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Travellers' questions that don't fit anywhere else This is an opportunity to ask any question, and post any notice you wish that doesn't fit into one of the other sections.
Photo by Hendi Kaf, in Cambodia

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


Photo by Hendi Kaf,
in Cambodia



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  #1  
Old 23 Jan 2000
dag dag is offline
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NY via BC to Ushuaia - Insurance/netaccess
Hi Susan/Grant and subscribers

First, let me say what a wonderful site and e-zine you guys have put together(don't know how you signed me up, but it was very well received).

We are planning a one year trip(two up on a Triumph Tiger) from New York, through British Columbia and down to Ushuaia, starting around May 1st, this year. Several questions are unanswered at this stage:

1) Bike-insurance in the States and Canada. I have contacted http://www.berglundins.com/ who claims to insure foreign bikes in the States, but no reply after two attempts. Does anybody know a company who can help us?

2) We will carry a laptop for on-the-road updates of our website and for sending material to a magazine, and need to find out the best way to connect to the net. Any suggestions?(internet-cafes, modem + globetrotter subscription?)

------------

By the way, flying the bike from Oslo to New York costs approx 1000USD with SAS Cargo. In case anybody wants to know...

All for now. But as a big Austrian guy once said; "I'll be back".

PS We just updated our homepage. Feedbacks are appreciated.

Dag Jenssen


------------------
OTC#083 Triumph Tiger '98 "Rocinante"
Homepage 'Rocinantes Travels':
http://home.sol.no/~dagjen
Motorcycle travel to Spain, Norway and coming up; Las Americas
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  #2  
Old 23 Jan 2000
Grant Johnson's Avatar
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Location: BC Canada
Posts: 7,324
Hi Dag,

Good to hear you enjoyed the site and e-zine!

RE insurance, try http://www.mandellinc.com/

Mike Mandell has been at it for a long time and should get back to you quickly!

Re Laptop on the road, we've been carrying one since 1986, and have had good success. The best and most common worldwide internet connection is through Compuserve so far as we have found. However, even Compuserve isn't everywhere, and Internet Cafes seem to be now. You may find that composing on the laptop and then uploading from an internet cafe and Hotmail or Yahoo to be a good method at times.
For the laptop, we use a high quality technical instrument shock absorbing foam, 1/2" (12mm.) thick under the laptop, and 4mm thick on the back and front sides. Haven't had a problem yet, touch wood!

I'll have a look at your website soon!

------------------
Grant Johnson

Share the Dream!
at: www.HorizonsUnlimited.com
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  #3  
Old 27 Jan 2000
dag dag is offline
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Hi Grant

Thanks for your feedback. Insurance was right on. I have been in touch with them and the process is started.

I have checked the different internet options, and believe a combination of Compuserve and internet cafes is the way to go. Compuserve have a very decent coverage in Latin America. I haven't received answer to my question to them: "Can I sign up as a Norwegian?", and the website confuses me to some extent. I believe I can though.

As for laptop, I'll remember your shock absorbance advice. We are actually considering contacting Panasonic and ask for a special deal on their Toughbook(aluminum casing, shock absorbers on harddisk etc).

best regards
dag
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  #4  
Old 27 Jan 2000
Grant Johnson's Avatar
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Location: BC Canada
Posts: 7,324
Dag, glad to have helped!

Comments on Compuserve - ignore where you are, it doesn't matter, just sign up as a US customer if need be, it's actually often a better price (going on Canadian/UK/US pricing). I don't believe they require your address, or if they do, lie. So long as they get paid it doesn't matter.

Re laptops, we have been using Toshiba's since 86, and are very satisfied with their durability. I don't think the Toughbook is needed, unless you can get a real deal - cheaper than you can get a Tosh for. Note that the shock absorbers are the only feature of use, you're not going to toss it around loose in back of a truck for instance - I hope. The shock foam seems to be quite adequate, with a couple of "corrugated" roads in mind that we have done, where the vibration was so bad that my vision was blurring and the grips were 75mm in diameter! And that was for several hundred kilometers.

I'd look at a Libretto for ultra small or a Portege - smallish but full size screen etc. (that's what we use).

------------------
Grant Johnson

Share the Dream!
at: www.HorizonsUnlimited.com

[This message has been edited by Grant Johnson (edited 27 January 2000).]
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Seek, and ye shall find.
------------------------
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www.HorizonsUnlimited.com
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  #5  
Old 28 Jun 2000
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Hiya,

I've been on the road for two years... Travelling with a laptop as well. I Highly recomend IBM/ATT global net for plently of local access numbers. Also with the internet cafe option they often let you use their dial-in number, for the same cost, and or consider bringing a LAN connection so you can just connect to their net. Also get yourself an email account that has a POP server for various reasons. One, you can minimize your webtime by downloading and sending your mail, logging off and being able to answer and read emails at your leisure. And two when an I-net cafe will not let you log-on, you can use a hotmail or similar account to "check external mail" (i.e. read mail sent to your pop-mail account). Just remeber to set up hotmail to leave the mail on the server.

Hope this helped,

Andre

andre@walrus.com www.viacorpuz.com
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  #6  
Old 30 Nov 2001
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Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: London
Posts: 27
I too have looked into the Panasonic Toughbook. However, even better than that are the MIL range produced by Terralogic.

I looked into buying something top of the range and the price without discount was £3500. check out their site at http://www.terralogic.co.uk

matt
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