I arrive at Oaxaca about 1030 hrs and stop by the side of the road to read the map and immediately drop the bike onto the pavement. I manage to just pick it up just before some one comes to my aid. Locals are so friendly and helpful where I have been. On picking up the bike I strain my inside groin leg muscle and its quite sore. Next stop is Oaxaca airport which is well signposted and 25kms out of town on a brand new fast road. I manage to find an English speaking Aduna lady but there is no main office and the airport is a brand new International airport but has no Aduna office, I am told by my Aduna lady that I will have to go back to my entry state (Chiapas) and get a temporary bike import document there. She can not believe I have come so far without the correct bike documents and so comes out to see the bike and is most interested in it and the number plate! I finally leave the airport and am wished good luck as we agree it is impractical to go back now to Chiapas and I head for a toll road (Autopiste) to Puebla.
Saturday, 19 April 2008
Drop bike and pull muscle picking it up
Friday, 18 April 2008
Two more dogs attack but 2 stones stop them dead
Tonight the only food is from a road side lean too with corrugated iron roof and no side walls, beside the road. The wind is blowing, lorries hair past and then brake for the speed humps so quite noisy. I have 8 small fajitas which are very good and a coke but I am expecting another dose of Mexico belly due to the lack of standard cleanliness and on account the food has probably been kept warm for hours. Still nothing new, been there before and all helps with the diet! I give the bike the once over, chain lube, oil levels etc and do a little repacking. Today I saw 2 huge vultures ( may be condors) eating a dog kill in the middle of the road. Good views today but the sky was kind of sandy and not clear as though sand was mixed in the air which made the views less clear to see in the mountains, later it rained again. The temperature in Mexico City today is 27 degrees C. there are no international phones in Internet cafes in Mexico, Guatemala or Honduras ( unlike most previous countries) so I have been unable to phone home for ages.
Wednesday, 9 April 2008
Mexico at last (the final frontier)
A BMW R1200 GS Adventure drives passed as I am getting my Mexican entry into my passport. I go back to the boats but he is not there but I am told he is having lunch in the hotel/restaurant. I find Rudy from Boulder, Colorado and we chat about our trips as we had come from opposite directions, we both order lunch and we share experiences. He's going east and also does not know about the lack of a bridge. He gives me the low down on Mexico. I give him my Guatemala map. In the end I decide to stay here the night and share a room with Rudy in exchange for me buying supper tonight. Six more Mexican bikes arrive and many are riding 2 up ( wife's and girlfriends), they also have a GMC pick up truck for luggage and spares. The bikes are BMW's and KTM's and look new. They are all visiting the Yaxchilan ruins so are in a hurry to check into the hotel and catch a boat this afternoon. We agree to catch up later when they return.
Rudy and I go down to the boats on the river and organise his trip across for tomorrow morning. The price starts at US$ 70 + extra for labour, in the end they agree on US$50 all in the same as I had paid. That afternoon we chat and I make a plan for a route north though Mexico ( Rudy had just done). In the evening I also catch up with the Mexican group of bikers and we agree that somewhere between 13 and 16 days is realistic to get to San Diego, California.
Tuesday 18th March
Mexican style breakfast this morning and then see Rudy + BMW R1200 GS on to the boat, take lots of photo's as was not possible to get photo's of my own bike loading experience! I manage to leave the hotel by 0800 hrs and I head for the Mayan ruins of Palenque. The roads are good but again spoilt by unmarked speed ramps in every small town or village. The speed ramps mean that you have to drop to 2nd gear to pass though the village which is another pain in the back side! After getting lost for about 30 mins I arrive at the Palenque ruins site at 1200 hrs. The site is very crowded and I have to unpack my bike and carry all my luggage and bike clothes up to the main gate for safe keeping. I decide to wear shorts, Crocs and a T shirt only as its extremely hot and sunny. I have to queue for an entrance ticket and have no local currency so pay in US$4.80. The site is huge and there are too many people around ( not as large as Tikal).
I spend about 2 hours on site and get back to the bike and leave by 1430 hrs after walking and climbing miles in very hot sunny conditions. I take even more pictures of the stones and then head for San Cristobal which is a long drive though the mountains of which the last 2 hours are cold. It is now 1830 hrs and just starting to get dark, the roads are very twisty, lots of speed humps and a few pot holes and then miles of fine gravel on tarmac which I hate, so progress is slow. I then run out of fuel in the mountains and my reserve supply is not there ( some how I have already used it without knowing). Luckily I have been carrying 10 litres of fuel in Jerry cans so top up and then carry on after a short worry that I may have a blocked carb main jet. I still can not work out how I mange to used my reserve fuel!
San Cristobal is a nice small old colonial town with little streets, full of cars and people. At the 2nd bank I find an ATM and draw 3000 Peso (US$300) and spreed it around 3 wallets. I then find a hotel with a courtyard at 400 peso which is expensive but again its been a long day. I have a good hot shower and also manage to wash my smelly clothes.
I visit an Internet cafe that evening and discover I have some bad news from the UK ( no one has died) which annoys me for the next few days until I can reply with my views which then makes me feel better and I put the whole matter behind me as there is nothing I can do about it and I need to enjoy myself and remain positive. No one is going to spoil my trip of a life time which had been planned for about 5 years.
Wed 19th March
Up and pack 0700 hrs but my bike is blocked in by a car and I don't manage to leave until 0815 hrs as it takes ages to find the owner of the car. I decide I have to go and try and find the local Aduna (Customs) but after over an hour give up, buy fuel and oil and leave for Tuxtta Gutierrez (TG) about 60 kms away. TG also has an International airport so I will go there for the Aduna as it will be easy to find as all airports are well sign posted. The airport in TG is brand new and 25 kms outside town in the wrong direction. After some hassle parking, I discover the brand new international airport has no Aduna office which I just can not believe. I do mange to speak to an Aduna officer who also speaks English and she just can not believe I have got so far without any vehicle paper work . She informs me the correct procedure would be to go back to the same state in Mexico where I had entered and gain the correct paper work. She finds it so hard to believe that I have been though about 3 or 4 daily army road blocks and got his far she wants to see the bike and number plate. After some discussion she wishes me well and I leave west towards the most windy place in Central America. I was warned that I must cross this area early in the morning on a motor bike. The area is about 150 kms long and I start my crossing at 1400 hrs and of course I am the only motorbike for the whole time. The wind is not constant like Patagonia so I get blown back and forth across the road towards on coming trucks. I do however finally get across the low lying area between the two mountains ranges by 1630 hrs.
This morning I had seen 3 other motorbike travellers going the opposite way so they had crossed the area in the AM. Still it's a challenge to make things more difficult. It also rained hard for the 1st time for weeks so I had to stop and replace my jacket sleeves. It is not too cold just a little uncomfortable. After 2 hrs the rain stops and I soon dry out and warm up and then need my sunglasses again. (on my 4th pair now as always breaking them or leave than at fuel stations- they cost about US$1.50 each time). Today I am stopped twice by the army and at one stop have to unpack for a luggage search. I am however not asked for any papers today!
I continue west on the low ground and then climb up again, 1st hotel closed so find another with some help from the shop assistant in the Farmica.. Hotel 180 Pesos (US$18) and has an enclosed courtyard for the bike.
Tikal National Park and Mexico border
Woken by lorries going over the bridge at day break ( still dark) and boats buzzing up and down river. I go and collect my bike from next door and order a Guatemalan breakfast ( papaya, scrambled eggs, black stuff may be a type of rice and coffee). leave hostel by 0700 hrs and north though more mountains at 5000rpm as little traffic today, refuel at 0830 hrs for 205 local and more Coke. Good road and arrive at border of the national park at 1115 hrs. The Tikal national park is 222 sq kms and the entrance road to the centre is 17kms long. I am given an entrance ticket which is timed and I will have to hand it in at the other end as the speed limit is 45kph. So I speed and stop to take pictures. At the end there is some choices- three hotels min price US$65 per night or camping at US$5. Guess what I take- yes camping, why carry all that kit and not use it! and my 70mm air/down mattress is so comfy its often better than some cheap hotel beds. Tikal site entrance is 150 local ( US$20) for tourist but only 10 local for locals which even I in my filthy state can not pass for! Apart from the lack of Spanish lingo!
I quickly set up camp and lock all valuables into the panniers, and then set off at a quick march to the main Plaza between two huge pyramids which was very impressive and each pyramid was higher than the surrounding trees which were over 50 metres. The whole site was huge so I spend 5 and a half hours walking, and climbing any thing that stood still. I reckon I saw all there was to see ( or what had been uncovered) and of course took loads more pictures of stones! I also saw monkeys, birds and little beer like animals with long tails that came very close and were good tree climbers. I did however not see any jaguars or snakes which was a relive.
Climbing the pyramids was allowed except for a couple and gave me fantastic views over the thick jungle towards other pyramids that just popping out of the tree line. Amassing when you consider these were built between 200BC and 900 AD. Sadly the older ones were used by the Mayan to build the bigger newer ones and usually on top of the older structures.
I finally have had enough even though it is difficult to appreciate the scale of the place in such a short time, I have been stung twice by some huge bee thing (4 x the size of a UK bee) once in the chest and once on the elbow. I walk back to the 1st local inn and try to order a beer and some food but can not get any service despite going up to the bar, after what seemed like 20/30 mins I leave and go back to my tent and set my my mattress and sleeping bag before it gets dark. I then go to the 2nd inn and try to order food, but its not available until 1900 hrs so I have a couple of beers and chat to a guy from USA who's on holiday with his daughter. Later the daughter ( 20's) joins him and has just seen a spider the size of her hand on the hotel stairs. Thank goodness I have a sewn in ground sheet! My ankles are being bitten to death my mosquito's.
I put my most expensive sticker yet ( Guatemala at US$ 3.34) on the pannier to join my other collection ( these are my only souvenirs as cost little and weight nothing and make good discussion points with locals)
Most tourist on site are either local, French, German or from USA.
As time goes on I rather enjoy travelling on my own as long as each day I set myself a challenge. I now have about 15 days + a few spare to get though Mexico and I should be able to clear the border tomorrow after deciding on a final route.
Lat night I had to sleep with my IPOD as the guy in the next tent about 50 metres away snores too loud. On leaving Tikal there is a nice large lake with small town which would be worth staying at if I had more time ( I could have stayed in hind sight but knowledge is power and I didn't know that then)
I have two choices tomorrow to get to the Mexico border.
both start with 2100 kms of good tarmac followed by:
1. Gravel roads for 120 kms this side of the border and then better roads once I cross into Mexico if the maps are correct.
2. Good roads this side with short gravel roads followed by unknown roads for miles.
I opt for option 1 and finally get to the start of the 120 kms of gravel or what I think is the correct road as there are little in the way of road signs. It should take me about 2 hours to get to the border now, there is no other traffic, no signs and only farms along the way. I start to wonder why no one wants to live near the border when usually there is a quick buck to be made.
After about an hour I come across a gas ( petrol) station in the middle of know where and then an hour latter a migration office after nearly driving over a long snake crossing the gravel road. It was very long ( 1000mm) thin and fast.
I get my passport stamped for exit from Guatemala and then ask for the whereabouts of the Aduna. They look at me as if I am quite mad. There is no Aduna here as the road stops ahead at the river which is impassable, deep and fast flowing. The map just says border crossing and makes no mention of a lack of bridges. The roads though do appear on the map but are just not joined up across the river! More options, I get chatting to a group in a minibus and they can't believe I am here, they came across the river in a long canoe which holds 20 people and takes 40 minutes from the Mexico slip way down river. These canoes have 40 or 50 hp tiller steer outboard engines and I am told are certainly not big enough for bike of my size. The group from USA reckon I will have to go back for 5 or 6 hours to the northern road and even then they can not tell me whether there is a bridge there and I remember the roads may be non existent. I decide to go on the extra 2kms and check out the river for my self. It certainly is large, fast flowing, deep and there are two long narrow boats moored along side. I talk to the owners and they say for US$ 50 they will take me, my luggage and bike across to the Mexico entry point which is 40 mins down stream.
It seems the best option when you consider the option of another 6 hrs driving back from where I came. But how are we going to get that heavy bike up into the canoe? They agree to supply 4 strong guys and we will wheel and lift it into the canoe floor using the floor boards as ramps.
I agree and drive down to the waters edge and off load all luggage and panniers. I then back the bike towards the 1st ramp set up on the bow of the long boat/canoe. There is a second plank into the floor of the boat. I get off the bike and together the 5 of us man handle the bike up and down the 2 ramps and safely into the middle/front of the boat. We then load the other luggage and all get aboard and turn around in the fast flowing river, we ferry glide down stream pasted huge rocks and small whirl pools and the skipper spends most of his time on his mobile, while one crew member goes for a swim to cool off. After 40 mins passing other boats going in the opposite direction we arrive at a large beach and slip way where there are about 20 other similar boats.
Three phone calls later the ramps are put back and I have to drive the bike this time off the bow, up to the bow is OK as I can reach the sides with my feet, but then I lose all contact with the ground and have to drive down a narrow plank unable to see if my back wheel is going to stay on the ramp.. Any way we make it to the paddle beach and reload the bike and I pay my US$50. there were only 2 boats at the Guatemala end but there are at least 20 at the Mexico end. It turns out that the main trade is taking tourist from buses to the Mayan site of Yaxchilan further down stream by 40 mins. Although on the opposite bank it is part of Mexico and they are very proud of it. I get my change in Mexican Pesos and discover the exchange rate to 10:1
I drive up the slope and find the Mexican migration office, I get my passport stamped and discover there is also no Aduna here and I am told I need to go to the next large city and get the bike paper work sorted out there.
Cheap hostel in tropical paradise on waters edge
The road is excellent and fast and there appears to be no police or at least any one who cares about the speed all the traffic is doing. Every one seems to be doing 120kph when the max speed should be 80 kph. Tonight we get a nice red sunset and I've had a nice hot day which is fine as long as I can keep the air rushing though my clothes. By 1730 hrs I arrive at Rio Dulce and drive over a huge arched bridge just a bit smaller than the Saltash bridge over the river Tamar. I stop for photos even though there is meant to be no stopping, every one seems to be at the road/bridge side chatting and selling items. Below me and back on the shore nearly under the bridge where I have come from is a little back packers hostel and restaurant. The place is made of wood, standing on what looks like telegraph poles over the waters edge with a corrugated iron roof. The buildings and eating/ drinking areas are half over the rivers edge and the back is up against the trees. It looks ideal for a night. I go back and down under the bridge and find the place, its full unless I want to stay in a dormitory. I agree ( might off set what I spent last night) The dormitory is huge with about 30 bunk beds and built over the waters edge and probably full of young nymphomaniacs ( in my dreams)! I choose a top bunk over looking the water next to the shower in the corner. There is now a gentle inshore breeze so I go to the restaurant and order Nachos, beans, sour cream, cheese etc and of course a litre of cerveza. What more could any man want. Imagine Saltash sailing club right on the waters edge and over hanging the water on stilts, hot tropical sun and a gentle breeze, Caribbean music, a restaurant, beer, lime and salt and you might be close to this place. To top it all off its cheap especially considering last nights stay which came to US$ 106. There are lots of little boats bobbing about between the dorm and the restaurant, there is an Internet cafe next to the dorm.
During booking in I met a girl from Totnes who's been in the town of Antigua learning Spanish for a week. There are lots of boats going up and down the river with dodgy lights and all going fast. The slipway is next door to the bar where I am sitting watching the world go bye. I sit there considering my position and think this is the best night of the trip and all I am missing is a good woman for company ( she's the other side of the world) Its a great setting, low lights, balloons, music, good beer, water, boats in fact heaven + of course not to mention the small of 2"T" oil and outboards.
The bay is huge but smaller than Plymouth sound and there are lights all along the opposite shore. The bridge is high and huge and lit up. I have one more small beer just in time before the locals arrive by small boat and the music gets louder and more head banger in style. Off to bed before my dream is spoilt by noisy locals! The rest of the dorm is full of chatting young backpackers but never the less I drop of to sleep.
Mayan ruins of El Puente and Copan
14th March
I manage to find my way out of Tegucigalpa with surprising little difficultly, good job the compass doesn't lie. I go though Comayage and then on to Siugatepeque where I try and find a bank around the main Plaza. Its very hot again and its only 1000 hrs. the 1st ATM wont work the 2nd bank has no ATM th e3rd wont work and the 4th has no ATM. Oh dear no cash and no one hear seems to accept a credit card (up until now I have only been able to use my credit card about 6 times in three and a half months). I leave town and then manage to buy fuel on my VISA! Apparently there is an ATM 2 kms out of town at a shopping centre. I stop and after another frustrating time with the machine I discover the problem. You have to put your card in up side down, silly me for not reading the Spanish instructions or understanding the worn off drawings. I now have 2000 local currency. Roads are good except for the pot holes and the lorries and pick ups coming at you on my side of the road ( remember motor bikes don't matter, they can get out of the way! Overtaking vehicles coming towards you just continue if they see a motorbike. I am just sick to death of the shit drivers, no brake lights and no indicators and also just pull onto the highway without looking. They all need locking up!
After a minor unplanned detour I get on the correct road to Santa Rosa de Copan which is about 100kms and its only 1430 hrs now. Lunch today consists of a cheese and ham sandwich in white processed bread ( the only sandwiches in all of SA and CA!) Oh for a nice whole meal sloppy sandwich with any thing other than soapy tasteless cheese and ham.
I drive slowly west to Copan the roads are hilly and the area green but dry and the trees are not thick like I would expect a jungle to be. In fact I have seen little thick jungle yet on the whole trip. By the middle of the day it is extremely hot as soon as I stop. The temperature is pleasant before 1000 hrs and after 1600 hrs. I stop at El Puente and pay 55 local (US$5) to see a small Mayan site but it is a little disappointing. I am however the only tourist there and have two armed guards (Army) on site with me! I take lots of photos and climb all over the monuments and go inside two. I leave by 1530 hrs and drive another 60 kms to Copan. The 1st hotel has a nice sign and a long cobble drive, looks expensive and it is at US$80 a night. Stuff it, I stay, it has a jacuzzi and swimming pool and I have done 4 countries in 5 days.
I now have 4 people e-mailing me and wanting the Honda Africa Twin- so I send them all photos and hope someone will buy it before the trip finishes in three weeks time. I hear from James and he made it to Cartagena and will find a yacht to take him around to Colon.
My hotel is 2kms from the Copan ruins which open at 0800 hrs. I go for a swim, but the pools cold after the jacuzzi so i go back to the jacuzzi. I reckon to have about 4 days in Guatemala , leaving me about 18 days for Mexico. All Honduras appears to be hilly, green, dry and seems to have lots of grass. The locals burn all their rubbish and grass on the sides of the roads and in fact this is much the same in Nicaragua except there they have corrupt police! Bastards! At least in Costa Rica I was guilty of speeding!
I oil the bike chain daily unless I think I will be driving on sand or gravel roads. It makes a mess of the back of the engine but I am sure its better this than wearing out another chain set. I need to top up the oil level only if I get to do long periods at 5000rpi or 120kph on hot days. Adjusting the chain tension is difficult as the bike needs to be fully loaded with rider to check which is a bit difficult on your own. Lying in the jacuzzi tonight I can watch the milky way and shooting stars though the palm trees overhead.
I manage to replace my mobile phone fuse with a piece of silver paper and can now charge it again. Know one can tell me of the road conditions the other side of the border which is only about 12kms away, my map suggests they will be gravel. My smart hotel is called Posada real de Copan. www.posadarealdecopan.com
15th March
I see the sun rise across the jungle from my hotel room and of course take some more photos. I now have about 6MB's of photos and most seem to be landscapes, buildings and rocks! I walk to the Copan ruins and am there just as they open, pay my entrance (US$18) and have a good look a round before anyone else arrives on site. The local traders selling tourist souvenirs have not even set up yet! By 1130 hrs I'm done and it is now very hot. I have climbed all temples, hills and seen all that's possible so walk back to the hotel.
Quick check of bike and top up oil however spill loads of oil as now need a small funnel as Dave took the last one to Quito. All wheel bearings appear OK, adjusted and oiled chain last night. Have a quick wash and head off without having a swim, but not without having a nice pasta and shrimp lunch. I arrive at the border by 1230 hrs. The Honduras side is closed for lunch but after 15mins I mange to get the bike and me stamped out and hand over my bike import document. I then gain entry into Guatemala and go to the Aduna for the bike import document. I need to pay 40 local to the bank there but there closed for lunch until 1330 hrs. After a wait, more photo's, Coke and more water into my camel pack ( always amuses the locals when I top up my bike jacket with 2 litres of water) I manage to pay and get my receipt, go back to the Aduna office and get my bike import document. I give the guy there all my Costa Rica coins for his children and he is grateful and had been very helpful.
Guatemala is much the same as Honduras but roads are better and faster so I often cruise at 5000rpi of about 110/120 kph. The drivers are still mad. I stop at another Mayan site called Quirigua at 1630 hrs and it's due to close at 1700 hrs so I am allowed in FOC. Quick tour and photos, in extreme heat carrying my tank bag and bike jacket! I thought there would be a hotel here but no such luck, but guy on gate says its only 75kms to Rio Dulce. I push on to the Caribbean coast and a large inlet/river spanned by a huge bridge ( which turns out to be the largest bridge in all of Central America).
Tuesday, 8 April 2008
Honduras Entry most expensive at US$55
I go over the road to the local rough restaurant as am short of local currency and eat chicken in bread + beer of course and all for 80 local. The bike is locked behind some corrugated iron doors across the road from the hotel and I have no idea where about in town I am but expect I will find out tomorrow. The Lady running the restaurant wants to come with me on the bike to California. She chats me up and wants to know why I'm alone and did I have a wife. Yes I say and two children but there 22 and 20. Pity she says as she would come with me, we have a laugh and I go back to my hotel and wonder how am I going to find my way tomorrow.