Horizons Unlimited
Motorcycle Travellers'
e-zine
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Welcome to the 71st edition of the HU e-zine! It's been a very long winter, and I know our loyal readers have been in despair that we've not published an edition since last October! I feel very guilty about it, but it's not like we've been sitting around on our asses, much less riding to all the interesting places that our fearless travellers get to! The sad reality of our lives is that for over a year now, and in earnest since last July, we've been utterly consumed with producing the Achievable Dream DVD series. (And keeping the website running, a full-time job in itself.) The DVD series has been a much more ambitious project than we had envisioned, and finishing the DVDs has taken far longer due to the vast amount of content (interviews, presentations, video footage and photos) we have, which takes forever to edit. We've had over 250 hours of video footage to go through and reduce to 10 hours in total. Each of the DVDs will be around 2 1/2 hours, which is longer than a blockbuster Hollywood movie! We finally have the first DVD out (see below), and a second one nearly done. This has taken all our spare time and money, to the extent that for six months I just handed my salary over to our video editor every month, and we ran up the credit cards to pay the bills! However, our circumstances have changed just recently. I was working full-time for Microsoft Consulting here in the UK, but was made redundant during recent cutbacks :-( I'm hanging my shingle out again, so if you know of anyone who needs a privacy and information security consultant, send them to my website! (Susan) The silver lining for Grant is that, for now, he has his full-time unpaid assistant back! This means we will be doing much more of the 'rough cutting' for the two DVDs yet to be finished, and also I have more time to devote to all things HU, including this e-zine! On the e-zine front, I will be ably assisted by our new Assistant Editor, my sis, Gerri Sombke. As the e-zine takes about 4-5 days to produce each issue, having both of us to work on it means we can get back to a monthly schedule, which will make you all happier! As usual, our travellers are all over the map in this issue: Argentina, Australia, Bangladesh, Brazil, Cameroon, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Malaysia, Mali, Mauritania, Nepal, New Zealand, Norway, Pakistan, Patagonia, Peru, Thailand, Timor Leste and Turkey! So, get out there on the road - we want YOUR adventure stories and pics! Remember, the only excuse for not travelling is if you're saving money and planning your next trip. :) Susan Johnson, Editor 'The Achievable Dream' Video - sold out! But there's a new series available!
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Too many to list! If you haven't checked out the Links page it's time you did - it's scary long, but it's a fascinating browse. Get your website listed in the LINKS Sectionby listing Horizons Unlimited on YOUR web site, let me know you've done it by mailing me a link to the page, and you may get listed here in the next newsletter and on the Horizons Unlimited web site Links page. To make it easy for you, we even have our logo and link code here! All sites will be considered for listing, but must be a MOTORCYCLE or TRAVEL site, useful or of interest in some way to travellers. We reserve the right to refuse to link back.
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There are many 'Helpful People' listed on the Links page, a huge thanks to all of them. How about you? Or you can join a Community, or start your own!
Do you know of a good shop 'on the road,'...in other words, somewhere there isn't a large number of shops? (Also of course any shop that specializes in travellers equipment and repairs is of interest.) But we're particularly looking for those rare items, good repair shops in South America, Africa and Asia etc. Please post your info in the Repair shops around the world Forum on the HUBB. There are now 100's of shops listed in out - of - the - way places, from Abidjan to Ghana to Peru! Be sure to check out the HUBB 'Repair shops around the world' forum if you need work done! When you meet people on the road, and they haven't heard of this e-zine or the website, we'd appreciate it (and hope they would too!) if you'd get their names and email addresses and send it in to me. Thanks, Grant Request for infoWouldn't YOU like to know all about the border you're approaching - what it should cost, paperwork required, 'tips' needed, and who to talk to, etc.? When you cross ANY border, take some notes, and pass them on to us. Thanks! ShippingThe Shipping page on the site is HUGE! It can be reached directly or from the Shipping link on the Trip Planning page. If you have any information to contribute, please go here, and register (or just login IF you have used this system before) and you can then submit your information. Thanks! Travel Advisories:The Foreign Office in London's Travel Advice Unit advises against travel to all sorts of places. Check out the listing before you start! The US State Department regularly issues updated travel advisories, information and/or warnings. Motocare
Motorcycle Therapy, by Jeremy Kroeker From the Canadian Rockies to the Panamanian Jungle, Motorcycle Therapy rumbles with comic adventure as two men, fleeing failed relationships, test the limits of their motorcycles and their friendship. Get it here! |
Peter and Kay Forwood, Australia, around the world since 1996, 193 countries two-up on Harley Davidson, in New Zealand,"The Forgotten World Highway winds out of Stratford through mountains towards Lake Taupo and following this magnificent road across a few saddles. The republic of Whangamomona, a breakaway part of New Zealand through tree fern forests, high pastures it is inevitably more damp than the already wet NZ. The republic of Whangamomona, a breakaway part of New Zealand The little town of Whangamomona decided to secede from New Zealand a few years ago and formed its own republic, well at least unofficially, along with passports for its citizens, and as we stopped in at the local pub we could have had our own passports stamped having visited another 'country', well it might be a while before the United Nations recognises the little republic so we will not be in a hurry to add it to our list. ...The greens hills, covered with grazing cows, milkers, are so lush in the spring growth that it can be hard to look at. Wild flowers often dot or cover hillsides, snowdrops, daffodils and calla lilies mostly but also many native flowers we can't identify. We headed further north on great twisting roads, mountains on each side and riding along a ridge, almost no traffic, a ferry ride from Rawene, and into Kaitaia, visiting another Kauri shop. These trees had recently been dug up from swamps, some buried. Camped at Waitiki Landing for over 45,000 years, and still the timber was millable. One enormous tree, over five metres diameter, has been carved with an internal staircase and was the centre attraction. Stairway built up the middle of a 45000 yr old swamp Kauri tree At low tide vehicles can enter 90 mile beach, actually about 90 km's long, and travel on the hard sand. By mid afternoon the tide had receded enough for the motorcycle to have solid traction and we rode comfortably from Waipapakauri to the Te Paki creek, passing just a few tourist buses and one car. The steep sided sand dunes make breaking down in this region fatal for motor vehicles and a couple of cars were half buried in sand, and were slowly rusting away.
A car caught by the tide on 90 mile beach We rode mostly on the hard sand but the exit was up a creek bed, leaving behind the ocean to get back to civilisation. Riding in the water was comfortable but patches of deep sand around reed beds gave us problems and we needed to push the motorcycle a couple of times, but the creek bed ride washed all the salt water from the motorcycle.
The signposts at Bluff, almost the southern point We learnt a bit about the water deflection of Honda's, particularly the one Frank and Rita are riding, an ST1300, compared to Harleys. We arrived at a roadside stop wet, boots, gloves and faces. Frank and Rita arrived pretty dry. Their water cooled engine allows for fairing aerodynamics, plus an electric height adjusting windscreen, where the air cooled Harley has to have good air flow, which also allows good water flow, wetting everything. Even though Frank offered us a ride on the Honda we declined, not game to experience the smooth running motorcycle 15 years the junior of ours. Anyway we like the vibration and 'real' riding experience of the H-D, don't we? It was a good lesson in rider comfort. Stayed at another backpackers, this country has some of the best we have seen anywhere, Turangi for the night.
We had shaken the snow off the tent but not the motorcycle cover (near Te Anau) …The afternoon turned cold and wet, the evening wetter and by late evening snow had started falling. Our tent slowly collapsed upon us as the wet snow's weight bent its poles. Regularly, every 30 minutes or so, we needed to violently shake the tent to dislodge build-up until it finally stopped falling around 2am. Nearby tree branches could be heard breaking, mostly newly leafed birch, weighed down by the wet snow, and the electricity in the campground went off leaving motor homes and cabins cold without heating, but our down filled sleeping bags kept us warm in the snow covered tent." Horizons Unlimited is proud to host Peter and Kay's complete RTW story and pictures here! Adrian Blake on a 17 day ride through South America with Compass Expeditions writes from Patagonia:"...The gravel road winds through Parque Nacional Los Alerces. We're rewarded with spectacular views for all our hard work. By late afternoon, we reach bitumen again and then a last stretch of gravel. We're less than 10 km from our hotel in Esquel. I start descending a particularly nasty corner but my concentration has waned. The front wheel pulls right, then to the left as I desperately try to correct course. It's no use. I lose my balance completely, the gravel like roller bearings. And then I'm down in a cloud of dust, the bike landing on my right leg, the engine still running. I feel pain in my elbow, hip, ribs and calf, but nothing seems broken. I'm a little disoriented from the bounce my helmet took from the impact. The group gets me into the support truck and Jerry rushes us to our hotel. A doctor is summoned and he arrives quickly to check me out. Through my haze and pain, I somehow can't help thinking about the Cheech & Chong bit called Brave Motorcycle Rider. It makes me wince and laugh at the same time. Dr. Gustavo Vidal is a kindly and soft-spoken man. He prescribes anti-inflammatories and says I'll hurt for the next three weeks. (The bike sustained some scuffs, a cracked top cover and bent right peg. The handlebars were also thrown out of alignment.)
Before the fall... ... Back in the saddle the next day! You just gotta get back on the horse that throws you. I woke up a little stiff and sore, and already a bruise wider than my outspread hand is making itself known on the back of my right thigh. It's a hideous shade of black and purple. But I'm ready to take on the road once again. We jump back on Ruta 40 and the smooth asphalt soon runs out: fin de paviment. It's back to gravel, but this time it's finer with hard-packed ruts to follow. The group spreads out, riding at their own pace. All I see is a cloud of dust in the distance. I'm not going to rush and do anything foolish. Just when you think you're doing alright and flying along the gravel at 80 or 100 kph, it can suddenly change without warning and things can happen mighty fast. The gravel twists and turns and there are more than a few signs warning 'perito' (danger) and precaution. It's my first-ever crash. What better place to do it than Patagonia." Help support the Horizons Unlimited E-zine - visit our sponsors!
Nathan Thompson and Akiko Nishikura, Taking the slow road round the world, on the cheap, on a postie-bike... 2-up."...The unbelievable generosity of Bangladesh and it's inhabitants has truly touched us... And we have been here just 4 days. Dhaka was in lock-down the day we arrived, a dispute over pay erupted into two sides of the military fighting each-other in the streets. Luckily we didn't see any of it and as a result we also didn't see any of the famous traffic congestion this city is famous for, the streets were completely empty for the first two days... We have been offered a room free of charge in a very safe neighbourhood, been taken out to dinner without mention of payment, welcomed where-ever we go and waved at by smiling locals every step we take.  We have completed the convoluted process of taking possession of our 'motosikle', it cost us a lot more than we expected but are happy have it close by at last. Will give a full report on the experience soon. At the moment we are happy to just walk the streets and take in the Bangla atmosphere. A very big change from the scenery that has surrounded us over the last few months. I guess this kind of sharp, abrupt change is what is normally accompanied with plane travel. For us it's something of a novelty to be dropped into a completely alien environment. All the things we need are here, we just have to tune our eyes to see them..." Help support the Horizons Unlimited E-zine - visit our sponsors!
Robin Breese-Davies and Rik Davis, UK, RTW, in Brazil, BMW R1150GS,"Started off great with tarmac but then turned to dust & sand, all well graded so no problem, until Rik had a lapse in concentration and dropped his bike going over a wooden bridge, luckily for him his bike didn't go over the side like mine did in Bolivia!
Rik tumbles crossing one of the wooden bridges ...After very little sleep we made it to Vitoria which we are simply using as a mid-way stop to break the journey up to Rio, we failed to find a hotel anywhere so we were forced to stay in a brothel which normally charges by the hour but we managed to negotiate a 12 hour rate which was surprisingly cheap!
Normally rents by the hour! The weather was not the best but we still managed to walk along the Copacabana beach, walked the sights in downtown then went to Corcovado (Christ the Redeemer) which is one of the most famous landmarks in the world, set 710m above the city the looming statue gazes placidly out over the amazing views of Rio & its beaches, you can see why this is one of the 7 natural wonders of the world, incredible.
We are loving our time in Brazil, people are very friendly and always try to offer help, we feel safe, the weather is great but so far it is not the best riding, the roads are long and straight but don't go directly to where we need to go, the speed bumps are huge and not in the most logical position, on most occasions we stop for fuel we see truck drivers buying beer, downing them then hitting the road again which is not very good for our confidence in other drivers! We both feel we have the best to come though down the east coast." Help support the Horizons Unlimited E-zine - visit our sponsors! Simon Roberts, UK, The Road to Kathmandu - the comic strip - in Pakistan!"Pakistan. Pakistan! How many people can say they've ridden a motorcycle overland to Pakistan?! I was e-lated!…and then, very nearly e-longated. Pakistan's traffic drives on the left. I was riding on the right. One learns quickly. My route was to take me across Baluchistan to the 'wild frontier town' of Quetta near the Afghan border then on south. Three days later my world would be turned upside-down on the wind swept desert road south to Sukkur - '…not recommended if you are traveling independently.' The sun beat down on the road south. The tarmac shimmered, deserted. Quiet. Quiet that is, except for a nagging rumble coming through my foot pegs. I'd felt it in third gear over the previous days but now I was picking it up in all gears...and now louder ...and Louder! I stopped. Checked oil. OK. Started the engine, engaged first gear... kkkeeeerunch! What the F*!#? Gearbox? Shaft drive failure? This is it. It's all over. I slumped to the ground and lit a cigarette. It should have been a Hamlet cigar...
As the bike cooled down, the silence grew. The desert road seemed…deserted. It was. Almost. A speck on the horizon grew and two armed men pulled up… on a moped. Baluchistan frontier police. Saved! Or was I? They'll call a pick-up truck and I'll be in a garage within the hour. No. An hour passed as they tried my helmet and sunglasses on, read my magazines and took photos of each other. We eventually got our act together and flagged down an empty flat bed truck which slid to a halt in front of us. Now the only problem was how to get the bike up onto the truck... 'No Problem Salmon!' (my name for the next few days). The truck was backed down into the scrub and we eased the bike across a plank onto the truck - 'On the road again...' Yes! What I hadn't realised was that I'd just signed up for Pakistan's favourite Driving Game - Chicken Run. Overtaking. This meant more points the longer you stayed out on the other side of the road while overtaking. Double points if you could run them off the road too. Luckily I was assured 'Don't worry Salmon, Allah is with us!'. Unfortunately he was with everyone else too. The only thing in our favour was that we were the biggest truck on the road. I then found out I was down for the Advanced version of this 'game' -The Night version. Aaarrgghh! These guys were going straight through - literally - until Lahore. Horns constantly blasting it was nightmarish. I quizzed one of the overtaking moves and the driver, Sedaq, looked at me, threw his head back and howled with laughter... I crouched behind the seats and braced myself for the inevitable head on collision. To cut a l-o-n-g story short, I spent four l-o-n-g sleepless days and nights with these crazy guys (at around 30 mph due to a heavy load of rice picked up en-route) who got me all the way to Pakistan's only 'heavy' bike mechanic in Lahore. It involved switching vehicles so we could get the bike into the congested streets of Lahore ...arriving at 4 o'clock in the morning. Try arranging this kind of 'hospitality' in a European country. Mr. Waheed's bike shop on the Grand Trunk road. A remarkable establishment with a distinctly 'Dickensian' flavour. Full of small spanner wielding urchins. Go there if you get the chance. It should be included on a tour of Lahore. I was given one by Usman, Mr. Waheed's nephew whose own 'white knuckle' driving style certainly shortened my life expectancy. Oh how I laughed as we drove into an unlit busy underpass - the wrong way and then, realising he'd taken us in the wrong direction, promptly did a 3-point turn. What joy. But time flew by and within a few days I was bidding farewell to Mr Waheed and his young mechanics who (amazingly) had found the necessary spares to get me back on the road. I asked no questions. I was just glad to be back on my way to the Karakoram Highway. Thanks be to Allah. Thanks be to Visa." Ed. See Simon's 'Road to Kathmandu' comic strip on Horizons Unlimited. Help support the Horizons Unlimited E-zine - visit our sponsors!
Nick and Lesley Poole, in Thailand,"...Whilst in Chiang Mai we managed to get a few jobs done, met some very interesting people and prepared for our next country - Laos.
Chiang Mai temple It has taken nearly 80,000 miles before we've managed to instil some degree of comfort in our bike's saddle! Gone are the tack-on, tatty looking but practical Air Hawk saddle covers. I wasn't too perturbed mind you as mine had a puncture anyhow! John, from the 'Jonadda' guesthouse took us in his sidecar to a hole-in-the-wall upholsterer situated in the back streets of Chiang Mai where we met the 'artist with foam plastic'! He had a big project on at the moment rebuilding several 'tuk tuk' seats but would fit us in ASAP. To make things easier he produced the saddle off a Harley Davidson. He would then sculpt our existing foam saddle and bond it with the Harley one to create something really special and which would suit our requirements perfectly. Les had always wanted to be able to see more scenery over my shoulders. We would now have something unique - a 'King and Queen' saddle on a BMW GS - A first perhaps? We collected the saddle after a couple of days and wow! It was now much taller at the back for Les but I fear she'll now need a step ladder to climb onboard! The stitching and general workmanship of the saddle was brilliant, but more importantly, it used softer foam which should be kinder to our backsides, and all for only 800bht, about £13.55!
We later met 'Mr GT-Rider.com', David Unkovich, in a small bar. David, an Australian who's lived in Thailand for several years and has published a map covering Lao, amongst others, had just returned after several weeks in the country gleaning information for his guide book. He had just got off his Honda Africa Twin for dinner when we arrived. In between mouthfuls of dinner he passed on valuable information on this little-known country we were about to explore. He was a mine of very useful information and a great bloke to talk with. Always in search of live music, we visited the 'Guitar Man' bar in Chiang Mai and enjoyed an entertaining evening listening to our host. John was playing guitar and singing with his band as they played a selection of rocky, bluesy numbers while we quaffed a few beers and tapped feet and fingers in harmony! We both liked Chiang Mai a lot, as did many other ex pats who have settled here, most with Thai wives on their arms. Because of this obvious multiculturalism I wasn't too surprised to see volunteer English policemen with small Union Jack badges on their uniforms and working with the local community. With the obvious benefits of a comfortable city, a BMW bike dealer and some of the best motorcycling roads we'd seen in a long time, this could be a place to return to for a long-term stay at a later date; and with a studio apartment costing only £144 a month, it was also very tempting. We spent a pleasant six days here now but Laos was beckoning and it was once again time to move on.
Jungle reclaiming its territory - Cambodia Winding our way north on Highway 118 to Chiang Rai we found to our pleasure that the saddle was excellent. Gone is that bum-numbing feeling of sitting on a board, now we're riding on a cushion. The only problem is that Les now has to engage in a gymnastic exercise to get onto her much-taller saddle! I now have a definite ridge to push the back of my bum into, a comforting feeling much like the hump on a racing bike!" Editor's Note: We'll catch up with the Pooles in Greece next time, but wanted to include a few of their photos of Thailand and Cambodia in this issue. See more on their website. Help support the Horizons Unlimited E-zine - visit our sponsors!
Grant says: "The Omega system is simply a must-do for all airheads" (And I just got the starter too!) Graham Shee, UK, Alaska to Argentina, in Ecuador, Peru and Chile, Kawasaki KLR 650,
Guayaquil City Monument " ...within sight of Huaraz I find the road closed due to construction work. Judging by the queue of traffic it's been closed most of the day. I wait for 3 hours by which time it's dark - well at least I know my lights are working. We proceed in convoy once the road is open. It's horrendous. The first part through a village has mud 10 inches deep - no more tarmac. I have to paddle with my feet to keep the bike upright, while trying to keep it in the ruts and moving forward.
Snow on the Andes Once we clear the construction site its downhill all the way. The road is narrow, wet and extremely muddy (for muddy read slippery). At times I can barely see through the diesel fumes from the trucks. The fumes are choking but I'm used to that by now. I have to stop twice and try and create a gap in front. On one part the bike nearly gets away but I somehow catch it and keep it upright. However it's now sitting jammed at right angles to the track with the rear wheel deep in a rut. I think the sump guard is bellied out. Again I find it hard to hold the bike steady with my feet slipping from under me. My boots are carrying a thick layer of mud. Getting it out and pointing downhill is awkward to say the least, but fully realises the benefits of the lightweight KLR.
(very rickety looking bridge) By now there is a queue behind me - but they can wait. Eventually I get to Huaraz. In reality it's 95 miles on the bike. Sitting in the hotel afterwards, reflecting on the day's activities I am in a buoyant mood. It's probably one of the best days I've had so far, providing a reasonable level of challenge. It certainly beats driving directly south on the main road.
No Burning Rubber on the Road I get up the next morning and wash the bike. The weather's good. The run back to the coast should be straight forward on what I believe is good tarmac. Leaving Huaraz, the road seems to climb higher. It's getting cold and the distant mountains have snow on top. I can see rain in the distance. The rain starts but quickly turns to hailstones - I certainly wasn't expecting that. The road is white. I run in the tracks of a bus. On a corner the tracks run right to the edge - the bus had hit the armco barrier and clearly fish tailed its way up the following hill. The bike is squirming and for the second day in a row I realise that the road is slippery. I decide to park up and let it pass. That afternoon at the hotel I wash the bike again. Tarmac here doesn't necessarily mean a clean road.
It's a Llama! The approach to Lima is pretty spectacular. The road hugs the coast, but runs high up on the edge of a steep hillside - except it's not a hillside, it's the largest sand dune imaginable. The sign at the last junction reads 'No Motos' - not sure why but I ignore it. Do I have a choice?" Ed. Follow Graham's trip in his blog here on Horizons Unlimited! Help support the Horizons Unlimited E-zine - visit our sponsors! Johan Lundin, Sweden, in Brazil, KTM 640 Adventure,"Johan Lundin writes from Veracruz, Mexico 'It is now about a year since I started this mission down in Buenos Aires, Argentina. During this time I have travelled 43460 kilometers, or to put it in perspective, a bit longer then the length of the equator. The last episode is now online. (After Christmas in Sweden) I flew back to Santarem where I to my delight found my bike untouched under a few layers of spider web. Since it is now the rainy season it wasn't an option to take the dirt road to Manaus so instead I jumped on a river boat for two days. In Manaus I caught up with Simons's old friend Genghis (yes, his mom named him after the 'Khan') who showed me around Manaus. I then headed off north towards Venezuela which is quite different from Brazil. In Venezuela things are a bit more expensive but the gas is very cheap although there are also shortages so the lines to gas station are hundreds of meters long. The nature is more of savannah than the tropical rain forest in Brazil and there are plenty of waterfalls all over. People are also very generous. I've been stopping roadside to sort out my bike and been given beer. I've stopped to get breakfast only to be getting it paid for by fellow customers. I've pulled in to gas stations and after hearing what I'm doing they didn't bother charging me. Unfortunately I'm on a bit of a fast schedule at the moment so been going a bit too fast. However, the three last days I have taken detours on small mountain roads which are very cool. It is quite high altitude; some parts over 4000m, and plenty of charming small villages. The villages are so small so many of them don't have hotels and it has been interesting to ask around for places to sleep and many times someone has a room for hire. The capital Caracas is nicely situated in the mountains and has its nice parts but also some slightly dangerous areas. At one restaurant the owner wouldn't let me out unless I took off my scratched plastic watch or he said I would get robbed outside. Well, maybe it did the trick and no problems encountered so far." Ed. Follow Johan's trip on his site! Click on the video icon for on-the-road footage. Help support the Horizons Unlimited E-zine - visit our sponsors!
Carol and Ken Duval, Australia, RTW (again), in Argentina,'...A fresh, fine morning greeting us as we raced to Corrientes. Carol has been busy again contacting the Horizons Unlimited communities and we had the pleasure of meeting Gerardo and Patricia on our arrival to this river city. They escorted us to a budget hotel on the outskirts of town and it was then we noticed how hot the weather had become. We had definitely arrived in the tropical part of Argentina.
Corrientes is dominated by the Rio Parana and is crossed by a huge bridge 'General Belgrano' linking the two provinces of Chaco and Corrientes. Ships use this river ferrying cargo to Paraguay. The lifestyle of the people appears to be also dominated by the river with trees lining the banks, restaurants, sidewalk cafes and hundreds of people walking, running and cycling. A great place to people watch and take in the cool breeze drifting off the river. The constant flow of people along this esplanade does not diminish even when night falls.
Dakar fans and Javier at the Campsite in Santa Rosa Gerardo and Patricia guided us to the city's tourist office to gather some tips on places to see then ventured down to the water front to soak in the atmosphere. Our first night we enjoyed dinner at a restaurant near the river with a few of Gerardo's bike riding friends.
Dinner with Gerardo, Patricia and some of their bike friends The following day we were left to do our own thing as Gerardo has a business that is all consuming in summer. Ice making! We road the city sight seeing for most of the day then retired to our sidewalk café by the river trying to ease the summer heat with a cold drink. Gerardo and Patricia joined us a little later for dinner...
However it was (at Iguazu Falls) we experienced our lowest moment of our 14 months and 33,000 kms journey. On returning to the bike we removed the cover to reveal our helmets were missing. No trace… The cable, lock, bag and helmets were gone. These were new Shoei Multitec helmets purchased in June 2008 along with the headsets for our new Autocom intercom. Carol stayed with the bike and I walked the 50 metres to the entrance and reported the theft. We were informed that there was no security in the car park despite us hearing to the contrary, and the rangers were surprised we had parked there. A sympathetic hearing plus a typed report were given and a recommendation that we report the incident to the police. Carol searched the area for any residue of the bag, cable and lock to no avail so we rode the 20kms into town to report the theft. We were unable to buy suitable helmets in Iguazu so our recently acquired friends from the HU community in Corrientes, Gerardo and Patricia, came to the rescue and freighted two helmets to us by bus. From here we rode to Buenos Aires where we hoped to be able to purchase new ones or even arrange to have some brought in to Argentina." Ed. See all Ken and Carol's stories including details of the Dakar rally and great pics on their blog here on Horizons Unlimited! Help support the Horizons Unlimited E-zine - visit our sponsors!
Rick McDermed, USA, in Australia,"I got Corey and about a ton of gear (I have TWO tons to contend with later) on the airport bus and headed off for some back roads riding on the way to Sydney. I worked my way south and east of Melbourne on some really great two lane roads thru farming and ranching country and hit the coast again for some more beach riding. Stopped at the nice little town of San Remo for the night. San Remo is the 'gateway' to Phillip Island. Since it was raining again I stayed on the mainland!
Headed via more back roads toward Lakes Entrance. Several people had told me that this was very nice harbor area where several big lakes connect to the ocean (thus the name). I had time, so took some very minor roads that folks had told me about. They did NOT tell me about the bridges that were out and all the detours. These roads didn't show on the map and the GPS said I hadn't even been on a road for a long time :=) I would never say I was lost but I was 'unable to confirm my position' for a couple of hours. :=)
Can't go to Tasmania without getting a picture of a Tasmanian Devil! ...We stayed at a very interesting underground motel. The owners bought an old mining claim, opened it back up and started digging out the motel. They struck it rich with more new veins of Opals. They financed the completion of the motel with the profits.
Our room was very nice (once you got used to being in a cave) :=) I ask about the two umbrellas, and was told that there were two air shafts to the surface and when the wind blew hard, small pebbles would come down the shafts. Another interesting thing about the room was that when you turned out the lights, your eyes NEVER adjusted because there was NO light from the outside. Night lights were required." See Rick's blog here on Horizons Unlimited for lots of great pics! Help support the Horizons Unlimited E-zine - visit our sponsors! Peter Hendricks in Malaysia"...The reception by the local biker community has been overwhelming, starting with phone calls while we were still in Thailand! It's a little humbling at times... We are now in Kuala Terengganu in the NE and will head inland again tomorrow to meet up with some bikers from Kuala Lumpur.
First, an excursion to Three Pagodas Pass. The border is said to be closed. There is a stark contrast between the small, but modern Thai border post with a very large computer visible and lots of video cameras and the obviously primitive arrangement on the Burma side. Not much to see here. On the way back I make a small detour to a waterfall, but as there is a toll gate I turn around. I ride back along the reservoir to a viewpoint, where I take a wrong turn and thus meet a local, or rather, one who is becoming a local: a young man from Bangkok who made the mistake of falling in love with a Mon woman. The Mon are tolerated in Thailand, but have no ID and no Thai nationality, so they can't leave the border area, even if they are born here, like she is. They can't even officially marry, so he has to move to the area and become a fisherman. There are said to be not much fish left in the reservoir...
Going North again I find the right road, which soon turns into a dirt road. When I ask for the way at a national park toll gate people look at me strangely. I don't take the hint. They seem to confirm that I'm on the right track, but speak no English. I get to a fork in the road and make mistake number two: I choose one direction. A few metres further there is a farmer and I make mistake number three: instead of asking 'which way to Phu Joe?' I ask 'is this the way?' to which in Asia there is only one possible reply: Yes. Now the track is proper 4x4 stuff, going through a big mud hole, but without too much trouble. Then I face a major obstacle: a large ford. I hear a bike on the other side and so I wait to see how the rider handles this. He doesn't: he just passes the ford on the opposite river bank. Looks like the correct way would have been not to turn back there, at least on a bike. Now I make the final mistake: Not wanting to go back and the ford not looking too bad I try to cross. It turns out to be knee-deep with a decent current, holes and large boulders in the water. I get about to the middle until I drop the bike. The right pannier goes under and fills with water. I manage to get most of the other luggage off the bike more or less dry and get the bike up.
I get about to the middle until I drop the bike A quick try confirms my worst fears: the starter can't turn the engine, full of water. It takes 4 people from a nearby village to push the bike back out, I pitch my tent for the night in the jungle, the next morning dry out most of my stuff and attempt to dry out the engine. It doesn't work and I have to organise a pickup back to town, where a workshop cleans out the carburetor with compressed air. I think I negotiated the fare at 600 Baht, but perhaps the driver meant he was leaving at 6PM, which we did. He doesn't want to accept any money at the destination, but eventually takes half. He also gives me an amulet. Perhaps I'm going to need it if I keep on blundering like this.
Drying out Help support the Horizons Unlimited E-zine - visit our sponsors!
Drop in on Alaska Leather on your Alaskan adventure for service, tires, accessories and a hot cup of fresh coffee! Mark Hammond, USA, from Morocco to Cape Town, in Mali and Cameroon, Suzuki DR650,"My Michelin map designated much of it as a 'major roadway,' yet it was one of the worst roads I had ever ridden. I had seen photos of it on the Web, and knew what to expect. Trucks had gouged deep ruts through mud, leaving walls as tall as 10 feet on the right and left. The protective bark busters on my Suzuki’s handlebars banged against dense rain forest foliage hanging over this primitive track.
The main road from Nigeria into Cameroon I negotiated around rocks and timber embedded into the trail. Then the piste would fork, with two alternative ruts for the next 100 or 200 yards. I would stop and analyze which track would be easiest. I was enveloped in glorious green and deafening silence, save for the birds and insects clucking and chirruping in the rain forest. Bright sunlight pierced the jungle canopy and dappled splotches of gold on the red-mud earth.
Timbuktu, Mali The name is synonymous with remoteness and mystery and enigma and the ends of the earth. It looms large in the human imagination as the most distant point on the planet, though many Westerners could not tell you exactly where Timbuktu is supposed to be … or even whether it actually exists. My mother didn't believe that Timbuktu was real. 'Oh, there's no such place,' she told me as I prepared to set off on my motorbike journey through Africa. A childhood friend, too, thought that Timbuktu was only a myth – a faraway Shangri La that you heard about back in elementary school. Timbuktu is a real place. It's a poor, dusty, unremarkable town of mud-brick buildings and wooden shacks and about 32,000 people in central Mali, near the large and sustaining Niger River. It was settled in the 11th century by Tuareg nomads and is said to derive its lyrical name from an old woman called Tomboutou, 'the woman with the large belly button,' or so I read in my Rough Guide to West Africa. In subsequent centuries, Timbuktu (or Tombouctou, to use the proper spelling) grew to be a fabulously wealthy city for trading gold and other commodities, where salt caravans from the desert north met merchants from sub-Saharan Africa to the south. It wasn't until the 19th century that European explorers reached the fabled city. Now it was our turn. No motorbike adventure on the western side of Africa would be complete without a ride to Timbuktu. For months, the name had captivated my imagination – perhaps the name that most singularly defined this Africa ride.
...The allure of Timbuktu is enhanced by its inaccessibility. To get here, the adventure rider has a choice of four routes – through Lere from the southwest (with four ferry crossings and rumors of banditry), from Gao to the east or through Nema in Mauritania (both long and sandy and little traveled tracks), or from Douentza. Our research told us Douentza would be the easiest route – but easy is a relative term. A pair of older Belgian women at Auberge Gouma in Douentza had traveled by 4x4 from Timbuktu a day earlier. They watched with a mixture of admiration and concern as we packed up the motorbikes for our ride north. 'Good luck,' one of the women told me. 'You'll need it - the road is very difficult.' ... I stopped several times for a rest, photos, water, and to enjoy the scenery that I could scarcely see while riding, what with one's laser focus on the 50 yards of piste ahead. The quiet was sublime. The landscape had changed by turns, a yellow and then orange sand and sparse acacia trees and low bushes and pale green foliation across the land, like peach fuzz on a teenager's face, and the low and gently rolling hills sprawled out on all sides.
And the road. I picked up handfuls of its fine, soft sand and studied the grains and let it flow, sun-baked and warm, through my fingers. I looked north to the horizon, at the road snaking artistically across this marvelous terrain. I felt like an extremely fortunate man and I gave my thanks. And I slapped myself to be sure that I was indeed on this challenging piste, on this unforgettable day -- the road to Timbuktu." Read the rest of Mark's ride to Timbuktu on his blog. Help support the Horizons Unlimited E-zine - visit our sponsors! Grant: We've been wearing Rukka since 2002 and highly recommend it! Santiago Lema, Colombia, in Andes and Patagonia, Suzuki DR650,"The first day I went to Cumbe Mayo (meaning Narrow River, or Fine River, that is: channel). It is a channel 9 km long beginning high in the mountain at 3,600 m to transport water to far away lands. When the Incas ruled this land, the channel was already built. It crosses earth zones, some parts with retaining walls, but also it cuts the rock in perfect straight lines and perfect vertical planes. Other kind of rocks were used to cut the channel because the pre-Incas didn't work hard metals.
In some parts the channel has 2 or 3 90° bends, believed to slow down the water speed. It is said to be the oldest man-made construction in South America.
In some places the wall is triple
It is boring that mainly Machu Picchu gets all the attention from tourism. The value of Marcahuamachuco is its age, 2300 years compared with only 600 hundred of Machu Picchu.
In Patagonia: Cueva de las Manos, 50 km away from Bajo Caracoles perched in a cliff along Rio Pinturas. More than 700 hands on different colours were aero-painted between
9,300 and 7,000 years ago Ed. Check out Santiago's blog in English and Spanish on Horizons Unlimited! Help support the Horizons Unlimited E-zine - visit our sponsors!
The place to go to get good brakes for that overloaded world touring bike. I'm running a 6 piston caliper from Harrison on my R80G/S, and it works REALLY well! Grant Oliver Francis, Wales, in Nepal, posts this ride report on the HUBB:"So Gubi finally got his ass out of India and we met in his hotel a week ago. He is travelling on a Yamaha Tenere which makes my bike look like it was built for track days instead of world travel. After trying to persuade me to go for a 4 day hike we came to a compromise and agreed on a 5 day ride to Muktinathin the Himalayas.
... It's pretty hard to describe the riding conditions because they changed so much, sometimes it would be good gravel and sometimes deep sand. Mix up very fine, deep sand with big rocks hidden beneath it or just big rocks. Up and down, left and right rocks bloody everywhere. It took 1 hour to ride the first 21km from Beni to Totapani. The view here was pretty boring but the road kept our minds occupied. We stopped in Totapani for lunch and to work out how far we could get before it got dark. We were told we could make Jomsom easily and so set that as our goal. It was 60km and maybe 4 hours. We were also warned that the road got worse! It was kind of like rally stages, 20km of rocks the size of your head and then 5km alpine, 20km fast gravel and then 15km of riverbeds and pebbles. Throw in the odd river crossing or muddy section and you're well on your way to getting the feel for the ride. When we arrived in Jomsom I was shattered and so was Gubi, We found a hotel pretty quickly, found out how cheap it was and moved the bikes into the garden and here I have a puzzle for you, how do you get a 95cm wide bike through a 85cm wide gap?
I practised my drumming on a pillow, we ate, looked for other tourists, realised there were none and went to bed. It was a cold night at 2300m but the hotel had blankets so it was not uncomfortable and after the long ride I could have slept anywhere. The alarm woke us at 7pm to catch the sunrise and we headed to the roof of the hotel for breakfast (my omelet came with free fried cockroach) and pictures. We slowly progressed along the road and in a surprisingly short amount of time we had covered the 14km and were looking up at a twisting gravel road climbing the mountain. Gubi's bike had been struggling already with low oxygen and a weird sprocket setup. On sections where I was in 3rd gear he was in 1st and when I was in 1st he was running on the clutch. Now we had this climb and it was 2nd all the way for me and clutch control for him. I went ahead again and paused occasionally to get photos and to check that he was ok.
I had to stop at one point and go look for Gubi, he had stopped to let his engine cool and to give his clutch a break. I tried to tell him to turn round but he was determined to make it and we pushed on again. I reached the pass about 10 minutes after the stop and had a cuppa tea while I waited. Soon bored I turned round to see what was holding Gubi up. 300m from the pass he had given up. His bike was out of power. Refusing to accept defeat I parked up my bike and pushed while he gunned the engine.
We made it, 100km of hard riding but we both made it to the top. Grinning like idiots we sought out the Bob Marley guest house for a photo shoot and something to eat. Bob himself apparently stayed there and it is also the highest point in the village." ED. Read Oliver's blog on his website. |
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Motorcycle Therapy, by Jeremy Kroeker From the Canadian Rockies to the Panamanian Jungle, Motorcycle Therapy rumbles with comic adventure as two men, fleeing failed relationships, test the limits of their motorcycles and their friendship. Get it here!
Lois' new adventures in Africa! "Alone. No support vehicles, no fancy GPS and no satellite phone. Leaving from London, finishing in Cape Town - and the small matter of tackling the Sahara, war-torn Angola and the Congo Basin along the way - this feisty independent woman's grand trek through the Dark Continent of Africa is the definitive motorcycling adventure." Get it here! Distant Suns, by Sam Manicom, coming soon!
"Sam Manicom's dynamic third book transports you to Southern Africa, South and Central America in an action-packed three year voyage of discovery... a thought-provoking mix of scrapes and encounters with people which illuminate some moments of true darkness... acute observations on everything from human behaviour, to remote and stunning locations. Distant Suns grabs you, enthrals you and spits you out as a convert to the dream of overlanding these amazing continents." Buy direct from Sam here!
Adventure Motorcycling Handbook, by Chris Scott
Into the Den of the Bear and the Lair of the Dragon on a Motorcycle. Werner, 66, was born in Germany and worked in Canada until his retirement. He has authored a number of books since getting bit by the motorcycle travel bug, including -8 Around the Americas by Motorcycle, For details on his books see here.
The Producers of Mondo Enduro present Terra Circa, Around the World by Motorcycle (6 x 20 minute episodes). Regular readers of this newsletter will remember Terra Circa's adventures around the world, and especially the Zilov Gap. Now's your chance to see it in video. Austin Vince is a very funny guy and the video is hilarious, as he leads his intrepid crew through misadventure after misadventure. "This is adventure motorcycling" says Chris Scott, who wrote the book, so he ought to know! Contact Aimimage for the PAL video or all format DVD. Don't forget to tell them you heard about it on HU, we'll make a bit, and it won't cost you any more. 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! NOTE: If you buy a book starting with one of our links below, we get a little bit to help support the website!
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 Help support your favourite website! Here's how!Please be assured that we will NOT under any circumstances, rent, lease, sell, or give out our mailing list, and/or your name and e-mail address, to anyone for whatever purpose. Your privacy is assured, and personally guaranteed. See our complete Privacy Policy here. Grant Johnson, Editor Please note that you are receiving this newsletter only because you requested it! We are 100% opt - in only. To subscribe or UNsubscribe to this newsletter. Reader commentsAll comments and suggestions are carefully read, and where possible will be acted on. Your help will make this a useful service for all travellers. Please use the Bulletin Board for questions and suggestions. If you would like to advertise your product or service in this newsletter or on the website, please contact me. Ad rates are very reasonable. Details at this link. ISSN 1703-1397 Horizons Unlimited Motorcycle Travellers' E-zine - Copyright 1999-2009, 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. MotocareMotorcycle Rental, hiring Honda's Transalp for touring Argentina and Chile. Ride across the Andes, from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific, lakes, deserts, salt pans, waterfalls, beaches, rain forests, glaciers... |
Darius and Jane Skrzypiec, RTW 2008-2011, in Nepal, Africa Twin,"Unable to cross Burma or China with our bike we are forced to take a plane from Bangkok to Kathmandu. Instead of flying with Thai Airways, we're challenging our luck and hitch a ride with the cheap Royal Nepal Airlines. The plane definitely saw better times already but the service is excellent and, hey, we land in Kathmandu without any incidents!
Holy Cow at the Durbar Square At first I don't like the idea of arriving 1 day before the bike but it is actually by far better. This way we're getting picked up by the staff of the hotel we booked in for the first 2 nights and can have a brief look around the area we're staying before heading off for the airport again." Ed. Follow Darius and Jane's trip in their blog here on Horizons Unlimited! Marie-Christine and Alain Arnaud, France, world tour, in Australia"A voice on the speaker wakes us from our sleep. 'The ship will dock in forty-five minutes in Devonport, Tasmania.' Just enough time to prepare to go on deck at our next destination. Disillusionment... The light of day is born unable to pierce the thick black clouds that clings to the coast and prevents us contemplating the landscape that we were promised. The 'Cradle Mountain' remains invisible."
Follow Marie-Christine and Alain (in French) on their website. Brad and Jolanta Glabek, USA, in Arizona, Honda Africa Twin,"...Our first stop in the states was a gas station. We had to celebrate and could not find a proper bar so we splurged on Nachos, with that yummy creamy yellow plastic cheese, an Arizona Ice Tea, since we were in Arizona, and a Sparks. We were in complete shock to be back after a year and half and to see Chevron again. It was so peaceful and clean and people spoke English, while we still were trying to talk to them in Spanish, but felt really good to be back. It was getting late so we spent the night in Yuma at the nicest hotel we have had on the entire trip, besides Brazil when we had to stay by the airport hotel while trying to get our bike out of customs, but the most expensive one as well, $89. That's where we realized we should have not felt so bad about spending $25 a night in some other countries. Man this room had AC, a bathtub, towels, washcloths, which we had not used in a year and half, yah yucky, free soap and shampoo, coffee, a huge TV, huge bed, pool, jacuzzi, and free breakfast, and it was only a Comfort Inn. Crazy! You get so used not to having any of that it's such a treat when you do have it." Chris Desmond, Australia, RTW, in New York,
Times Square
Tourists at the top of the Empire State Building Ed. Few words but many great pics on Chris' blog here on Horizons Unlimited! MedjetAssist is an air medical evacuation and consultation membership program and is HIGHLY recommended by us and many others for all travellers. The regular MedjetAssist program is for citizens or residents of the US, Mexico and Canada, and gives hospital of choice protection virtually anywhere in the world and air evacuation as needed. (See below for more on the Foreign National Plan) Click the logo below for US, Mexico and Canada citizens to find out more. (NOTE: It's still in progress for the final HU version, but you can get MedjetAssist now!)
For OTHER nationalities it is currently a little more complicated. There IS a Foreign National Plan, but you can't enroll online. It's a faxable enrolment and subject to underwriting approval. The rates are the same, but transport is restricted to 'back to home country - hospital of choice' rather than 'anywhere in the world - hospital of choice'. We are working on improving that, but at least it IS available! Go here to contact MedjetAssist and inquire about the Foreign National Plan. Be sure to mention Horizons Unlimited. Michael Paull adds his endorsement of MedJet (and he DID use their services - twice!):"...After an additional three days in Beijing, I was deemed stable enough for air evacuation back to the University of Washington Medical Center in Seattle, WA, in the company of my wife Aillene (who had flown in from Japan), and an air transport trauma nurse provided by the company that I had procured medical evacuation insurance from, MEDJET Assistance - without doubt, the best insurance coverage I have ever purchased in my life. A small plug here - these people were remarkable... If there was ever a better case for '...don't leave home without it.', MEDJET Assistance is at the top of my checklist, no matter where I travel (and I hope to do a LOT more)." Note: Per the Medjet Assistance site: "...a medical transport between Europe and America can run more than $35,000. Middle East and South American flights range from $60,000 to $80,000. Transport from Asia often exceeds $100,000." Sounds like $205.00 for a single is pretty cheap insurance! Craig Carey-Clinch, UK, in Mauritania and Mali,"… The temperature, even early in the day is a steady 39 degrees C, and we're all drinking huge quantities of water. The sunsets are gorgeous, and as dusk cooled the heat of the day, we relaxed on the old wooden river jetty, chatting and raising glasses as the Cattle Egrets flew along the murky surface. On retiring for the evening I stumbled (quite literally) over a tiny hedgehog. Apparently common here, the fellow was only the size of a rotund field mouse, yet complete with sharp spines and wobbly scamper. At our next stop in Ouro Sogui, there were frogs everywhere. This is a dusty lonely one horse town with intermittent water and power, and the 'O' missing from the flickering 'Hotel' sign. Nevertheless, as is often the case in areas of poverty, the local people are embarrassingly generous, and we spent an entertaining evening in a dusty roadside bar. Moving further east, the roads have deteriorated markedly. Poorly laid tarmac on insufficient base stone has resulted in rough roads with frequent pits that demand complete attention. Two bridges have collapsed along our route, and we ply our way between vehicles that have become beached and stranded as they attempted to cross the river. Crowds flock around the trucks, scrambling to save the loads of fish and
produce, in a frenzy of dust, heat and shouting. As the goods are transferred
to another lorry, the sun beats down and the smell is overpowering. We ride on through shimmering heat and forests of strangely shaped Baobab trees, evoking visions of Tolkien's Ents." Ed: Check out Motorcycle Outreach site and contribute to the work bringing health services to remote parts of Indonesia via motorbike. Doug French of Michigan, writes to the HU San Jose community: "I made it to San Jose, I'm taking Spanish classes during the week till noon
and also getting some dental work. Looking for some afternoon touring trips
on my bike as well as weekend get-a-ways. Preferably camping, or a cheap,
safe hostel on Caribbean for one, or other ideas. Wondering about the day
tours advertised and also looking for the Kawasaki dealer in town. Thanks
loads, Doug"
Mathias Schmid, Switzerland, RTW since 2005, in Peru,"I am still on the road south, little bit fast, because too long time in LA, because I meet 'Supergirl' there on the way to Sequoia NP... She has 8 motorcycle in Manhattan Beach LA... it was amazing time, until my visa expired and I became an illegal...
Exiting the cargo area at Bogota Airport So now in Lima, selling a Honda XL600R 1986, that I had stored for 8 years. A lot of greeting, and stay safe dude. Maets" Ed. See more of Mathias' journey on his website - lots of pictures, commentary in German.
Adam Lewis, UK, RTW, in Timor Leste, BMW F650,"...Eventually I made it to Viqueque where I spent the night. Leaving the following morning though proved difficult. Despite asking for directions several times, I must have ridden through town half a dozen times before eventually being shown the right way by a Portuguese NGO.
The Filipino policeman I'd played table tennis with had said the road from Viqueque to Suai was good – my arse! Ok, it did have its good bits but it also had potholes, no surface at all, dried rutted tracks from the wet sand, stones, rocks, river crossings and at one point cut logs filled a void in a bridge." Timothy Brown, USA, writes to the Istanbul community:"Hey Guys (and gals of course!) - My name is Tim, and I'm doing a big trip around the Middle East region (Greece to Israel by way of Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan), and have made it into Istanbul. I was wondering if any of you might know a good place (cheap) in or around Istanbul to get a Metzler rear tire. I'm thinking I will go with the Sahara 3 - I have one up front and its pretty good. I just want a spare to cary with me as they will be practically impossible to find I think after I leave Turkey. Anyway - let me know if you have any suggestions, and of course if you want to go on a ride! I love to ride with others! Cheers, Tim" Simon Fitzpatrick, UK, Americas 2008, in Chile,"'The second-best cemetery in South America', says the guidebook, so
off I trot in search of mortality kicks. It's cool, but a definite second to
the 'best' one - Recoleta in Buenos Aires, a mini-city of 20 foot
tall death-pyramids and granite stiff-houses.
I *heart* Castro. The whole island is a wee bit like Cornwall (fishing villages, brightly-hued boats etc) and a lot like nowhere else (Curanto is a steaming bowl of shellfish, fish, pork, beef, chicken and lamb, all smoked*).
Arriving here yesterday and pootling around town in search of a hotel, a dusty old BMW R100 with UK plates pulls up next to me. It's Richard, last seen in Viedma 9 weeks ago. Tea and smokes at his riverside cabin are in order, and, later, fine wines and seafood at the harbour. Brilliant." Ed. See lots of pics and stories on Simon's blog here on Horizons Unlimited! Warning, some profanity! Marcus Best writes to Grant:"This is Marcus, the guy on the R80 G/S you met at the Colorado Horizons meeting last summer. I've made it across Asia to Syria, and I'm on the way to Africa. It's been an amazing trip so far; the people have been fantastic, the bike is holding together well, and I'm feeling more and more at home on the road... Thanks for your help, Grant. I'm sure you'll see me asking all kinds of questions on the HUBB as I make my way through Africa." Chris and Erin Ratay, USA, RTW 1999-2003, in Santiago"...We arrived at our B&B around 11am, a terrific little place in the city center, surrounded by parks and quaint streets. It feels more European here than one might imagine, so we knew we were in another place, it didn't quite 'feel' like South America. OK, into travel mode I'm striving for and although $40/nt is above our normal budget, we wanted a good place to get ourselves organized. The little old lady who owns the place said we could catch the WiFi from the fancy hotel next door!, although she didn't understand what that meant. The hospedaje is also across the street from the French Embassy and down the street from the Homicide Detective's Precinct.
Fort Santa Lucia in the center of the city After a simple meal in a local lunch place, we spent the afternoon wandering around the busy streets and climbed a mountain fort/castle that over-looks the city. In the evening we headed to an eclectic part of town for a huge dinner accompanied by a couple of local refreshments. It was a good finish to the start of our trip!
Unfortunately, the bike has been delayed again for some document problems, but Lufthansa promise it will start its own journey tomorrow - at this rate we'll be here through the weekend. Not to worry though, we'll do a tour of the local vineyards and probably hit the beaches in Vina del Mar...
Latest: The shipment is delayed and customs is now on strike, so who knows when we'll get on the bike." Ed. Chris and Erin did eventually get their bike, and got to experience the finale of the Dakar Rally in South America. See their new blog for details. Rob Jardine, UK, Melbourne to London, in Australia, on Honda Transalp,"The trip began on 27 December and I celebrated New Year's Eve in Sydney. My plan is to spend January riding through NSW, Queensland and NT to Darwin, February in Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia and Laos, March in India and Nepal, April in Pakistan and Iran, May in Turkey and the Middle East, and June in Europe. I would be happy to meet up with fellow bikers along the way to share the adventure.
See Rob's blog for more stories and pics. Nick Ison, NSW, Australia writes to the HU Buenos Aires Community:"Hola, I am traveling around South America with two good friends for the next 4 months and will be passing through Buenos Aires in about 3 weeks time. Does anybody have a back yard we can camp in? We are 3 enthusiastic riders. Can anybody recommend a Kawasaki mechanic? We speak very little Español, but we are learning!" Annette Pearson, of London, UK, writes to the HU San Salvador Community:"I am currently riding my DR650 from Alaska down to Argentina to raise money for Casa Alianza, a Latin American street children's charity. I am heading into El Salvador tomorrow or Monday (March 9th) and would love to meet up with fellow motorbikers for a ride. Or if you can suggest places that I could visit that would be great. Also I wanted to exit the country near Perquin but I understand it doesn't have an El Salvadoran customs so do you know if I will be able to leave on a foreign bike? I have just finished my second week of Spanish lessons and so try hard to speak Spanish but it isn't good enough to write in yet. I have heard lots of good things about El Salvador so I am looking forward to my visit." Stephen Bray, Ireland, writes to the HU Cartagena Community:"Estoy en Playa Blanca Ahora... pero Necessito la direccion de bien mechanic y un lugar por un Nueva Nuematico, tengo un BMWf650 (17 Atras).. Estare en Cartagena en un semana mas o menos. Suerte Stephen" Arja Gullvik and Pascal Bosshard, Australia, writes to the HU Bangkok Community:"My partner and I are on our grand motorcycle world adventure riding two-up on a BMWR1200GS. We have spent three months now riding around the South-East Asia region and will now be arriving in Bangkok on 2 March. We will need to spend 10 days or so in Bangkok to organise the air freight of our motorcycle to Kathmandu. However, we are finding it difficult to find affordable accommodation in the central Bangkok/Sukumvhit area WITH secure parking. Does anyone know of or can recommend a guesthouse that can provide the above? We are looking at no more than 1000 baht a night. Secondly, can anyone suggest the best way to get into Bangkok from the north (Ayatu.. way) avoiding the expressways? We will most likely get lost but it doesn't hurt to ask anyway. Last but not least, does anyone know if it is possible to get Tourance tyres
in Bangkok and who from? Fast Guido, Switzerland, writes to the HU Kathmandu Community:"...Around the world on 2 bikes with my Swiss girlfriend, 4 years on the road, we're coming to Nepal in late March 09. We want to do Annapurna Trekking, do you have a good idea where we could leave the bikes for a couple of days? Best regards from Bangkok - Fast Guido" Chuck Quast, USA, writes to the Istanbul Community:"I am in Jordan now, hoping to pass through Syria into Turkey in another week or so. I have been on the road for 3 years, riding through South America, then up through Africa from Cape Town. Can you advise on a good route through Turkey, on my way to east Europe - warm and dry would be my preference? I'm lacking in warm clothing, have no maps for my GPS (Tracks4Africa stopped in Egypt), or even paper maps for Turkey, so until I can get maps, I'm a bit 'lost' at the moment. Thanks in advance. Chuck Quast - On the road in Amman, Jordan" Peadar Kelleher, Ireland, writes to the HU Austin, Texas Community"I am an Irish biker travelling from Argentina to Alaska. I am in Belize right now but hope to be in Austin in about a week or so, to spend Paddy's Day and check out that music festival. I may need a mechanic also, can you guys recommend a good one in Austin that is not too pricey, I am driving a 1998bmw f650. Also, are there campsites in Austin where I could put up my tent, I have searched online but have only found rv parks. Thanks, Peadar Kelleher."
Hubert Kriegel, France, RTW, in Norway,
Don't worry about the snow, it'll blow away! Ed. Hubert is off again! Check out his website for lots of great pics! Brian and Sandra Robinson, UK, write to the HU Vancouver community:"Hi we are Sandra and Brian Robinson. In June we are starting our adventure and will be arriving in Vancouver on June 8th please see our website... We are planning our route to Alaska and then back south. Could you please help out where possible regarding places of interest you think we might like to see. We will be camping so great campsites recommendations would be good. Thanking you all in advance" Peter Waller of Auckland, New Zealand writes to the HU Los Angeles Community"...I am just about to resume my world trip with my next stop being the USA for 6 months. I plan to arrive in LA at the end of May where I will collect my bike before heading north to Alaska. I would like to stay in LA for about a week while I wait for the bike and do all the touristy stuff. I am looking for biker friendly accommodation for the week. If you can point me in the right direction I would be grateful. I have a blog. Many thanks, Peter" Peter and Kim Dasko, Australia, write to the HU Innsbruck Community:"My wife Kim and I are Aussies who will be riding our motorcycle around Europe for 2 months and we will be heading your way in June 2009. We are hoping to meet up with fellow HU members for a drink and chat. Is anyone interested?" Belinda and Patrick Peck, Australia, now back in Cairns, Australia and back at work :), Yamaha Super Tenere XTZ 750,
As for our news, it's bum up and head down for the next 10 months while HU member David Mildwater in Abu Dhabi is kindly storing our bike for a year." Support Horizons Unlimited - check out the HU Souk for jumpers / pullovers, mugs, steins, t-shirts, hats and other products with a variety of slogans!
Thanks! Grant and Susan New Communities:We've now reached an amazing 591 Communities in 100 Countries as of March 16, 2009! A big thanks to all those who took the first step and established the Community in their area. New Communities are too many to list! If you are on the road, do check out the Communities - don't feel like you're imposing on people! They signed up for a Community because they want to meet travellers - that's you! You'll have a great time, so go to the Communities page and let them know you're coming. Please remember that they are volunteers and offering to help because they're great people - common courtesy helps! When you write, tell them who you are, that you're passing through, and would like to meet them. Let them know if you need anything, and I'm sure they'll help as best they can. 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. Become a Horizons Unlimited Contributing Member or Gold Member!To help with the cost of creating and distributing the newsletter and running a huge website, which has been a full time job for Grant for ten years, Susan as much as she can, plus a couple of part time assistants, we gratefully accept contributions via PayPal, credit card, and cheque. Members also get additonal privileges on the HUBB, such as more PM's, custom avatars, and more photo space.Support this Newsletter by becoming a Contributing Member today, by PayPal, credit card, or cheque.
If you want a t-shirt or other logoed merchandise, go to the Store. All contributions will be acknowledged and gratefully accepted. If you later decide you do want a t-shirt or other member logoed merchandise from the store, let us know and we will arrange access to the Members Private Store. More ways to support your favourite website!How to Link to Horizons Unlimited Also, you can just click on any Amazon link on the site and we'll get a small commission on your purchase of any Amazon merchandise - and it won't cost you any more! Thanks, Grant and Susan |
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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 700 world travellers listed, but there are many more. 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... We'd like to think that Horizons Unlimited; the website, the HUBB, the Communities and this newsletter help to push back the fear through knowledge and connecting with others, and teach all of us about the world and it's wonderful people. See you on the road!
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and their respective authors or creators, 1987-2009. |
