Pan American Trip
 

I'm starting my Pan American trip from Anchorage in early June, 2008. I'm due to go and get my US visitor visa in London this week and I believe that there is no Carnet required for my BMW 1200 GS for the entire trip to Ushuaia.

Has anyone advice on travelling in Colombia - or not?

Is there any way to send a bike by sea from Panama to Ecuador, if so can you travel with the bike?

Any advice regarding the entire trip is very much appreciated - I estimate the trip will take about three months.

As the start date approaches, the "free spirit" aspect is being replaced by the stark reality of getting everything organised!!

Is anyone going to be making a similar trip about the same time?

Mike

Hello Mike,
If you come to Brazil :welcome: and need something, contact us.:thumbup1:
A hug,

Hi Mike,
There is a HU meeting in British Columbia 19 to 22 June. You pick up a lot of info and meet some hubbers.
I have a loose plan to be there but if we miss it there is another in Colorado a month later.
info here.......
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/meetings/

Out of interest why are you getting a Visa for USA?

Steve

USA Visa
 

Hi Steve

Thanks for the info on the meetings. I'd like to make the Canadian one if possible.

I have been told to get a US Visitors Visa from the US Embassy in London as I do not have a return ticket from anywhere in the US, and I have to go down to the Embassy for an interview.

I plan to return from Buenos Aires at the end of the trip, and buy my ticket in Argentina.

Regards

Mike

Hello Mike, welcome to the HUBB. Although anything is possible, it is not recomended you travel by boat from Panama to Ecuador. The sugested rout is Panama to Cartegena, Colombia. Please, don't miss Colombia! Of all the Americas i've travelled i've spent the most time in Colombia and will always want to go back. You can also fly your bike from Panama to Colombia, or Ecuador if you wish. You do NOT require A CARNET. Three months? Well' it's possible, but you'll be covering a lot of ground in a short time. Maybe you might want to consider starting in the southern US and concentrate for thee months on Mexico, C.America and S.America? Just a thought, there is so much to see and do! When i first entered Colombia, i was planning one week. It turned into two months and then some! Personally, i think that three months to acomplish this distance requires hard riding every day. I think i would be quite exhausted in the end and would feel i missed a lot, but that's just me! Enjoy your planning, and please use the search function to answer all your questions, and if that fails you, please feel free to ask :)

Mike,
we are starting off in Montreal next month. We have booked passage via Grimaldi sea freighter lines from BA and hope that will over come the Onward travel ticket issue.

These guys know there stuff if you are interested, they take bikes as well.
The Cruise People Ltd [Round the World & Extended Voyages]

Steve

Mike,

The coast of Peru (and top half of Chile for that matter...) is just desert with little to see (I know, I've lived in Peru for most of 30 years..). It is also where you will run into the most $$ hungry police.. :thumbdown:

IMHO, leave the coast of Peru up north and travel along the valley/pampa between the two ridges. The country is beautiful, the people noble, and no hassles. you will be a Hero in each town you stop. :clap:

Get to Cuzco and turn towards Bolivia (get $100 visa first) to La Paz, then south to Argentina towards Salta and Cordova.

THEN cross over to the PAN AM to TDF.... :scooter:

Toby (charapa) Around the Block 2007 |

Alaska? then Usuhaia? Me too!
 

Mike,
An Englishman and I are planning to leave Seattle in October for a ride (roughly) to Panama - get to Columbia, then Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, Argentina ([FONT='Verdana','sans-serif']Viedma,[/font] [FONT='Verdana','sans-serif']Argentina [/font]for HU gathering December 7-9), down to Ushuaia (TDF) for Christmas, up the Careterra Austral to Santiago... I may fly home from Santiago or maybe I’ll ride back up again. All this is very tentative except the leaving for TDF in October.

But before all that, I am planning to ride up to Prudhoe Bay - leaving Bellingham, Washington State around the 25th of May - and back again in time for the HU meet-up in British Columbia in June. Maybe we will meet and ride together from Alaska. If we got back a few days early, you could stay at my place (about 25 miles from Canadian boarder - 100 miles north of Seattle -and US Consulate?).

I am riding an F650GS. I'm old and not strong in off road riding (it has been 35 years since I did motocross). I ride a little fast/aggressive. I like to see things and experience people and cultures, but once on the road for a destination, I like to get there and check it off.

Contact me if you're interested in hooking up in Alaska - or in staying at my place in Bellingham for a few days.

tomrinbellingham

how are you dude.

I guess you are English from your post. I am Irish and am just back from South America .. well almost, (kicking around spain at the moment). As a citizen of the EU you dont have to pay for any visas in south america, that includes (bolivia) the 100 is just for Americans. Same goes for the bike, no payment required there either.
I personally flew the Darien Gap with Girag aircargo and it was fine, slightly more than the boat but not much.
Central America is a pain you have to pay a fee for practically everything at all the borders. Fumigation, visa, and import. there is a good document here in the archive somewhere on crossing borders done by an american guy, i will see if i can find it. Worst crossing is El Salvador to Honduras.. so avoid that one if you can , its on the main pan am. After that just have fun!! All the info i came across is on my site somewhere, so have a look, the link is below.

kev

Hello Kev,
Will you come to Brazil?

Yes. I'm starting in Texas the 2nd week of July. Although I'm planning a much more relaxed pace (6 months, with atleast one month staying put somewhere learning spanish early in the trip).

I'm looking for people to meetup/ride with as I'm currently solo for the bulk of the trip.

If you're going to be in Mexico before July, you're welcome to stay at my house in Houston. While on the road I'm pretty free-spirited, I'm plan obsessed leading up to a big trip. Anticipation/planning is half of the experience for me :thumbup1:

dg

Hi Toby

Nice to hear from you and thanks for the advice. I heard there were cash hungry police officers in several South American countries!
I hope to take the routes you mentioned when I make it that far:scooter:

Take care
Regards

Mike

Pan American Trip
 

Hi Mr Ron,

Thank you for the information. It's interesting to hear your comments on Colombia, I would like to visit there if at all possible but security seemed to be the biggest concern.
I appreciate what you're saying about the time required for the whole trip, there's a lot of miles and a lot to see, the maximum time I can be away is 4 months.
I made a similar trip in Aussie a couple of years ago and completing the trip took over from sightseeing. I'll see how it goes but I'm sure there will be a few long days spent riding the bike.
The organising is taking quite a bit of my time up but it is a fun chore, I could do with a brief case just for the paperwork etc.
I'm counting the days down.
Best regards,

Mike

Pan American Trip
 

Hi Steve,

I've got the US visa, what unbelievable security at the embassy - totally understandable though.

That looks a great way to travel with or without the bike, I'd heard of "freighter cruises" before but never looked into it. I will use this for future trips, if it's possible. I've had details sent from their website.

I'm planning on seeing an old buddy im Calgary, so I'm not too far away from the Merritt, BC HU meeting.

I'm sure we'll meet up somewhere. Have a great trip!
Regards,

Mike

Hi,

It's nice to hear from you. I'm planning on trying to be at the HU meeting in Merritt, BC. I've an old buddy in Calgary to visit before the meeting. He emigrated to Canada 30 years ago and has never looked back.

We both have a similar idea, when travelling I like to get to a destination without too much delay. Completing the planned trip becomes the most important aspect - it must be a trait from the workplace!

Thank you for the offer but I'm not sure if I'll head south from Anchorage or head north to start the trip from Prudhoe Bay. I'll wait and see how I feel when I get there. But we'll keep in touch and meet up somewhere, will you be at the HU meeting for all three days?

I'l send you my Blackberry email address, once I've figured out how to set it up!
Regards,

Mike