UNICEF Project, Bogota

We’ve reached our destination , Bogota, and it is UNICEF day – a day we always look forward to on these rides, because we get to get up  close and personal with a community that day in day out face the reality of survival. Last…

Final day problems

Well we are early on the road to get to Bogota and sort the end of trip stuff that has to be done. Bike storage, getting luggage cleaned and boots scrubbed for immigration and agricultural checks back into NZ. All seems well and our GPS…

A short day gets longer

We awake in a great little Spanish town of Barichara, at 2600m. We had stayed in a posada selected mainly because it could fit the bikes with-in the walls, for our night security. The small double bed touched three of the walls and when you…

Sunday morning in Pamploma, Colombia

This is a gorgeous old spanish style town. We had Saturday evening promenading with the towns folk, and even an invitation to stay with Christina , a local school teacher. Doors are open, church bells are constant and frantic, the hotels don’t have armed guards,…

Still shaking after a big day, now in Colombia

We set off early from Merida in Venezuela to wind down a great road to the valley floor. Lots of curves and an increasing number of trucks make the riding interesting and then the temperature was back up to 30 degrees as we hit the…

Chavez is Chilling

Now we’re out of Venezuela I can say it. Hugo Chavez cuts a chilling figure. Put bluntly he is inciting people to lawlessness and while we were there he was on the television telling the “poor” to occupy properties that the “:rich” own as they…

Exciting mountain road to Merida

We have cut a gentle arc across Venezuela, some great highways and many hectic, narrow truck filled roads. Pot holes and washouts are ever present so total vigilance is needed, and the use of blinkers and ¨emergency flashers¨ is as variable and unpredictable as the…

Up the Andes – Again

At last, we’re in the Andes again. It seems an age since we saw them last – indeed it was back in March, way down in Terra del Fuego where they rise out of the sea. And here we are today rejoining them at their…

Petrol -head heaven

Into Venezuela, horror stories of rip-offs and attacks are all you hear. We pull into the fuel station to fill the bikes and the extra tanks – just in case. Gareth is yelling at me, “What is a 100 worth?” “Only $NZ 20″ I tell…

Borders, frustration and fraud

We have had quite a few borders to cross this trip, and it never amazes us how some borders devise procedures that are so inefficient and frustrating. We were getting along pretty well and feeling pretty smug ,, just waiting for a fall. On the…