TRAVERSE Issue 02 - October 2017 | Página 40

mence an adventure that will change all our lives. At the time, we were about to ride our motorbikes down the length of Africa. Twelve coun- tries, over 18,000 kilometres, and now, 78 days later, we are in Cape Town. We’d completed that journey. This group of strangers had become lifelong friends. It would take us all some time to reflect on those three months, one thing we’d learnt is that Africa is the most amazing, challenging, scary, beautiful, frustrating, intimidating, welcoming and exhilarating plac- es on earth. It is truly a continent of contrasts and to do it on a motorbike lifts that experience to another level altogether. We’d started with 16 motorbikes, 16 riders, and we finished the same way. The oldest rider in the group was 74 and the youngest just 23. An age difference as diverse as the coun- tries we came from; Australia, USA, England, Canada and France. Coal miners, engineers, doctors, CEO’s, sailors, stuntmen and optometrists. Despite the differences, we became a group of great mates, looking after each other during an adventure of a lifetime. The last few weeks became some of the most challenging riding of the trip. Namibia threw sand and gravel roads at us. We had ‘offs’. Everyone bounced back to ride the final leg into the Cape of Good Hope near Cape Town. It was an amazing feeling. Forever we will be part of a very elite group of motorbike riders that have ridden the length of Africa, from Cairo to Cape. It’s a proud feeling to be part of that small group, especially alongside such good mates. MM & BB Compass Expeditions is an Aus- tralian based motorcycle tour com- pany that offers adventures all over the world. Whether you want a short ride through the Australian bush or an epic odyssey through Africa, Com- pass have something for you. Check out www.compassexpeditions.com TRAVERSE 40