Around the World in 800 Days

[Scubalong]

Next report I like to see you sky dive and scuba..............
Kidding aside, be safe and keep the story coming.

[Bgunn]

Originally Posted by flyingdutchman177

For me, it is the time I spend off the bike that makes this trip. The bike is just a means of getting there

Well said...Have to do some sight seeing out of the saddle. The exercise helps to keep "Gordo" at bay. Those volcano hikes looked like a good cardio workout...

Traveled a fair amount in Mexico, and camping isn't alway the easiest, but you found some great places.

Mucho mas por favor...

[El Explorador]

Just caught up on the last few - on my way down too, pretty impressed to see not every GeeSzer needs to five-star it the whole way down

Really though, gnarly adventure you're having and thanks for the tips for the road ahead!

[DeedsyDragon]

Sub'd. Amazing RR, totally inspiring me to succumb to my wanderlust in the next few years when I get out of college.

[flyingdutchman177]

Originally Posted by quimexa

Try to contac with your plans here so I can give U some ideas and also we can ride some places, it depends for how long you are going to spend down here and what places you want to visit.

I think my plan is to hit the beach the first couple of days on the Pacific side
Then head over to the Caribbean side.
I want to ride up the two volcanoes that you can ride up and maybe see if I can do some Whitewater kayaking.
Then head aouth to Panama
I should be there in 2 or 3 days
Any suggestions on what to see or do

[hankgs]

Originally Posted by flyingdutchman177

I think my plan is to hit the beach the first couple of days on the Pacific side
Then head over to the Caribbean side.
I want to ride up the two volcanoes that you can ride up and maybe see if I can do some Whitewater kayaking.
Then head aouth to Panama
I should be there in 2 or 3 days
Any suggestions on what to see or do

Hey Ed, I LOVE C.R., just be careful if you go on the Caribbean side... Limon and points south can be sketchy...

[flyingdutchman177]

It's official.......I hate border crossings

I did two in one day yesterday
When I crossed in to El Salvador a week ago, things went ok. I used a helper. I paid him ten bucks.
When I reached the Honduras border, a guy came up to me and he knew my name. Apparently, the guy from last week called his buddy and said I would be coming his way in about a week. First off, I forget everyones name within about five seconds from meeting them. This guy remembered. It is like we were buddies. And he was going to help me.
I handed him all my papers, my passport, drivers license, etc.......and off he went. A little while had past and I realized that this guy who I really didnt know at all had all of my papers and documents.
I started to panic.
I found him. He told me that I had some problems but he was going to get it done under the table.
He also told me that he paid 20 bucks for my visa. I tried to get my documents back from him but they were with the officials and he said to not bug them as he was working a deal.
One by one, I got the documents back from him. Some I had to pry from his hands. But once I got them, I called BS.
He got mad. He said I owed him for the money he had spent.
I told him he was a liar.
He called the police over but they didnt do anything.
I gave the guy the guy some money and said I was sorry but I didnt believe him, got on my bike and headed out. I was thinking that I would be ambushed down the road.
I got to the Nicaraguan border 2 hours later. I had no problems getting across.
they did ask for money
I told them that the CA 4 doesn't charge money
He had my passport and wasnt giving it back until I paid my 12 dollars. I said.....to hell with it.......its only 12 bucks.......my time is worth more than that.
I paid him the money and he made change from a big wad of cash from his pocket. The more honest countries, you pay the bank and get a receipt
Well, I must have had sucker written all over my face because another wanted 12 bucks too. And it is funny because they wanted dollars not Cordobas. I paid this guy too. And I was on my way
The problem at border crossings is
One......you don't have any friends. You can't trust anyone
You don't know what to believe. You don't know where to go, what stamps you need, what stamps you don't need, how much money you owe, what copies you will need, what windows to go to and what order everything needs to be done in. there is no directions anywhere. And add the......I dont know Spanish thing in to the equation, it just plain sucks
One thing I learned is to not let your documents out of tour hands and in to a helpers hands.
Dont trust anyone
If you need to pay money, just pay it. You are not going to win an argument with a guy Hilding your passport and preventing you from entering your next country

And relax
Its just part of the adventure
Have a beer later
Dig your toes in to the warm sand, enjoy the amazing view from the beach and laugh at it all.
That's what I did

[flyingdutchman177]

Originally Posted by hankgs

Hey Ed, I LOVE C.R., just be careful if you go on the Caribbean side... Limon and points south can be sketchy...

Thats where I am heading
Everyone has told me everywhere is dangerous
But so far I have only heard stories
And I have heard some good ones
Ha

[flyingdutchman177]

Originally Posted by Scubalong

Next report I like to see you sky dive and scuba..............
Kidding aside, be safe and keep the story coming.

Thats two things you probably wont see
I am not certified and dont have much interest in diving
And jumping scares Mr
Its my only fear
It took all my courage to jump off those waterfalls. But girls were doing it and I didnt want to be called a Pollo Grande

[flyingdutchman177]

Originally Posted by Bgunn

Well said...Have to do some sight seeing out of the saddle. The exercise helps to keep "Gordo" at bay. Those volcano hikes looked like a good cardio workout...

Traveled a fair amount in Mexico, and camping isn't alway the easiest, but you found some great places.

Mucho mas por favor...

I havent really looked at others RR, but I am pretty sure mine is spent with more times off the bike
For me, this is not so much a bike trip as it is a world adventure. It just that riding a motorcycle is so much fun too. And everywhere you go, you are as big of a tourist attraction as any other site in the countries I am a traveling thru

[flyingdutchman177]

Originally Posted by El Explorador

Just caught up on the last few - on my way down too, pretty impressed to see not every GeeSzer needs to five-star it the whole way down

Really though, gnarly adventure you're having and thanks for the tips for the road ahead!

Geeszer????
Gee thanks
Tonight, I am camping out in Nicaragua near an active volcano. I will be about two Miles from the smoking crater.
No one else there
Should I be worried?
Last night I stayed with a family at their ranch
More about that experience later

[flyingdutchman177]

Originally Posted by DeedsyDragon

Sub'd. Amazing RR, totally inspiring me to succumb to my wanderlust in the next few years when I get out of college.

Well that would be a good time to do it
For geeszers like me, it gets harder
You have things that hold you back like a house, job and or relationships and families
I hope you dream comes to be realized

[flyingdutchman177]

Everyone tells me BLANK is dangerous
Fill in the BLANK with any country
Its seems everywhere is dangerous
I have not seen any of that danger yet
But I am not going looking for it either
That doesnt mean I am only riding during the day and staying at fancy resorts either
Right now I am eating a nice steak dinner and then going back to my two dollar a nice camp spot
I have an armed guard outside the reataurant watching over me and my bike.
Should I be worried?
I dont think so
I think there is a lot of violence in these countries
El Salvador is probably the worst
Here are two stories I heard

A guy I met was showing the sites to some journalists. they came across a van with its drivers slumped over the door window with blood running down the side of the door. He had about 20 bullet holes in his body. Evidently, he did not pay his monthly extortion fee to the gangs and was killed.

Another guy owned a hotel resort on the beach. The mob came to him and asked him to pay thousands of dollars a month. He negotiated down to 100 a month. He was paying it every month and then the mob came to him with a proposition........if he paid 500 in advance, he would be good for 7 months. I understood that the head guy was in jail and they were trying to raise enough money to buy his way out.

Wow
I cant believe this stuff really happens
And this is all true
I only believe 5% of what I hear, but I know this to be fact.
Taxi drivers pay 25 bucks a month in El Salvador to stay alive.

Think about, our country has its problems but at least we can go to sleep at night without fear of being killed by the mob for not paying up. We kind of have the same thing but its called the IRS, but you just go to jail and work out with weights and learn new ways to do bad things from others

[Bgunn]

Originally Posted by flyingdutchman177

For geeszers like me, it gets harder

......Ride a twin also, and lifting it up gets harder.

[quimexa]

Cool!!
Pacific Beach: I can recommend you Santa Teresa, nice beach, nice surf (last year a Reef Classic was held there) and you can find a camp sites and nice hostels, ( I know u re very good with maps so....here is the waypoint from Google maps)
https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Santa...8,2.469177&z=9

Volcanoes: I strongly recommend two volcanoes (because you mention 2... hehehe)
- Arenal Volcano: the best view is going to the National Park (I don´t know if you can camp there, but who knows, the Park Rangers are very friendly and one little tent next to their house won´t hurt anybody!! The best way is to get there from Cañas then Tilaran, so you round the Arenal Lake
https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Arena...+Rica&t=m&z=10

Irazu Volcano: is the highest volcano in Costa Rica, the route to get there is amazing!! it is locate in Cartago, so you need to stay in San Jose or nearest area.
https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Iraz%...Irazu&t=m&z=13

Rafting: since you are heading to the caribbean side, you can take Pacuare Rafting or Reventazon (right now the rivers are kind of dry due to the summer, but those two are the best here) I contacted Rios Tropicales, they said that since you are driving south you can leave your bike in there Operation Center in Siquirres, so as soon the tour is over you can continue your way to the Caribbean.

Their website
http://www.riostropicales.com/advent...ewater-rafting

And this is the a waypoint where you need to turn to the right and the Operation Center is about 2 miles
https://maps.google.com/maps?q=10%C2%B0+6'52.89%22N+83%C2%B032'31.32%22W&hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=10.112739,-83.543193&spn=0.017385,0.01929&sll=10.109993,-83.538151&sspn=0.069542,0.077162&t=m&z=16

Caribbean: Puerto Viejo!!!! the best place!!!!
https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Puert...+Rica&t=m&z=13

From there you can drive to Sixaola border.

Let me know what do you think, maybe I can join u to visit the Irazu Volcano

Xavier

Originally Posted by flyingdutchman177

I think my plan is to hit the beach the first couple of days on the Pacific side
Then head over to the Caribbean side.
I want to ride up the two volcanoes that you can ride up and maybe see if I can do some Whitewater kayaking.
Then head aouth to Panama
I should be there in 2 or 3 days
Any suggestions on what to see or do