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Birth of an African Adventure
December 1, 2009 by Thomas Tomczyk
The idea of crossing Africa first came to me when I was 10 years old, when a large map of the world hung above my bed in a small Warsaw, Poland, apartment. At night I studied the geography of each continent, its road and railroad network marked with thin yellow and red lines. The most prominent continent was Africa, placed in the middle of the map, right above where my head rested on the pillow. I tried connecting Cape Town and Cairo using the yellow and red lines, and it wasn’t easy. In the 1970s few people traveled that route.
The seed for this journey germinated in my mind for years. I eventually learned to ride motorcycles in India and repeatedly traveled to the Horn of Africa, to write articles about the region for publications in Poland and the U.S. Earlier this year my grandmother passed away, and I decided it was time to do the trek I’ve been thinking about for so long: a 25,000-kilometer motorcycle journey from South Africa to Morocco.
Traveling for travel’s sake was no longer satisfying enough. I needed a purpose for this journey, something that adds meaning and benefits others. Originally I liked the idea of working with a orphanage organization I became acquainted with and helping them create a network of orphanages across Africa. After meeting the board of directors I become less enthused about putting my name behind an organization I wasn’t convinced about.
For several months I brainstormed ideas and eventually the purpose of the journey evolved into a something I do well: finding interesting people and telling their stories as a journalist. Other than just words on paper, I also wanted to create a project website that would become a portal for stories, photos and videos, as well as a place for feedback and getting involved.
Choosing a motorcycle was probably the most important and complicated among the list of things needed before departure. I owned a Yamaha XT600 in San Francisco and three Royal Enfield 350s during trips in India. Now, I felt that my dues were paid. I was ready to graduate to “Saxon bikes,” either a German BMW or an Austrian KTM. In terms of middleweight adventure bikes, I narrowed it down to the BMW 650 GS Dakar and the KTM 640 Adventure. Having never ridden either of these bikes, I relied on recommendations from people that have, and the KTM seemed the better choice for this journey: lighter, more maneuverable and better suited for rugged, off-road conditions. I contacted three KTM dealers in Johannesburg, South Africa, and communication via phone and email with them went well.
I flew to South Africa last week, and I hope to have my bike purchased, registered and inspected by December 1. Stay tuned….
Follow my progress at the Africa Heart Beat Project website: http://www.africaheartbeat.com/
Hey Thomas,
From your abandoned Roatan we send you our greatest vibes for this fantastic journey you have started.
Our very powerful guard angels will be side by side with you and your motorcycle.
Life is quiet and soft on the island and the tourist menace to come back.
Keep having a great journey and have fun every minute of it
Love
Lorena, Micky, Jota & Pachi