Go Back   Horizons Unlimited - The HUBB > Regional Forums > South America
South America Topics specific to South America only.
Photo by Hendi Kaf, in Cambodia

I haven't been everywhere...
but it's on my list!


Photo by Hendi Kaf,
in Cambodia



Like Tree185Likes

Closed Thread
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
  #76  
Old 10 Sep 2019
Gold Member
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Samaipata / Bolivia
Posts: 895
Nicolas Holzem

Hi all,

I got back to Bolivia and try to write a short update here again.

Catherine, Nicolas sister, left Bolivia after a month searching for Nicolas, but she will come back when needed. She back in New Zealand now, but we are in regular (a couple of times a day) contact with her.

When she was here, she made a lot of noise to get the story out with TV and radio interviews and newspaper reports. Today a friend told me, that when he got his tyre change in Santa Cruz, the mechanic told him about Nicolas and showed him a picture. So the story is big here and most bikers are aware that we are looking for him. Catherine got over 1000 posters printed and they are being distributed at the moment.

Catherine went with the police to the border station at Puerto Acosta. But they could not find any other lead than the custom entry document (TIP) for Nicolas bike. One police officer searched the road from Puerto Acosta to La Paz without success for two days.

At the moment we have three confirmed sightings (Rurrenabaque, Trinidad, Santa Cruz de la Sierra) and a lot of other unconfirmed sightings, that are being investigated at the moment.

As being said above, we found a hotel register entry from Coroico, Bella Vista Hotel (June 18-21), and the friend who found this, is searching in Rurrenabaque at the moment.

The Consulate in Brazil told us, that Nicolas did not enter Brazil. This means, if he entered, he did not get his passport stamped. But most of us here, believe that he is still in Bolivia.

Nacho Piccone, a Argentinean biker that Nicolas spent some time with in Cusco, told us a lot about Nicolas plans and ways of traveling.

So, that is all that comes to my mind at the moment, but we are trying our best to find him. More later.

mika from Samaipata

Last edited by mika; 10 Sep 2019 at 03:16. Reason: words
  #77  
Old 10 Sep 2019
Registered Users
HUBB regular
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: London
Posts: 69
Mika.
Cheers for the update.
Still positive that good news is coming.
  #78  
Old 10 Sep 2019
Pastourer's Avatar
Registered Users
HUBB regular
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Madrid
Posts: 27
Hope some of the sightings will point you to him!
  #79  
Old 19 Sep 2019
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Brasil
Posts: 100
https://www.facebook.com/NicInBolivi...&theater&ifg=1


this is an open letter from Nicolas' sister to Luxemburg autorities asking help.
  #80  
Old 20 Sep 2019
Pastourer's Avatar
Registered Users
HUBB regular
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Madrid
Posts: 27
Still no news?

Jesus... All my support to his relatives, it must be a nightmare. Keep the faith.
  #81  
Old 20 Sep 2019
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Miami/Managua
Posts: 211
not that i've looked at every bit of evidence with a microscope, nor have i been on the ground in bolivia, but from what i'm reading here, it seems as though the guy does not want to be found. they found evidence of him continuing his voyage long after he went out of touch.


maybe, hopefully, he's just angry with his family and wants to be left alone.
__________________
'07 DL1000 '08 DR650
  #82  
Old 20 Sep 2019
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Brasil
Posts: 100
Not yet. Yes. Hopefully, it would be best scenario a single mistake among families. But, it seems not. On the ground search, perhaps, may begin, made by a guy of this HUBB living there.
  #83  
Old 20 Sep 2019
javkap's Avatar
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Buenos Aires - Argentina
Posts: 520
Quote:
Originally Posted by teevee View Post
not that i've looked at every bit of evidence with a microscope, nor have i been on the ground in bolivia, but from what i'm reading here, it seems as though the guy does not want to be found. they found evidence of him continuing his voyage long after he went out of touch.


maybe, hopefully, he's just angry with his family and wants to be left alone.
Well, from what his sister has said, he “hasn't been in touch since June 15. He was in Cusco at the time and he was planning to continue towards Bolivia, and finally travel down to Buenos Aires”…

Then was “found a hotel register entry from Coroico, Bella Vista Hotel (June 18-21)” just few days after last contact, and then nothing for the last 3 months.

So, looks that isn’t the case you think…
__________________
Javier...
Dakar Motos “ ”
  #84  
Old 20 Sep 2019
chris's Avatar
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: GOC
Posts: 3,335
Quote:
Originally Posted by teevee View Post
not that i've looked at every bit of evidence with a microscope, nor have i been on the ground in bolivia, but from what i'm reading here, it seems as though the guy does not want to be found. they found evidence of him continuing his voyage long after he went out of touch.


maybe, hopefully, he's just angry with his family and wants to be left alone.

As Javier said above, you're wrong in this regard. It would be worth reading the posts on the Facebook Group

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1172629699586558/

A moderator recently suggested that posters on this forum post in a compassionate way. The family read here too. I can't imagine the anguish they face 24/7.

Here's hoping for a positive outcome!
  #85  
Old 21 Sep 2019
Gold Member
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Samaipata / Bolivia
Posts: 895
Nicolas Holzem

Hi all,

just a short update here from our search for Nicolas in Bolivia.


Quote:
maybe, hopefully, he's just angry with his family and wants to be left alone.
@teevee.

Thank you for your reply and your thoughts. You are not the first one I come across who tells me this version, but I can assure you that this is not the case.

We know now, that Nicolas bought a Sim card in Coroico, just five or six days after entering Bolivia, and he registered it in his name. As we dont have the number yet, and also Tigo (the network operator he bought his card with) did not give us any information yet. The Bolivian police is hopefully getting this information, lets see. We dont know if Nicolas bought a new phone or found his old phone, that he lost in Cusco.

The witness we have here in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, could now remember the date he met Nicolas. He was here on 29th of June. We are searching the hotels and putting up posters everywhere.

Catherine, Nicolas sister, just posted an open letter to the government in Luxembourg on Facebook. I know its in French, and I also cant read it, but please if you have Facebook like this post, she said, that this would help.

More later.

Saludos desde Samaipata
mika
  #86  
Old 8 Oct 2019
Gold Member
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Samaipata / Bolivia
Posts: 895
Nicolas Holzem 07/10/2019

Hello again,

its been two weeks since the last update here. So, its time for me to write again a bit here in Bolivia about our search for Nicolas.

Bikers from all over Bolivia are still helping as much as they can to find Nicolas. Marcelo Camacho from La Paz took time off work and went to look for him around Coroico (where Nicolas stayed at Hotel Bella Vista 18.06. - 21.06.) for a few days. But he did not find any new leads.

The Bolivian police (FELCC) checked all three network operators for cellphones if Nicolas phone was registered with them. Even we have a witness that sold a Sim card to Nicolas and registered it with Tigo, the police said that there is no Sim card registered under Nicolas name and his phone (that he maybe lost in Peru) was not used in Bolivia. But as the registration was done by phone, his last name could have been misspelt. So, nothing came out of this.

Catherine, Nicolas sister, came back to Bolivia yesterday. Today she met with the police in La Paz. Tomorrow she will come to Santa Cruz, also to meet the witness that we have here. Pls check facebook for more detailed information about this.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1172629699586558/

Nicolas daughter, Elise, posted on Facebook as well. She is 19 yrs old and studies in Canada now.

The press in Luxembourg started publishing articles about our search, well written but of course in German and French. This will hopefully gets the police in Luxembourg moving, as we still dont have the some of his credit card numbers.

So, one last short story. Yesterday I met Peka, a biker from La Paz here in Samaipata. As soon as I showed him the poster of our search, he told me his story. Of course he knew about our search. When he passed through Coroico, two weeks ago, he talked to a friend and a DR650 came up for sale. And all of a sudden a white DR650 passed him, so he followed the bike and stopped the rider and talked to him about the bike. Yes it was the bike that was for sale. He took a few pictures. We checked this pictures yesterday, but it was NOT Nicolas bike that he saw in Coroico. As you can see, this story is big here in Bolivia.

So, this is it for today. More later.

mika

Last edited by mika; 8 Oct 2019 at 03:36. Reason: NOT inserted
  #87  
Old 8 Oct 2019
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Washington, DC
Posts: 1,377
Quote:
Originally Posted by mika View Post
Hello again,
...so he followed the bike and stopped the rider and talked to him about the bike. Yes it was the bike that was for sale. He took a few pictures. We checked this pictures yesterday, but it was Nicolas bike that he saw in Coroico.
mika
Mika, thanks for the update...this sounds like big news...so what did the rider of the white DR650 have to say?!?
  #88  
Old 8 Oct 2019
Gold Member
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Samaipata / Bolivia
Posts: 895
NOT Nicolas bike

Hi Motoreiter, sorry for the confusion , it was NOT Nicolas bike. The rider of the white DR650 just said that he was selling his bike.

mika
  #89  
Old 8 Oct 2019
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Washington, DC
Posts: 1,377
Quote:
Originally Posted by mika View Post
Hi Motoreiter, sorry for the confusion , it was NOT Nicolas bike. The rider of the white DR650 just said that he was selling his bike.
mika
Damn! Thanks for the update.

I'm a bit shocked that the Luxembourg police don't seem to have done anything after all this time...checking for credit card activity is Missing Persons 101...
  #90  
Old 8 Oct 2019
Registered Users
HUBB regular
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Tucson
Posts: 76
Uyuni?

do you think by chance he might want to go down to the Salar in Uyuni?
Been following off and on, concerned and my best thoughts to all.
Jeff

You might want to keep posting on ADV Riders, or post with a cyclist adventure groups, I passed quite a few 2 wheelers on my journey through Bolivia.

Keep the faith,
Smiles

Last edited by Kino Jeff; 10 Oct 2019 at 15:35. Reason: added
Closed Thread

Tags
bolivia, chile, missing biker


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 Registered Users and/or Members and 1 guests)
 

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Missing biker. Peru chris South America 5 28 Nov 2018 03:07
How to buy a dual-sport bike in Bolivia - it's easier than you think! artia South America 4 7 Mar 2017 07:34
Bolivia - RHD ? fuel ?? security !!!‏ Phil Flanagan South America 1 7 Dec 2012 17:05
Buying a bike in Bolivia! Mellow08 Ride Tales 0 12 Oct 2012 03:54
My travels to Bolivia, Chile, Perú & Brasil. LukitasARG Ride Tales 3 6 Feb 2012 11:31

 
 

Announcements

Thinking about traveling? Not sure about the whole thing? Watch the HU Achievable Dream Video Trailers and then get ALL the information you need to get inspired and learn how to travel anywhere in the world!

Have YOU ever wondered who has ridden around the world? We did too - and now here's the list of Circumnavigators!
Check it out now
, and add your information if we didn't find you.

Next HU Eventscalendar

25 years of HU Events
Be sure to join us for this huge milestone!

ALL Dates subject to change.

2025 Confirmed Events:

Virginia: April 24-27 2025
Queensland is back! May 2-4 2025
Germany Summer: May 29-June 1 2025
CanWest: July 10-13 2025
Switzerland: Date TBC
Ecuador: Date TBC
Romania: Date TBC
Austria: Sept. 11-14
California: September 18-21
France: September 19-21 2025
Germany Autumn: Oct 30-Nov 2 2025

Add yourself to the Updates List for each event!

Questions about an event? Ask here

See all event details

 
World's most listened to Adventure Motorbike Show!
Check the RAW segments; Grant, your HU host is on every month!
Episodes below to listen to while you, err, pretend to do something or other...

Adventurous Bikers – We've got all your Hygiene & Protection needs SORTED! Powdered Hair & Body Wash, Moisturising Cream Insect Repellent, and Moisturising Cream Sunscreen SPF50. ESSENTIAL | CONVENIENT | FUNCTIONAL.

2020 Edition of Chris Scott's Adventure Motorcycling Handbook.

2020 Edition of Chris Scott's Adventure Motorcycling Handbook.

"Ultimate global guide for red-blooded bikers planning overseas exploration. Covers choice & preparation of best bike, shipping overseas, baggage design, riding techniques, travel health, visas, documentation, safety and useful addresses." Recommended. (Grant)



Ripcord Rescue Travel Insurance.

Ripcord Rescue Travel Insurance™ combines into a single integrated program the best evacuation and rescue with the premier travel insurance coverages designed for adventurers.

Led by special operations veterans, Stanford Medicine affiliated physicians, paramedics and other travel experts, Ripcord is perfect for adventure seekers, climbers, skiers, sports enthusiasts, hunters, international travelers, humanitarian efforts, expeditions and more.

Ripcord travel protection is now available for ALL nationalities, and travel is covered on motorcycles of all sizes!


 

What others say about HU...

"This site is the BIBLE for international bike travelers." Greg, Australia

"Thank you! The web site, The travels, The insight, The inspiration, Everything, just thanks." Colin, UK

"My friend and I are planning a trip from Singapore to England... We found (the HU) site invaluable as an aid to planning and have based a lot of our purchases (bikes, riding gear, etc.) on what we have learned from this site." Phil, Australia

"I for one always had an adventurous spirit, but you and Susan lit the fire for my trip and I'll be forever grateful for what you two do to inspire others to just do it." Brent, USA

"Your website is a mecca of valuable information and the (video) series is informative, entertaining, and inspiring!" Jennifer, Canada

"Your worldwide organisation and events are the Go To places to for all serious touring and aspiring touring bikers." Trevor, South Africa

"This is the answer to all my questions." Haydn, Australia

"Keep going the excellent work you are doing for Horizons Unlimited - I love it!" Thomas, Germany

Lots more comments here!



Five books by Graham Field!

Diaries of a compulsive traveller
by Graham Field
Book, eBook, Audiobook

"A compelling, honest, inspiring and entertaining writing style with a built-in feel-good factor" Get them NOW from the authors' website and Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Amazon.co.uk.



Back Road Map Books and Backroad GPS Maps for all of Canada - a must have!

New to Horizons Unlimited?

New to motorcycle travelling? New to the HU site? Confused? Too many options? It's really very simple - just 4 easy steps!

Horizons Unlimited was founded in 1997 by Grant and Susan Johnson following their journey around the world on a BMW R80G/S.

Susan and Grant Johnson Read more about Grant & Susan's story

Membership - help keep us going!

Horizons Unlimited is not a big multi-national company, just two people who love motorcycle travel and have grown what started as a hobby in 1997 into a full time job (usually 8-10 hours per day and 7 days a week) and a labour of love. To keep it going and a roof over our heads, we run events all over the world with the help of volunteers; we sell inspirational and informative DVDs; we have a few selected advertisers; and we make a small amount from memberships.

You don't have to be a Member to come to an HU meeting, access the website, or ask questions on the HUBB. What you get for your membership contribution is our sincere gratitude, good karma and knowing that you're helping to keep the motorcycle travel dream alive. Contributing Members and Gold Members do get additional features on the HUBB. Here's a list of all the Member benefits on the HUBB.




All times are GMT +1. The time now is 12:29.