Day 2 more

Look on our webpage and click on the "central america" link to get to the spot adventures page. We're posting the pictures there. The beauty part is that they are tagged with gps coordinates on the map, so you can see exactly where they were taken. (Just click on the "day 2" link (or whatever day we happen to be on.)

No.10 Turkey. Close Encounters

What? Still in Turkey. Fear not dear reader - reports from the 'Axis of Evil' soon. Want to get the latest update? Email me at simongoeseast[at]yahoo.co[dot]uk and get on the mailing list.

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Cappadocia. Is there a landscape like this anywhere else on the planet? I doubt it.

Bogota

En route from Merida to Cucuta at the Colombian border and thence to Bogota, seven bridges had washed away or collapsed as a result of the same flooding that had so devastated Caracas whist I was lying low on Margarita.

Two of the crossings required getting wet, and on the last one I nearly lost it all, as I became stuck and the fast moving water, rising to my thighs, threatened to stall the engine and topple me. It certainly entertained the locals, though.

Update

I know, I know it’s been a month since I last wrote but just how many times can you write sun, beach, fun, sun, beach, fun??? I’ll try filling you in on some of the sights. First I must say I was glad to get out of San Paulo, for some reason I just didn’t enjoy this city, maybe it was because they must not sleep for more then 4 hours at a time, because out of 20 hotels that I stopped at 18 of them only rented rooms for 4 hours at a time, go figure, the other two were 5 stars and they were full. I got lucky on the 21st try and found a place to stay.

Citytrip To Singapore

Singapore is one of the most prosperous countries in the world and although it wasn’t in our planning, it seems like a good idea to visit it now that we're so close. We are looking for information on visa and entering with our own vehicle. For Belgian citizens a visa is not required and we can stay for 90 days. On the other hand, bringing the motorbike into Singapore seems less easy. First of all, the motorbike has to be insured so we go to a bank in Johor Bahru to inform about this. There they say that we must wait for permission from the head office for three to four days.

LA PAZ- BOLIVIA

3rd October 2002- La Paz

No.19. Pakistan. To the Chinese border.

After miles of desperately bad roads literally carved out of the mountain sides I was flagged down by a Police officer - another passport check - or so I thought. 'Do you want to see a snow leopard?'. Er, why not? He waved me into an walled compound and closed the wrought iron gates behind me. Odd. I realised then he wasn't dressed in Police unifom. Four other men stood around. One of the guys was washing a white van down - Jeez! He's washing out the evidence of the last tourist they sliced up and fed to the 'snow leopard'...'This is it. I'm going to be robbed!'.....

Rio Grande - Osarios 1154km

Bhutan I

Nations typically measure their success in gross national product. Bhutan is different. They measure their success in gross national happiness. I have no idea how they quantify happiness, but hey, when knowing the suicide rate among the rich you’ll have to admit that the Bhutanese ideal is inspiring. I had no doubt that I would feel happier in Bhutan (because India sucks). But it is well known that the Bhutanese are very protective of their secluded way of life, and that they limit the numbers of visitors to avoid too much outside influence.

Quetta

In Pakistan, you will always get a police escort, but we had already read on forums that it’s usually not very comforting. This is also the case with us: Two old blokes on a bike. On 50 km/h through the hot desert, we already know we won’t reach our goal for today, Dalbandin. Eventually we spend the night at the police station in Nok Kundi. This is all in all not too bad. The policemen are very friendly and welcoming. A bit glad though we took our comfortable air mattress.

Photo: Fullyloaded

We are fully loaded and ready to roll onto the next town, once we have put our helmets on of course, Mum and Mom!!
Remember, we want to sell the bike in March 2003, if interested and wanting more details, go direct to: www.horizonsunlimited.com/ubb/Forum18/HTML/000213.html

Western USA on a Harley: the trip begins

I suppose the trip started way back in September of 2004. That’s when my elder son, David, and I started talking about my dream of riding the Pacific Coast Highway from Los Angeles to San Francisco and across the Golden Gate Bridge. I don’t know where the idea had come from, but it was a journey that I had dreamed of for quite some time. Anyway, we got talking about it, egging each other on, until it gained a momentum of its own.The first plan was just the Los Angeles–San Francisco/Golden Gate Bridge–Los Angeles roundtrip, with a side trip to Yosemite thrown in.