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Welcome to the 44th Edition of the Horizons Unlimited E-zine. Yes it's a little late :) but we've been very busy! And it's a very big issue - as more and more people hear about HU, and hit the road,we get more stories to edit!

Note that next month's issue - July - may not happen at all - we'll be on the road for a month in Europe, attending the HU UK 3rd Annual Travellers Meeting June 27-29, (details here) the First Annual HU Portugal Travellers meeting July 11-13, squeezing a visit to the BMW Rally in between, and if we're lucky the Faro Rally after! So the 45th Edition may well be August, not July, and will be a huge issue as a result. Clear your mailboxes...

I received an email from Kemal Altay, Turkey, yesterday, and I wanted you all to read it - because it's a thanks to YOU.

"Hi Grant; Hi Susan,

Just wanted to thank you for the great site. After I had fractured my leg in Pakistan, I have received both publicly and personally large amounts of messages from the people of HU, all with best wishes and intentions to help anyway possible.

Reading them in such a state (in Quetta with crutches and couple of thousands away from the nearest reasonable medical center) has really helped me.

Not only that, but met with great people on the road, again thanks to HUBB.

Great work! Kemal"

My thanks to all of you for your offers of support and encouragement to Kemal. This sort of response is what we were hoping for when Horizons Unlimited got rolling - instead of a motley lot of independent travellers, you're a community - friends, from all over the world, meeting and supporting each other. Good on ya!

Thanks so much to all our loyal supporters

... and a gentle reminder to those who haven't contributed that we still need your help to pay for the ongoing costs of keeping the website running and keeping this global community going. If you know anyone who should be advertising with us (anyone who sells motorcycles or motorcycle accessories, riding gear, camping equipment and clothing, transports motorcycles, organizes motorcycle tours, or has motorcycles to rent should be advertising), please let us know or send them to our Advertising page with your recommendation.

Start your planning with travel books at the Horizons Unlimited books page, and use the Amazon search function for your area to look for what you want. We'll get a small percentage of the sale when you buy anything. Don't forget to visit the Souk for new lightweight fleece vests and jackets or your summer t-shirts. If you don't need any clothes (or you have to work off a few pounds before you can fit into any ;-), we gratefully accept checks in 5 currencies!

Please submit news reports, web links etc. to us for inclusion in this newsletter.

We try to link to your website if you have one. And if you don't have a website, we can help.

This newsletter is provided as a complimentary service for travellers everywhere, both on the road and (temporarily;-) off. Your support is greatly appreciated.

your editors, Grant and Susan Johnson, (about us, contact us)

News Items...

Travellers missing in Algeria - some good news, but not all good.

From a BBC News story; "A number of Europeans tourists presumed to have been kidnapped in the Sahara desert of southern Algeria have been found more than two months after going missing.

The 10 Austrians, six Germans and a Swede are said to be in good health and preparing to return home."

However, despite some reports to the contrary, at this writing 15 are still being held hostage.

From Chris Scott;

"Looks like the release of the final 15 hostages (10 Germans, four Swiss and a Dutchman) from the Tamelrik plateau southwest of Illizi will not be so easy - they have been split up into several groups making a rescue more difficult - although it is said the area has been ringed by security forces in a zone 60km wide.

Now it has come to light that the two original groups were in radio contact with each other (but which was monitored by the Algerians) it is certain the remaining group's kidnappers know of the first groups' release, which explains the separation of the final fifteen, some of who have been in captivity for 100 days."

Latest details here on the Sahara Overland website. Poster of the missing travellers.

Note that because of this situation we cannot recommend any travel in Algeria at this time.

Horizons Unlimited Travellers Meetings 2003/2004 - time to plan ahead!

A great way to meet new friends and fellow travellers is at one of the many HU Travellers Meetings planned for this year. We're on FOUR continents now, so no excuse left - now's your chance to get to one! We have organizers busy and dates set for the following:

UK - 27-29 June 2003 - 3rd Annual Meeting - Chris Bright and Glynn Roberts are organizing this again at the Black Horse Inn in Somercotes, same location as last year. The UK meeting last year brought together over 100 travellers from the UK and Europe, and was the highlight of the motorcycle travellers social season. Registration is filling up quickly and numbers will be limited, so sign up today!

Portugal - 11-13 July 2003 - 1st Annual European Meeting - Gonçalo Pais is organizing this event in Budens, in the south-western point of Portugal. All the details and registration here. Contact Gonçalo Pais or me if you would like to assist in Portugal, or can be there and would like to put on a slide show.

Western USA / Canada, September 5-7, 2003, somewhere in BC, exact location to be announced. We're discussing locations right now, so mark your calendar! We could use some help on this one due to an over-busy schedule, but we are taking the lead on it. Peter and Kay Forwood, the famous H-D globetrotters, will be there, and we will also be attending, so let us know which continents you'd like to see!

Mexico - Oct. 31-Nov 2 2003 - Juan Carlos and Gerardo Ibarra are organizing this event, in Copper Canyon. If you'd like to present a slide show or put on a talk for the Mexico 2003 event, please let us know.

Bolivia - Nov. 8 2003 - Frank and Ann Schwarzbauer are organizing this event in La Paz. Details on Frank's page. If you'd like to present a slide show or put on a talk for the Bolivia 2003 event, please let us know.

Argentina - Tentatively planned for Viedma late November. If you'd like to help out, please let us know or contact Oscar Knecht.

New Zealand - 2004 - Nigel Marx is organizing this, tentatively in Christchurch. If you'd like to help out, please let us know or contact Nigel.

Thanks to all the volunteers!

Mark your calendars for at least one of these events. This is your chance to meet your fellow travellers, share adventures and travel tips, and incidentally to help support your favourite website! We are going to try very hard to be at as many of the meetings as possible ourselves, so we hope to see you there!

Lois Pryce, UK, Alaska to Tierra del Fuego, in Alaska and Canada, Yamaha XT225 Serow,

"Howdy folks! Well, here I am in Alaska. The scenery is stunning (although you do get a bit blase about snow-topped mountains after a while) and Alaskans are going to be hard to be beat for hospitality and genuine friendliness. With a ratio of ten men to one woman, Alaska is not the place for single men looking for love. Ladies, on the other hand - if you like the idea of rugged men in big trucks, then Alaska is the place for you. But choose carefully. As one local lady put it: 'the odds are good, but the goods are odd'.

Yukon campsite

...I was beginning to think it was all a myth, made up for the tourists. But then one day - there he was. A black bear just wandering along the side of the road. At last! I could now legitimately join in the bear talk - the staple conversation topic round these parts. Ignoring all advice about their potential viciousness, I pulled to a halt and whipped out my camera, thinking this would be the one and only bear sighting of my life. The following day I saw ten of them within fifty miles. Bears? Yeah, they're all over the place...

I enter Beautiful British Columbia. A day spent twisting through the Rocky Mountains was indeed awesome, but was followed by a few hundred miles of quite dull scenery. And then, as if a BC Tourist Board executive had heard my complaints, I was rewarded with what is possibly the best road I have ever ridden. I had been tipped off by a local chap to take a dirt road for 20 miles or so and then to pick up Highway 99 into Vancouver. This turned out to be great advice. These were the steepest, twistiest roads I have encountered. A real biking road with the most spectacular scenery of the trip so far. Enormous, craggy, snow-capped mountains, fast flowing rivers criss-crossed by little wooden bridges, cascading waterfalls by the side of the road, lush green forests, the odd bear (of course) and hairpin bends all over the place. Then the sun came out and I was reminded why it is worth all the cold and wet, the delays and the hassles - for days like this. When strangers smile and wave at you from the roadside because they can just tell how much fun you're having.

Lois eager to enter Canada, unaware of what's to come...

...Early evening in Vancouver, riding along a busy, suburban thoroughfare I was stopped by a police checkpoint consisting of three cars and six officers wielding speed-check guns. A burly, middle aged unsmiling cop motioned for me to park my bike on the sidewalk.

'Can I see your driving licence?' requested Angry Cop. I fished out my UK card style licence. 'What is this?' he fumed.
'It's a British driving licence' I replied in my plummiest English tones, resisting the temptation to preface it with 'What ho, old boy!'.

He grunted and paced towards the back of the bike. I could see what was coming next.
'What is this?' he yelled in disgust upon spotting my home-made number plate.
'It's a British licence plate' I said unimaginatively.
'But... but...but...' he spluttered, barely containing his rage, 'It's a piece of plastic with letters on it.' he finally countered.

'Have you got insurance?'.
This was the sticky one. 'Yes' I lied.
'What kind of insurance?'
'Oh you know, um, the usual kind' I mumbled. I'm not very good at lying so I gave up at this point.
'I don't believe you have insurance!' he shouted.

He marched off to the car and started making frantic phone calls. He returned a while later, still fuming and began to bark short sentences at me in the style of a telegram:
'You cannot ride this bike. Stop.
It is illegal to be on the highway. Stop.
You cannot touch this bike. Stop.
You cannot push this bike. Stop.
Your bike will be towed away. Stop.
Do you understand? Stop.'

I understood only too well..."

Ed. See Lois' site for the rest of this story. We are pleased to report she now has insurance, but the fine for driving without insurance was $575 plus $100 to get the bike out of impound.

John Wilson, Belfast, Northern Ireland, and Gerry Tiernan, Roscommon, Ireland, around the world, in Malaysia and Thailand, R80GS basic,

"North of the island as we headed through a mountainous tropical jungle the area was really beautiful with a fine twisting road. We came into a section where it had rained prior to our arrival with the result that the road was still wet. Rounding a bend John's bike hit a patch of diesel and down he came at about 50 to 55. Luckily he slid harmlessly along the road and his now famous panniers yet again came to the rescue as they once more took the brunt of an accident. The bars were totally twisted however and John had a deep cut to his thumb. It is testimony to John's ability the way he dealt with the accident. At 3 days before his 66th birthday he was up on his feet in seconds and dealing very rationally with the situation. We righted the bike and despite his injury straight away John set about getting the bike rideable. We collected the scattered pieces off the road and straightened as best we could the badly twisted bars. As people stopped to enquire about us it was not long before an ambulance arrived and took John to the local hospital where he urgently required stitches to his thumb.

"Greg Frazier confronts his nemesis." Picture by John Wilson.

Ed. Just kidding, Greg - we know how you like snakes!

An hour or so later we managed to ride the bike as far as the local town some 15 kilometres away and made further rudimentary adjustments to the bars and pannier that allowed us to carry on to the next biggest town for that night. Indeed we could have well done with an easy time the next day but it conspired to be anything but. For the first time on our trip we had rain for most of the day and it was torrential to the point that the road was treacherous. A car literally disappeared straight off the road in front of me on oil and somersaulted through the air luckily landing in a drain on its wheels with the result that no one was injured, incredible as it must seem. We lost count of the number of cars and lorries that we saw crashed that day as we drove up to Bangkok but it certainly made our ride all the more tiring as the concentration needed was intense. We eventually made it safely to the city that night but it was the last thing John needed on the back of the accident."

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Heiko Neumann, Germany, Europe/North America 2003-2004, BMW R1150GS,

"Probably because of too much adrenaline (because my trip was finally about to begin) and too little attention to the things/cars in front of me, I ended up in a low speed crash only minutes after leaving my home. Luckily the damage was such that it could be repaired within three days (thanks to some special efforts by Tiberius Ederlyi of TIBIZA repairs in Offenbach near Frankfurt).

I finally left Frankfurt on May 19th heading for the Czech Republic. The cities are very scenic: Marianske Lazne (Marienbad), Karlovy Vary (Carlsbad) and Prague. Very orderly and 'clean'. Well, but this has a flipside: parking is allowed only in dedicated areas (for a price) and there are no exceptions for motorcycles. I had hardly put down the sidestand (on a very wide sidewalk, where even the large BMW would not have been a bother to anybody) when a police patrol car stopped and sent me on...

... And for those friends in Frankfurt who like motorcycle touring: there are great one-lane roads, not very smooth paved surface - ideal for those of us who like GS. Not quite 'off-road' but just enough of 'rough' surface to feel the enduro character of the bike without an overdue risk of being stranded in the countryside with a 260kg beast of a motorcycle.

I spent two days in Prague, joining the international tourist crowds for visits to the old castle and cathedral. A great place - a must for all Prague visitors. However, beware of pickpockets. Only by luck and/or intuition avoided being robbed of small bag that I left beside my on a bench on Wenzel's square. Normally this bag would have contained only minor things like a small tripod for the camera. But this time I had the GPS system in there. Well, I guess the gods must be with me again, after my initial mishap in Frankfurt.

At this point I would like to say thank you to my former colleague Jochen Schlachter for recommending (even 'insisting') I go to the Czech Republic. The people are very very friendly, the facilities were perfect and the value for money you get is fantastic. And that does not even include bonus points for the excellent Czech beer..."

Ed. See Heiko’s blog here on Horizons Unlimited.

Tiffany Coates, UK, around the world, in Brazil, R80G/S,

"I was 'kidnapped' by the Recife moto club and taken to a Bike Show - they lent me a bike to ride as Thelma was having a rest in the workshop - my trusty steed for the weekend turned out to be a Yamaha Virago - well, I have never ridden a cruiser style bike before and what a baptism of fire it was - there had been torrential rain and the streets of Recife had been transformed - the others assured me that yes, there was a solid road of sorts under the brown rivers of dirty water covering every surface - I just had to hope for the best and edged forward on this unfamiliar bike, feeling as if my backside was just six inches from the ground and my arms were up in the air.

Having managed not to fall off in the water I later provided more entertainment for the delighted Recife group when I had a bad puncture and we had to change my rear tyre for... a car tyre - something I had never realised was possible, the tyre looked a bit strange and caused the handling to differ dramatically, to make matters worse it was oval-shaped (don't ask me how) and I had to ride this monstrosity for 500 kms! It was the most uncomfortable ride of my life - the others were chuckling at the bump bump as my wheel went round - added to this was the fact that I had Giardia and the stomach cramps were horrendous - yet another glamorous episode in the life of an overland biker.

In the north of Brazil the road deteriorates as rivers become more important - this means huge craters of potholes and mud masquerading as roads. At times, Thelma and I were doing our tightrope act - balancing on six inches of crumbling tarmac with the ground dropping away on either side to a two-foot drop.

"I thought that I needed to re-assert my roughy-toughy overland biker image after last month's sunset and beaches pictures, and so here is one which shows what happens when your tyres have so much mud clinging to them that they no longer go round!"

Belem is the jumping off point for the boats up the Amazon. The boat trip was great - five days of relaxing, fantastic scenery, a bar on the roof and good company - I met up with Raymundo Huerta from Mexico who is travelling on a Harley Davidson - his bike was the guinea-pig for the various gangplanks and ramps we had to negotiate. No one had told us that we had to change boats halfway up the Amazon - and believe me, loading bikes on and off boats is a nerve-racking experience, my favourite was the scene where they tied a rope around the Harley and lowered it into the black hole of the hold with six men on the end of the rope sweating and straining and Ray looking anxiously on.

I am now in Manaus and will shortly be heading north through the jungle to Venezuela.".

Ed. See Tiffany's blog here on Horizons Unlimited for more great stories.

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Peter and Kay Forwood, Australia, around the world since 1996, in Cuba, on a Harley Davidson,

"We started radioing the authorities at the 12 mile limit but there was no response till only a few miles offshore when we were advised to anchor in the bay. Santiago de Cuba has a magnificent harbour entry to a country, an old castle on one headland and small boats ferrying people across to islands and peninsulas, opening up into a large bay. Being Sunday it took the authorities an hour to muster before we could come alongside the marina, with quarantine the first 40 minutes and when cleared of diseases a team of seven officials boarded. A few customs officials politely and efficiently searched for over an hour, insisting that we watch to ensure no petty theft. Agricultural inspectors checked food, looking for weevils mainly, and immigration issued us with a tourist card ($US 15.00) valid for 30 days, using the boat as our hotel booking, and yet we were free to leave the boat, travel independently, and no onward ticket was asked for.

We were now independent of the boat. The motorcycle could be landed, and was, the tyres had to be washed in case of diseases, and its import could be attached to our passports and not the boat, thus also independent of the boat. Paperwork however for the motorcycle would have to be done tomorrow, a working day. This whole process took till 2 pm, was polite, efficient and thorough. Drinks were offered, and accepted, Coca Cola was not as favoured as the rum, where over a litre was consumed, the officers leaving when the last of the bottle was consumed. The marina manager offered us a welcome drink at the bar in the evening and we watched dancing and partying at another pier out over the water. A great welcoming and a relief to be able to move independently of the boat in Cuba.

... This is the last new country of this trip. The motorcycle now having visited 143 countries, 75% of those in the world. By coincidence yesterday the odometer recorded 100,000 km since the engine was rebuilt by Harley-Davidson of New York using parts supplied by Morgan and Wacker of Australia. The engine hasn't been opened in that time, however it now has two oil leaks, one serious, not bad after visiting every country in North, Central and South America plus the Caribbean."

Ed. The Forwood's have been to 143 countries in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Europe and North and South America. Horizons Unlimited is proud to host their entire trip story here.

Nelson Oliveira, Canada, to South America, in Mexico, F650GS,

"The road south of San Felipe follows the coastline for much of the way, but turns bad very quickly. First it's a few potholes, then giant craters across the whole road. It's tough going, especially in the heat. While taking a picture, I met Cliff who was on a Honda 650R. This bike is a lot better for the road I was on. He was travelling with Dave on another Honda, Mari on a Quad and Cliff's wife in a pickup truck. They were heading to Baía San Luís Gonzaga and I thought I could join them. I soon fell back and when I reached Puertecitos, where the road became really bad, I felt it was a better idea to just stay there and not try to do an unknown dirt road late in the afternoon.

I camped right on the beach and it was reasonably quiet and empty, with the exception of one or two ATVs every few minutes. The place is carefully maintained, and the owner is a lady who looks completely misplaced in that dusty desert environment. She walks around in high heels, nice dresses and lots of jewellery. She was also the only person that told me that the road south was even worse and had lots of sand. The other three opinions I got said it was no problem and one guy even said I could do it in an hour. But they were all men. Now I know I should have listened to the woman.

Beach camping in Baja

... The dirt road goes along the coast for a while, but then turns a bit inland and it's at this point that it flattens out and becomes a giant washboard. It was so bad that I couldn't go faster than about 20 km/h, staying mostly in first or second gear. Beside the main road there is a track, but it looked too sandy for my taste, so I tried to navigate the washboard as best I could. This meant going very close to the edges, which added the potential of hitting some misplaced rocks. Just a few minutes into this washboard stuff, I noticed the right side of the windshield bouncing. Obviously, I had lost all three screws that hold it into place. This wasn't good. I did not want to lose the windshield, specially now that it had the official Mexican import sticker. So, I attached a piece of string to hold it in place. It was the only solution I could think of and it worked.

Almost at the last section of this sandy track I came upon a hill. Going down, the sand was ankle deep and I mostly braked my way down. Then, I kept going for a few metres and suddenly the bike starts to wobble. Well, I know what not to do, but I did it anyway. I decelerated and knew I was going down. I crashed on my right side and landed in some cactus field, hitting my head on the sand (with helmet of course).

Well, I hit the kill switch and the first thing I thought was to take a picture. I rapidly took a few shots and then tried to lift the bike up. No way. I couldn't lift it up. I tried the technique Chris Ratay taught me, but it wouldn't work. I removed the big box from the back and tried again. This time it worked, but with a lot of effort. Man, is this thing heavy! I cleaned myself from the cacti that were attached to my suit and boots and went on my way."

Ed. He's got the right instincts. First take the picture, then pick the bike up!

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Chris Guilbert, Canada, in South America, KLR 650,

"... As I rode entranced with the views, the road suddenly turned to gravel, and began its serpentine climb, gaining altitude with every switch back. I arrived at a glorious vista that needed to have its photo taken, a begged to have the bike in the foreground of the photo. I pulled in the clutch, hit the brakes quickly, felt the bike lose balance, and fought helplessly as gravity laid the bike to rest on its side. Oh well, no problem. At least I was not hurt. I bent over to turn off the engine of my downed steed, then sat down to take in the scenery... only to be jarred to consciousness by the smell of gas. The bike was losing its lifeblood! It took all my strength, but I was able to barely lift the heavily loaded machine.

Further down the road, I heard the sound of metal rubbing on the back tire, soon to discover that the riding had jarred the license plate loose. I had no choice but to rip the plate off, along with the mounting hardware. I continued on for another 10 or so kilometers. And then it happened. It felt like the front of the bike was sliding in the turns. I looked down to see the front tire was completely flat. Upon close inspection, I uncovered that the tire had been punctured in three different locations by thorns. Patiently, I was able to surgically remove them by making incisions using a Swiss Army knife, then removing the thorns with needle-nose pliers. There I was... stuck in the blazing sun with a flat tire, a torn off license plate, a blown headlight that I would discover later in the evening, and only a liter of water. To put things into perspective, I was in the middle of nowhere, and had seen only 2 cars in the last hour and a half. Great... a photo opportunity!

I removed the can of tire sealer from my luggage, muddled my way though the Spanish directions and proceeded to repair the tire. I emptied at least half the can into the tire, and quickly proceeded to drive the required 2 - 3 km. Yet when I reached that distance, the tire was again flat. How far did I have left to go? At least 20 km until I reached paved road, then another 15 km to the nearest town. Again, I emptied the contents of the can into the tire and continued on in first gear along the potholed road. For an hour I negotiated the winding mountain road, hoping that pavement was around the corner. I wanted to stop and take pictures, but was stressed by the discomfort of the situation. Up until now, I had only seen 4 vehicles in the last 3 hours. Must... keep... moving... It felt like an eternity at 10 km/h until I found the beautiful, slick, black tarmac. Oh Joy! Soon to find civilization. In the end, the tire survived the remainder of the ride to the nearest community. I found a tire shop, and was able to remove the tire and repair the hole - all for about 2 dollars."

Frank Butler, Papua New Guinea, around the world in 1000 days, in Indonesia on a temporary local bike,

"After leaving Borneo, I put Hardly and myself on a ferry over to Surabaya in Java. I stayed a couple of days with two lovely English girls that I met in Toraja - Sulawesi and then put Hardly through his paces on a hectic race down the Island to Solo, the traffic was horrifying. Between the buses and lorries belching out black smoke and pre pubescent kids on two stroke oil belchers, I doubt if I had both eyes open ten percent of the time - it was a blinking nightmare...so to speak.

Anyway Solo is a great town, much more laid back than Surabaya and more to see and do. I had a couple of days there, dances and puppet shows and the like. Then had a pleasant two hour ride down to Yogjakarta for more culture, this time with beer thrown in. The beer was cold so I spent a week there. It is supposed to be a major tourist destination, second only to Bali. I saw about twenty white people in the whole time I was there.

'This picture was taken at Borobudur which some would have us believe is the largest Buddhist Temple in the world.'

... Borneo was not at all how I expected it to be, I had hoped that it would be like PNG except wilder and more exotic but it is in fact just another province of Indonesia, almost indistinguishable from the rest. I have to keep reminding myself that I am in Borneo now, and not another part of Sulawesi, which is quite disappointing really. I meet up with a mate of a mate from New Guinea and he showed me the ins-and-outs of Balikpapan which was fantastic - Thanks Craig.

At this red hot moment I am in Barajasima getting ready to catch a ferry over to Java. Hardy (The Bike) got a bit of a tune up in Balikpapan and is running like a Champion, we over took three vehicles on the two day trip down here, he's turning into a monster. My Bali Belly has cleared up... you will all be glad to hear I am now feeling confident about farting again, which surprisingly, is something that I never thought that I would miss, well I suppose that you never really miss something until it's gone or taken away from you. So that is something that I have learned... 'enjoy a good fart while you still can.' Travel is definitely broadening my mind."

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Ted Simon, UK/USA, "Jupiter's Travels," around the world, again, in India, R80GS Basic,

"April 28, 2003 - Today is the third and, surely, the last birthday I will celebrate on this journey. I am still in India, waiting. There is no word yet from Iran, as to whether they will let me ride through, and Pakistan won't let me in without a visa from Iran. Some people have suggested I try to go round through Russia, but this is not a practical option for me. I am already a year overdue. If I can't ride the bike through Pakistan and Iran, I will reluctantly have to ship it or fly it yet again, to Turkey if possible, and I will start looking into that today.

"Something makes these Avon's delicious. Maybe there was salt on the roads."

I've been up to the Himalayas and back. Now I'm on the outskirts of Delhi. No need to pity me. I'm living in the utmost comfort, for a few days at least, as the guest of a hitherto unknown friend who sent me this email a few weeks ago:

'I see from your website that you are here in New Delhi. I live here... and would be happy to put you up... Like many hundreds (or is it thousands) of people, my boyfriend and I were inspired by your book (or by boredom at work!) to give it all up and get on our bikes back in September 2001. We had a fantastic eight months (UK-India, Nepal and SE Asia) until I came off and made a mess of my ankle in Laos last May...'

(Ed. That would be Lisa Roberts, UK, who was featured here many times when she and Harvey were travelling.)

I quote it because it's like a hundred or more similar emails I've had in the last two years. Knowing how rare it is for people to write (or email) their feelings, I'm sure it does represent thousands. Without their existence, I don't think I would have had the stamina or the incentive to make this journey. So today I'd like to express my gratitude to them all, and let them know that it is their good wishes and goodwill that will get me through this last 10,000 miles. Thank you.

"Brahma's son blesses me before the bike goes into the box, yet again, for the flight to Istanbul. And I needed all the blessing I could get."

... From India to Turkey, in one fell swoop. Well, two swoops, actually. From Delhi to Kazakhstan, and then on to Istanbul after a rather unnerving night in Almaty..."

Ed. Happy birthday, Ted, and many more!

Merritt Grooms, USA and Pierre Saslawsky, France, across Africa, in Cameroon, BMW F650's,

"Cameroon has been independent from France since 1960 so mainly French is spoken, though at last count there were 279 recognized languages within the country. The most fascinating one to me was a form of English known as Pidgin. It's an old trading language that bridges French and English while dropping all unnecessary words. For example, "How?" is "How Are You?" 'Shakeskin' means To Dance, and "Ah Done Flop Chop" indicates you've had enough to eat. My favorite of course is, "Jam Pass Dee, Monkey Chop Peppay" which means, "When the shit hits the fan, a monkey will live off hot peppers" (Taken from Lonely Planet's Africa edition). Villages are made entirely out of stones, mud and straw with, as always. Chickens, donkeys, steer, goats and dogs running everywhere.

Village huts

Always when we pull into a town several men or boys come up, asking to be our guide, to eat at this or that restaurant and/or to ask for 'cadeaux' (gifts). Pierre explains to them that we are asked 50 times minimum a day for cadeaux and that we have been traveling for 2 months and that if we gave a cadeau to everyone we would have given away 3000 cadeaux so far. And since we are traveling for 2 years, that means we would need 36,000 cadeaux for everyone. The boy got it and everyone stopped asking and were happy just to follow us around.

We hired Dili, a 12-year-old boy, as our guide and have spent 2 days with him. We were walking and a group of teenage bad boys say, "I want to marry the woman" (me) Pierre turns around and walks back, "Who said that?" No one would speak. He tore into them about having respect, and that they were cowards to yell at a person's back and not own up to the comment. To go home to their mommy's and ask to be taught something other than ignorance. He spoke to them not condescendingly, but with conviction and disappointment. Later two of them came and apologized, which showed they understood and respected Pierre's actions. Its problem in Africa, the complete disconnect the tourists have from Africans. In general, the locals see tourists as money, and tourists seem to behave as though locals are things to throw candies to and point cameras at. We speak with locals as human beings, and they treat us as human beings. We have met and spent time with such interesting people, but it takes time to establish strong contact due to the history of separation between locals/tourists.

Pierre with kids in Cameroon

... I see why many westerners come here to work for 2 months and wind up staying ten years. There is no relationship to a schedule, to private property, no police officers outside cities, or real crime. Everyone working things out amongst themselves and helping each other. We spoke with an incredibly insightful, optimistic young playwright who lives here. He writes plays about women's equality, about animal cruelty and that only Africans can help Africans. "Africans don't need to change or be 'modernized', and when I see cell phone companies and prepackaged foods full of salt and sugar coming from Europe and the US, it saddens me. The people forgo food to have a cell phone. Many countries have no real dentist, yet there is advertising all over to Drink Coke! It's so typical for richer countries to come into poorer countries and instead of helping set up an infrastructure, they use the countries resources as a means to sell more of their 'stuff'.

The next day we said good-bye to Dili. I thought he was going to cry. I couldn't speak French with him, but his admiration and respect for Pierre was so touching. The way Pierre spoke to him and gave him responsibility will stick with him forever. What a bright, sweet kid."

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Daniel Todd, USA/Puerto Rico, second around the world tour, KLR650,

"I wanted to write and let you know of my progress here in the Philippines. I shipped my bike the first week of March but it arrived almost one month later than they said, so 2 months instead of one. Since then I have been caught up in a bureaucratic nightmare that make India and Egypt seem like a walk in the park.

The first week was all government holidays and this last week everything was closed due to a typhoon that came in. The weeks in between I have been waiting for 'endorsements' from officials that never even showed up most days. I thought that I had an advantage and kept the faith most of the time because I had friends that introduced me to high-ranking customs officials and influential people in the Philippine government. They expressed interest in my project to document the Philippines on two wheels and promised to do what they could but they too have a life and I suppose that this became a tedious nuisance for them after all these weeks.

I started my research on your site a long time ago and found out that the biggest bike club here had made special arrangements with the Philippine tourist board to get an 'exemption' from the bond normally required to bring a vehicle into the country for the first Philippine bike week. This was great news since the Philippines does not use the Carnet system like much of Asia.

I just found out yesterday that this 'exemption' from the tourist board was never even recognized by the Philippine customs and that I would have to post a bond for one and a half times the value of the bike. This was confirmed by the fact that THE ONLY guy that got his bike in for the Philippine bike week had to do the same. Of course I could have just posted this bond some weeks ago and be happily lost somewhere in the Cordillera by now.

I have no qualms with posting the bond itself; it is fully refundable when the bike gets exported. The only snag with this is that I will have to do what every overlander tries to avoid and ride back to Manila on the same route instead of exiting from the other side if the Country like I planned. Customs will require me to leave my passport as well so this is unavoidable.

In the meantime I had the privilege to meet and hang out with many of the guys from the Mad Dogs bike club who have gone out of their way to support me and show me a good time while hanging in Manila. They found me a place to stay and showed me the their 'doghouse' where everyone goes to blow off steam and mix with other bikers. While some have brought their bikes in to use while living here and paid full taxes, they confirmed that I was the first RTW traveler to bring his bike in to ride this beautiful archipelago.

Lets see how it shakes out; I think that if you do this long enough you can expect every kind of experience! Just roll with it! All the best, Daniel"

Simon McCarthy and Georgie Simmonds, UK to Asia, in Nepal, BMW R100GS,

"May 6, 2003 - Just to tell you all that we are engaged to be married. Eight and half months of traveling together up and down treacherous mountains, through crocodile infested swamps and windswept deserts - perhaps a little poetic license there - has proved to us that we're right for each other.

The happy couple with the newest addition to the family

So for the next half of the trip (can't believe we are half way through), I'll be looking for inspiration for my wedding dress - no hints of any biking gear, and Simon will be picking up more 'one pot recipes' for petrol stove wedding reception.

Ed. Congratulations, Simon and Georgie - and will the ceremony be en route, or back in England?

... I have gone slightly loopy and has just bought a new Enfield 500cc Bullet in Kathmandu! A few months ago I had a stupid idea that I might like to have the experience of riding my own bike home to England. After many discussions with Simon and negotiations with the local importer, this dream is now blossoming and last week I proudly took delivery of La Negrita (The Little Black One). Apparently it's untrendy to name your bike, but who cares? The Enfield is built in India based on the original British design of the 1950s/60s, so it's a 'classic' already.

Georgie's new love

I've survived the first 500km unscathed and now 'look forward' to driving around India! I am sure that there will be tales to tell about that little adventure.

... We have just fixed a problem with the engine on our bike. I caused the problem 1 year and 35,000kms ago ...it had survived through a combination of bullet proof design, gentle treatment, severe thrashing, luck, grand theft, pure luck, careful repairing and inspired bodging..."

For all the gory details, check out Simon and Georgie's blog here on Horizons Unlimited!

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Gail and Eric Haws, USA, in Europe, BMW R100GS,

"We arrived in Frankfurt on about 6 April where Stephan Knopf had everything ready for us as usual. We expected to stay for a couple of nights at Stephan's B&B. With the moto ready and the sun shining we decided to be on our way a day early.

A day early we went to visit Torsen and Ricarda. We first met them when we were travelling in South America heading north to Cusco. They were sitting along the side of the road having a picnic. They were travelling on two modified BMW 650s. They go slowly enjoying themselves and seeing much that others miss. Later that year we met them again in Argentina where we celebrated New Years and Ricarda was elected 'Ms Empanada of Argentina.' The following day we went our separate ways, we to Azul for the big international moto meeting and they to Chile.

Torsen and Ricarda returned to Germany and when we flew to Frankfurt to pick up our BMW, Ricarda used her considerable charms to persuade her parents to invite us to stay at their parents home.

... As we travelled south in Germany and France we did not know if people would be throwing rocks at us. Everyone in the US said don't go. But most people think we are German since we ride a BMW. After speaking with us they think we are from Great Britain. When we tell them we are from North America they think we are Canadian. So we had no problems even being interviewed in central France.

... Finally, we reached the coast and took the ferry to Corsica. Corsica is everything good that people say it is. Tourist oriented with signs for moto garages for both hotels and campsites. Often these signs are in English. And, good moto riding."

Maarten Munnik, Netherlands, around the world, in Indonesia and Australia, Honda Africa Twin,

"I have seen the sunrise on the Bromo volcano. In the night the vapors cool down and lay still in the huge crater-rim... Then the sun heats them up and they flow over the edge like a snow-avalanche... but then made of clouds of mist rolling down the slopes, through the trees... It is a truly magical sight.

In Bali, the islands of the gods, I had some lazy days on the beach and in the swimming pool of my luxury hotel... which cost me the amazing sum of 6 Euros a night (including breakfast). There I had a meeting with Bruno, a Horizons-Unlimited member who lives and works in Bali... He's got it all figured out. I am jealous. We had a few nice evenings and a great dinner at his house. Unfortunately I had to move on be course Indonesia is a big place... and the visa is non-extensible :-(

Across to Lombok, where I had my first surfing-lesson. It did not go as planed... but this was due to my lake of talent I guess... Not only did I not stand on my board... I did not catch one single wave. I did get very tired, and I did get thrown over by a wave... the others did have their fun :-)

The kelli Mutu, a volcano with 3 lakes in the crater. OK, not too special you would think... but when you see them! One is turquoise, the brightest turquoise you can imagine. Right next to it is a pitch-black lake... and a bit further an olive-green one. How can they exist so close together with such different colors? And. every now and then, the colors change overnight. Previous the black one was bright red! and the olive one has also been light blue. It's one of mother earth's strange phenomena.

I'll be very sad to leave this wonderful country, but the visa ticks on. One thing is for sure... I'll be back.

... After a few nice adventure's in Indonesia and East-Timor I reached Darwin Australia.

Right now I am waiting for Pam (the bike) to get through customs, but I hope this happens next Monday.

Timor was.... something else. I'll remember it as the country of "bob-wire"... but the people are all friendly. A more detailed story will follow as soon as I can find a place to write it (bit expensive here on line). Maarten"

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Doris Maron, Canada, RTW, in India, on 750cc Honda Magna,

"Bihar is the poorest state in India and the guidebooks don't recommend traveling there but I found the people very welcoming and friendly. I traveled the back roads through farming communities and villages stopping several times to ask directions and buy water. When I would stop for water the shop owner would pull out a little stool and say 'sit', then he'd get me a bottle of water. The temperature is so hot that keeping a bottle in my trunk is useless - I could probably make tea with it.

Everywhere I went people stopped and stared as I rode by. No one wears helmets, boots, jackets or gloves, so I must have looked like an alien coming down the road in my big full face helmet, full riding gear and big bike. Whenever I stopped a crowd of men and children would gather around and stare. One time I got off the bike and sat in the shade a few feet away. Immediately a crowd gathered around the bike and once they'd looked it over good they came and formed a circle around me and stared! It took me a few days to get used to this curiosity.

I spent a few days in Delhi to get my visa for Pakistan and Iran. The Canadian Embassy doesn't recommend travel to Pakistan, but I have been following the reports of other bikers going through and they haven't had any problems. The visa for Pakistan was very expensive - the most I've paid so far. The surprise came when I tried to get my Iran visa. I had the recommended letter of introduction from the Canadian Consulate but that wasn't good enough. They wanted me to write them a letter about my life including details like where I went to grade school, high school, college, etc. along with names of all my teachers, every place I lived and worked, etc. etc. I said to the man 'I'm only wanting to pass through your country, I don't want to live there'. He wasn't impressed. I refused to write the letter so didn't get the visa. I'm trying other options and will hope to get it once I'm in Pakistan."

Arno Backes and Sian Mackenzie, Germany and UK, Australia via USA to South America, in Argentina, on BMW R100GS PD and Yamaha XT600E,

"It had just stopped raining when we pulled into town, but Oscar still came to meet us on his bike. He is a member of the Horizons Community in Viedma. We visited his place, met his family, then were found a great place to stay just up the road. Over the next few days we met a variety of interesting people. Oscar's family showed me around the twin towns of Viedma and Patagones while Arno worked on the bikes. He got my carrier practically rebuilt and his head bearings replaced, with the help of Oscar's friends. He seems to know everyone in town.

Discussing how to get the head bearings back into the bike

... By the time we got to Azul we were dripping, literally! We stopped by the campsite where the bike meeting was happening, it was extremely soggy there, so decided to go on to La Posta, where we knew Yuki would be. It was a Friday night and the place was buzzing. We got out of our soggy gear, got to know everyone and ate the first of our Azul asados.

The weather improved and the next day we went back to the bike meeting with Yuki to have a look around and a chat to other riders. We also took part in the ride around town to the plaza, where all the bikes parked and the riders partied. Due to the weather there were only around 350 bikes present. A combination of bad weather and the economic situation, said our friends. Two years ago there had been over 3000 bikes!

Jorge and a couple of familiar faces outside La Posta del Viajero en Moto

After the weekend, things calmed down and there was room in the garage for Arno to do some work on the bikes, oil changes and routine maintenance. We stayed at La Posta for over a week, making new friends, local and international. Azul has become a stopover for riders from all over the world, Jorge (Cuatrochio, alias El Pollo) has made a wonderful place for us to hang out for awhile with like minded people. If you pass through Azul, stop, say hello and spend a night or two."

For more stories, check out Arno and Sian's blog here on Horizons Unlimited!

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George Migliorelli and Valeria Milani, Italy, around the world, in Australia, Africa Twin and Transalp,

"We arrive in Perth from KL. After having spent circa seven months in low cost countries, our first issue in Australia was sticker shock. ' A hotel cannot cost (US) 90, impossible'. We head for the YMCA, (US) 40.00 small, linear rooms filled with single, over sixties, lonely men. The type of hotel one sees rarely in low cost countries but frequently in anglo-saxon countries.

… Once entered the Nullabor the prices begin to rise and goods are limited. Roadhouses every several hundreds kilometers provide basic Australian fare, a camping area, out back, and sometimes a dingy motel. The food is frozen and then fried. It gets hot, but nothing overwhelming to match the Syrian desert or Baluchistan. Its boring as most deserts are after a few days, but manageable. We camp each evening behind the Roadhouse.

Half way through, stopped for lunch at a Roadhouse, we meet Derrick, complete with Santa's beard and overalls that are too short. Derrick explains that 25 years earlier he left Yorkshire on a Laverda on a round the world motorcycle adventure that led him through Europe, Middle East, Asia, to Australia (our route). He arrived in the Nullabor, liked it and never left. He now works as the chief mechanic of a joined group of roadhouses. Paradise in many forms. Four days later we are through the Nullabor and heading towards Adelaide and green. Four days of brown are over.

Trying to stay cool in the desert

Arriving in Melbourne, I promise V good Asian food and we immediately start hitting all the noodle shops. Our Paradise in our form, 'Asian noodles', no more frozen, no more fried. In Melbourne we begin all the preparation for the end of Part I: shipping the bike from Sydney to Hong Kong, our plane tickets, tickets to Tasmania, etc. All efficient, well organized.

… Tasmania, considered one of motorcycling's 'wonders of the world,' was a stunning visual experience. Every turn a postcard, beautiful camping areas, as to be expected food was horrible. Encountering two muscular, middle age German bicyclists who commented 'Tasmania is beautiful but the food is even worse than in America'. This from the German motherland not exactly known for refined cuisine? Kidney Pies? Where is this 'New Australian Cuisine' we are always reading about?

Our bikes are parked in front of a cappuccino joint, we encounter John Stevens - 77 years old. We find him along with several members of his family studying the bikes. He tells us that in 1954, as a young Scottish immigrant he circled Australia with a friend on two BSA'S. His family entourage is composed of one 40 year old male, a 16 year old male, an attractive 35 year old female and three young boys and girls. The 40 year old is John's son and the female/children are the son's family. In conversation I comment to the 16 year old, 'you should ask your grandfather...' he replies 'he is my father'. I begin to extract foot from mouth.

John Stevens has ridden a bike around Australia, searched for gold, worked pipelines, built a ski chalet, been a ski instructor and fathered children at both ends of the age structure. In addition, at 77 years, with a full head of white, thick hair, he cut a rakish figure as the wizened senior. A wonderful encounter.

John Stevens

We like Sydney, the beaches, ethnic food and varied immigrant groups. For the first time during the trip we see motorcycles groups. Groups or gangs? One evening while visiting Bondi beach, a gang of 10 motorcyclists on HD's come bawling in all directions around us, it frightens us especially at 100 km/h in a 40 km/h zone.

Part I is drawing to a close. We left Tuscany 8 months prior. The urge to continue remains but work calls in HK so we will take a temporary leave of absence. If passing through H.K. contact us."

Storm: A Motorcycle Journey of Love, Endurance and Transformation, by Allen Noren

"Allen and Suzanne were seasoned travelers, and when Russia's Baltic states opened up for visitors in 1993, they eagerly embarked on a trip there. What they couldn't foresee were the record-breaking storms, desolate landscapes, and most significant, the cracks in their relationship that the trip would expose. Part love story, part edgy travelogue, and at times darkly humorous, Storm shows the fragility of human connections in the face of unexpected forces."

Looking for a travel book for someone special?

Go to our Books pages, where we have listed some of the best motorcycle travel books, as well as a number of BMW books, general motorcycle books, and travel guides.

There's links to Amazon USA, Amazon UK, Amazon Canada, and Amazon Deutschland, so no matter where you are - you can order books at great prices, and we'll make a dollar or a pound or a Euro, which goes a very little way to supporting this e-zine.

There's also links to search Amazon sites for all their products, books, CDs etc., and yes, we get a tiny piece of that too. We really appreciate it when you start your book search from our website! Thanks for the support!

Book suggestions please!

If you have a book or want a book that you think other travellers would be interested in please let me know and I'll put it on the site. Thanks, Grant

Everything I need to know about life, I learned from Noah's Ark...

click for a larger version

One: Don't miss the boat.

Two: Remember that we are all in the same boat.

Three: Plan ahead. It wasn't raining when Noah built the Ark.

Four: Stay fit. When you're 600 years old, someone may ask you to do something really big.

Five: Don't listen to critics; just get on with the job that needs to be done.

Six: Build your future on high ground.

Seven: For safety sake, travel in pairs.

Eight: Speed isn't always an advantage. The snails were on board with the cheetahs.

Nine: When you're stressed, float a while.

Ten: Remember, the Ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic by professionals.

Eleven: Ahem... oh yes, one more thing. The dang woodpecker will just have to go!

"Sometimes it's a little better to travel than to arrive."
Robert M. Pirsig - Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance

"Whether outwardly or inwardly, whether in space or time, the farther we penetrate the unknown, the vaster and more marvelous it becomes."
Charles A. Lindbergh - Autobiography of Values

"Remember, Information is not knowledge; Knowledge is not wisdom; Wisdom is not truth; Truth is not beauty; Beauty is not love."
Frank Zappa

"Superb photos! Nail-biting drama. I sent an email to an old time cycle rider to take a look at the women involved in these exciting motorcycle trips. What guts. This issue was better than any movie at the showhouse."
Laura Thompson, Wisconsin, USA

Glad you're enjoying the e-zine, and thanks for your support, Laura!

"Don't know how you two can manage to do so much good work."
Alon Carter, USA

Thanks for your kind words, and your support, Alon!

"You guys have a WONDERFUL tool in your hands for many of us to use. I'm a freelance writer as well (god, isn't everybody these days?) and I'd like to write a story on the whole growing phenomenon of international motorcycle travel. When I stop somewhere for a while and start working on it, I'll hope to interview you guys. Thanks again for all the help, whether you know you've been helping or not!"
Ed Sullivan, USA, heading south

"We've been looking at HU for a couple of years and are now one week away from commencing our own trip after helping out Chris and Erin Ratay and Liam McCabe while they were in Aus. (They gave us the inspiration to do it now...) Our bike has been shipped to the UK and we arrive 20th May. Will be going to the IOM and hope to catch up at the meet in Derbyshire. The current info on this site is invaluable."
Brian Rix & Shirley Hardy-Rix, Australia

"Hello Susan, Merritt and I are very proud to have made it on the front page of Horizons Unlimited! We have a small request though: could you please add a link to our web site? We hope that more visitors will help us to get some sponsorship. Thanks!"
Pierre Saslawsky, France, and Merritt Grooms, USA, in Africa

No problem, Pierre and Merritt, and keep the great stories coming!

"Well done people. Christine and I met in 1985 some years before you guys decided to get online. I remember among the horse riding, mountain hiking we were also motor biking on 2 motocross bike (YZ for her, RM for me) the bikes were not ours, I told her one day I would make enough money to get us 2 BMW. A year later I’ve been sacked from my hi-school and I’ve joined the French Navy as a seal. Christine came and visited me in Guyana and it got us the bug. Since then we’ve had difficulties staying more than 5 years in the same place. It took 15 years but in 2000 as I was working in Ireland as a computer engineer we finally got the two BMW (600 Funduro and GS 1150). The dream got ended by Christine’s bike being stolen. We have been leaving or spending time in many countries, we are now 37 and we have a 9 years old daughter pushing us to prepare 2 BMW for some long run. BTW I will have to accommodate a 1 year old Scottish Terrier in my specially designed top case… We are looking at a BMW 1150 GS Adventure and a GS 650, the dream may well happen after all… Your website will help me in preparing our trips, thanks…"
Arnaud Disant, Ireland

You will have a terrific adventure on the road with your daughter and a Scottish Terrier! We look forward to hearing all about it.

"I want to let you know that your site has been invaluable on my trip so far (32,000 km and counting). I hope to put some notes on the bulletin board about some things I have learned so far that could be helpful to other adventure moto riders. Thank you once again."
Mark Moors, Canada, in Africa

"No reply needed. I just wanted to say very fine photos of your world trip. I'm a photographer and motorcycle tourer. I've spent several months on my old /6, up at dawn shooting. If I could get paid to do it, I'd quit my job tomorrow. Cheers"
Ian Keppen, USA

"HU has woven its magic once again and I am being taking out for a day's trail riding on Sunday and also being interviewed for a magazine called Sistercycle (do you know it?), thanks to people who have contacted me through the site."
Lois Pryce, UK, Alaska to Ushuaia

"Congratulations for your great web site! I found it very interesting and with lots of useful information about my passion: moto-tourism. I kindly request you to add a link to my site. I have already added a link and logo to your site in my site's 'Link' page. Best regards."
Pierre Lima, Portugal

"Planning my 1st trip round western Europe on Pan-European. Will be at UK HU meeting in June, looking forward to picking up tips from your presentation. Keep up the good work."
Alan Williams, UK

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ISSN 1703-1397 Horizons Unlimited Motorcycle Travellers' Ezine - Copyright 1999-2003, Horizons Unlimited and Grant and Susan Johnson. All rights reserved.

Redistribution - sending it on to friends is allowed, indeed encouraged, but other than the following requirements, only with permission. You may forward copies of the Horizons Unlimited Motorcycle Travellers' e-zine by forwarding it yourself by hand. You must forward the issue in its entirety, no fee may be involved. Please suggest they Subscribe!

Legal gibberish: (particularly for those in countries that have more lawyers in one town, just for instance, New York, not to name any names, than some whole countries, as another example, Japan. Again, not naming anybody specifically you understand) Recommendations are based on positive or negative experiences of somebody, somewhere. Your mileage (kilometrage if you insist) may vary. We are not responsible in any way for any product or service mentioned, and do not warrant any such mentioned product or service, and are not responsible for any bad things that may befall you. You are responsible for yourself! Act accordingly. We check all links and information given as close as possible to publication, and all info is correct as best we can determine at that time.

Simon Kennedy and Rachel Delavaud, Ireland, in Australia and the USA, Transalp and KLR250,

"Bladder is full, tank is empty. Time to reverse the situation. Ambrose, Queensland is one of those family run road houses that won't last the decade. A single loo, with an overpowering stink. A short flush doesn't do it, so, cursing the penny-pinching plumbing installed by the petit bourgeoisie, I press again. A long dark strand slides slowly from under the rim. Disgusting. And then, and then--no it can't be--it articulates and pulls itself up. Jesus. This, as they say, is some clever shit.

'This might sound odd' I report, 'but there appears to be something living in the toilet'.
Overconfidently, 'That's Freddy'.
'Right, Freddy'.
I let a silence fall. She's kind hearted enough to fill it: 'Freddy the Frog. He lives in the dunny'. All perfectly normal now.
'Surely some people get the fright of their lives?' 'Yes' she smiles wistfully, pausing on their darned foolishness, 'there are some screams. We always know it is Freddy'.

I am in a David Lynch movie now, laughing manically, more than a little glad I didn't meet Freddy recumbent peering downwards. Once, she explains, we cleared out all the frogs. A lady took them all the way to Gladstone. 'Two days later they were back. Same ones. Very territorial are frogs.' I am loving this. And then, softly, under her breath, to no one in particular she adds, 'You know who your frogs are'.

I am now in San Francisco waiting for my bike to traverse the ocean after me, exploring California on a loaner. This weekend I am having a blast in the mountains at a Honda C90 trail bike rally. Wacky. Nothing is ordinary in the USA."

Martin Rooiman and Jeannette Boom, a.k.a. De Twee Musketiers, Netherlands, around the world, in Australia,

"After arriving in the Tableland Mountains just outside Cairns we take a break for a couple of days. The area here is so different compared to the rest of Australia. It's very green and there are even small lakes where you can swim without having to worry about attacking crocodiles. Australia is so completely different to New Zealand that we only now slowly start to get used to it. The distances are huge (it takes us an hour to cover 1 cm on our map) and the scenery doesn't change that much. But on the other hand we have already seen quite a bit of the Ozzie wildlife. Martin already had his first accident when he hit a bee which made his left eye almost disappear and it looks really ugly, however Jeannette still claims she loves him.

The loser after fighting with a bee

She also faced the consequences of corrugated gravel roads when her bike suddenly completely died because the battery got disconnected. Needless to say we are having a ball of a time here."

Ed. See Martin and Jeannette's blog here on Horizons Unlimited.

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Chris and Erin Ratay , USA, around the world, in North America, two BMW F650s,

"We will head to Grand Canyon, Bryce, Zion, Moab, and then visit Erin's relatives in Vegas. We'll work our way up the coast to Vancouver, then spend a couple of weeks in northern Canada. We have to be in West Virginia in early July, then we'll visit Erin's folks in late July, and return to NYC in early-mid August. After a couple of weeks to settle in, we'll have to find work...

... Greetings from scenic Bryce Canyon. No internet, no showers, no worries! :-0 c u in a few weeks - 6/19ish... -C &E"

I suggested they invest in a shower between now and arriving here in Canada... the border guards could refuse entry if the smell of ripe socks arrives before they do...

Mika Kuhn, Germany, around the world, in Japan, Tenere,

"Yes, I am back in Japan since maybe a month. Damaris arrived in Tokyo and we had two weeks together in Japan. Over Internet a member of the Horizons Unlimited community in Japan had offered to borrow us a bike and so I could pick up Damaris on a Yamaha XTZ750 Super Tenere. On the way down to Kyoto we had a lot of rain and I had to work on the bike a few times. But Kyoto and the temples we could visit in the warm sunshine. We stayed a night in the newly opened J-Hoppers guesthouse of fellow motorcycle traveller Aki Iida - and had a fabulous sushi dinner. Damaris flew back in the beginning of this week to Bern; two weeks are not enough to explore Japan.

To travel in Japan is for me only possible because people help me. A big Thank You to: Seiji and Harumi Nakai in Utsunomiya, Miles and Kazumi Pritchett in Tsuchiura, Chris Lockwood in Tokyo, Yasuko Nobukawa in Hirakata, Aki Iida from J-Hoppers Guesthouse in Kyoto and all the others.

Today in the afternoon I will go together with Seiji to a motorcycle travellers meeting for the weekend. Than I think of travelling along the west coast of Japan up to the island of Hokkaido, take a boat over to the Russian island of Sakhalin and spend the summer in Russia. The plan is to be back in Switzerland in October and fly to Sao Paulo in November."

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Thanks!

William - (KTMwill), UK, in southeast Asia, KTM,

"Just to let you know I have just been through Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Malaysia and no one has asked to see my carnet, which I do have. I flew from Kathmandu into Bangkok then headed into Cambodia via the crossing near Siam reap then through Cambodia and crossed into Laos in the south at the 'there is very little there' border crossing between Cambodia and Laos. Someone told me this was not open to foreigners but all went well and there was no real customs there anyway. Then back into Thailand at the friendship bridge near Vientiane and down south to Malaysia. Hope this helps...

...The bike is going out on a cargo boat this Sunday and should then be in Perth a couple of weeks later."

By Grant and Susan Johnson, in Vancouver,

Lois Pryce passed through Vancouver last week and made a big impact. Unfortunately, her theme song for the visit (sung with a Western twang) was "I fought the law, and the law won!" The law in these here parts don't take kindly to furriners with funny accents and home made plastic licence plates, which were the least of Lois' transgressions ;-) Now that she knows she has to carry her bike papers with her at all times, and have insurance, just like in most of the western world, we hope she can avoid unpleasant encounters further south. Have a great ride, Lois, we're looking forward to great stories!

Bob and Julie McDarby-Feast, UK, UK to Australia, BMW GS

"Hi, wife and I leave UK for OZ next week, 19th May. We're taking it slow, travelling through France, Spain, Portugal and Possibly Morocco before heading East into Italy etc. Hope to see you on the road, you'll probably overtake us somewhere. We'll on a bright red GS and carting the kitchen sink!"

Check out Bob and Julie's blog here on Horizons Unlimited!

Gregory Frazier, USA, heading to Alaska,

"I'm headed North To Alaska, working on a new book about adventure motorcyclists and a second edition of my earlier book, Alaska By Motorcycle. If you're a 'long rider' and plan to be in Alaska late June or early July, I would be interested in connecting for photographs of you and your motorcycle.

This will be my 20th something trip to Alaska, and the first one in 10 years, so I am looking forward to seeing the changes in America's last frontier (maybe the mosquitoes will be fewer and smaller). I expect prices of everything to be high and the roads in better condition. With the crowds expected this summer, I am told even Elvis might make an appearance at one of my multi-media shows (Four Times Around The World By Motorcycle) in Fairbanks or Anchorage (travelers welcome)."

Paul Schencking, California/Orange County, USA, heading to Alaska, Honda Gold Wing,

"Hi Susan and Grant! For some three years now I have been reading about motorcycle traveling on the Internet. I came across your great site not too long ago. It sure is an impressive source and must take much of your time to maintain - I am a fan! Having been a motorcycle rider for 27 years (presently BMW R1150RT and GW1800), I never did extensive travelling on a bike. Our trip to Alaska starting in June will be the longest trip so far. Doing it on a Gold Wing will limit us in regards to some highways but nevertheless it is quite exciting. I plan further trips south of here in to Mexico and possibly more as my time permits."

Chris Lockwood USA/Japan; and Daisuke Yokoe, Japan, around the world,

"My buddy Daisuke Yokoe and I are leaving for a quick (one-year) round the world tour from June 6. I will let you know the latest on getting into Russia from Japan."

William (Nick) Palmer, USA, Round the World via Europe and Russia, BMW R80G/S,

"Today, I started a trip with a 1986 R80G/S BMW motorcycle that will take me to Europe by way of Ottawa, Canada, and Air Canada/ US Air and then on to Heathrow/Gatwick, England, Great Britain."

Nick's had a few troubles getting going, (surgery) but he's finally on his way!

Brian Rix & Shirley Hardy-Rix, Australia, around the world, BMW R1150GSA,

"What possess two seemingly normal middle class professionals to turn their backs on the safety of their home and travel across the world on a motorcycle? Adventure - of course! Brian is a career policeman with more than 27 years in the job. He has risen to the rank of Inspector and now heads a squad of 60 detectives. Shirley is a journalist/author. She has established a good business as a freelance writer and publicist.

Together we have planned and prepared our way clear to spend 12 months on the road – two up on a motorcycle – Aussies Overland!"

Their first stop is in the UK - to the HU Travellers Meeting in Somercotes!

Shaun Munro, NZ; Henning Lorenz, USA; and Matt Glitman, USA; around the world, BMW F650 Dakars,

"Starting this May 2003, three friends will be undertaking a voyage of discovery on three BMW F650 Dakars from the safety of ordered lives and paychecks in to the relative unknowns of the Silk Road, the countries, the cultures, and beyond. "

Herbert and Veerle Roelandt, Belgium, around the USA, BMW K1100LT,

"... I am leaving Belgium on 31 May, I fly to Grand Rapids, MI to pick up my K1100LT that I bought at the local dealer. Will drive to Niagara falls, then to New Orleans, to Houston, TX, follow the Mexican border to California and tour around in the west. My sister will be with me. Looking forward to meet you. Herbert"

Diego Gamboa, Costa Rica, to Canada, BMW F650,

"After several months of preparation, all is ready. Tomorrow I leave early for Nicaragua. Currently the plan is to visit Central America, Mexico, USA and Canada (depending on SARS) and possibly Alaska. We will see!"

Ricardo Rocco, Ecuador, to North and Central America,

Lew Waterman writes: "My very good friend Ricardo is trustworthy, a well travelled rider, rode with Punky, Achi and I in Ecuador, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and Brazil. He has many interesting stories and speaks English and Spanish. Ricardo is a valuable friend to all international adventure touring riders passing through Ecuador. Please extend your friendly hospitality to my friend. Ricardo will be riding, beginning July 15, from Lafayette, Colorado to Seattle, Alaska, across Canada to Ottawa and south through the USA, Mexico, Central America and home to Quito."

Kevin and Julia Sanders, UK, Trans Americas Guinness World Record Ride,

"For those of you we haven't spoken to in a while, we are taking the liberty of letting you know that we are off once again in August this year to try for another Motorbike World Record. (sorry if you've heard us shouting about it for months now!) This time... The Trans Americas Guinness World Record Ride! It goes from Prudhoe Bay Alaska to Ushuaia, Argentina. The bike record is currently at 47 days and we will try and take at least 10 days off this. It will be a tough endurance ride, riding 18 hours + a day. Additionally we still ride for the SOS Childrens Villages charity – we raised over £10,000 on the ride last year for them and we continue to ride for this charity for the Trans-Americas record too.

Anyway, we will start the record on 17 August and provided everything goes to plan we should finish around third week in September.

Just to get a feel for what we are doing, the ride was launched at the British Motorcycle Federation Show in the UK. BMW GB is backing us and they carried the news of our ride on www.worldofbmw.co.uk (see the News section). If you want to follow the ride, the website has had a makeover. Take a look! Kevin & Julia Sanders"

Glen Heggstad, USA, home again, R1150GS,

"I was trying to stay asleep this morning but the tugging was getting stronger and harder to resist. At first it was just my ankle being shook and pulled, then suddenly it was as though two firm hands were shaking my shoulders and slapping my face. I turned away wincing, struggling to remain asleep, unwilling to surrender myself from a comfortable dream. Still groggy eyed and unable to focus, I blinked my eyes to find myself astride a motorcycle face to face with a green uniformed man bearing a side arm in what appeared to be a toll booth.

With his hands on his hips he repeated a question he seemed to ask many times a day, 'What is your citizenship?'
'Uh, planet earth.'
'Where?'
'Oh, I'm sorry, I mean U.S., yeah I am an American citizen.
'Where were you born sir?'
'Ah, um, I think San Mateo, California, yeah I'm sure of it, San Mateo.'
'Where are you returning from?'
'Nicaragua.'
'Please remove your helmet sir. Are you telling me you rode this motorcycle from Nicaragua?'
'Oh yes indeed, there and back.'
'What was the purpose of your trip?'
' Well I am still trying to determine that'
'What are you bringing back with you?'
'Too much to account for right now.'
'Have a nice day sir.'

The haze was beginning to clear as I pulled through the US border inspection station at San Ysidro, California launching onto the eight lane freeway still heading north, only now into the pouring rain. I was reluctantly awakening from a four-month slumber, a perpetual dream that had me oblivious to the world from which I came.

It seems every time I leave, I return further away. The horizon is cluttered with mountains I have climbed that no one knows the names of. Everyone always wants to know why it is I do what I do and I respond with, why don't you? I am compelled to keep moving on, each time further away. With every new land I experience, an avalanche of fresh ideas comes tumbling down around me.

Glen's support team

It was the same twenty three years ago while training in the Chinese arts, I had to visit China a few times and subsequently fell in love with the people. Then came the Japanese arts and trips to Japan with the same result. Southeast Asia was so overwhelming I had to move there for two years. After my first ride across Canada I thought I had discovered a new continent and couldn't stop rambling on about those friendly folks to the north, eh? (I would stop to ask for directions and end up invited in for a sandwich.) It goes on and on, I can hardly think of a place that didn't grab me and demand more of my time. Another trip to India could consume a lifetime.

Next year will be a ride across Russia. If all goes well I will cover Mongolia, the Middle East and life would not be the same if I missed crossing the Sahara Desert drifting down across Africa. I can't begin to predict where this all leads, I know the dangers and pitfalls, probably better than most, yet still these distant lands and exotic cultures lure me with a smoky magic I cannot define."

Official HU Australia 2003 Meeting report (held April 25-27) in Ulmarra, NSW from Ken and Carol Duval, (RTW 1997 - 2001), meeting organisers 'extraordinaire'

"Donning our full 'wets' forty minutes out of Brisbane we concluded that the First Horizons Unlimited Meeting in Ulmarra was going to be a very moist affair. Five plus hours later, water-logged but undaunted we rolled into the Commercial Hotel just as a huge cloud emptied its' contents... The meeting was very informative with questions being directed across a broad spectre of subjects to our panel of 'experts', David & Cheryl Laing, Ralph Dixon and ourselves. The free flowing discussions were preceded by brief accounts of when and where our speakers had travelled. It was difficult to slow the momentum of discussion even when our hosts commenced preparations for our evening BBQ.

Haydn Durnell, Simon Kennedy - UK (with bike) and Rachel Delavaud - France

International visitors included Simon Kennedy (UK) Honda Transalp and Rachel Delavaud (FR) KLR 250 who departed the UK in September 2000 on one bike travelling overland to Australia where Rachel purchased her own two wheeled transport. Cliff & Jenny Batley (UK) 2 BMW F650s departed the UK in May 2002 travelling overland but only recently arrived in Australia from New Zealand. Jeremy Franklin (UK) Moto Guzzi purchased the bike in NSW for a circumnavigation of Australia. Mark Deeley (AUS) NX650 was enroute to East Timor via Darwin heading to the UK.

Cheryl & David Laing with Cliff Batley

Slides proceeded quickly with Carol & I clicking through our adventures in Africa and Alaska followed by Ralph Dixon's exploits from Australia to the UK on a BMW F650. His journey was a fund raising effort for Multiple Sclerosis. A flamboyant story teller, he often had us in fits of laughter. Our English overlanders, Cliff & Jenny Batley rushed together an impromptu digital presentation of their travel achievements in the Middle East, Asia and South East Asia. The coup de grace was Haydn & Dianne Durnell's journey around Australia on their Harley Davidson. It was difficult to finish proceedings for the evening with several people talking well into the early hours of the morning.

Ralph Dixon and Mark Deeley (head down)

...Our first HU Meeting attracted 60 travellers or future travellers and special thanks go the following people who, without them, the whole show would not have been possible: Mike Stokes, Jane Johnson, Haydn & Dianne Durnell, Janette Connolly, Tony Cuffe, David Bell and Brian Tunks. We will see what happens next year!"

Ed. Full story and heaps of pics on the Meetings Page.

"Hi Ken and Carol, Don't know if you remember the two 'intruders' from the 'Horizons Unlimited' gathering last weekend... we were the ones without bikes! We wish to thank you for organising the event as we really enjoyed ourselves! I thought I would just let you know what a great night that was... extremely inspiring! Sometimes you don't know the effect you have on people and how sometimes one simple comment can change a life. I went from 'I'm not real keen to get on the back of Andrew's bike and head off' to 'I'm going to get my own bike and ride across Asia'! What has happened? I am on my way to getting my licence. We have Q-Ride up here where you do your hours with an instructor and then you can ride any size bike. So I am almost half way through my lessons 6 hours down and 8 to go! And I am really enjoying it...even though I haven't yet been allowed to venture onto the road or into 4th gear! Each day I come home pretty chuffed about one thing or another from the lesson - so all's great! So the trip might be a go-er after all! Many thanks again for a great night, hopefully we will catch up with you again."
Andrew Owens and Wendy Gill, Australia

Thanks to Ken and Carol Duval for hosting the HU Australia 2003 Travellers Meeting and inspiring more people to live the dream.

For details on how you can join a Community in your area, or use the Communities to get information and help, or just meet people on the road or at home, go to the Community page. Send me some photos - with captions please - and a little text and you can have a web page about your Community! A few links to web pages about your area would be useful too.

Just a reminder to all, when you JOIN a Community in your area, send a note to the Community introducing yourself and suggesting a meeting, or go for a ride or something. It's a good way of meeting like-minded individuals in your own town.

Support the Horizons Unlimited E-zine - check out the HU Souk for fleece vests and jumpers / pullovers, t-shirts, hats and other products with the new logo and a variety of slogans! Just in time for Christmas presents for your favourite motorcycle traveller!

Thanks! Grant and Susan

Please recommend

Horizons Unlimited Motorcycle Travellers' e-zine
to a friend! Just forward it to them, or send them the link to the newsletter on the website.

I am working on a listing of people who have ridden around the world, as well as what I call 'significant journeys' e.g. the first across Africa. Any information you may have on this topic, please let me know. Preferably e-mail me direct. I currently have information on over 100 world travellers listed, but there are many more. See Bernd Tesch's page for more. Bernd lists around 245 long distance travellers. And there's at least 40 enroute to an around the world. Have YOU done it? Let me know!

We hope you've enjoyed this issue, and do please let us know your thoughts. It's your newsletter, so tell us what you want to know about!

It is not the unknown, but the fear of it, that prevents us from doing what we want...

Grant and Susan Johnson

Live the dream! at:
www.HorizonsUnlimited.com

All text and photographs are copyright © Grant and Susan Johnson and their respective authors or creators, 1987-2003.
All Rights Reserved.