UPDATE 7 - ASUNCION 28 MAY 06

19 – 28 May 06
Buenos Aires to Asuncion

19 May 06 (Fri). Having completed the bikes service late yesterday evening we still had to change a tyre. This morning I stripped the panniers and top box from my bike to take it to a “gomeria” (tyre garage). What a difference having taken all the weight of the bike, it becomes quite agile. What we wanted to do, was repair and fit the tyre that had been punctured when we rode out of Torres del Paine last week, so that we run the two partially worn tyre to slicks then fit new ones; need to use as much of the tread as possible as replacements are not that easy to get and are not cheap!. It does mean that we will be carrying a total of seven tyres until the next tyre change.

I was looking for a gomeria that looked as if it could handle the task so was aiming for a large well equipped one that we saw yesterday. I presented the problem and he pointed me in the direction of a motorcycle shop just up the road. The proprietor of the bike shop spoke excellent English and explained that he takes the tyres off the bikes and takes them back down the road for the original gomeria to fix them. I can do that! So round the block to a back street gomeria who spoke no English but new what was required; wheel off in no time, old tyre off, just as well as it had a blister in the side wall. The punctured tyre was put on the rim, then it was time to seal the bead, not so easy! The solution was to insert a tube leaving the valve sticking out of the rim, high pressure air pops the bead into place and extract the tube, fully inflate; job done. Now just find the puncture, remove, repair, replace, pay and go. That was straight forward; so it’s not always the biggest brightest shop that can produce the goods!

My brother had done a bit of research for us too by visiting the guys at ATS Ripon to see how they’d do it. Their advice and a trick they use on tractor tyres is to use a ratchet strap around the tyre treat to compress the tyre onto the rim attempting a seal; inflate and release the strap and the tyre should seat correctly on the beads. Thanks lads, we’ll try that next time the gomeria is struggling.

Concurrent activity by Mick S was to get some cling film to wrap the tyres with, dry rations to store on the bikes in case we are stuck in the wilds with no help and to book the tickets for the ferry crossing to Uruguay tomorrow. Shopping was easy but in the process of wandering the streets of BA to find a supermarket he managed to get himself completely disorientated as I had the map. Taxi! As it happens he was only about six blocks away but we both had to go later to the ferry terminal with passports and vehicle documents so that we could book tickets. Having booked it was then to another desk to pay and collect tickets. When we had paid and collected the tickets we found that we had been charge for cars not bikes; could not be bothered with the agro of trying to recover £6.


The early evening was spent having a couple of beers with Nick Tozer (on the left) who had sorted out our needs at short notice in Buenos Aires, thanks we are most grateful. We also took the opportunity to pick his brains regarding all things local and get a wider perspective of travelling in South America; a very informative couple of hours. When he departed we continued the motion!

20 May 06 (Sat). The ferry crossing by fast catamaran from Buenos Aires to Colonia, Uruguay; it covered the 31 mile crossing of the river Plate in an hour. Immigrations for both countries were dealt with in Bs Aires, as was clearing Argentinean Customs. Uruguay Customs was a pleasant formality of form filling by a friendly relaxed officer who wished us well for our journey. The decision was to stay in Colonia or ride straight to Montevideo? It was a beautiful day and having got the feel that this was a small quaint and very old town we opted to stay. Having spent well below budget for the last week or more and having seen the signs for the Sheraton we thought lets look at it and see if the prices are acceptable! It was 5 kms out of town which was a nice ride. As we approach the area of the hotel, on the far side of the road was a group of girls jumping up and down waving and shouting in our general direction; obviously weren’t trying to get our attention; but they were! We swung round to be confronted by 4 bouncy young ladies all trying to explain that tone of the scooter they had hired for the day had conked out and could we help. Obviously we’d try; Mick S got straight to work kicking over the engine, looking knowledgeable making the right noises, check the there was a spark at the plug. From his reaction, there was a very good spark! The girls were all from the University of La Plata on a day out from Argentina. When we put fuel in and continued to kick it over with no joy, they said they’d call the hire company to deal with it. After a few photos we headed of to the Sheraton having failed to start it. Did I say the bike couldn’t attract the fairer sex or was it maidens in distress; who cares, we obviously don’t need puppies (see comment from 18 May 06)

The Sheraton was an extravagance not worthy of the money! Having booked in we wanted to have a walk around Colonia which was founded by the Portuguese then taken by the Spanish. Its one of those places that is a magnet to the travelling young, the main street was full of youngsters looking for accommodation or eating, talking and drinking; a very relaxed environment. We circled the old town ascending the lighthouse to get some photos and wandered the old town walls where the grass banks were being used as toboggan runs using cardboard. As we were admiring the old drawbridge 4 scooters bounced into sight with girls waving and shouting. They had got their scooter started first kick, probably helped by the petrol we put into it! More photos, and they showed us the duty free bargain they’d bought on the ferry, saying the we should by our wives some presents, we explained that we had no room on the bikes, but that did not wash with them! All parted our separate ways them to the ferry and us for a beer and watch the sun go down, but had to get some cash first. Back to that dilemma again, how much do you cash not knowing the exchange rate, the machine was offering 400, 600, 800 etc. I opted for 400 but soon found that it would only buy a sandwich, it equated to about £2.50.

Supper in the Sheraton was very pleasant except for the accompanying musicians, one on an out of tune guitar and the other on a saxophone playing too loudly.

21 May 06 (Sun). The drive to Montevideo was along Ruta 1, lined for most of the way by an avenue of trees. It was very pleasant change from the routes of Argentina. The speed limit on this section of road was a sedate 90 kph but we were doing a little more than that when we crested a hill to find a policeman in the middle of the road inviting us to pullover. Ever so polite he asked for documents and then with his sidekick explained that we were speeding and there would be a fine etc, etc. With Mick S’s Spanish and their charades we managed to understand that it would be US$ 120 each!! Then the pace and tone of the conversation change and by the end of our stay with them we were light of about US$140, they wished us well on our journey (more slowly) but we had no ticket or receipt; we obviously had just contributed to their Christmas fund!

We had been handed over to Gustavo Meikle (Gus right, Santiago second right) by Nick when we left Bs Aires; its like being on the run in the Second World War being passed down the ratline! Arriving in Montevideo we found Gus’s apartment, and the accommodation that we had arranged for us. Cup of tea first the he had arrange for a friend who has a bike to give us a tour of the city. Santiago Badano arrived with his girlfriend Luciana on a Honda CBR600 and led us for an hour or more around the city, stopping to explain the most interesting features as we went. We were starting to feel the cold even with full riding kit on but they just had jeans and light jackets and were freezing. We went back to Gus’s flat (having sorted ourselves out at the accommodation) and he provided us with food and drink. We chatted for ages about routes and current situations in many of the countries we were hoping to head through. As per usual we opted for an early night having arranged to meet for lunch the following day.


22May 06 (Mon). We were up early having decided to walk the streets of Montevideo for the day. First stop the naval museum to see the gun from the German WW2 Battle ship Graf Spee. Fortunately it was the show piece outside as again we had timed it just right and it was a bank holiday. Every where was shut? We walked up through the city to the football stadium; the very one that hosted the first ever world cup in 1930. We made our way through the centre and down to the old port area where we would meet Gus for lunch. It was one of those short distance on the map long, long walks and we were relieved at arriving at the RV. Carlos Jones turned up with another guy who was to be our chauffer for the afternoon as Gus could not make it. We took lunch in what was originally destined to be the railway station for Buenos Aires shipped out flat packed from the UK, but it got stranded and forgotten about in Montevideo and eventually sold at auction and erected as a covered market serving the port area. At some stage someone set up a grill and it evolved into a fantastic indoor hall of Barbecues.

We finished lunch and set off for our second tour of the city. We only overlapped with the parliament building but we did go out to the Hill that begot the city its name. When the Portuguese discovered this area the sailor up a mast on lookout shouted down “I see a hill” and that translates to Montevideo! That evening we went back Gus’s flat where he and his partner entertained us with beer and food for a second night. Very many thanks for you hospitality.

23 May 06 (Tue). Before departing on the three day ride back into Argentina and on to Iguazu Fall Gus wanted to take some pictures for his pal that worked for Focus magazine, an in-house MoD paper and another chap turned up for some local paper or magazine to take photos also. Pictures done and we were off at a painfully slow 90 KPH all the way to a town called Salto back on the Argentine border heading north. We were still smarting from the fine and we were also going to be riding Ruta 14 which is notorious on various travel internet site for having to run the gauntlet of corrupt police check points! The midway stop was Salto a town renowned for its hot springs (Thermals) but we did not bother taking advantage of them. We got our heads down after a long day in the saddle and took an early start in the morning. I slept like a log but Mick D was entertained, not by choice I might add, by the young couple next door obviously invigorated by the hot spring waters!

24 - 26 May 06. We headed further North to the Brazilian border, crossed with no formalities other than stopping for a photo and to make sure there were no formalities and the short 70 km stretch to the crossing point back into Argentina for the third time. We rocked up at the check point to be greeted by three or four female customs officers, all of whom were smoking and immediately started gesturing towards the pile of tyres we each had on our bikes. The gist of it was that they wanted us to pay tax on the tyres. That may be a fair one on the tyres we brought from the UK but not the tyres we had bought at over full price in Buenos Aires. Fortunately the most officious of the bunch gave up with my pathetic Spanish and stormed off to find another customs girl that spoke English. She continued in the same vein but after she realised her English was just about as good as my Spanish she too gave up and escorted us to the offices. She took our passports and the receipt for the tyre purchase in BA through to a back office. She emerged several minutes later with a whole different attitude; she took us to the immigration desk and then back to her desk to process the customs form. A shake of hands and a “gracias” or two and finally over an hour later we cleared the check point have not parted with any cash. We will see what happens when we emerge from Paraguay back into Argentina. We stopped for lunch then continued north. It was clear we would not make Iguazu by night fall and so we looked for another over night stop, the small town of Santo Tome and we pulled in to locate a hotel, as we passed an accident on a side road eye caught the glare of a “transito” cop but carried on. I think they are a cross between traffic cops, traffic wardens and community support officers, only these get motorbikes. We pulled up a few moments later and were discussing where to go and they pulled up behind us like the California Highway Patrol! They asked where we were from and ask where we were going. I said we were looking for a hotel knowing full well that we were sat almost opposite one. They of course told us the obvious and in such a manner that we decided that we would stop there. They ensured we dismounted and entered the hotel before they departed. Not a bad place and dirt cheap, no restaurant so we ventured into town in search of sustenance. The Casino! More like a converted picture house bingo hall but it did food and pretty good for the price at that. We awoke in the morning to find that the police had stayed the night also, four hoods with shot guns and various other bits and pieces; they loaded their pick up as we readied ourselves for the continued journey north bound on Ruta 14 and the gauntlet of the notorious dodgy police checkpoints.

We had a trouble free day stopped at only one check point and asked where from and to then waved on and we made good progress. The scenery has changed noticeably again and we have moved through forestry areas of pine and eucalyptus to sub tropical forest. It is now an altogether more lush and pleasing environment. The sun has been out all day without a cloud in the sky, absolutely beautiful. We arrived at Iguazu by about 2pm and found ourselves a hotel having first gone to the park entrance to see the lay of the land so to speak. Only one Hotel in the park, the Sheraton and $300 US per night, no thanks! We used the afternoon getting up to date with our diaries, a couple of beers and plan for the visit to the falls in the morning.

For us Ruta 14 was as any other Ruta that we’ve travelled, police manning their checkpoints presenting us with no problems or harassment.

26 May 05 Fri. Iguazu Falls is truly a magnificent sight, but not just one fall a horseshoe of about 3 kms of waterfall cascading 180 cubic metres of water a second down a terraced wall that produces a mass of spray producing almost constant rainbows. Words can not do this sight justice so here are a pile pictures!

And if the truth be known we’re too knackered to write any more!!

27 May 06 (Sat). Iguazu through the Argentine Brazilian border and through the Brazilian border to Paraguay. Clear Argentina clearance no problem, Aduada Officer stamped our BMW service sheet from Buenos Aires where we bought new tyres that we are carrying as the Argentine customs at Clorinda tried to charge us import tax! Brazilian enter and exits were straight forward, but for the sullen Brazilian immigrations office on exit, the epitome of an official who has power and can make you wait without explanation or reason. Crossing the bridge into Paraguay was an experience to behold, a mass of humanity streaming both ways carrying what ever they could get cheaply on the other size. Tyres going from Brazil to Paraguay and electrical goods going the other way. To the uninitiated it looked like chaos but I’m sure that it was organised chaos? Mick S went to the Paraguayan Immigrations and Customs and got us both cleared while I stood watch over the bikes. I think we both had an interesting time; Mick S trying to get customs to fill some paperwork in so that we had something to say that the bikes were imported officially but they probably would have really not bothered! I was entertained by a string of peddlers offering all and sundry, butt the only service I accepted was to have my boots cleaned. What was the real madness on the bridge was hundreds of motorbike taxis. That transport pedestrians from one border post to the other. They made London couriers look positively sedentary! Regular Police check points en-route, we slowed for all; one made a late call to stop us, I’d already gone through and Mick followed hoping that we would not be stopped further alone our route!

The intention was to try to drive straight through Paraguay in one day but all the border crossings just took a little longer that expected. Driving is straight forward; all road signs are advisory!! You share the road with everything and anything, big is best and if it large Lexus who is obviously important and he wants your side of the road while overtaking towards you, you move! Do not loose concentration or misjudge the conditions or you’ll end up clipping a bus or something!

On the dual carriageway there was a concrete centre reservation separating the two directions of traffic with no crossing points or safe havens for pedestrians. They all take their lives in their hand and stand or sit on the centre barrier and run when they think they have enough safe space to make the crossing. A small dog did this and landed just alongside my bike, I missed it but the traffic behind did not; SPLAT!!!!

Overnight in the capital Asuncion gave us a chance for a quick look around the local area. Poverty oozes from the edges of the main commercial arteries of this poor country. We were taking photos of a couple of the main buildings and ventured too close to the shanty for the comfort of the static police posts who advised us that we really should not be in this area. What fortune; a religious parade too!

28 May 06 (Sun). As the weather over the last few days has reached highs of 35 degrees C we wanted to get an early start to ride in the cool of the morning and as breakfast is at 0630 that would do nicely. Lift to the top floor prompt a 0630, breakfast and a chance to see the sunrise. Doors open, the place was in darkness, ah, wrong floor down to the other floor, no lights, down to reception to confirm that breakfast was at 0630; correct. What time is it now – 0530, bugger, could have had another hour in bed and we have lost the time advantage.

A 45 kms ride to the border with Argentina and a police check point just before. This was it; they started as normal passport, driving licence, vehicle docs, all in order. Now what, oh yes, vehicle insurance, yes but in English and it did not actually say Paraguay, got you he thought , No Mick S explained in Spanish that it was an international insurance document. It worked, now what, vaccination certificates, yes we had them too. Ah yes, we were carrying and must have imported all those tyres, this is where Mick’s persistence on entering the country paid off, we had a customs form that covered that. We were allowed to go without paying any fines which I think was the whole purpose of the stop and I’m sure we would not have got a receipt either; more Christmas funds! Crossing into Argentina was without a hitch very helpful and not concerned about the tyres. We are no heading west towards Salta.

Our intention for the next week:

Did we reach our goals of last week; we are running a couple of days later than we thought. The intention for the next week is to:

29 May 06 (Mon). Ride to Salta

30 May – 08 Jun. Ride west and south covering the Atacama Desert and the Valle de la Luna “The valley of the Moon”. Finishing in Santiago Chile, before we park the bikes for and flying to the Caribbean to meet our wives for a week R&R.