29 September - Tambacounda Rest Day

Ranee had been having some stomach trouble the previous day, and it persisted until the morning. Looking ahead, our accommodations were not going to be any better for a few days so I suggested it is best to stay here if necessary. Our hotel was nice so it was a good idea. We rested and took it easy.

We needed insurance for Guinea and the several countries that follow. After breakfast, I asked the guy at the front desk if there was a place we could buy Brown Card insurance. He said there is a new office just down the street, so we took off after breakfast to go check it out. Mark and I rode down the street and found the office, and after some language translation, we were able to communicate what we needed to the two young women working at the desk. Brown Card insurance (also called Carte Brun) is applicable for several west Africa countries from Guinea to Nigeria. It is commonly requested at road stops and border crossings so it is best to have it. The cost was only about $15. We got our paperwork and we were happy.

I spent the rest of the day relaxing. I caught up on some blogging and videos, went to the pool for a little while, and rested. I am the type of person that likes to keep moving, but a little rest is nice for the body and the mind.

30 September - Tambacounda, Senegal to Koundara, Guinea

We woke up rested again, and met for breakfast. Ranee said she was feeling pretty good, so we were okay to travel today. The plan was 120 miles with a border crossing into Guinea. We weren’t anticipating any issues for the Guinea crossing based on feedback received from our online resources.

It was a nice ride through the countryside, passing by the Niokolo-Koba National park. I read that safaris are available within the reserve, but big game sightings are rare.

The border crossing into Guinea is located in a rural area near a small village, which is a good thing. There is less likelihood of hassles from fixers and hustlers. This turned out to be true, and it was pretty easy. We pulled up to the road block for the Senegal exit and waited in line for a moment to get our passports stamped out. Additionally we went to customs and got our Passavant stamped out (the customs import paper for the bikes).

The Guinea border was about 10 miles down the road. We arrived at the Guinea border and it was a little confusing, with the first two road blocks we stopped at waving us on to the next. Finally we arrived at a huge line of semi-trucks lining the road, and we skirted past them to the front. The officer directed us where to park on the shoulder of the road which was lined with locals selling their goods and food.

We walked down the street about 40 feet to the immigration office and went inside. They ushered us to the front of the line and offered us three chairs to sit at the desk! It was nice of them to do that. We sat down and they asked a few questions about where we are going and took our passports for processing. It was straightforward and they were polite.

We were advised that customs office is down the road a few miles in Sambailo, so we hop on the bikes and head that way. There we arrived at another long queue of trucks and we zip past them up to the front. There is a formal building marked ‘Douanes’ (Customs) and an empty parking lot out front, so we pulled in. After a couple interviews in two offices inside, we are granted entry. This time we have them stamp and fill out our Carnet de Passage document that we are carrying. This is an importation permit form we previously purchased in the US that is honored by many countries in the region. They simply stamp you in and tear off half the page for their records, then you’re good to go.

We pack up and depart the customs office and 1/4 mile down the road there is a police barricade. We must stop again for approval of passage. We get off the bikes and walk inside for another interview with some guy who asked many random questions like “why are we coming to Guinea”. We explained we like to see new places, we like to ride motorcycles, and we like a challenge. After a little back-and-forth we are welcomed, but not before they take our pictures and fingerprints again. I am not sure why they did this, because we did all of this in Dakar when we got the visa. In any case, we did what they asked and were back on the road shortly. It’s also good to note that we paid nothing all day for any of these interactions, which is great.

I changed some Euros for Guinea Francs on the street at the border so I would have some cash for the hotel that night. It's amazing how inflated the Guinea Franc is, for example $20 USD equals $175,000 Guinea Francs! We have to carry a fat cumbersome wad of cash around just to have a couple hundred dollars on hand! 

Finally, we’re on our way to Koundara. I was expecting basic accommodations here, and I chose the best lodging I could based on the intel that I had. We arrived in the small town of Koundara in later afternoon and I followed the GPS to the hotel location. We arrive at an unpaved side street that’s overgrown with grass, but it was where the hotel should be. I pulled up to a bunch of guys working at a shop nearby and asked about the hotel. One of them quickly pointed up the hill along the unpaved road, and he waved me on to follow him on foot. He walked up the road and I rode up there on the bike. We arrived at a gated facility which was the hotel.

Inside was a nice gravel courtyard with shade trees. A couple people come out to greet us. They said they only have one room available, so the three of us would have to share. I offered to camp outside in the courtyard, so I set up my tent that evening. The facility had running water only during the day and electricity only at night. That means bucket water only at night for cleaning up and washing. I realized how grateful I am for running water.

Around 8:30 pm one of the neighbors nearby started a bonfire and it was smoking profusely and wafting over the wall and into the courtyard. Mark offered to let me sleep on the floor in their room, and I was happy to do so especially because they had a/c. I carried my camping mattress and sleeping bag inside and we all rested pretty well.

1 October - Koundara to Labe

The next day we packed up and made camp coffee with our stoves. We didn’t have much to eat because we didn’t have much food on the bikes. This would turn out to be a big mistake, as we had a challenging day ahead of us.

The planned route was indicating a long section of unpaved road, so we were anticipating a rough ride. However OSM map data can be a little inaccurate, so we were not sure how long it would be.

The first 100 miles were mostly paved with degraded pavement and some huge potholes to avoid. Around mile 103 we entered the dirt road that would test us for the next 20 miles. It was a well worn dirt road riddled with water holes and sloppy mud. There was quite a bit of traffic as well, from moto-taxis to cars and semi-trucks. However this was easily classified as a 4x4 road. Many of the mud holes were unavoidable and required plowing through, and we did just that many times. Within the first 3 miles Mark and Ranee had dropped the bike once and gotten stuck in the mud once. Mark accidentally rode into the gutter of the road filled with mud and it took a bit of rocking and pushing to get him out, with me in the back being sprayed by the mud flying off his rear tire. Now it’s an African adventure!

Ranee was understandably stressed out about the situation but she soldered on and was a great passenger for Mark, who did not drop the bike for the rest of the ride, which was impressive. The following 17 miles of road were nothing but sloppy mud and more muddy holes to navigate. We climbed in elevation until we reached a highland area with sweeping views of the surrounding land. Just at that time, a storm front was coming through so we got some thunder, lightning, and some light rain for a while. The cool breeze induced by the weather was welcome however.

Most of the day was hot and physically demanding riding, and I think it took its toll on all of us. We were all a little weak before the day was over, and we had to take breaks and rest. I had a crushing headache that I couldn’t shake all day, likely because of the food deficit. Note to self: I need to make eating a priority!

We arrived in Labe in late afternoon and pull into the hotel. They’ve got a couple rooms for us, and we drop our things and head straight to the restaurant. I desperately need to eat so I order spaghetti, chicken, and some orange juice. After the food settles in, I started to feel a little better.

We made an attempt to rinse off our muddy clothes in the shower and hang them out to dry. Mark and I took the bikes across the street to the auto wash where several young men were washing trucks. We got the bikes all cleaned up and detailed. The shop owner then took 5 minutes after the bikes were clean to pose for photos in front of our bikes.

2 October - Labe to Mamou

After some much needed sleep, we get up and head to breakfast at the hotel restaurant. To our relief we get a nice big cup of coffee, bread and an omelette. It hits the spot.

The planned route is short, so we are able to take our time in the morning. The first order of business was to find an ATM so we could pay our hotel bill. Mark and I rode into Labe city downtown after breakfast to find an ATM, and luckily the first one that I find is open. We each get a couple hundred dollars in local currency (Guinea Francs) and head back to the hotel. We paid the hotel and got loaded up to go.

The ride to Mamou was mostly paved with quite a bit of pothole-dodging which made the pace for the day quite slow. You really must mind the potholes or it would be easy to damage your wheel. It felt like a never ending puzzle. You must always select the best track through the minefield of potholes as you're moving along at 30-40 mph, and they just keep coming!

We arrived in good time and found a decent hotel in Mamou. They fired up the generator to turn on the electricity and we double checked that they had functioning plumbing and hot water before we committed to staying. All was good, so we settled in. The hotel was empty when we arrived but by dinner time it seemed the staff outnumbered us, with some additional young guys arriving on scooters too. It sounds like there is some kind of night club attached to the hotel. We got schwarma wraps for dinner and it was just fine.