, Zambia 29-Nov-2010
Kasungu, Malawi 02-Dec-2010
Mbeya, Tanzania 03-Dec-2010
Katavi Plain Game Reserve, Tanzania 04-Dec-2010
Kigoma Bay, Tanzania 06-Dec-2010
Ujiji, Tanzania 07-Dec-2010
Nyungwe, Rwanda 12-Dec-2010
Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda 16-Dec-2010
Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda 18-Dec-2010
Kampala, Uganda 20-Dec-2010
Jinja, Uganda 21-Dec-2010
Lake Baringo, Kenya 22-Dec-2010
Lake Turkana, Kenya 24-Dec-2010
Marsabit, Kenya 26-Dec-2010
Moyale, Kenya 30-Dec-2010
Omo National Park, Ethiopia 02-Jan-2011
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 04-Jan-2011
Lalä«Bela, Ethiopia 07-Jan-2011
Gondor, Ethiopia 11-Jan-2011
Simien Mountains, Ethiopia 12-Jan-2011
Kampala, Sudan 14-Jan-2011
Khartoum, Sudan 15-Jan-2011
Meroe, Sudan 18-Jan-2011
Wadi Halfa Reach, Sudan 21-Jan-2011
Aswan High Dam, Egypt 25-Jan-2011
Luxor, Egypt 27-Jan-2011
Hurghada, Egypt 29-Jan-2011
Pyramid Of Kheops, Egypt 02-Feb-2011
Cairo, Egypt 15-Feb-2011
Milan, Italy 05-Mar-2011