Horizons Unlimited Alexandria Community

Horizons Unlimited Alexandria Community

Looking for some help in Egypt? Contact Omar and the rest of the very helpful Alexandria Communities, or any of the other Egyptian Communities.

My name is Omar Mansour Al Fardy and I am a Bedouin from the Awlad Aly tribe. I graduated from Alexandria University with a Bachelor of Law and I am the owner of Sand n Sea, which is an adventure tour company based in Egypt (www.sandnsea.net).

I have long dreamed of traveling all over the world on my motorbike and so far have successfully covered the Middle East, Western Europe, and Africa.

For me it was hard as I'm from Egypt. To get a bike and to get parts cost me a great deal of money in customs and taxes. In my country they consider a bike bigger than 250cc is a luxury item so you have to pay a lot in customs and taxes. Besides getting to know what I needed for the trips and to navigate, getting visas and insurance was also very complicated. I found all the help I wanted on Horizons Unlimited and, yes, its our travel bible.

In Africa

First trip 2002 on Suzuki Dr 800

It was my first international trip on a bikeI made it from Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Turkey, Greece, Italy and finally France. I made it in 3 months. BeforeI start the trip I was thinking that is my big dream to ride all the way to France, but before I even arrive to France I was thinking, what's next? The travel bug started to control me.

Syria, near Baghdad

Wadi Rum, Jordan

The Alps, between Italy and France, 2002

Turkey - very cold!

2003, 2004 Western Europe on Honda Africa twin RDO4

I sold the Dr 800 and I bought Honda Africa twin, the bike I was always dreaming of, and I couldn't get back to Egypt via Tunisia as they refused to give me the visa, so I had to fly back to Egypt and next year saved some money and flew over to France and started riding my Africa Twin to Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Holland, and back to France.

Europe with Africa Twin

First time to see the snow, and on a bike. Toooo cold!

Better weather in the Alps

Enjoying Spain

2004

I flew back to France after saving some money and made it to Italy, back to France, Spain, and Portugal

2009 from South Africa to Egypt

My main big trip was to cross Africa solo from Cape Town all the way via the east coast of Africa to Egypt. It took 6 months and I covered 22,000 km.

Kenya - road to hell.

Mud after the rains, Africa

African Blessing dance

Nice paved road in Africa

Camping in Africa

Masai on my Africa Twin

Small fall off-road in Africa with heavy bike

Tanzania

Zambia border crossing

A few weeks after I finished my trip and while I was going to a TV interview with one of the biggest TV channels in Egypt - less than 1600 meters away from my house - I was unfortunate enough to be involved in a very bad accident. A spoiled, careless young man was driving his sports car very fast in town. His car went out of control and hit me in a head-on collision while I was riding at about 40 miles per hour. I thank God I was wearing all my protection gear. I was in a coma for a few days and it ended up I had broken both legs and my left arm was totally broken and damaged (I'm left handed ) and my right knee was badly damaged. I endured 18 months of pain, but the hospitals, doctors and everyone else were a great help.

After the accident

AT After the accident.

Here I am again on my feet, strong as I am (hmmm, not that strong in the body, but in the head yes, even more than Yorkshire people hahaha) and planning another trip soon. My lovely bike (a Honda Africa Twin) was totally destroyed so I bought another one, thanks to my friends who helped me to get the bike by paying most of the cost of it.

I had no money after doing my trip around Africa, so it was a nightmare being so injured and broken and needing to go to private hospitals and doctors to get good treatment as the public hospitals were not an option at all. So during the past two years I was counting on my best best friends who I love and respect a lot.

New Africa Twin

New Africa Twin and me after the accident

New Africa Twin and me after the accident

My next trip will start in 2 weeks time from Egypt all the way to Swaziland to deliver medical aids and motorbikes with side cars to be use as an ambulance, I'm one of the team for the trip and I'm so happy that I will be back again on the road.

For more info www.ride4africa.com

One of my dreams is to join a meeting of HU and be on my own bike, hope soon!

If any one wants to be in touch, contact me through the Alexandria Community, and any one passing by Egypt and need any help just ask me!

Omar