Le prossime tappe? Lo splendido Ghana e il selvaggio Togo. È proprio in Togo che Fabry si trova ad affrontare alcune complesse pratiche burocratiche per l’ottenimento dei visti per il Gabon (che poi deciderà di non attraversare a causa delle pessime condizioni delle strade) e per il Congo Democratico, oltre alla riparazione dello stelo destro della forcella, che perde olio da un paio di giorni. Sosta piuttosto breve e via verso la sconfinata Nigeria. Per entrare in questo paese, Fabry si avvale del supporto del suo amico Sugar, istruttore di guida e fotografo che lo ha scortato fino a Lagos, ospitato a casa e presentato alla fervente comunità locale di Bikers. Il passaggio dalla Nigeria al Camerun è decisamente il più difficile di tutto il viaggio, ed una volta entrato nel paese la situazione non migliora; le strade, rigorosamente sterrate, non hanno indicazioni e una buca profonda danneggia un cerchione e causa la foratura di una gomma. Riparata la moto Fabry è pronto per ripartire, in direzione Congo Brazaville. Qui le strade sono fortunatamente in condizioni perfette ma purtroppo è molto difficile reperire benzina, acquistabile soltanto al “Black Market”. Giunto a Pointe Noire, la capitale, Fabry decide di sostare in hotel; è il giorno di Natale e dopo aver festeggiato Capodanno in camping a Cacuaco, il nostro Ambassador riparte il 2 gennaio verso la magnifica Namibia per poi arrivare in Sudafrica, dove la piena estate lo travolge con un caldo estremo. Fabry arriva a Cape Town il 9 gennaio. Il giorno successivo raggiunge il Capo di Buona Speranza e vede finalmente completato il suo incredibile progetto KaptoCap. The protagonist of this incredible adventure is Fabrizio Buscaglia, better known as “Fabry Rock”, an expert motorcycle traveller capable of tackling even the most extreme challenges. In 2022, in the saddle of a brand new Africa Twin, he decided to set off on a truly epic journey: crossing Europe and Africa on motorcycle, starting in Italy and travelling to the two extremes, North Cape and Cape Town! Saturday 7 June 2022 - the European challenge! Savona is the chosen departure point for the first part of the journey, which will take Fabry to the extreme north. On his Africa Twin, fully kitted out with a set of Alaska cases, a tent for camping at night and studded tyres, our adventurer sets off for his first destination: Warsaw, in Poland, via Austria and Germany. The goal of this initial part of the journey is to always camp out... as if the ice, snow and thousands of kilometres of travel weren’t enough of a challenge! During the first stretch of road, the weather worsens, really putting Fabry to the test all the way to Lithuania, where a gentle sunshine then allows him to enjoy the bike and the wonderful landscapes, on to Tallinn, Estonia. The first stop on Norwegian soil is Alta, the largest settlement in the country’s northernmost county, also known as “the city of the northern lights”. Around 169 km from Nordkapp, it starts to snow. Having passed through the famous North Cape tunnel, at around midnight, the landscape becomes increasingly white, surreal and populated by hundreds of reindeer. After travelling 4,428 km from Savona, at two in the morning Fabry finally reaches his goal: the monument marking Europe’s northernmost point. He sets up camp for the night right here, waking early the following morning in a sea of snow. After a quick coffee at the observatory bar, he sets off towards home, also crossing Finland, the Lofoten islands and Sweden. Next stop? Cape Town! Sunday 30 October 2022 - The African challenge! Immediately after disembarking in Africa, in Tangiers, Fabry begins his long journey south. It takes approximately two weeks to cross the first country, Morocco, an enchanting land that is relatively “simple” for motorcycle travel. After the challenging border crossing into the extremely hot Mauritania, he continues towards the spectacular Senegal, where the “visa game” begins. Visas are essential to cross into the various states but not always easy to get your hands on. It is impossible not to stop off in Dakar, universally renowned for the historic importance of the legendary Paris-Dakar Rally, but also marking the westernmost point of continental Africa. But the place where Fabry begins to feel like he is in the “true Africa” is Guinea. The country poses real challenges, from rainstorms to damaged roads and chaotic cities, but also enchants with its amazing landscapes and unforgettable encounters. The next destination is the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire. Again, this is not an easy territory to cross, with local police road blocks, impassable roads due to mud and potholes and torrential rains. Nevertheless, our hero successfully reaches first the town of Taï and then Niébé and Grand-Béréby. The next stops? The beautiful Ghana and wild Togo. It is in Togo that Fabry finds himself having to tackle several complex bureaucratic procedures in order to obtain visas for Gabon (which he later decides not to cross due to the terrible state of the roads) and for the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in addition to repairing the right-hand stanchion of his bike, which has been losing oil for a couple of days. After a rather brief stop, he sets off again for the Nigerian border. To enter this country, Fabry seeks the aid of his friend, Sugar, a driving instructor and photographer who accompanied him to Lagos, welcoming him to his home and introducing him to the die-hard local biker community. Travelling from Nigeria to Cameroon is easily the most challenging part of the entire journey. Having entered the country, the situation does not improve. The roads, exclusively dirt tracks, have no signage and a deep pothole damages a wheel and causes a flat tyre. Once the bike is repaired, Fabry is ready to set off again, towards the Republic of the Congo. Here, the roads are fortunately in perfect condition, but it is very difficult to acquire petrol, which can only be purchased on the black market. Having reached the capital, Pointe-Noire, Fabry decides to stop in a hotel. It is Christmas Day and after celebrating New Year in a campsite in Cacuaco, our Ambassador gets back on the road on 2 January, heading for the magnificent Namibia, before then reaching South Africa, where high summer is intense, with extreme heat. Fabry reaches Cape Town on 9 January. The next day he arrives at the Cape of Good Hope, finally completing his incredible KaptoCap project. KAP2CAP FROM CAPE TO CAPE, ACROSS THE GLOBE 21 Givi Magazine June 2024
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