In the good old days Gabon had huge amounts of oil money. The Lonely Planet says ‘the champagne nearly flowed into the streets.’ There is one mechanic catering for all these super rich and their expensive toys. Big bikes included. He came well recommended and is supposed to be very clued up.
Naturally things couldn’t be easy. I only had half the shop name and a rough idea of the area it is in. But how difficult could it be? Psyched up and ready to test my limited French I set of to find the place. When I reached the area I started asking around. The first few people couldn’t understand the combination of my broken French and strange accent and gave blank stares for answers. Nice.
But then I found someone who knew. ‘Just turn right at the next junction. It’s right there.’ Wow, could it really be that easy? I followed his instructions and searched the area. Nothing. Asked around. Nothing.
I went back to the main road and asked another sucker. This time the answer was ‘right at the next turn off.’ Ok, so maybe I turned off to quickly. I followed his instructions again. Searched the area. Nothing. Asked. Nothing.
I went back to the main road again. And asked the next few people. Every time the answer was a variation of go a little further ahead and then turn right. Every time I followed suite and then searched the area. Nothing. This continued for about two hours until someone finally said that I passed the shop and I need to go back. African directions at their best. At least I knew I was in the right area. Close but yet so far… it never sounded so accurate.
Coming down the main road again, it was just another repeat of the same. I searched so many areas but couldn’t find the shop. And everyone looked so sure their directions where right. I even had a guy draw me a picture of where it is, but it was so inaccurate. Turns showed as straight lines, and a left shown as a right. But I found it. Persistence paid off.
The shop was down one of the first right turns I tried, but a little further was another turn down a small alley. Only the last guy mentioned the alley, and that is when I finally found the shop. I drove past the alley twice in the few hours before. Again, so close yet so far.
Walking into the shop I was flabbergasted. It was a Yamaha dealership and filled with their expensive toys. All the big toys Yamaha was trying to sell to Gabon’s rich boys. I’ve not seen anything like this since leaving Europe. So out off place with the rest of Africa, but I wasn’t complaining. These guys knew what I wanted. It took a bit of time to explain everything in broken French, English and drawings, but the message came through. Initially they the mechanics thought it was a combination of the battery and regulator, but they decided to test things as well.
My bike behaved like any good patient, when the doctor is around symptoms magically disappear. The regulator showed the best numbers yet, and when we revved up the engine the voltages increases. Wow, in the hundreds of times I’ve done the same test, since Moon Head Hill, it’s never done that. Don’t know how it got better, but good result. Very good result. Final diagnosis: I just needed a good new battery. Not the cheap Chinese junk I had for a backup. A good brand new very expensive Yamaha battery (more than double UK prices).
I happily paid for it. If that’s what's needed to get me to Southern Africa, then so be it. Secretly I am not convinced the battery is my only problem, but these guy think that with a new battery I am in good shape to get to SA. I’ll take it with a pinch of salt, but it’s just the answer I wanted to hear!!
Update :
I went to the mechanics again today to pick up the new battery. Felt like I was back at work. We had a big grand ward round, with my bike as the sickest patient. Even the old professor was present. As the loving patient carer I dutifully explained its symptoms and the run up to everything, while the doctors in their greasy blue overalls where going ‘oooh’ and ‘aaah’ as they poked around. Using their grease covered tools they ran another batch of tests. Today the symptoms and results where back to how they where the previous few weeks. Yesterdays improvement gone.
Damn those sick patients who can’t stick to one illness. Make up your mind already.
New diagnosis : Both the regulator and alternator are sick. Battery is healthy.
Prognosis : Both need replacement, but the spares are not available in Libreville (or Central Africa most likely). With a bit of luck I should make it back to SA or Namibia, but it’s not guaranteed.
Treatment : Carry a good spare battery as back up (the expensive Yamaha one). Keep fingers crossed. Daily prayers.
Limping just a tiny bit more.
Ironically the Libreville Police just bought a batch of 100 brand new bikes. All the same make as mine (F650gs), but it’s the local joke that they have no spares for any of these bikes. As soon as they need repairs they will stop running. If the police just did their administration better I could have begged them for some spare parts. So close…
I’ve had some updates from people who are a few weeks ahead. The rumour mill says that the Angolan embassy in Matadi is closed until 15th Jan, and worst of all they also stopped issuing the transit visas for Angola. Not good news. But there are also rumours that just maybe the visas are available in Dolsie, Congo. Luckily on my planned route. The plot thickens even more. I can’t do much more than trying everywhere as I work my way down. Somewhere, somehow things will work out?
Between Libreville and the southern coast, where I was heading, is a big estuary and marshes. The road south makes a big loop around these and I was quite keen to not do that part again. It is a good 2-3 days travel to reach Loango using this route, and I have been using my time in Libreville to try and find an alternative way to get there. I did. A ferry/cargo boat leaves tomorrow morning and drops me off at Port Gentil. Very close to where I want to be. Sounds like it’s a full day on the ferry, but it will safe me a few days ride. And I get to experience another mode of African transport. WHOOP WHOOP!!
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