A Travel Story by Hamish Oag and Emma Myatt
Still waiting for news on the ferry...After all the months of careful preparation, we finally left our house in Melaka five minutes before the landlord was due to move back in, stuff packed everywhere, hangovers on board.
As unfortunately predicted, no ferry ran this week, therefore we're off across the border to Thailand tomorrow to renew our visas and chillout on a beach in anticipation of a ferry running next Friday (5th May). The agent informs us, as he has done on previous occassions, "100% definitely maybe", therefore there is hope!
No ferry, but found a beach!We left Malaysia on April 29th, finally tearing ourselves away from Steven's beautiful retreat. We had a really lovely time there, swimming in the waterfall, short treks through the rainforest (and the leeches were lovely too) , and a good test of all our camping equipment. We even managed a candlelit dinner in the jungle...
Our friends James and Corinne left on Saturday after some great days catching up over a few Singha beers. We had quite an energetic week; exploring a large and slimy network of caves on Ko Lanta and going on a boat trip to snorkel around some nearby islands. The trip also included a visit to the Emerald Cave - an 80m swim through pitch black tunnels trying not to lose sight of our guides torch ahead of us or bump our heads on the low cave roof.
As the satay's off the menu, we've leap frogged to the surf. I therefore sit here in Brisbane and not in Medan, updating our blog.
Ken and Carol thoroughly spoiled us with their warm hospitality, and gave us some tips on 'Packingology' in which I think they both have Phds. They had a BBQ the day before we left and invited some other overlanders; Haydn and Diane who rode from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego and are next year heading to South East Asia, and Mark and Aasha who will be in South America when we are there. Ken and Carol are once more planning a trip, to South America too so we spent a great afternoon and evening swapping stories and routes.
Just as I finished writing yesterday Hame appeared with a mended bike, thanks to those lovely guys at the BM Shop. Sharon, Steve's partner, had kindly let me use an office computer to write up the blog so Hame picked me up from there and off we went for camping supplies, before heading off up into the hills.
About 5000 km and one month into Australia and we've not even left one state yet! Queensland has so much to offer; Hame and I could probably spend a year here and not explore it all.
Since I last wrote we've wound our way up from Brisbane, headed out West and then North towards Cairns. You can see the route on my incredibly hi-tech map below (compete with tippex marks where I accidentally re-drew Queensland's borders).
Its official! We made it to the Outback. Its a little vague where the Outback actually begins, so we asked the question when stopping off for fuel and a sandwich at Tillys Servo in Alpha, a small village along the Capricorn Highway; so named as it lies along the Tropic of Capricorn. According to Tilly, if youre from the city, the Outback begins when you leave the suburbs. However for those living further afield its a few more hours inland. Great stuff, but where exactly?
We were both excited to start a new 'chapter' by beginning the long journey West. A short day's ride took us to Chillagoe, site of some very cool caves
Now that we've reached Darwin (the first town with a population exceeding 3 figures we've visited for a while), it's time again to update the blog. We arrived via a series of 'alternative' routes, looking like a couple of extras from a Mad Max movie; covered from head to foot in red dust, the bike sporting a couple of dents and scrapes from various escapades along the way.
For some reason we miscalculated (read didn't calculate) the distance we had to travel and so we arrived at the fuel stop holding our breath - but it was useful to discover Bertha could do 521km on a tank and still have a couple of litres sloshing about somewhere!
From Lawn Hill the dirt roads were full of corrugations. For those of you who've not had the pleasure see the picture below:
(Written on 23/07/06)
Well, I wasn't expecting to update the blog so quickly but here we are in a town with an internet cafe so I may as well make the most of it and explain why we are in a town and not on the road...
After Emma had spotted a crack in the sub-frame, we were left with no choice but to limp back to Kununurra for steel surgery. The cracked pannier was a small matter in comparison. Upon closer inspection, the right hand lower sub-frame tube had cracked just below the footrest hanger, ala Claudio in the 'Long Way Round'. Fortunately the tube wasn't sheared completely, however it wouldn't remain that way for long if we were to continue along the Gibb River Road.Upon our return to Kununurra, we headed for the local bike shop, where we were fortunate to bump into Chris, a local fabricator.
16 000km so far!
I wish I'd visited Broome years ago, before the tourist masses descended. The tourists had taken over this sleepy seaside town, and the prices had risen accordingly. However, Cable Beach was huge and beautiful, the fish and chips were good, we were able to get all our chores done and despite being warned we'd not find a campsite with space left we found a brilliant spot - right next to the beach.
Not only did Riki and Jen welcome us into their home, but also their garage. Before leaving Malaysia I rebuilt the bike's top end as a result of stripped cylinder barrel studs, (yet another legacy of a former owner), and subsequently learnt I used gasket sealant that didn't seal. By that time we were in Australia. Originating from the base of the cylinder barrel, it was more a weep than a leak, however it was annoying and didn't appear to going away. It was time for remedial action.
Thanks to the nocturnal exploits next door at the Laverton Sports Club, we woke late and with little rest. Definitely not the plan to begin our cross-country adventure along the Great Central Road to Australia's iconic Uluru. I managed to prise Em from the tent with strong coffee and tender words, her enthusiasm waning at the thought of what lay ahead with so little sleep.
(Due to lack of inexpensive internet places along the way we've had to put the last three entries on in one go, this one should be read last)
Here we are at the end of our 25000km ride around Australia...
It has been fantastic.The last few weeks have been a bit of a blur of heaps of socialising, and increased beer, wine and food consumption (which explains why the four kilos we'd managed each to lose on our camping menus have come rudely back!) but I'll attempt to outline where we've been since I last wrote.
After an interlude to our travels, flying back to Scotland for a family wedding, we´re back on the road for part two of our adventure; South America. Having landed in Santiago, Chile and being successfully reunited with Bertha (our bike), we´re off to Argentina, hopefully in time for the HU meeting in Viedma.
Thanks to the generosity of a friend of the family we had a place to stay in Santiago; we enjoyed spending a few days there in a comfortable flat getting ready for the Big Off Part II. We were both incredibly excited; new country, new continent, and not too many firm plans.
We'd loved Easter Island, and despite what Hamish said in the last blog Tahiti was lush and green and beautiful, and full of very gorgeous big brown men with long hair and interesting tattoos, singing and playing the Ukulele. (Although maybe that's why Hame wasn't so keen?!).
(27th December)
After a couple of Asados (traditonal Argentinian grills) at our campsite on Peninsula Valdez, it was time to go.
Bruno demonstrating how to do Asado properly
Pete, Hame, Mark, beer
After a great few weeks, we finally managed to leave Ushuaia. We were experiencing an unusual phenomenon; we had a deadline to meet! Helen & Bob, Ems Mum and Stepdad, were meeting up with us in El Calafate in a couple of weeks, therefore to have sufficient time to enjoy the ride North, we had to get on the road.
We spent an excellent couple of weeks with my Mum and stepdad Bob, based in El Calafate (about 600km North of Ushuaia) in self catering cabanas near Lago (lake) Argentina. 'Cabañas Nevis' was run by a Ricardo Paterson - yep, you guessed it, another person of Scottish descent. They really do get everywhere... We enjoyed the luxury of the cabanas and took the opportunity to mend and clean various bits of kit, discovered our tent was still green under the layers of Aussie and Argentinian dust.
On April 22nd, Em and I celebrate one year on the road. It hardly seems a year has passed since we left our home, pets and possessions for the trip of a lifetime.
We've experienced some amazing lands and the roads which travel through them, the people we've had the pleasure to meet along the way making it a memorable trip. Lines on a map that become adventures, situations that become experiences, strangers who become friends.
This month it's all been about tractors!
We hung out at the Cabanas in San Rafael for another week or so, and enjoyed being with friends.
At Cabanas Calderon
We've had an adventurous past month, travelled with friends and even made a bit of headway. Irrespective of the fact it's been in the wrong direction!
Click below to read more...
Leaving Santiago the plan (I use the term loosely), was to return to Argentina and take an easterly meander towards Buenos Aires. Only it didn't quite work out that way...
Continuing on with friends Grant and Jules we explored the far North of Argentina and headed towards Bolivia.
Our trusty steeds
Sundance Kid (to Etta): Butch and me have been talking it all over. Wherever the hell Bolivia is, that's where we're off to.
(From the movie "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid", 1969)
Unfortunately it was in Bolivia that the duo met their end at the hands of the Bolivian police, after they robbed several banks.
Che Guavara was also gunned down in Bolivia, after trying to take on the capitalist system and rouse the masses.
BRAZIL!
Arriving in Brazil to Corumba's bright lights and paved streets was a stark contrast to the last 600kms of Bolivian dirt, but where was immigration? By the bus station and closed for the night. As illegal immigrants, we treated ourselves to a well earned meal and a couple of beers. Immigration could wait until morning.
Ever felt like you're going in circles...? Back to Argentina, in BA - How on earth did that happen?!
We really enjoyed Brazil, but unfortunately Bertha didn't. On the first day the bearing had gone, but as we left Brazil something far worse had broken... Read on to find out more...Atlantic Rainforest
It could have been worse...
It could have been worse I guess. After all, it was merely the drive-shaft that had disintegrated and not the gearbox as initially suspected.
Having established a replacement drive-shaft to cost in the region of US$1000 (and a five week wait) from BMW Buenos Aires, I picked myself off the floor and placed an order with a supposedly reputable dealer in the US, for half this price.
It was great to be back on the road!
Neither of us is a city person and five weeks was more than enough of BA. I love the things you can do in cities but all the noise and cars and hustle and bustle is soon far too much and I crave small town life. Colonia was the perfect place to relax and we spent a couple of days exploring the old cobbled streets and colonial architecture.
ISDE 2007
Every cloud has its silver lining as they say. Therefore our delayed departure from Buenos Aires as a result of a broken drive shaft, coincided nicely with attending this year's ISDE (International Six Day Enduro) in Chile.
Click on the link below to see all eight ISDE short movies.
We should rename our blog, "How to kill a bike" after these last few weeks.
Here we go again...
Our route so far....
Peru's version of IrnBru
Looks like anti-freeze, tastes like IrnBru, Peru's national drink was so popular that Coca Cola couldn't beat it - so they bought it. As we were shortly to find out, it is sold everywhere....
"Which way Em?"
We'd had a great time in and around Cusco, however it was time to go. The touts and package tourists were beginning to get to us, so we set off in search of tranquility.
Peru route - courtesy Peru Toursit Info and a red marker pen!
Where's the road gone?
The seasons finally caught up with us in Ecuador, with rain 28 out of the 30 days we were in the country. Just as well we bought those waterproofs!
The Peru - Ecuador border crossing was tiny; no more than a few huts and a barrier. For the first time in South America, a border guard asked us for a 'fee'. "Got a receipt?" we asked. He fuffled with some papers and looked at the floor. "No," he mumbled. "Off you go."
A busy border crossing, after a march for peace (see previous blog)
Spirits were high as the lights of Cartegena faded into the night; motoring through the submarine wall erected to defy Drake and into the open Caribbean Sea. However, the atmosphere was quick to change as a swell picked up, the boat rocking and rolling like Elvis on a good night. We had a few concerned thoughts of Bertha strapped to the aft, but after almost 48 hours of open water, we anchored in paradise, Bertha firmly attached.
The "Seeadler"
The Costa Rica - Nicaragua border crossing was pretty easy and straightforward. Hame stood in queues and attempted to find the right windows while I watched our gear and chatted to people. Some more sociable than others, I had to fend off a cheeky local boy who had his eyes on my pockets.
Isla de Ometepe
With our Houston deadline drawing ever closer, we were happy to have budgeted no less than a month for our ride through Mexico. Taking in spectacular colonial towns, exhilarating mountain roads, ancient Aztec sites and breathtaking coast lines, Mexico didn't disappoint. That's more than can be said for that final drive bearing!
Bienvenido a Mexico!
Before we knew it, we were leaving Latin America and heading to the States; the first time for both of us. We were expecting a time consuming border crossing but as we rode in under the star-spangled banner all went remarkably well. We were asked a few questions and then ... we were in. Mind you, it took me ages to fill in the immigration forms, being so used to Spanish I struggled for a while until I realised it was in English.
