We’ve hit the country on Independence Day – 35 years since they said goodbye to Dutch rule. It hasn’t been all (Parbo) beer and skittles since then although with a series of military coups having been the style of governance since.This was pretty well forseen by the locals with half the population fleeing to Holland […]
Although its per capita GDP is 10 times that of Guyana and 3 times that of Suriname, we figure it’s not because they are all rich in French Guyana but rather because there is such a large population of French people here running the colony and the space programme, they lift the average. Because when […]
Always been a dream to get to this island to see just what the environment was for the prisoners sent here by the French. Made famous by the book by Henri Charriere but more significantly the location where Alfred Dreyfus was imprisoned after being falsely accused of espionage for the Germans – he later was […]
Across the mouth of the Amazon, or more accurately the Amazon delta is a mere 333kms as the crow flies. But our river boat can’t be so efficient so instead it weaves its way through the most narrow of channels, crosses wide open rivers and into more channels until finally, some 36 hours and 440 […]
Truth is they started off as Pacific ocean dolphins, then the Andes got thrust up blocking their route home. So they had to adapt – which they did to freshwater permanently – and the pink is just some weird consequence of that. Anyway they’re a spectacle. And the origin of the pink? Well it’s more […]
Ever seen a motorcycle slide on its side down the road suspended solely from the rear by an aluminum pannier and at the front by a Barkbuster handlebar protector? Well I can tell you it is one of the most beautiful sights to behold – as it rotates and skids gracefully to a friction-induced halt […]
North of Forteleza the roads have deteriorated, we dodge the potholes, then try to pass trucks dodging potholes without running into oncoming trucks dodging potholes. Who needs the thrills of a rally when this is real life in Brazil. Drivers are totally courteous but they tailgate you when trying to pass, no such thing as […]
The beaches are superb all the way up this eastern coast and we’re only 6 degrees south of the equator now.The temperature difference just 10 miles inland is enormous, goes from hot to baking, so the more we can cling to the coast the cooler life is. The food is, well – South American – […]
Hard grind working our way up to Amazonia from Brasilia, which is still 3 or 4 riding days away yet. This is a very big country and pretty hot – each day’s ride is about 4-500 kms, and at 34 degrees (by 9 am) and 70-80% humidity. So you’re sweating before you even start riding. […]
Leaving Mambai in West Bahia, Brazil to start the long ride (1300kms) out to Salvador the State capital on the coast and former capital of Brazil itself (until the sugarcane industry waned), we thanked our hosts for caring for the bikes and helping with maintenance to get the machines road ready once again. Both started […]
