Africa’s Triumphs and Trials on Ambitious Bike Journey to Italy

Martin van der Vyver, who embarked on an adventurous journey from Boksburg to Italy alongside his brother Clinton Delport, has decided to return to South Africa after encountering numerous obstacles while attempting to travel through Congo.

Van der Vyver explained that on August 23, while trying to exit Congo and reach the Gabon border, his GPS led him to a dead-end road, resulting in a challenging situation.

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He recounted, “Before that, my bike was low on petrol, and I tried to refuel it, but I found out that in the town I was in, Djambala, they don’t accept visa cards, exchange foreign currency, or have fuel.”

Continuing his journey, he encountered difficult terrain and harsh road conditions. He stopped at various points to avoid getting lost to leave markers for navigation. However, his fuel supply dwindled rapidly.

Van der Vyver had no choice but to return to the same town where he had struggled to obtain petrol. He noted that upon entering Djambala, he was stopped by police who questioned and searched him. They inquired about his detour on the dead-end road and then released him.

Fortunately, an immigration officer in Djambala assisted him in obtaining fuel filling his tank and reserve tank. Despite this, he faced further challenges while travelling to his accommodation in Brazzaville, as he was stopped once more, this time by military and police personnel. They subjected him to another round of questioning and searches, even suspecting that his motorcycle might have hidden cameras.

After his release from the police station, Martin returned to his accommodation. At this point, he had to make a careful decision about whether to return to South Africa or continue his journey to another country, considering the higher costs associated with travelling in US dollars to other nations.

Martin regretted the disappointment of those who had placed their faith in him. He acknowledged that the journey had been mentally and physically demanding, especially since he was travelling alone. However, he remained committed to his goal of taking the flag to his chosen destination in Italy, and he planned to complete this mission as soon as he returned home.

Martin is scheduled to return to South Africa on September 2 and then fly to Italy to fulfil his goal. He extended his gratitude to everyone who had supported him throughout his challenging journey.

Source: Africa (sadly) gets the upper hand in ambitious bike trip to Italy

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Photo: Supplied by Benoni City Times