The town of Puerto Salgar put on a parade in my honour this morning … well in my miiiind

I have no idea what the parade was about but it seemed to have something to do with school kids as they were part of the parade, perhaps it was the first day of school parade. No matter what is was it was a lovely sight to see while riding out of Puerto Salgar.

The road out of town and half the way to Guatape is a perfect motorway. This was great just what I needed the feeling that I was really getting somewhere. The other half of the road was very twisty mountain passes however this time with far far fewer trucks, so I really got to enjoy myself.  I enjoyed every bit of the ride to Guadape and the scenery got even better as did the quaint little roadside cafes. I enjoyed making conversion with the really friendly café owner where I stopped for a coke, she spoke all of 2 words of English but that plus my 3 words of Spanish worked wonders. I’m back, the adventure biker is finally back, this is what I love doing. Just me and my bike against the road, watching the world as we pass by riding through roads that are enclosed by tall trees smelling the earthy smell of damp forest floor or road kill whatever comes first. There was one stretch of road where I spotted 5 dead dogs in about 2kms and smelt a whole lot more, I don’t think Colombian dogs have learned the rules of the road. There are however enough buzzards to make short work of them. I saw hundreds circling overhead all over and thought, well at least if I died on this road my body will go to feed something not a wholly unpleasant thought. but on a more wholesome note I did see some strange things on the road …

 yup .. no idea.

 (I downloaded this off google maps just so you could get an idea of what I saw today riding into Guatape, when I could not stop to take a picture)

Our enjoyable ride was rewarded by an even more enjoyable sight once we entered Guatape.  After finding the hotel and being told must park my bike in the reception I went about trying to get my bike into the reception. This was not as easy as it sounds. The small cobbled street had a step down on a sunken sidewalk which was quite narrow and the entrance to the hotel had a step up. I could not ride my bike along the sidewalk and turn it into the hotel as the turn was too tight and I was worried my panniers would bash the narrow door, it was a VERY tight fit. So I had to enlist the help of the butcher next door much to the amusement of his wife and daughter the two of us struggled with no co-ordination between us (due to lack of using the same language) to push and pull my bike into the hotel. A small crowed had gathered and we all just ended up in tears of laugher. Who needs communication when you have sign language 🙂

This must be the cutest most colourful town I have ever seen. It is a small touristy town on the edge of a large lake. I spent the afternoon eating empanadas (what else) and drinking a coke while people watching and it was good 🙂 tomorrow I will spend the day in Guatape relaxing, reading, walking, eating and people watching.

After a hair raising ride through downtown Bogota on the back of Labardo bike, not he isn’t a good rider because he is very good. However the Bogota traffic is something out and the hundreds of motorbikes lane split left right and centre. So constantly weaving through the busy stream of traffic is normal for him … but not me. However after arriving at the bonded warehouse I felt like a kid at Christmas opening the biggest present ever … my bike. It seemed to take forever to get gadget out of the crate but Lobardo and I finally got all the screws undone and the plastic pulled off and there was my baby in perfect working order. After all the paperwork was done, petrol and SATO insurance purchased I was ready for a good night sleep and eager to head off to Puerto Salgar in the morning. I abstained from my usual dinner of empanadas to indulge in the biggest avocado I have ever eaten, it was extremely delicious and filling.

Trying to navigate my way through the Bogota traffic on a bike that felt unbelievable too heavy was another story. I was honestly quite shaky and just not all together with it. My luggage pannier sand pannier racks included comes to 55kg. Panniers and racks 10kg, 8kgs in each pannier and my bag 23kgs with extra rear tire (which will stay in Medellin for my return after the Amazon challenge tour) This all weighs less than a person and I’ve lifted people who easily weight 70kgs, but this dead top heavy weight really took some getting used to. The relay bonus is that the panniers will stay in Medellin, and my bag will go on the support truck during the tour. Thereafter things will get lighter as I start using up my supplies … and ditching those things I never should have brought in the first place 🙂 (you always find something you don’t need)

The road to Puerto Salgar is not too bad, not pristine but not bad at all. It is a very windy mountain road though with a plethora of large trucks each intent on killing each other by overtaking on double yellow lines ignoring both the no overtaking and 30km/h speed limit signs. I felt way out of my depth trying to fight for road space with these monsters. I struggled to bring myself to overtake on double yellow lines so spent most of the trip at 30 to 40km/h behind the trucks.  On the odd occasion steeling my nerves to cross those yellow markers of doom.  I was narrowly missed a number of times when trucks over taking each other in both directs had to swerve back onto my side of the road.

The trip however was not bad but the 200kms did take 5 hours, which did give me time to check out the scenery  Stunning to say the least,  the buzzards and road kill, and the very many strange road signs. Coming from South Africa I am quite used to seeing road signs for wild animals, but these were quit amusing signs for snakes, tortoises, foxes, porcupines (well I think it looked like porcupines) and anteaters I did you not J This one of the best things about travelling in a foreign country are the little idiosyncrasies.

I think I’ll live on empanadas. The highlight of my day today was finding a little street café which sold the larges scrummiest empanadas ever. But let me go back a step.

I arrived in Bogotá on Sunday without my travelling head on my shoulders, so got TOTALLY ripped off by a taxi. I walked out of the airport with my heavy bag and wanted to catch a taxi to the B&B. I saw a group of people with badges and yellow vests with taxi written on them so I asked them where I get a taxi to the B&B and gave them the B&B address. They got on a radio and there were a load of people milling around shouting and saying this B&B is too far and too expensive they have a better one… ja right I’ve heard that before … I insisted I need to go to this B&B and eventually they agreed and bundled me into a minivan saying the taxi is usd15. I argued that that was too much but they said no that is the fee take it or leave it. I stupidly took it. As the tax minivan pulled out of the airport I saw a long line of yellow small cabs. I asked the driver and he said ‘’oh no small cheap cabs not good, different company’’ uuggghhh I bet they didn’t cost usd 15. I get to the hotel which is 6 mins from the airport. Well stupid me, I should have taken 5 mins at the airport to get my travel bearings.

I was meant to collect my bike today but the stupid airline would not move it to the bonded warehouse on a Saturday. It arrived last Thursday but Friday was a public holiday. Then today they only moved it this afternoon so we can only get an appointment with the customs inspector tomorrow.  What a waste of a day as we (the agent and I) were hoping to get it out today and I had to stay at the hotel to wait for the agent to fetch me. I did however go for a long walk in the area. It was interesting, as always, to see buildings in a different country.  And the empanadas were worth it  J

I am also getting my travel head back on, having ‘’conversations’’ with the lady who runs the B&B who does not speak a single word of English, but she is so friendly and keeps feeding me coffee I don’t think I’ll sleep for a week  8)

I have been planning this trip for almost 3 years and kept promising myself that I would learn Spanish and got a couple of really good CDs. The problem is when you work 12 hour days you are just to damn exhausted to do much else, even my weekends were a bust as I was so tired I just wanted to chill, or I had a bike to fix or needed to spend time with Joern … excuses excuses but the bottom line is I never did learn Spanish and now I am sorry I didn’t. I do have a small intro course with me and have started working on that, I hope it helps.

Let’s hope tomorrow brings me good news on the bike and I can head off on Wednesday.

my baby is on the move, safe flight Gadget 🙂
Message and picture from Roddy (Motofreight): ”Your bike is currently travelling at around 800 KPH on the first leg of the journey”

15 June 2015 – Belgium Bruges to Calais

Pannier firmly in place back on my bike I head off to Bruges. What a nice surprise. I have plenty of time to spend many hours investigating this lovely city. Sitting watching a street busker who is playing tin drums and a large digery doo, very impressive. I had to have a Belgium waffle in Belgium, so found the quaintest coffee shop and ended up have a waffle and tea for lunch. I love people watching and today was just as entertaining as most. I watched a lovely family of 4 having lunch, (mom dad little girl about 4 years old and a tiny about 3 month old baby) thinking that is so sweet.  Until the little girl would not eat so threw a tantrum at mom who gave in and fed her cake just to keep her quiet. The baby then started crying and the little girl then tried to rider her tricycle in the restaurant and dad had to take her off it which resulted din another tantrum. My thoughts quickly turned from ah sweet to damn I’m glad I don’t have kids, I felt so sorry for these young parents who just wanted a nice lunch with their cute family. Fertility I had been there for a relaxing hour and very nice lunch and it was time to head off to Calais.

The ride to Calais was as boring and unexciting as Calais is, no one comes here on holiday you simply stop off in time to catch the ferry. I stayed overnight in a very boring and unexciting hotel ready to catch the ferry in the morning.

16 June 2015 – UK

The Eurotunnel could not be easier as was the ride to Epsom to drop Gadget, but not before stopping to get him a brand new set of TK80s ready for South America. Roddy (from Motofreight the company I am using for my shipping) was great, like all South Africans. Roddy took my pannier to the UK adventure bike show to drop it with Bernie from Stahlkoffer who fixed it up and posted it back to Roddy. WOW what service THANKS guys J

I now feel far more relaxed and ready for South America, after completing the biggest part of the preparation i.e. getting my bike ready and in the UK ready for shipping. All that is left is for me to pack and get on the plane on the 2^nd  August easy

14 June 2015 – Here I go, off to Luxembourg

Watching Joern as I head off to Luxembourg and he goes back to Switzerland made me sad as I always miss him when we are not together, however at the same time I feel really excited about my mini trip. I love riding on my own, as I truly feel this phenomenal sense of freedom and peace at these times.

This is just what I need, gadget and me on the motorway,  to get my head right and excited for my trip and to stop over thinking the preparation. I never listen to music when I ride rather just enjoying the peace of the road and my own thoughts, however sometimes I sing to myself or with no encouragement my mind gets stuck on a song .. today Britney spears ‘hit me baby one more time’ uuggghhh why is my head doing this to me I have been into alternative music for as long as I can remember, I really do not like Britney spears, this is nuts … okay I need to start signing ‘enter sandman’  ahhh that’s better J

Pulling into Luxembourg City I’m clearly smiling, this is turning into a rather enjoyable little trip. Lux city is really nice and I enjoyed walking through the old town seeing the stunning architecture and historic buildings.  And while I am enjoying an OJ in the city Gadget is enjoying being photographed by a bunch of Chinese tourists.

After leaving Luxembourg and riding through Belgium I get about 50km from the hotel in Nivelles I hear a loud thunk grrrrr and the bike sort of slightly swerves. I look down and it takes me a nanosecond to realise that my left side pannier is missing simply gone. I immediately pull over and stop, looking back I see my pannier lying in the middle of the motorway, cars swerving around it left and right. Uugghh shit I am terrified that a car is going to hit it and have an accident and all I could think about was thank goodness Joern or another biker were not riding behind me as they would have  hit it and had a major accident. I run back along the motorway (I think that is illegal, not sure, don’t care, need to get my pannier out of the way) I wait for a gap in the traffic and run grab my pannier and run back out … man that was hairy with the number of cars going full speed past me, I really don’t want to do that again.

I put it back and carry on slowly to the nearest motorway rest stop to assess the damage.  I look at the pannier and the brackets are fine but the lock that locks it to the pannier rack has snapped clean off.  The pannier itself is pretty dented and scraped but the integrity has not been compromised and the lid still fits perfectly … well there’s a testament to how good Stahlkoffer panniers are.  I just cannot figure out why it fell off, the motorway was pretty standard a few road works with a couple of very small bump where one type of tarmac meets another, but nothing significant enough to bump a pannier right off its rack so that the lock snaps.

I decide to fix the additional internal brackets on (screws that go through the pannier and rack at the bottom),  I had the stahlkoffer team add them to the panniers and racks for when I am riding off road, or very bad roads, in South America. They are not standard but I think I’ve shown that they should be.

Pics are of the pannier, and my toys which I threw badly while at the road in a rest stop. I am not sure what people thought of this mad red head biker woman literally throwing her stuff out of her panniers over the bike onto the grass. This was so I could get in to the bottom on the pannier to lock the inside brackets on.  I was actually most pissed off that my brand new waterproof yellow day bag is not so waterproof anymore having been slid down a motorway.

13 June 2015 – Lorraine in Lorraine

Time to take gadget to the UK ready for shipping to Bogota in August. This is the only free time I have before I fly to South Africa and then South America, so I’m making a mini trip of taking my bike to the UK far in advance of its departure date. I have lived in Europe for 20 years and have never been to Lorraine in France so Joern and I decided we’d head over for the weekend and then I’d continue on to the UK.

We rode through Lorraine today and it is a very pretty place, and as always we had a great fun time riding together.

I have also never taken the opportunity to see Luxembourg or Belgium, so I decided to do a mini trip through these two places once I leave Lorraine.

Watch this Space ….