Good Bye Hope Too

I told you that there are no more food!

A pat on my hands doesn't give you more food. are you willing to share your dog food with everybody? there is no more food on my plate!

okok. no more food. now you want to peep at my computer about facebook?!

well, sticky dogs around.

We would like to thank Haojie for sponsoring us a new front tyre, Metzeler Sahara 3, Enduro. Thanks alot!

Good news. Sam got her Panama visa after 5 weeks of waiting. we also confirmed with the costa rica embassy that she will not need a visa of Costa rica if sam already had a USA visa on her passport. the passport is even more valuable now with so many visa. the panama visa only valid for 2 months. that means we have to use it before
17May 2009. we still need to go Peru, ecuador, columbia. also have to co-ordinate with the sailing boat from columbia to panama making sure we can catch departure date.

one big problem solved!

the fish market in Iquique reminded me of home, where i grew up in a hawker center. it smells like home, not something smells fishy but the childhood memories. guess we are the only foreigners in the market.

We had to apply the Nicuaragua Visas before visiting. about 3 days process.
Sam had to do apply the Mexico Visa before visiting. about 3 days process
Sam had to apply for the Canada Visa before visiting. about 2-4weeks process.
We had to apply for the Australia Visa.
Hope Too had to apply for the Australia 'Visa' in advance also, need to pay a deposit of 24% of the bike value at the custom of australia in order to 'import' the bike.

the chain problem solved.

road from Santiago (chile) to Mendoza (arg)

so how did we get from Iquique to Santiago?

we were in Iquique, staying in a Chilean hostel. we asked the management if we could leave Hope Too there while we take a bus south, 1600km, 24 hours to Santiago. Yes! of Course! they said.

It was our very first time taking a long distance bus, 24 hours. Leaving Hope Too alone for such a long time. i have to ensure that it is a safe place to park. Bye Hope Too! See you after my birthday.

when we arrived in Santiago, Hostel del Sammy, Anke walked in. Remember that small german lady that we met in that 'doggy hostel'? remember that picture that i put on the blog about her and all her big bagpacks? yes, she also met Kerin and Sem, the swiss cyclist.

we met Kerin and Sem in Dec 2007, Pasir ris park, Singapore. they cycled from Switzerland to Singapore. then they are taking a 3 months ferry to Australia. recently i knew that they had reached south America, Chile. so Kerin and Sem met Anke and talked about me. what a small world.

Kerin and Sem left their bicycle in Hostel Del Sammy and went for a bus tour for some weeks. im here, only saw their bike hanging in the store.

tomorrow we are taking a bus to Valparaiso, villa kunterbunt, where my parcel from
M-technik is there. where Olli and Silke is there (german bikers on 1 Transalp 650), where Andrea and Thomas (German, on 2 bikes, going to be end of their 2 years travel in the whole America) is there, where Daniel (german, on his Land rover) and Miriam (Italian and with her GS to Alaska)is there, also where Martina and Enzo is there. I will be celebrating my 31st birthday with all these lovely people.

what are my plans next?

Peru: will only see some famous places.
ecuador: don't know any plans yet.
Columbia: escape from the bandits but would like to spent more time in this country.
Panama: enter before 17 May.
Costa rica: heard its expensive. want to look out for some special heliconias and plants.
Nicaragua: visit the wife of Brasil consulate. she was my classmate.
Hunduras: no plans.
Guatamala: My friend from Texes was robbed on the road. 3 man point guns at him.
Mexico: put Tequila in Hope Too and he will fly.
USA: visit a few friends and go to Singapore restaurant in Texas. do up Canada visa for Sam. Buy camping equipment like sleeping bags, sleeping mattress, repair tent zip.
Canada: go fast.
Alaska (USA): REACH BEFORE 21ST JUNE! ELSE WILL BE COLD. ALSO IT IS THE LONGEST DAY IN THE YEAR.
Canada: no plans...
USA: attent ISA's Annual Conference and Trade Show near new york.
http://www.isa-arbor.com/conference/default.aspx 24 July 2009, 3 days. go to L.A. and ship Hope Too and fly to Sydney where our air ticket is on 1st september 2009.

in general, 4 datelines.
1) 17 May 2009, enter Panama before that.
2) 21 June 2009, Reach the north of Alaska.
3) 24 July 2009, Attend the tree conference, 200km from New York.
4) 1 September 2009, flight to Sydney from L.A.

can we make it?

the beach at Iquique.