Manaus - Boa Vista - Santa Elenna
 

Hi, I got in to Santa Elenna this evening. Just an update on this road. First 100 Ks north from Manaus are good. Next section many potholes filled with yellowish clay mix - when wet think Bob Slay Run. The first eighty Ks thru the Indian reserve are OK, the rest potholed. Potholes continue to within 70 Ks of Boa Vista. Too many holes slalom. Try and you will end up in elephant trap. Some sections, the tar is totally gone. The journey is perfectly dooable - I ride a Honda 125. HOWEVER IT IS NOT FUN!! I am heavy, so is my bag. Climbing out of the potholes wore the tread off my rear tyre. Bought a new one at the Honda distributor this morning.
The road on to the frontier from Boa Vista is good. The last section is a great ride thru hills. Brazillian Customs take a little time filling in the necessary forms. No problems. Venezuelan were fast and equally pleasent - however the Customs office for importing vehicles is closed from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. for lunch. I am a Brit. I did not have a visa for Venezuela nor an International Driving Licence. I have never been asked for the licence anywhere on this trip (Mexico to Tierra del Fuego and heading North - BLOG at home ). Venez<uelan officials aske how long I would be in the country. I said max a month, unless hit by another truck. They laughed and wrote sixty days on the stamp. Dead tired. Will post a couple of photographs and more discription on the BLOG tomorrow. Happy riding,
:oops2:simon

Great stuff! :thumb

Simon, you have quality BS and a superb attitude.

Santa Elena
 

Simon,

There is a friendly Canadian fellow that owns a large bar on the edge of Santa Elena(sorry cannot remember his name or the name of the bar but everyone in town knows him). He was a good source of info on the current state of affairs in Venezuela and would be happy to hear about your trip. If you meet him say hello from Ross (met him April 2, 2007.