North African Driving Etiquette

There's a different style of driving in North Africa compared to back home. One less concerned with rules and rigidity but more with flair and improvisation. I'm not sure how it evolved but perhaps it was inherited under colonnial rule - the Libyans in particular have embraced what the Italians gave them and then taken it to a whole new level.

Liberal use of the horn is of course obligatory and for those not versed in such matters i present a short guide:

1 beep - Hi! I'm somewhere outside, inside, behind or in front of you
2 beeps - Welcome to my country! Why aren't you doing this in a car?
3 beeps or more - Hold tight! I'm attempting an improbable overtaking manouevre

I think i've got to grips with the form now and should i return i will definitely equip my bike with a horn. I feel less of a man without one - it prevents me attempting that improbable overtaking manoeuvre..

An audience with the president

Yes, there he is. One in from the right. That's Ahmed, president of the Libyan Green Mountains Cycling Association and a very nice man he is too. I had the pleasure of his company and his translator/guide/neighbour on my recent visit to their home town - the ancient Greek city of Cyrene.

I'm more of a landscapes man really but apart from the old towns i've already mentioned Libya does have an impressive selection of ancient cities dotted along it's coastline including the Roman cities of Sabratha and Leptis Magna. Certainly worth visiting.

That's it for Libya. Five days cycling in the Green mountains concludes my stay here and so it's Farewell to Libya and 'Welcome in Egypt!'

so last week!

Seems i'm not the first one this year to be cycling in Libya. I've just discovered some friends of a friend are doing a round trip of the med at the moment.
They're about a week ahead of me but there's a chance our paths might cross somewhere on the road to Cairo.

Ecohousing - a lost art

I've just visited the towns of Nalut and Ghadames on the edge of the Sahara both several hundred years old. What's interesting is that they both incorporate walls with high thermal mass for Passive Solar heating (and cooling). Libyan's in fact claim that Ghadames has the oldest Air conditioning system in the world.

These aren't the only Eco features. The houses also had a sophisticated water management system and even their very own form of composting loos. Funny how we're only just rediscovering these techniques!
Ironically the towns are now all but deserted with the government having built new 'improved' versions outside the city walls in the 80's. Apparently the new concrete homes work nowhere near as well!

Sahara by Car

Sadly independent travel is currently not possible in Libya - a guide is needed. I've only managed to secure a guide to cycle the Eastern half of Libya so I've had to arrange alternative transport for the western part, giving me a chance to visit the Sahara.

Libya is quite diferent from the rest of North Africa and perhaps the only country that has managed to retain the true spirit of this region. It's obviously very dry here - not least because Libya is the most Muslim country of all North Africa ;)



Let's offroad!

Miles from Nowhere

Dune

Surely a mirage?











Saharan Sky

Almost famous...

Times of Oman

4 nights in tunisia

After the slight edginess of Algeria, Tunisia is a breath of fresh air feeling instantly safer with still no signs of tourism on the route i chose. I have however heard the first snippets of English for a while - GCSE French having got me this far.

It's starting to feel more desertlike as i touch the fringes of the Sahara. Shame i can't stay a bit longer really as the roads are largely nice and flat too but time is of the essence and Libya beckons