A Travel Story by Daniel Shell & Jaquie Brazier
The following days were spent clambering up more waterfalls, crawling along underground tunnels, and enjoying the scenery and natural beauty of Samuc Champey.The following days were spent clambering up more waterfalls, crawling along underground tunnels, and enjoying the scenery and natural beauty of Samuc Champey.
I had a joyous morning today in Leon, going to the hospital, after being refused admittance into 2 private clinics.
We finally arrived in Antigua after driving straight past the turn off, twice! We rolled into town checked out a few hostels, then took a room in one of the few places that had all we needed, a secure spot to park the bikes, internet, and clean sheets. As ever, my budget was $10 for the room, and this was $7, nice.
Now I just had to wait for Jacquie to arrive.After one more recovery day, we were off again, to Antigua. Andy and I left the posse and rode on together.
While we were in El Salvador, there had been a military coup in Honduras...quite something, they kidnapped the president and took him to Costa Rica. America and Colombia were up in arms saying it was an illegal coup, and thousands of people were in the streets in Honduras. At this point no one knew if they were protesting his arrest, or celebrating it...only in (Central) America.While we were in El Salvador, there had been a military coup in Honduras...quite something, they kidnapped the president and took him to Costa Rica.
Our ride into El Salvador has to have been one of the most memorable rides to date. We took the coastal road, and followed the contours of the mountains, riding the winding route overlooking the Pacific to our right, with the lush mountains in turn looking over us from our left. We rode through tunnels, and on each corner were rewarded with some spectacular views.
Guillermo Terran, the owner of the Harley shop, had kindly offered to put us up in the hotel next to the shop for the night, and we had gleefully accepted, so, after arriving at the dealership, we dumped our stuff in the room and went down to meet the other Harley guys in the shopGuillermo Teran, the owner of the Harley shop, had kindly offered to put us up in the hotel next to the shop for the night, and we had gleefully accepted, so, after arriving at the dealership, we dumped our stuff in the room and went down to meet the other Harley guys in the shop.
... at last , a volcano that you could ride straight to the top of. No 4 hour hikes for this city slicker!...The next day we were up early after a great nights sleep in our air conditioned room, we gobbled up our free breakfast, and headed out to the Volcan Masaya, at last , a volcano that you could ride straight to the top of. No 4 hour hikes for this city slicker!
From San Juan, we had a short ride to the border, and when we got there, we were glad we had left early, there were hundreds of people at the border, waiting to cross. It looked like we would be here for some time.From San Juan, we had a short ride to the border, and when we got there, we were glad we had left early, there were hundreds of people at the border, waiting to cross. It looked like we would be here for some time.
And so it came to pass
that after a few days riding round Costa Rica alone and a weekend in Jaco for the world surfing championships, I returned to Samara to work at ArribaAnd so it came to pass
that after a few days riding round Costa Rica alone and a weekend in Jaco for the world surfing championships, I returned to Samara to work at Arriba, the bar I had spotted in construction on my previous visit.
I somehow found my way to the old part of the city, Casco Viejo, and after asking a couple of street vendors for Luna's Castle, I rolled up outside just after dark. I checked in, parked up, unloaded, e.mailed Tak's friend who lived in Panama City, and rinsed the sweat and dust off me in a cold showerI somehow found my way to the old part of the city, Casco Viejo, and after asking a couple of street vendors for Luna's Castle, I rolled up outside just after dark.
The Darien Gap, a stretch of dense jungle populated by drug smugglers and growers, paramilitary groups, kidnappers and gun runners prevented any sort of overland travel from Panama to South America, so my choice was either flying the bike at a cost of almost $1,000, plus a ticket for myself, or getting the bike on a boat and sailing for four days via the San Blas islands.I had deliberated over this choice for several days and had decided that sailing would be the best option, and I had picked a boat that a few of my fellow bikers had used before and had a good reputation.
After a few days of sailing round the San Blas Islands on the Stahlratte, we arrived in Cartagena. After a few days of sailing round the San Blas Islands on the Stahlratte, we arrived in Cartagena. There was a bit of hanging around while our fixer went ahead with our passports to Immigration. We then all went onshore, as we had been summoned to the Immigration office. We grabbed a couple of taxis and were in and out of Immigration in a short time. We then returned to the boat, unloaded the bikes, and then headed into Cartagena to find a hostel.
The route was another spectacular kaleidoscope of colours, mountains, valleys and gorges, I was forced to stop several times to take pictures of the breath taking scenery, but as ever, my camera never managed to capture the true beauty of what my eyes could see.The route was another spectacular kaleidoscope of colours, mountains, valleys and gorges, I was forced to stop several times to take pictures of the breath taking scenery, but as ever, my camera never managed to capture the true beauty of what my eyes could see.
As per usual, leaving the city was a task and a half. Road signs and street names were almost non-existent; my GPS, with its world map only, was about as useful as a bacon sandwich at a bar mitzvah, but eventually, by using my compass, asking several taxi drivers and following my nose, I eventually made it to the city limits. As per usual, leaving the city was a task and a half.
The route was another spectacular kaleidoscope of colours, mountains, valleys and gorges, I was forced to stop several times to take pictures of the breath taking scenery, but as ever, my camera never managed to capture the true beauty of what my eyes could see.The route was another spectacular kaleidoscope of colours, mountains, valleys and gorges, I was forced to stop several times to take pictures of the breath taking scenery, but as ever, my camera never managed to capture the true beauty of what my eyes could see.
Garth really needed a little TLC , and when I arrived in Bogota, I headed straight to the Harley dealer to book him in for some good lovin.
We had been in contact with another group of riders who were listed on Horizons, and headed straight for the Asturias bike shop in the town , where we met Jorge, the gregarious owner, and Harley rider, his wife Sory, and their French friend, Alain, who came to the shop hen Jorge phoned him to inform him of our arrival.We had been in contact with another group of riders who were listed on Horizons, and headed straight for the Asturias bike shop in the town , where we met Jorge, the gregarious owner, and Harley rider, his wife Sory, and their French friend, Alain, who came to the shop hen Jor
Our next stop was the Zona Cafetera, Colombias coffee growing region, we left the wet and cloudy Bogota behind us, and rode through even more breathtaking scenery until we reached Armenia, a short ride from SalentoOur next stop was the Zona Cafetera, Colombias coffee growing region, we left the wet and cloudy Bogota behind us, and rode through even more breathtaking scenery until we reached Armenia, a short ride from Salento.
Our first experience of Ecuador, as of any of the countries we visited, was the customs and immigration at the border. Now, this is never fun but it can be quite interesting if you get a decent customs officer who shows a little interest in the trip or the bike and is happy to get on with the sheaths of paperwork, get you processed and on your way. We set off at a reasonable hour the next day in gorgeous Colombian sunshine, but with in an hour of leaving, the skies had once again darkened, and as we neared Popayan, the heavens opened once more.
We made a rare, early start from Monpiche, eager to get settled in time for a nice afternoon laze on the beach in CanoaCANOAS
We made a rare, early start from Monpiche, eager to get settled in time for a nice afternoon laze on the beach in Canoas, and left with the early morning mist still in the air. We headed down the bumpy dirt road and back onto the Ruta Del Sol, but after an hour of riding down the Sun Route there was still no sign of the sun.