- Thread starter
- #21
Coffee plants
The Buddy Expedition-Austin to Ushuaia!
- Thread starter ABQIRONPIG
- Start date
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Coffee plants
- Thread starter
- #22
A dude from Oregon owns this place
Playing TEJO
Packets of gunpowder
The cattle are tough, look how steep their grazing area is!!
- Thread starter
- #23
Today is our fourth day in Otavalo here at Casa La Luna Hostel and the weather is overcast and chilly, it's a nice change from steamy Colombia. We're currently at 10,000' and it's taken a few days to get acclimated but our nice friends from Holland gave me some coca leaves to brew some tea with. It definitely helps with the lethargy and headache. Looking back, I'm sure the headaches are attributed to the local rum from the night before.
The food in Ecuador is 180 degree's opposite from their neighbors from the North, Ecuadorian food is great! It's weird, how can you screw up mayo and ketchup???
We hit the art and food market and scored two huge sacks of produce for $4.00, it will go bad before we can eat it all.
Yesterday we visited Cotacachi and their leather market, it was during siesta so half the shops were closed. You hit four or five leather shops and they all start being the same.
We did do some bargaining in the square and bought our future grandson some sweet wool clothes and are dying to see him decked out like a little Ecuadorian baby!
The locals are tough, we see little old ladies and men carrying 100lb sacks of textiles on their backs with a strap around their forehead and walking hunched over. Now I know why the elders here have horrible posture.
Oh, we met a woman from Vermont today who is about to relinquish her apartment in Otavalo and we asked if we could get the landlords name so we could rent it. She will be back this evening but did mention it was kinda pricey for a two bedroom with secured parking. I asked her what "pricey" meant and she said "$180 per month....right up our alley!!!
So far, Ecuador is pretty darn good!
The couple from Holland want to sell their Mercedes 911 so they can return home after being on the road for 5 years. He wants my Landcruiser and I want his Benz....we're too far apart on monies but they are considering our offer. It's a low one, but it's also $5000 to ship it back to the USA. I've made contact with an agent who said no problem with importing it since it's a 1978. There's ton's of 26+ year old vehicles that are eligible for importing as long as the vehicle is over 25 yrs old it's ok.
Driving the Benz would end up being a savings since it's diesel and totally self contained. There's even a toilet, shower, stove, Waeco fridge/freezer, 4 batteries, 1800 watt solar system, water filtration system and more. We could be totally independent for weeks/months on end.
One of my favorite pics
Casa Del Rio in Mocoa
40% Deet is s***, fxxx that crack licker at REI that said it was all I needed...thank gawd I bought some Sawyers 98%
Finally, a real piece of carne, it was a nice change from the thin burnt meat they serve in Colombia
The Ecuador crossing was a breeze!
Looking out my s***ter
Rummed up
This trail lead to a waterfall....down into a ravine....and then down all the way to hell....hiking at 10k' gets tiring
The food in Ecuador is 180 degree's opposite from their neighbors from the North, Ecuadorian food is great! It's weird, how can you screw up mayo and ketchup???
We hit the art and food market and scored two huge sacks of produce for $4.00, it will go bad before we can eat it all.
Yesterday we visited Cotacachi and their leather market, it was during siesta so half the shops were closed. You hit four or five leather shops and they all start being the same.
We did do some bargaining in the square and bought our future grandson some sweet wool clothes and are dying to see him decked out like a little Ecuadorian baby!
The locals are tough, we see little old ladies and men carrying 100lb sacks of textiles on their backs with a strap around their forehead and walking hunched over. Now I know why the elders here have horrible posture.
Oh, we met a woman from Vermont today who is about to relinquish her apartment in Otavalo and we asked if we could get the landlords name so we could rent it. She will be back this evening but did mention it was kinda pricey for a two bedroom with secured parking. I asked her what "pricey" meant and she said "$180 per month....right up our alley!!!
So far, Ecuador is pretty darn good!
The couple from Holland want to sell their Mercedes 911 so they can return home after being on the road for 5 years. He wants my Landcruiser and I want his Benz....we're too far apart on monies but they are considering our offer. It's a low one, but it's also $5000 to ship it back to the USA. I've made contact with an agent who said no problem with importing it since it's a 1978. There's ton's of 26+ year old vehicles that are eligible for importing as long as the vehicle is over 25 yrs old it's ok.
Driving the Benz would end up being a savings since it's diesel and totally self contained. There's even a toilet, shower, stove, Waeco fridge/freezer, 4 batteries, 1800 watt solar system, water filtration system and more. We could be totally independent for weeks/months on end.
One of my favorite pics
Casa Del Rio in Mocoa
40% Deet is s***, fxxx that crack licker at REI that said it was all I needed...thank gawd I bought some Sawyers 98%
Finally, a real piece of carne, it was a nice change from the thin burnt meat they serve in Colombia
The Ecuador crossing was a breeze!
Looking out my s***ter
Rummed up
This trail lead to a waterfall....down into a ravine....and then down all the way to hell....hiking at 10k' gets tiring
- Thread starter
- #24
http://i1116.photobucket.com/albums/k563/ADVENTURESPORTRIDER/20130617_141647.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
sketchy bridge, the penalty for failure is death, so we didn't cross and get right up on the falls
WE WANT BAD
IT DWARFS JOSEY
Market in Otavalo
WTF?
They follow the owner with the chicks in a cage
sketchy bridge, the penalty for failure is death, so we didn't cross and get right up on the falls
WE WANT BAD
IT DWARFS JOSEY
Market in Otavalo
WTF?
They follow the owner with the chicks in a cage
- Thread starter
- #25
Well, talk about change, we're buying this rig to finish our trip!
If you hit Brazil in your travels and need some help or advice hit me up. I have friends all over and family in Northern Brazil, and I speak the language. I think your trip is awesome. It's something my wife and I have dreamed of doing. Just have to get the last rugrat out of the house. Eli
- Thread starter
- #27
Gracias amigo, I think we're heading down the West coast until the Dakar, then ship from Chile to Baja.....too many miles, not enough time.......or money!
- Thread starter
- #28
I think I'll ramble on a bit and give you an insight into our daily activities. We start the day just like most folks do, wake up, make coffee and really that's about it as far as normal day to day stuff. I inspect Uma before we depart to another destination, check the oil, tires, etc...we have to batten down everything prior to departure especially since we are in some remote places with poor road conditions.
Daily we move things around, open storage bins, look for toiletries, spare contacts, DEET, Band-Aids, etc....it's a lot of repetition of opening and shutting drawers and stowing things away.
We check our house and truck batteries, clean the solar panels, empty the Thetford (toilet waste), check our water supply and then begin the process of deciding our next destination. This usually requires some reading, checking the internet and our best source, The Lonely Planet guide books. We left Playas and headed to the mountains, 13,000 feet and the temp went from 85 to 35 in a matter of hours.
Sometimes if we're driving in the mountains too long and it gets dark, I'll find a restaurant or tienda and ask if I can park in their lot for the night, so far we've never been turned away, especially when your offer a fiver as compensation! The quarters in here are snug, just like on a boat but we do have everything we need to stay remote for weeks.
Viv usually cooks and I drive, navigate and other things like deal with finding diesel and chatting with locals about places to stay and whether or not they are safe. So far, we've had zero unsafe experiences or bad dealings with anyone, other than an occasional finger pointed at unruly drivers in downtown areas or unsafe bus drivers passing me in a corner on a two lane.
I have stopped eating local fare and we prepare our own meals on a daily basis. Last night we had Deviled Ham and brie sammies with pita chips and tonight it's chicken fried chicken strips, cream gravy, bbq sauce, brie mashed potatoes and asparagus....you heard right, chicken fried chicken. You can take the man out of the states but you can't take the states out of the man!
My gut still isn't right, so I started another regiment of Cipro, surely if I stopped the rum and guanabana juice that would probably help but I guess I'll never know! :>)
Cabin fever does exist, I can tell you from experience. Whenever we start bickering, its usually due to one of two things....we've been somewhere too long or we're hungry. We started stopping at more local/tourist areas to experience the indigenous ways of whatever area we're in.
For instance, a few days ago we needed to shower so we stopped at some hot springs in St. Vicente to relax and clean up and what a nice change of pace. Next we headed to Parc Nacional Cajas but at 13,000 feet we we're too lethargic to do anything so we headed to Cuenca and the Ingapirca Ruins to do some walking and get the blood flowing.
We'll stay in Cuenca for a few days then head South and eventually cross into Peru in a week or three.
Overlanding is a blast but it is work.....I wish I could do this forever!!!!
Daily we move things around, open storage bins, look for toiletries, spare contacts, DEET, Band-Aids, etc....it's a lot of repetition of opening and shutting drawers and stowing things away.
We check our house and truck batteries, clean the solar panels, empty the Thetford (toilet waste), check our water supply and then begin the process of deciding our next destination. This usually requires some reading, checking the internet and our best source, The Lonely Planet guide books. We left Playas and headed to the mountains, 13,000 feet and the temp went from 85 to 35 in a matter of hours.
Sometimes if we're driving in the mountains too long and it gets dark, I'll find a restaurant or tienda and ask if I can park in their lot for the night, so far we've never been turned away, especially when your offer a fiver as compensation! The quarters in here are snug, just like on a boat but we do have everything we need to stay remote for weeks.
Viv usually cooks and I drive, navigate and other things like deal with finding diesel and chatting with locals about places to stay and whether or not they are safe. So far, we've had zero unsafe experiences or bad dealings with anyone, other than an occasional finger pointed at unruly drivers in downtown areas or unsafe bus drivers passing me in a corner on a two lane.
I have stopped eating local fare and we prepare our own meals on a daily basis. Last night we had Deviled Ham and brie sammies with pita chips and tonight it's chicken fried chicken strips, cream gravy, bbq sauce, brie mashed potatoes and asparagus....you heard right, chicken fried chicken. You can take the man out of the states but you can't take the states out of the man!
My gut still isn't right, so I started another regiment of Cipro, surely if I stopped the rum and guanabana juice that would probably help but I guess I'll never know! :>)
Cabin fever does exist, I can tell you from experience. Whenever we start bickering, its usually due to one of two things....we've been somewhere too long or we're hungry. We started stopping at more local/tourist areas to experience the indigenous ways of whatever area we're in.
For instance, a few days ago we needed to shower so we stopped at some hot springs in St. Vicente to relax and clean up and what a nice change of pace. Next we headed to Parc Nacional Cajas but at 13,000 feet we we're too lethargic to do anything so we headed to Cuenca and the Ingapirca Ruins to do some walking and get the blood flowing.
We'll stay in Cuenca for a few days then head South and eventually cross into Peru in a week or three.
Overlanding is a blast but it is work.....I wish I could do this forever!!!!
- Thread starter
- #29
Many folks have asked why did I chose this time of year, the lack of people is the answer
Our friends, Tom and Brook in a Subaru engined VW Synchro 4x4
Juice, looking out my door
Uma attracts every overlander we see...
A pair of boobies for Rocky
Frigate birds, thieving cunts can't even fish they steal from the boobies
Isla de la Plata
I love these guys and their funky dance
Sea turtle
Our friends, Tom and Brook in a Subaru engined VW Synchro 4x4
Juice, looking out my door
Uma attracts every overlander we see...
A pair of boobies for Rocky
Frigate birds, thieving cunts can't even fish they steal from the boobies
Isla de la Plata
I love these guys and their funky dance
Sea turtle
- Thread starter
- #30
Today was a real test of our patience not being 100% fluent in Español. Try locating parts when you don't know the language!!
We blew a 24v to 12v converter so we were without lights in our dining area for 2 days until we could round one up; I bought two!!
(I'd like to thank Joe Bishop, my electrical trades teacher from 1981-1983 for all he taught me.)
We also are in the process of remodeling our rig, pics coming soon. We are having an armoire custom built with some exotic hardwood from the Amazon, LED lighting to replace the halogeon fixtures, there's new paint coming inside and out, upholstery and new windows. We're also having a new storage drawer built that will eliminate our suitcases which currently reside in our salon area, that's why we haven't posted pics of the inside yet. There's also a new seating/entertainment area being designed by us to accommodate 4-6 guests complete with a new sound system and 40" flat screen TV. Most likely the TV will have to wait until we get back in the States due to cost.
The weather here is nice but the overcast, mist and lack of el sol is wearing on us, we need to roll on to Peru for a change of scenery. We've been constantly tinkering, changing, upgrading and doing maintenance to stay busy. We needed to refill our water supply tank today so I decided to carry all 50 gallons (10x5 gallon NATO water cans) just for the hell of it.
We had some water leakage that was evident when we bought the truck so I rebuilt the Shurflo 24 volt pump and now the compartment is dry as a bone. I am in the middle of sourcing replacements for our 24v sink pump and 12v drinking water pump just to have spares.
We've been eating like Vikings as Viv has made some epic meals that include the following:
Chicken Florentine (pounded chicken flat, rolled up spinach and feta) and rice
Chili cheese dogs
Sautéed pork medallions, carrots, mashed potatoes with cream gravy (bacon renderings used)
Fried chicken, fries and bbq sauce ( I couldn't eat more than 4-5 fries)
Fettuccini Alfredo with Italian meatballs and Brussel sprouts
And tonight is chicken curry, steamed veggies and rice!!!
Lunch consists of some horrible quality ham sammies with some decent cheddar cheese, usually grilled or chicken breast sammies with feta. On occasion when we have some extra money we eat out at gringo places and usually have a cheeseburger.
Things we miss the most:
Family (#1)
Friends
BEEF, BEEF AND MORE BEEF!
Eckrich Sausage
Wrights bacon
2nd Amendment
Ease of finding any damn thing you want!
Things we don't miss:
Our messed up government and politics!! Why we can't all unite is beyond me.
$4.00+ per gallon diesel ($1.03 here in Ecuador)
RULES, RULES AND RULES! Driving here is a trip, you can do what you need to do as parking is rare. If you need a cajero automatico, just stop, get out, run up and get some cash!!!
Drugs, there are no junkies, druggies or violence, it's pretty damn tranquilo here.
One reason is the big pharma companies haven't infiltrated this place yet, so everyone is pretty healthy and happy!!
Oh, one more thing, my hair is resting comfortably on my shoulders and I don't care......yes, I'll cut it when I return, it should be half way down my back by then so I can donate it to Locks of Love.
We blew a 24v to 12v converter so we were without lights in our dining area for 2 days until we could round one up; I bought two!!
(I'd like to thank Joe Bishop, my electrical trades teacher from 1981-1983 for all he taught me.)
We also are in the process of remodeling our rig, pics coming soon. We are having an armoire custom built with some exotic hardwood from the Amazon, LED lighting to replace the halogeon fixtures, there's new paint coming inside and out, upholstery and new windows. We're also having a new storage drawer built that will eliminate our suitcases which currently reside in our salon area, that's why we haven't posted pics of the inside yet. There's also a new seating/entertainment area being designed by us to accommodate 4-6 guests complete with a new sound system and 40" flat screen TV. Most likely the TV will have to wait until we get back in the States due to cost.
The weather here is nice but the overcast, mist and lack of el sol is wearing on us, we need to roll on to Peru for a change of scenery. We've been constantly tinkering, changing, upgrading and doing maintenance to stay busy. We needed to refill our water supply tank today so I decided to carry all 50 gallons (10x5 gallon NATO water cans) just for the hell of it.
We had some water leakage that was evident when we bought the truck so I rebuilt the Shurflo 24 volt pump and now the compartment is dry as a bone. I am in the middle of sourcing replacements for our 24v sink pump and 12v drinking water pump just to have spares.
We've been eating like Vikings as Viv has made some epic meals that include the following:
Chicken Florentine (pounded chicken flat, rolled up spinach and feta) and rice
Chili cheese dogs
Sautéed pork medallions, carrots, mashed potatoes with cream gravy (bacon renderings used)
Fried chicken, fries and bbq sauce ( I couldn't eat more than 4-5 fries)
Fettuccini Alfredo with Italian meatballs and Brussel sprouts
And tonight is chicken curry, steamed veggies and rice!!!
Lunch consists of some horrible quality ham sammies with some decent cheddar cheese, usually grilled or chicken breast sammies with feta. On occasion when we have some extra money we eat out at gringo places and usually have a cheeseburger.
Things we miss the most:
Family (#1)
Friends
BEEF, BEEF AND MORE BEEF!
Eckrich Sausage
Wrights bacon
2nd Amendment
Ease of finding any damn thing you want!
Things we don't miss:
Our messed up government and politics!! Why we can't all unite is beyond me.
$4.00+ per gallon diesel ($1.03 here in Ecuador)
RULES, RULES AND RULES! Driving here is a trip, you can do what you need to do as parking is rare. If you need a cajero automatico, just stop, get out, run up and get some cash!!!
Drugs, there are no junkies, druggies or violence, it's pretty damn tranquilo here.
One reason is the big pharma companies haven't infiltrated this place yet, so everyone is pretty healthy and happy!!
Oh, one more thing, my hair is resting comfortably on my shoulders and I don't care......yes, I'll cut it when I return, it should be half way down my back by then so I can donate it to Locks of Love.
- Thread starter
- #31
Well, we're in Peru and I must say it was the easiest, most pleasant experience we've ever had dealing with a foreign government! It's weird how when you cross a border it's like changing the channel on your TV, even the scenery changes rapidly.
There are little things some wouldn't notice like the vehicles, people, housing, etc..one thing we noticed right away was how cheap name brand liquor is. For instance, we don't buy name brand stuff due to the high cost, especially in Colombia and Ecuador, however, Peru the cost of a fifth of Bacardi was $7 which would normally cost $40 in Ecuador.
Last night we stayed in Mancora and parked at a hostel with WIFI, security, bathrooms with showers and a swimming pool for $10 SOLS ($3.89 USD).
We had a wonderful time in Ecuador and so far it's been the highlight of our trip, but I feel the further we travel South, the better it will be, especially Patagonia....we are craving some Argentine beef and Malbec!!
Viv has been cooking up a storm and we've been eating very well. It took some time to get into our groove of what to buy, especially when it comes to meat. We stayed in Puyango Ecuador for a few days and they had a wonderful river that looked so inviting, however it was very toxic and had large amounts of mercury and arsenic in it.
What was surprising is that a farmer was pumping water out of it to feed to his pigs and water his garden.....yeah, we ate our own food while we were there!!
One thing we don't like about Peru is the high cost of diesel, about $4.50 per gallon so I'm glad we topped off in Ecuador for $1.03 per gallon. We should be able to make it most of the way through Peru to Chile. Once we get to Argentina, in the South the government subsidizes the fuel, so we'll be watching our spending until then.
I'm getting a few messages from folks wanting to know more about UMA, so I'm starting a bio on her with pictures of her features and functions. Since we haven't had very good internet, it's taking some time, but please check back for the photo album titled "UMA'S Bio".
I think we're going to love Peru!
There are little things some wouldn't notice like the vehicles, people, housing, etc..one thing we noticed right away was how cheap name brand liquor is. For instance, we don't buy name brand stuff due to the high cost, especially in Colombia and Ecuador, however, Peru the cost of a fifth of Bacardi was $7 which would normally cost $40 in Ecuador.
Last night we stayed in Mancora and parked at a hostel with WIFI, security, bathrooms with showers and a swimming pool for $10 SOLS ($3.89 USD).
We had a wonderful time in Ecuador and so far it's been the highlight of our trip, but I feel the further we travel South, the better it will be, especially Patagonia....we are craving some Argentine beef and Malbec!!
Viv has been cooking up a storm and we've been eating very well. It took some time to get into our groove of what to buy, especially when it comes to meat. We stayed in Puyango Ecuador for a few days and they had a wonderful river that looked so inviting, however it was very toxic and had large amounts of mercury and arsenic in it.
What was surprising is that a farmer was pumping water out of it to feed to his pigs and water his garden.....yeah, we ate our own food while we were there!!
One thing we don't like about Peru is the high cost of diesel, about $4.50 per gallon so I'm glad we topped off in Ecuador for $1.03 per gallon. We should be able to make it most of the way through Peru to Chile. Once we get to Argentina, in the South the government subsidizes the fuel, so we'll be watching our spending until then.
I'm getting a few messages from folks wanting to know more about UMA, so I'm starting a bio on her with pictures of her features and functions. Since we haven't had very good internet, it's taking some time, but please check back for the photo album titled "UMA'S Bio".
I think we're going to love Peru!
- Thread starter
- #32
Here's some interesting factoids of our 4 months on the road:
Condos/Hotels/Hostels stayed in- 37 days, a majority was in Cartagena waiting on our Landcruiser.
Miles traveled-3207
Passport stamps-3
Cops wanting bribes- 0
Unfriendly people we've met- 0
Cheapest fuel (Ecuador)- $1.03
Most expensive fuel (Colombia)-$4.77
Bouts of illness (days)-3
Best street food- Taganga, Colombia had awesome empanadas!!
Hungry dogs fed- 90 (est)
Dogs loved on- 100's
Prettiest beaches- Peru
Coldest night- Parque Nacional Cajas-31F
Highest road traveled-Andes, 14,000'
Longest stay-Cuenca, 3 weeks
Gnarliest road traveled- Ecuador, between Pasto and Macoa, we call it the "The Death Road 2.0"
Cheapest drinks- Montanitas, Ecuador liquor alley has 40+ liquor stands and they all claim to have the stiffest drinks!!!
Worst food- Playas, Ecuador, a family owned cevecheria served me a bowl of crab marinero that put me down for 3 days.
Best food- Viv cooked chicken fried chicken, cream gravy and mashed potatoes with steamed greens....or it could've been any one of her awesome dishes, I've lost count.
Best grocery store- Super Maxi in Ecuador, they had PACE Picante Sauce, Doritos, refried beans and Cheez Whiz!!!
Weirdest place we camped at- a parking lot of a tienda in the Andes
Our favorite towns in Colombia- Cali and Salento
Our favorite towns in Ecuador- Otavalo and Cuenca
Best products we brought on the trip- Dewalt 20v lithium Ion drill, Gerber "Rex Applegate" Edition knife w/sheath, 3 IPODS w/4k songs, 2 portable chairs, Toshiba laptop, YETI Cooler, dual 12v lighter adapter (to power the GPS and IPODS simultaneously), Garmin 2555LMT GPS and our Endless Breeze 12v fan!!!!!
Condos/Hotels/Hostels stayed in- 37 days, a majority was in Cartagena waiting on our Landcruiser.
Miles traveled-3207
Passport stamps-3
Cops wanting bribes- 0
Unfriendly people we've met- 0
Cheapest fuel (Ecuador)- $1.03
Most expensive fuel (Colombia)-$4.77
Bouts of illness (days)-3
Best street food- Taganga, Colombia had awesome empanadas!!
Hungry dogs fed- 90 (est)
Dogs loved on- 100's
Prettiest beaches- Peru
Coldest night- Parque Nacional Cajas-31F
Highest road traveled-Andes, 14,000'
Longest stay-Cuenca, 3 weeks
Gnarliest road traveled- Ecuador, between Pasto and Macoa, we call it the "The Death Road 2.0"
Cheapest drinks- Montanitas, Ecuador liquor alley has 40+ liquor stands and they all claim to have the stiffest drinks!!!
Worst food- Playas, Ecuador, a family owned cevecheria served me a bowl of crab marinero that put me down for 3 days.
Best food- Viv cooked chicken fried chicken, cream gravy and mashed potatoes with steamed greens....or it could've been any one of her awesome dishes, I've lost count.
Best grocery store- Super Maxi in Ecuador, they had PACE Picante Sauce, Doritos, refried beans and Cheez Whiz!!!
Weirdest place we camped at- a parking lot of a tienda in the Andes
Our favorite towns in Colombia- Cali and Salento
Our favorite towns in Ecuador- Otavalo and Cuenca
Best products we brought on the trip- Dewalt 20v lithium Ion drill, Gerber "Rex Applegate" Edition knife w/sheath, 3 IPODS w/4k songs, 2 portable chairs, Toshiba laptop, YETI Cooler, dual 12v lighter adapter (to power the GPS and IPODS simultaneously), Garmin 2555LMT GPS and our Endless Breeze 12v fan!!!!!
- Thread starter
- #33
When we landed in Cartagena Colombia we were both horrified from the minute we left the security of the airport and jumped into a taxi without a meter. Lonely Planet will tell you never, ever get in a taxi without a meter because you will most likely get robbed or worse.
We stayed in the nicest place in Cartagena waiting on our vehicle and across the street was a bakery that smelled soooo lovely in the morning. However, I was very apprehensive about walking over there and buying some bread for a few reasons, mostly out of fear.
Once you realize 99% of all people are just like you and that a smile goes a long way, your fears subside and your comfort and confidence go way up. Yes, I carry two knives for protection, both well hidden as not to intimidate anyone but the only times I have brandished it was to pop a beer cap off! We also have a PLB (personal locater beacon) by Delorme called INREACH. It allows tracking of your every move, text messages and a SOS function that sends the cavalry if you get into a life or death situation; we don't even turn it on anymore.
We meet a lot of foreigners, many from Germany and they all tell me that they see the fewest Americans while traveling. They always mention we're unusual or different because most gringos never leave the country and the one's that do definitely don't travel in their own vehicle.
I guess the point of this rant is to put your fears aside and get out there and see the world, it can be a beautiful and cruel place, but one worth seeing and I'm fortunate that we're able to do this.
http://www.buzzfeed.com/alannaokun/quotes-about-travel
We stayed in the nicest place in Cartagena waiting on our vehicle and across the street was a bakery that smelled soooo lovely in the morning. However, I was very apprehensive about walking over there and buying some bread for a few reasons, mostly out of fear.
Once you realize 99% of all people are just like you and that a smile goes a long way, your fears subside and your comfort and confidence go way up. Yes, I carry two knives for protection, both well hidden as not to intimidate anyone but the only times I have brandished it was to pop a beer cap off! We also have a PLB (personal locater beacon) by Delorme called INREACH. It allows tracking of your every move, text messages and a SOS function that sends the cavalry if you get into a life or death situation; we don't even turn it on anymore.
We meet a lot of foreigners, many from Germany and they all tell me that they see the fewest Americans while traveling. They always mention we're unusual or different because most gringos never leave the country and the one's that do definitely don't travel in their own vehicle.
I guess the point of this rant is to put your fears aside and get out there and see the world, it can be a beautiful and cruel place, but one worth seeing and I'm fortunate that we're able to do this.
http://www.buzzfeed.com/alannaokun/quotes-about-travel
- Thread starter
- #34
Every country has different propane bottles so I started buying just the regulators and filling my own bottles
Stuff for our remodel of UMA
Tony the dog taunting our stray kitty....btw, the kitty wins every time
It's sad when every vehicle you see you say, "that would make a great overland rig"
Peru is getting more modern as we travel South...
Our home in Huanchaco for the next month
Tommy the tortoise
Peacocks too
Pimental Peru, some dude built some pyramids at his hostel
Deserted beach, of course it's Winter here
Another satisfied stray with a full belly
Not all of our campsites are glamorous
Stuff for our remodel of UMA
Tony the dog taunting our stray kitty....btw, the kitty wins every time
It's sad when every vehicle you see you say, "that would make a great overland rig"
Peru is getting more modern as we travel South...
Our home in Huanchaco for the next month
Tommy the tortoise
Peacocks too
Pimental Peru, some dude built some pyramids at his hostel
Deserted beach, of course it's Winter here
Another satisfied stray with a full belly
Not all of our campsites are glamorous
- Thread starter
- #35
Chiclayo Peru was like Afghanistan or some bombed out country
D.O.T....what's that??
Truck envy, these folks are from Holland and just bought this GLOBAL EXPEDITION VEHICLE
Eating home cooking, chicken strips with bbq sauce, greens and carrots....the local food isn't that tasty
One of the most valuable options on our truck
Riding in a Tuk Tuk
The local kids are quite curious about us and our truck
Puyango Ecuador, sketchy bridge crossing
Heading into the bush in Southern Ecuador
Bananas, we got 'em
D.O.T....what's that??
Truck envy, these folks are from Holland and just bought this GLOBAL EXPEDITION VEHICLE
Eating home cooking, chicken strips with bbq sauce, greens and carrots....the local food isn't that tasty
One of the most valuable options on our truck
Riding in a Tuk Tuk
The local kids are quite curious about us and our truck
Puyango Ecuador, sketchy bridge crossing
Heading into the bush in Southern Ecuador
Bananas, we got 'em
- Thread starter
- #36
Machalla Ecuador
Traffic, narrow streets and loco Ecuadorians make for an awesome time...
Camping in the town square in Esmereldas
Uma crawling up 18% grades in the Andes
Clean laundry and hot showers are a luxury at times
You know you've stayed too long when you've trampled the grass to death
Our new drawer totally made a difference here, now we can stow our suitcases on the roof instead of having them in our salon
Traffic, narrow streets and loco Ecuadorians make for an awesome time...
Camping in the town square in Esmereldas
Uma crawling up 18% grades in the Andes
Clean laundry and hot showers are a luxury at times
You know you've stayed too long when you've trampled the grass to death
Our new drawer totally made a difference here, now we can stow our suitcases on the roof instead of having them in our salon
- Thread starter
- #37
When we left the El Brujo ruins, we headed straight to Huaraz, the long way. We ended up doing a lot of off road to reach our destination only to discover it wasn't quite what we were looking for.
We broke one of our rules, we drove at night on a sometimes single lane road through tunnels and sheer drop offs. At one point we met a large dump truck but fortunately there was a pull out for him as we were half way through the tunnel. After several hours of night driving, we came upon an encampment at a hidroelectrica (Spanish spelling)project and they allowed us to camp in their parking lot.
Since Huaraz was a bust we decided to hit Chavin and do some hiking, however after spending only one night at 4500', the next three days were shear agony due to altitude sickness (15,000). It's amazing the difference between 10k and 15k, it was so uncomfortable we laid in bed watching movies on getting up occasionally for water and a bathroom break.
The views were spectacular as were the sheep wranglers and sparse vegetation. After a while we decided it was best to head back down to sea level and the road we were on allowed us to basically coast for 46 miles!!
We reached the town of Barranca and decided to keep going only to pass by a small sign that offered camping, so we turned and found a little slice of paradise called Albufera de Medio Mundo.
The first night there was a group of college kids having a campout with their teachers and a huge bonfire to which we were invited to. The next day all of them wanted pictures of us as I think they thought we had something to do with the Dakar Rally.
After they left it was totally serene, not a soul in sight other than the manager, Pedro, who caught tilapia in the fresh water lake for lunch that he served us. We decided to invite him and his son for a true home cooked meal of bbq chicken, bbq pork, beef, coleslaw, potato salad and cole slaw. They must've liked it because there was hardly enough scraps for the dogs and cats that we befriended
After a week of lounging around there, we headed to Lima and found The Hitchhikers Hostel in Miraflores and I must say, this place is awesome. It's a cross between NYC, Dallas and San Francisco with some excellent restaurants, museums and architecture.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lady_of_Cao
Sketchy bridge # 354
Camping at 15,000'
GOT COAL??
Cordillera Blanco
There's a ton more on our FB page, THE BUDDY EXPEDITION....take the foil hats off, I promise Obama won't see you :>)
We broke one of our rules, we drove at night on a sometimes single lane road through tunnels and sheer drop offs. At one point we met a large dump truck but fortunately there was a pull out for him as we were half way through the tunnel. After several hours of night driving, we came upon an encampment at a hidroelectrica (Spanish spelling)project and they allowed us to camp in their parking lot.
Since Huaraz was a bust we decided to hit Chavin and do some hiking, however after spending only one night at 4500', the next three days were shear agony due to altitude sickness (15,000). It's amazing the difference between 10k and 15k, it was so uncomfortable we laid in bed watching movies on getting up occasionally for water and a bathroom break.
The views were spectacular as were the sheep wranglers and sparse vegetation. After a while we decided it was best to head back down to sea level and the road we were on allowed us to basically coast for 46 miles!!
We reached the town of Barranca and decided to keep going only to pass by a small sign that offered camping, so we turned and found a little slice of paradise called Albufera de Medio Mundo.
The first night there was a group of college kids having a campout with their teachers and a huge bonfire to which we were invited to. The next day all of them wanted pictures of us as I think they thought we had something to do with the Dakar Rally.
After they left it was totally serene, not a soul in sight other than the manager, Pedro, who caught tilapia in the fresh water lake for lunch that he served us. We decided to invite him and his son for a true home cooked meal of bbq chicken, bbq pork, beef, coleslaw, potato salad and cole slaw. They must've liked it because there was hardly enough scraps for the dogs and cats that we befriended
After a week of lounging around there, we headed to Lima and found The Hitchhikers Hostel in Miraflores and I must say, this place is awesome. It's a cross between NYC, Dallas and San Francisco with some excellent restaurants, museums and architecture.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lady_of_Cao
Sketchy bridge # 354
Camping at 15,000'
GOT COAL??
Cordillera Blanco
There's a ton more on our FB page, THE BUDDY EXPEDITION....take the foil hats off, I promise Obama won't see you :>)