Motorcycle Trip Atakpame to Lome Togo

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Motorcycle Trip Atakpame to Lome Togo
Lome, Togo West Africa
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Andy of HoboTraveler.com

I rode my new Moto from Atakpame, Togo to Lome, Togo yesterday, the trip was easy and uneventful, just a lot of vibration. Riding a motorcycle is about as if being on a riding lawnmower for a few hours, not much difference, except the riding, lawnmower is probably more comfortable.

There is some Easy Rider Movie, Route 66, and Rebel with out a cause or clause in their contract allure to Motorcycles. I have owned a few motorcycles and I think I took my longest distance trip yesterday; I have rode one motocross for longer, but not just down the road.

Travel Golf Scores

Starting 167 Kilometers
Stopping 332 Kilometers

Starting Time 7:39 am
Stopping Time 11:11 am

I used about 2000 CFA in Petrol or Gas. Gas is 505 CFA per Liter for Super.

I traveled 165 Kilometer in about 3 hours, so I guess I could guesstimate future travel times at about 50 Kilometers per hour. I would say, all Moto rides are Holes in Ones, but not a game of travel golf, more avoiding the game.

Traveling by Motorcycle in Togo is about twice as easy or three times easier than by public transportation. There is not much of a challenge to the motorcycle for me, more or less just a noisy car drive to the market.

There is travel bragging, and many people with Motorcycles want to say I rode a Motorcycle. I may think more in terms of challenges than in terms or bragging, I have no one to brag to so I would have to claim no joy, not much reason to brag.

I am doing a lot of debating in my head, is a moto better to accomplish my goals than public transportation? I have to say yes, because I purchased the moto, but than again, I can sell it also.

The prime directive of travel is to enjoy life, then comes the problem of how I enjoy life is different from how another person enjoys life. I like to go to the edge of the cultures, to reach out blindly and feel for where the edges are located. To get very close to falling off the culture and bruising myself, but not getting too hurt.

Yes, that is it, in Africa, there are some big drops, it is possible to drop off the edge, and I am not sure this is possible sometimes in Southeast Asia, hard to drop off the edge into the abyss or no mans land. What do I mean, I do not know, but I do know there be dragons on the other side. I do not want to go off the edge of this culture and find out what is there, I may not make it back.

Iraq or Africa…? Which is more dangerous?

I think driving a motorcycle is more dangerous than taking public transportations. Taxis and Buses will not drive blindly into dangerous areas of a city; I can do this on a motorcycle or by car. I have not found many real Ghettos in Africa, no Hoods where all the bad guy sit around waiting for stupid people or chumps. Africa for sure has it stupid white people, and they are in a higher percentage or ratio here than in Asia or South America, the average white person in Africa needs a servant to help them find the door. They come to help and need help to find the people.

My goal is somewhat nebulous, I want to go to small villages and look around see what they are growing, what is the business of the day and why they carry water. See if there are smiles on their faces, I am always amazed when someone says a bunch of smiling people are suffering, and not saying bunch of frustrated workers at some big business in the USA are not suffering because they make so much money. I weigh suffering by smiles on faces, not by money.

People tell me I have freedom, I do not dream of freedom, I am free.

Motorcycle Trip Atakpame to Lome Togo

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Reader Submitted Comments | Deleted Comments (0)

goingeverywhereslow said on Tuesday July 17th, 2007 02:16:00 PM

Andy,And a great nebulous goal it is. The fascination with the ordinary and everyday! When smiles are attached you just know the people are getting something right, and is a place worth being in. If only for a while.Free indeed.Eric

Scott said on Tuesday July 17th, 2007 05:28:00 PM

Hi Andy,I still read your blog all the time. Sorry I don't reply often. You said" People tell me I have freedom, I do not dream of freedom, I am free." You worked hard for your freedom. I got to take my hat off to you. I've been on the road for about 3 months in Central America and understand how hard it is to make a web site when traveling as a backpacker. Yet make one that makes enough money to sustain myself is the trick. I have a long way to go. I understand it took you 7 years to do it.Sometimes I feel free and alot of times I feel like I got a big clock ticking on how I get my site running profitable. I guess I have my good and bad day. I've been sick lately and that does not help me keep a positive attitude. But I read your site and you motivate me.But I guess it all comes down to doing what you love. I think my site is coming around slowly and will eventually become me.I think you made the right move on buying that motorcycle. Though I'm sure it can have its headaches. Keep having fun.It ain't easy being free.Scottwww.unconventionaltravel.com

Andy HoboTraveler.com said on Wednesday July 18th, 2007 01:26:00 AM

Scott, I made the decision, I am going to work, starve, save, scrimp until I make it work. I accepted the price to pay and paid the price. Because I was from the USA I knew I was alway safe and free and could always return to a great country.So, work every day and enjoy the fact you do not have money, one day the sun will shine. A person that works eventually is rewarded. I am 100 percent sure of that.I am from the USA, Togo people or West African people are sometimes in a box. They do not know how to get out of the box, and most just stop trying to get out of the box.I think the hope of earning money and not having to stop is different than trying to get out of a box. Americans are lucky sperms, they have a great life.When a Government conspires to keep their people poor, there is a problem, they are not free.Freedom is not a motorcycle, it is a luxury.

Alexis Onome-Egborge said on Tuesday October 6th, 2009 04:18:58 PM

I am in love with your views on Africa. I have been around quite a bit. I have homes in Nigeria, Benin and Togo. I wish all of the West would find more time to research Africa for what it truly is.