well Susan , it was certainly interesting , amongst other things . As I mentioned , my bike is still there , abandoned at the airport and here's why .

One thing that took me by surprise was how bleedin' expensive shipping would have been ( had I gone through with it ) . Lufthansa airfreight dangerous goods price to Europe is $3.73 . This compares to $1.50 to Europe from Buenos Aires . Also customs clearance was quoted at $400 .

Also , sea freight has a lack of consolidated shipments apart to Spanish speaking places like Spain and Miami . Sea shipments are further complicated because of anti-drugs inspections for which the sender must be present at the port a few days (5) before the container is sent . Several freight companies also don't offer consolidated shipments , or don't deal with personal effects , or don't deal with vehicles that are not commercial exports/imports .

One other thing to be considered is the price of air tickets from Latin America , which incur hefty taxes . The cheapest one way to London via Bogota and Miami would have been $900 .

Faced with spiralling costs for airfreight and inability to hang around for seafreight I told the freight company to keep the bike . The price spiralled because they estimated the price at the non-dangerous goods rate , then again at the correct rate , then the crate was built too large taking volume up to 3.5 mtrs/3 . There was no way I was going to pay $2600 to send a bike worth $1200 home .

Here's some freight companies I lifted from a freight magazine , some with notes on routes . My experiences with Venezuelan shipping companies was not inspiring , but better luck to future travellers .

Chris

Freight companies :
Gimax
Agencies in Brasil , USA , Europe Lejano Oriente .
212-576-64-93 , 577-78-89
gimax@telcel.net.ve

Agencia SeaFreight
Miami-Jamaica-Aruba-Trinidad-Guyana-Surinam
212-332-70-22

Transworld 2000
Miami-Mexico-Panama-Hamburg-Brasil-Argentina-Uruguay
212-564-33-41
transworld-logistics@transworld.com.ve

Arrow Air
Panama-CostaRica-RepDominicana-OtheCAm-Miami
212-3551594
fineairccs@cantv.net

Panalpina
212-202-6111
panalpina.venezuela@ccs.panmail.com panalpina.com