Builds complete BJ45 rebuild start next week in Bolivia

[mailking]

I may have missed it in the thread but have you ever had any problems with the local law enforcement or locals in general?

I think 99% of the people we meet, are genuine, curious and friendly folks. In the nine years on the road now, we can count the incidents on two hands! And then often are misunderstandings or ill equipped outdated local laws, we are trying to bypass. No we must say, nothing but good people on the planet [the ones we meet anyway].

Adventurous greetings,
Coen

 

[BJ40ER]

I am a very avid reader of your thread and I really enjoy hearing about your adventures. Great thread ! :] I look forward to your next update

 

[mailking]

I am a very avid reader of your thread and I really enjoy hearing about your adventures. Great thread ! :] I look forward to your next update

And so here it is!

Down town Paramaribo. The Unesco Heritage bit on the waterfront. Very lovely for some food and drinks at the waterside.

This didn't make it on the protected list in time.

Acces to the jungle gets better every day. Is this a good thing?

This beautiful series was standing at Atjoni where the acces is to the river that brings us deep into the jungle.


Adventurous greetings,
Coen

 

[mailking]

Here some more images from the time my dad and his wife and the kids visited us in Suriname. We are making visits into the Amazon interior by dugouts. Not much roads to be explored in Suriname.

Land of smiles!

Get yourself on that boat!

Many dugouts are awaiting passengers to take them deep into the jungle. Note: beer and coke already invaded it.

Children playing in the river.

On our way to Pikin Slee.

My dad with a snake.


Adventurous greetings,
Coen

 

[mailking]

More Surinamese jungle:

Getting hot bath water for the little ones.

You don't have to play soccer to wear the jerseys.

Some seeds will do anything to protect themselves.

Great patterns.

Light is playing on the leaves.

And then it is playing with the trees.

Lost!

Karin-Marijke next to a new roof.



Adventurous greetings,
Coen

 

[crushers]

still enjoying the updates ...
thanks

 

[mailking]

As we are preparing our 3 months Amazon drive, some more images from the deep jungles of Suriname:

New Maroon art by the Totomboti group!

Fishing in the Suriname river.

The moon peaks through the trees.

Lizards in a peak-a-boo game.

"Planken" houses are the norm in Pikin Slee.

Isn't she adorable?


Adventurous greetings,
Coen

 

[OrygunCruiser]

WoW
Amazing read! I just spent the better half of my day reading this entire thread, and I have to say its the best thing on mud to date. The pictures are alive and really make for a great read. I also spent some time on the website, again very cool. I know all of us here are just drooling over where and what that trusty LC has been thru, please keep up the great work!

 

[OrygunCruiser]

Oh yeah, subscribed

 

[goneloco]

It's been a month and am looking forward to an update!

I have traveled South America from bottom to top but not Suriname. I had never heard anything good about it. Thanks so much for dispelling that rumor and making me very excited to go there as well as Guyana.

My wife is from Cochabamba Bolivia and our plans are to have our cruiser parked there and fly in and out and tour South America from our Bolivian base camp.

Cheers!

 

[mailking]

We're in the Guyana bush now. Spending time with the gold diggers. Huge old Bedford 4x4 truck all around here.

Some more images from Suriname:


More intricate wood designs.

Pasensie's guest houses

Light fighting its way out.

Rain in the jungle comes hard and heavy, even if you have a outdoor party planned.

Most people here have 2 cell phones as the competing providers don't play nicely together.


Adventurous greetings,
Coen

 

[mailking]

More on Suriname:

Table top soccer is popular during the 4 hours of light provided by the generator.

Campfire @ Pikin Slee with the captain and some bashas and the rastafaris

Me, shooting from below the waist.

Travelling the jungle in style!

Schoolboys at play in their leisure time.

Time did not sit still, grandma with a mobile phone, but still carrying her housekey around her neck.

The text says: "pretty girl"


Adventurous greetings,
Coen

 

[mailking]

We are in Manaus, Brazil. Preparing the car for our BR319 trip and the Transamazônica. Fixing brakes, handbrakes, steering and a leaking seal on the front transfercase.

In the meanwhile some more of Suriname:

The artist of the Totomboti group make furniture and art decorations from big trees.

The artist of the Totomboti group make furniture and art decorations from big trees.

The artist of the Totomboti group make furniture and art decorations from big trees.

Grils having fun posing.


Adventurous greetings,
Coen

 

[cult45]

This is the first thread I ever read on Mud - in fact that's how I found the place. I Googled BJ45 and you came up. It amazed me how you did an entire resto so far from home!

Glad to hear you're still doing the rounds. Hopefully you'll still be on the road when it's time for build #2..

 

[mailking]

This is the first thread I ever read on Mud - in fact that's how I found the place. I Googled BJ45 and you came up. It amazed me how you did an entire resto so far from home!

Glad to hear you're still doing the rounds. Hopefully you'll still be on the road when it's time for build #2..

Thanks!

Running a bit behind with images, have to catch up as we are making preparations to run the infamous BR319 in Amazonas, Brazil!


last bit of Suriname, and I will include a bit more 4x4 in the next update!

The main road in Suriname needs maintenance badly. Some parts get a real nice new coat of paint but most parts they keep patching it up like this.

A nice classic Zundapp.

Seen driving around town like this. Detail: the license plate!

Strange running lights on this 4x4...

Yesterday's drive started out with a totally flooded bypass road that we usually take. Knowing your limits is essential!


Adventurous greetings,
Coen

 

[crushers]

i do hope you know that stretch of flooded road ... looks pretty tight.

 

[antFJ]

Mighty Mighty Bosstones! right on! I wonder if he even knows who they are..

 

[mailking]

i do hope you know that stretch of flooded road ... looks pretty tight.

We know that road by hart, so it wasn't a problem!

more:

Preparing for a nice drive into the green country of Suriname. - with Rose and Dave.

Suriname received some unexpected heavy rainfall last weeks. Our bypass road into the capital has been flooded for several days now.

Buffalo spotting in green Suriname. — with Coen Wubbels and Wim Keesmaat.

Buffalo scouting in Suriname. Great day to get sunburned!


Adventurous greetings,
Coen

 

[Falco80]

Great photos as always! That Mercedes truck looks like a great setup to be travelling with.

 

[moto7man]

I don't think either that they would go and steal it. They have warehouses around town or they fly in things from the other cities or even from Iquique's [Chile] tax free zone. So that takes time. I did give an advance for a complete engine gasket kit which had to be flown in from Chile. The lady said it would be the original kit, but when I got there yesterday, it was a poor quality makeover. The lady was in tears that I refused to buy this kit and I ended up paying the courier. A hefty 5 dollars. And still no gasket kit.... :-(

So more images of last week:


Esteban is welding the back of the car [the tub is still upside down].

Tools of the trade.

I bought myself a nice repair kit for the Master Clutch Cylinder. Only 10 dollars, a bargain.

Okay, I had already bought the repair kit for the Master Clutch, then I see the cylinder has minor scratches and two little holes. So I have to buy a new one. Stupid of me not to clean them first and check it. Now the kit is in vain.

Esteban is cutting metal with the torch. Doesn't look that nice I find so I did cut a piece with the grinder to show him how I like it [right side]. So from now on, everything goes with the grinder.

The hydraulic oil cap for the power steering shows Toyoda instead of Toyota. Now isn't that strange?

Esteban and Caesar starting the engine. It has to warm up a little in order to take the compression. So diesel and a line, batteries, pre-heating and go... Flies like a jet.

The compression on the number two cylinder shows a little weak on the first try. On the second try it did a little better, but still under 20 which it said to be the limit.

Leaking a little diesel at the number four injector. So they all go to the Bosch diesel service for a cleaning and adjusting job.

Meanwhile Esteban is getting reinforcements in place under the cargo floor.

Karin-Marijke and I are checking all the wires, cleaning them, replacing bad ones and make slight improvements.

Adventurous greetings,
Coen

The spelling is not that strange, see this link,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eiji_Toyoda