July 2006

PANAMA

The canal and what else?!
This great country has way more to offer…

I’m arrived in this mountain village Boquete.
The cool and rainy days are just great after all this heat. Walks thru Café plantations and the village are really inspiring to explore. The very friendly locals like it too when a foreigners acts like ‘normal’.
It is totally normal to do your daily needs by walking an with this temperatures it’s also not a problem.

Back at the beach the story looks right different.

With my little girlfriend I prefer to paint and ‘work’ in the shade. Walking during the afternoon is not recommended, it’s just too hot.

Thru nice rides in the countryside I reach the city.
P A N A M A . C I T Y – wow, what a surprise!!

For me it is the only real world city in Central America. Skyscrapers, Road systems, Road signs, Downtown, Save & unsafe neighborhoods, history, recreation areas……

Here I meet Hubert.

He is a 58 year old French American and is traveling with his sidecar. That we ‘crazy’ people get along isn’t really a surprise – have a look at this web page; www.thetimelessride.com

He left 3 month earlier (feb.2005) NY for his ride to the arctic circle (in winter!!) and so on… here in Panama we meet and search for a boat to Columbia.

We are cruising from harbor to harbor, talk with the port’ chiefs, Agencies, at the morning boat radio….

All the possibilities we try, to put the motorcycles and us on the same floating thing.

All the time we get the same answer, motorcycle OR you…we keep on trying.

We are hunting up to Colon, ride thru the ‘backest’ back roads where ever there is a possibility!!

After a long day of searching and riding in this poluted areas I get home really tired. The busses seems to have the octopus - syndrom, every time they when they leave there is a big black cloud, and they are gone!

In the 2nd week we get a positive answer.

There is a boat which takes us with it.

Once more we are riding to Colon where we can talk to the captain (on the pic - guy right).

His boat is a bit scary and have a look at his safety boat behind him….anyway the whole story is dubious…to bring TV’s to islands, we should get dropped with a 2nd boat off on a beach in Columbia – no port no nothing and then the prize…no. no. no

We keep on trying.

From Sport to Shrimps boat everything. Evenings we are back in Panama where we meet members of the motorcycle association.

Even when it is poring rain – we are on the way.

Put the rain gear on and we are fine till the daily evening drink at the ‘Viva el Pan' (name of the bakery – café)

And if there are some days with no rain – we find other action…with all this freaks…culinary…sights ...!?

..
Even one day at the beach brings me action – a sunburn again!
The only thing which really helps is the aloe gel.
I walk to the veggie store around the corner and get a fresh peace – cut it and put the 100% fresh gel on the burn, it will help.

At the motorcycle association of panama (APM) we get treated like members. If there is a question, not a problem – someone will try to help us. We are part of the family!!!

On one of the last July Sundays I go with an Australian couple (which are traveling on their V-stream) for a ride.

We are off to the Darien.

It is known for ‘the end of the road’.

That’s the reason we look for a boat to get to south America.

The boats of the natives Kuna are to small for a sidecar so we keep on trying.

To put everything in a plane is not ‘romantic’ at all, and we want to travel in style.

It would be a possibility, but we prefer to keep on searching.

The last July week we get from a APM member good news – he has a tanker to Columbia!
If everything finally workers out I should be at the end of the month on a little tanker thru the canal on the way to Columbia.

How the canal thing works..?

Here a example from a big tanker passing thru.

And then we can say;
Columbia we are coming!!

August 2006

PANAMA
VENEZUELA

One more I have to say
1st it comes different and
2nd as you think!

Bla bla bla…
Is the talking and promising ..?..
It seems not to should be.
First the promised boat doesn’t come and then it seems never to leave.
Once more it is Monday or Wednesday, Wednesday it is Friday, Friday –
Thursday, aso. aso.
But at the 05th of August I really see the promised boat.
It is on anchor off shore the harbor of Vaca Monte.
To see the freighter and talk to the crew I can go with a shrimp boat out there.
Mean while I know between Panama and colon every harbor and harbor master.
Here in Vaca Monte is Saky the boss.
He has 52 Fishing boats and it seems to be a little favor for him, but for us (Hubert the French and me) it is amazing.

I see the 1st time the promised boat.
That that’s all it is I have never dreamed of – seeing only once.

Also the permanent plan changing (Columbia, Ecuador…) I do not mid that much – study maps, make new routes and get it in my head.
The ‘waiting’ time I also use for exploring more of Panama.

An old fort close to Colon and other locks of the Panama Canal are on my list.
At the same day I get the information that an other boat is going to Columbia.
There are also 2 motorcyclists on board.
The absolutely ‘uneven couple’ paid for the crossing 200 USD.

Ming an interesting US-Asian and Simon a 70 year old English writer (www.simongandolfi.blogspot.com) which travels on a ‘Pizza’ scooter.

Shit not enough time for me to join, but as I know later, the crossing is everything else then recommendable. The smuggler boat goes 4 days along the coast to Columbia and drops his ‘guests’ at night somewhere at the beach.
To enter illegal a country like Columbia and the circumstances on the boat!?!
– I’m glad that I ‘missed’ it.

While I wait from day to day and week to week I try everything and –where, but nothing!

Instead of freaking out the central European way I take it easy and go with the Latino motto – tranquilo tranquilo.
In the city of Panama there is all the time something going on, in the hostel are sweet people and the members of the motorcycle club come up with some new.

Also there are fairs and festivals to visit.

But then it’s enough.
Mid month - my body strikes.
Bad pain at my upper back. The right shoulder and arm let me ‘winer’.
Night after night I can’t sleep of pain and finally I go with Moritz (german-austrian med. Student from the hostel) to the doctor – inflamed nerve at the spine.
OK – drugs.
Cortisone injections and tablets. As soon as it is a little bit better, I go with Fusae for a Sunday ride.
The road and scenery to the mountain village – El Valle – is marvelous, the road good and the market color full.




It is like socking energy and a try to kill the thirst of traveling.

On an other excursion to the island Tobago close to Panama City I enjoy an other beautiful day of exploring.
Hiking thru the jungle up to the top.
It is fantastic, far away I can see the city but myself I’m in the pure nature.

Nearly I forgot how traveling tastes – too long I’m already here.
For the end of the month I set a deadline for a boat and a crossing to South America in style.
Sooner or later I do give a damn about style, know Panama enough and go if it doesn’t work out on the last Tuesday to the Airport, put Fusae on a pallet and off we are after 2 month waiting.

But as I say fist it comes different and 2nd as you think.
The pride of some motorcycle club members make it finally possible and an Monday I get the information’s – there is a boat!
Tuesdays we really go on a board, till then I run around to do the paperwork for the motorcycle and me correct and legal.
Ciao APM (motorc. club), ciao Casa de Carmen (Hostel), ciao Central America, Ciao Panama with all his nice and crazy residents and freaks.

Leonard M is the name of the boat.
It is only a 30 meter (93ft) ‘towing’ boat which comes form Alaska to his new port in Venezuela.

The Captain Cruz and his crew call me welcome on board and so we are now 7 people.

At night we cross already the legendary Panama Canal with my Fusae on board!

8 hours takes the lake crossing and lock system part.

From the next 3 days I hardly know anything – I’m sea sick!!!!
I throw up till I hardly can move and don’t know where is up and down.

My ‘landratt’-body strikes and cramps that bad, that I cant feel my arm of pain any more.

Fusae also seems to be on the wrong place on earth, she get washed by the sea.

As we reach at the 5th day the harbor of Maracaibo / Venezuela I nearly start to cry when I see my baby – rust, all over with rust!

As soon my passport is checked and I can more or less stay – I give her a quick wash and oil Fusae. Start her up and... – Yeah, what a devil machine – she runs!
Saturday is of course everything closed and the custom papers will be done at Monday.

Adnan the new boat owner treats me minimum like a crew member.
I stay in the same hotel, eat with the guys and spend the weekend.
My body takes some more days to recover and switch back to normal.
I hope it can go on ‘normal’ with my travels.
But as you know, an other month – an other story.

For now I can only say;

South America now you have me!

September 2006

VENEZUELA
BRAZIL

Corruption,
Gran Sabana & Jungle

10 days, unbelievable 10 days it takes to rescue Fusae from custom.

The agency guys try to tell me that they deal the first time with a situation like this and all the time I hear manana manana.

What a stupid idea to travel in style from central- to South America?!

A border crossing takes normally 1 ½ hours for Fusae and me, but here 1 ½ weeks – just unbelievable.

Paperwork, waiting, more copies, waiting…..


I use the time to have a look around the nice part of this ugly city Maracaibo.

After walking just around some blocks I sweat like a pig.
For longer distances everyone takes one of this `caps` called Carritos.

This are super old, super used US-American cars which get used as collecting cabs on fix routes.
Officially there is space for 5 passengers and the driver stops where there is a need for.
Somehow this cars still run and get somehow fixed to keep them running till they are really gone.

The boys and girls from the agency also try to get out of me as much as possible.
The bill shows a far overpriced tourist price.
The corruption seems to know no borders.
After trying to discuss and bargain and paying the half of the price cash I leave the office and the following day the city.

Free – finally free!!

I can decide free, travel free, enjoy the freedom und just to be!
Yeah yeah!!!


The beautiful landscapes I just suck them up and enjoy.

At the north of the `los llanos`(Venezuelan Serengeti) I ride towards west.

The roads are mostly in first class condition and the gas is nearly free.
Only once a tank full of gas cost me 1 dollar.
Usually I pay for a tank full of super gas (around 10 – 12 lit = 3 gal) 80 cent.
So there I can talk about free gas – if I think that in Europe I can’t get a liter for the same money?

Via the interesting bridge over the Orinoco River I reach the historic city Ciudad Bolivar.
I the old part of town there are nice buildings and in one of them there in `my` posada.

This guest house has a nice court yard, good parking for Fusae and instead of sleeping in a bed I sleep in a hammock.

For my surprise I sleep better than I thought.

You know – old women and so..?..!

Fusae gets here an other oil change and I a free yellow fever vaccination.

On great roads I continue towards south.
After I saw the pictures of the worlds highest waterfalls (angel falls) not to visit them.

To get there it is only possible on a tour or for a lot of money. Both ideas I don’t like so I go and enjoy it to be independent with my sweet motorcycle.

I really enjoy it to ride thru this great landscapes.

The motorcycle travelers I meet are a welcome reason for a break. After a nice talk I love it to continue rideing with my Fusae around curves and over the hills again – so much fun! OK, some bikers are sweet and would be nice to see them again ... but as you know, a journey is full of hello's and good by's :o/

Sta. Elena at the Gran Sabana reached I let Fusae rest for 2 days.

With an four wheel drive we drive out into the prairie, to mountain Roraima.

That’s the highest of these table mountains which hangs aroound here since 2 billion years in the corner of Venezuela, Brazil and Guyana.
These cliff edged sandstone formations are typical for south Venezuela.
The name Tepui (mountain) got international adopted from the local Pemon Indians.

I saw them making flour and bread from the Yuca rote.

Of course every move was in the common relaxed way.

Close by are diamond mines and of course I had a look how they search for them.

What a job – nothing to smile – except they find a nice little rock.

I spend great days in the last corner of Venezuela before I cross at the 23rd of September the border to Brazil!

New papers (done under one hour!), new money and a new language.
Hmmmm Portuguese sounds weird in my ears, but what shells.

With the help of hand and feet’s to describe what I want and some Spanish I have a great trip on bad roads again via little villages to Manaus.

On the way I cross the Equator and I just have a little stop to take a picure.
Nothing else in this heat.
The sun stands in the zenith and there is not much of a shadow.

In Manaus I meet Stefanie (german Brazil expert), Oscar & Luis (2 older Mexicans, per Land Rover on the way to Argentina) which I knew from Panama & some other travelers.

After I found a place to stay with save parking for Fusae it is time to have a look for a boat to Porto Veljo.
I am lucky and get a ticket for this week for the same boat like Oscar & Luis.

Till we leave we have some days to check out the city.
First I thought ok, what should be different in Brazil to other Latin countries, but I found out fast.
The friendly and open way of the people is incredible, the will to help the same and the sensibility when they bother is well developed – no hassle like I had in some other countries.

Free flying Arras & Toucans and all kind of animals I can see and hear while I am riding.

The animal planet channel has a hard time to keep up with it.

Live is simply live!

Also viewed from the culinary angle I am back in a country with culture.

The rest of the culture gap I can easy fill with this great buildings and the world famous opera house of Manaus.
The city at the Amazon boomed at the beginning of the last century with the rubber production and grew mean while to a industrial city in the jungle.

How & where my trip guides me on the southern hemisphere is an other story and as ever at the end of the month here to read.

Happy jelling jungle calls from the Amazon
Henriette aka LUNA

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www.travelluna20.blogspot.com