Tag Archives: Adventure motorcycling

Feb 14 2015

The bikes’ arrival into Santiago

Our bikes’ crating in Singapore and shipping to South America certainly tested our resolve!! We wanted to deal with an airline directly but all the ones we contacted were non-responsive, so we found agents. We haven’t mentioned that Anthony booked a return flight to Singapore in January to sort out the crating of the bikes. While the agent we dealt with in Singapore at Penanshin Air Express was extremely effecicient and kept us informed every step of the way, the people they used to crate the bikes had no concept of air freighting costs and minimising crate size, even though we’d sent them photos and dimensions of our crates from Dubai to Delhi and despite several phone calls. Yes, it was going to be cheaper to fly to Singapore and back and pay for accommodation there than go with the crate they built originally. It was only on the actual day of Anthony’s flight, after our agent went to the airport to see the bikes and crates for herself and finally came back with acceptable measurements of a new crate, that we cancelled the tickets.

The agents in Chile, from The SeaFair Group, were also very responsive and helpful. But they too dealt with another 3rd party – this time the air freighters and because there were no direct cargo flights from Singapore to Santiago, we had the added bonus of airline change enroute. Yes, that means more trouble – more handling, more charges and especially more potential for missing connections. Anyway, we were given so many arrival dates: the day of our own arrival, that changed to Friday, then to Saturday night, then to Monday because the bikes had missed a connection supposedly, then suddenly this morning, we get a call to say that the bikes had arrived overnight!!!! And we can come today to get them out. Being Saturday, will there be any additional costs?! We are told not. So off we head to the airport.

We are prepared for anything after our Delhi experience… Remember, it took us 3 full days of daily visits to the airport and outrageous fees to clear customs and get the bikes out of the warehouse. Well here, from arrival at the cargo area at 11.30am, to clearing customs, to getting the crates taken out of the warehouse, unpacking the bikes from their very solid crates, to reassembling the bikes and riding out of the Cargo terminal area: 3.5 hours!!!!!!!! The agent here was fantastic, he had all the paperwork required and it was a breeze. No special overtime, holiday or whatever extra payments, just a warehouse fee, which turned out to be cheaper than what we had been quoted. And no mad swarms of people and trucks as it was Saturday.

So yes, we have our bikes back!!!!!!

Cargo warehouse - Santiago

Cargo warehouse – Santiago

Hans sorting out the warehouse paperwork (and fee!) - Santiago Cargo warehouse

Hans sorting out the warehouse paperwork (and fee!) – Santiago Cargo warehouse

The crates they built for us were solid!!! Lucky the guys at the terminal had massive crow bars and hammers to lend us and our agent had brought some over with him too, so the 3 of us set about dismantling the crate. Looking at the state of boxes on the truck in the background, we are grateful our crates were that solid!!

Here comes Storm - Santiago Cargo warehouse

Here comes Storm – Santiago Cargo warehouse


Anthony does the hard work to loosen the many nails - Santiago

Anthony does the hard work to loosen the many nails – Santiago

Anne pulls the loosened nails out - Santiago

Anne pulls the loosened nails out – Santiago

The crates are solid

The crates are solid

Streak is well packaged

Streak is well packaged

Anne reassembling her Rox risers and handlebars - Santiago

Anne reassembling her Rox risers and handlebars – Santiago

With the dismantled crates carefully pilled up in the corner and the bikes reassembled, we are ready to leave the Cargo area.

We are reassembled and ready to leave Santiago Cargo warehouse in record time!!

We are reassembled and ready to leave Santiago Cargo warehouse in record time!!


Santiago here we come!

Santiago here we come!

We would definitely recommend both Penanshin Air Express and The SeaFair Group.

For some reason, Storm had just under half a tank of fuel still while Streak was empty (as Storm should have been) so first stop at the Shell petrol station at the airport then time to head into Santiago city centre where we are staying for 4 nights. The Saturday traffic is light and easy.

The security guy at the apartment block we are staying at agrees to let us park the bikes in the underground car park, for a made up fee of course, but not too outragious and so much more convenient and safer than going to a public car park. Had this been India or anywhere in Asia, the lovely great porch area of the apartment block would have been jammed with at least 20 bikes!! Not here though.

Going back in time a little, we were invited out for dinner Friday to a friend of a friend’s. We had actually met in Brisbane at a friend’s place a couple of years ago but didn’t know him very well. Anyway, we were treated to a fabulous barbecue and family dinner at their home. Such lovely people. And great for us to get a taste of local life.

Our wonderful hosts Carlos, Jessica and Sebastian - Santiago, Chile

Our wonderful hosts Carlos, Jessica and Sebastian – Santiago, Chile

Monday, we go to the Santiago BMW dealer. Let’s hope that they are more helpful than their lack of email response seem to indicate….

In the meantime, time for some Santiago exploring.

Anne

Feb 11 2015

The Great Gig in the Sky

Here I am, 8 hours into our 12 hour flight to Santiago, listening to Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon album, right now The Great Gig in the Sky track while Anthony sleeps soundly beside me. Flying has always brought such extreme emotions for me: I can’t excited about any upcoming trip because I dread flying so much. Then once up there, emotions get even more raw – I have often wondered whether the depleted oxygen is the cause… My deep love for Anthony, my admiration for nature’s sheer beauty as I look out of the window once we are up at cruising altitude, my aching heart for my beloved brother whom I miss every single day. Movies can make me laugh out loud or make me sob, right now it’s the latter as I listen to this great album which my brother and I used to listen to and which Anthony and I often listen to with a good friend of ours on his fabulous stereo system. What a fabulous sunrise – somewhat psychedelic I think!!

On our way to Santiago on a direct flight from Sydney

On our way to Santiago on a direct flight from Sydney

The midnight sky over Antarctica

The midnight sky over Antarctica

Sunrise as we head towards Santiago

Sunrise as we head towards Santiago

After 6 weeks of luxury at home, I am really looking forward to being out in the elements again. I had worried a little when we first got home on Boxing Day at how I would feel about being on the road again after being home, surrounded by familiar luxuries, good food and good friends. Will I still feel like packing our bags every morning, hand washing every other day?! It feels right though. Being surrounded by nature, meeting people on the road, experiencing different cultures, camping in the middle of nowhere, all our senses alive – that’s what we both love. I won’t lie, the hand washing does get tedious!!! And I’ll no doubt wish I had more off-road riding skills at times. But ever since we first flew over the Andes in 1988 when we visited Santiago on our way to Australia, we’ve both wanted to return and spend time in that part of the world and get a closer look at this mountain range. And here we are!! Nearly. As soon as Streak is fixed… I am so looking forward to exploring roads less travelled, enjoying the deafening silence of the open spaces and seeing all these mountains. I find mountains so awe inspiring…

Here’s hoping we don’t have a repeat of our Happy Delhi Days getting our bikes out of Santiago airport… Fingers crossed!!!

6 hours later… Our bikes have been delayed! Not arriving until Saturday now. Could be Happy Santiago Days!! Oh well, change of plans. Stay tuned 🙂

Anne

Feb 9 2015

Reflection on our home stay

As I sit in our lounge overlooking Moreton Bay surrounded by familiar possessions and hearing the sounds of Manly village on a Saturday morning, it’s hard to image that in five days’ time we will be on our way to the second part of this round the world (RTW) trip. Yesterday Anne and I browsed through a selection of the most memorable photos, to us, from the last six months’ travel. Each brought back wonderful memories of people, buildings, locations or moments, many of which I would have to have thought hard about to recall. It does however seem like a dream – did we really do all that? One day I must sit down and read through the blog to remind myself of the journey.

What I am trying to say, probably somewhat ineloquently, is that regardless of how wonderful the past was and the memories are, we live in the present and that, plus future planning, is where our focus is and should be. With our medical activities of the last few weeks over, we must prepare for departure and develop our preliminary plans for riding through Chile. The break in Australia has made us both feel like we are starting out our trip all over again. While all the acquisition of bike and touring equipment was done last year, it still feels like a new start: a new continent, new road rules, people and cultures (and fresh supplies of medication and bike spare parts) but with the last six months’ experience under our belts, we have less trepidation than last time.

Yesterday we acquired two new pairs of hopefully waterproof TCX adventure boots as we suspect that the next part of the journey will see more rain and we are both tired of wearing plastic carrier bags on our feet and feeling water slosh from one end of the boot to the other as we change gear on the motorbike after a short time riding in the rain (and the ensuing smell of cat’s pee wherever we spend the night). The old pairs, currently with the bikes, will be mailed back from Santiago to the UK for a refund as the manufacturer agrees they are faulty. Talking of motorbikes, they will depart today for Santiago arriving, if all goes according to plan, on the evening before we do. We seem to have found a good agent in Santiago, who not only speaks English but is a motorbike rider himself with a Triumph 800XC. We hope to have the motorbikes out of customs before week’s end so we can take Anne’s to a BMW dealer to have the engine management system (DME) replaced.

Since we will have to wait for the motorbike to be fixed, we are considering a trip to Easter Island should we be able to find a last minute package at a reasonable price. Anne has always wanted to visit there and since we will be so close relatively (5 and a half hours’ flight away), it makes sense to take advantage of the opportunity to visit such an amazing place. It appears that we are heading into the peak season so we will have to see what last minute deals we can find there.

This weekend has seen us say goodbye to many of our friends in Brisbane, brunch, lunch and dinner have pleasurably filled our time, but tinged with a little sadness that we will not see them again until 2016 unless our paths cross overseas in the next 13 months. We have enjoyed being back in Brisbane and reconnecting with all the aspects of our lives here (and the luxury of having a washing machine) but the open road beckons and we are really looking forward to the experiences that the Americas will give us and recording them here on the 2slowspeeds blog.

Anthony

Feb 3 2015

We are good to go!!

Yes, we are good to go!!!! Anthony got the all clear from the cardiologist this morning. What should have been a great moment was weird: Anthony was left wondering as the cardiologist disappeared after the stress test, then came back with a prescription for 6 months worth of pills which he hands to the technician. Anthony is free to leave and go back to reception. Are we seeing the cardiologist again for the official all clear and a bit more information? The receptionist gave us the bill for the test and said Anthony was good to leave but had to return in 6 months’ time. What?!?! We asked her to double check that he remembered we were leaving for a year or so and riding up the Americas on motorcycles. Well, you’ll have to get more medication on the way (we can only get medication for 6 months). He’s obviously brilliant to be a cardiologist, and has a great reputation as a cardiologist, but we struggle with his communication skills…

It is fantastic news. So different to what we had prepared ourselves for just over a week ago!! The week’s wait was agonising and totally draining. Knowing that Anthony’s condition could lead to sudden cardiac arrest was scary for both of us. Every morning, my first thought was: is Anthony still alive? I have to admit that one evening, I found myself questioning whether I had the strength to continue with the trip. That thought surprised me but I was physically and emotionally exhausted. It felt like those massive old steam engines, their huge wheels slowly turning faster and faster to pull the heavy train along. When Anthony came back from hospital having been told they hadn’t been able to induce ventricular tachycardia (which can lead to cardiac arrest), that he had a strong and healthy heart muscle and that medication was very likely to control his rhythm, we came home relieved and slept for 2 days.

Suddenly now though, we are back into trip mode and we are both re-energised. We can continue ticking items off our list and get ready for our departure on Wednesday 11th February for Santiago, Chile!!!!!

Our family and friends’ support during this little ‘blip’ has been wonderful – thank you all 🙂

Not long before we are re-united with Streak and Storm!! Our priority is to get Streak fitted with its new engine control unit which we are now trying to get organised and sent from Berlin. This is likely to take a couple of weeks at best. So stay tuned for our next adventures!!!

– Anne

Jan 29 2015

“Seconds out. Round two”

Sitting at home after breakfast on ‘Leave’ from the hospital, I am feeling good knowing that the bypass operation six years ago is perfect and no major surgery is required. Having an angiogram has its risks, but the results showing all is working well and looks good means I should have many more years without concern over my coronary arteries.

Today is an electrical checkup. As I understood from the electrical heart specialist or ‘electrician’ as he called himself, the field is called ‘cardiac electrophysiology ‘: we are looking at identified
Ventricular Tachycardia (VT) issues to determine what level they are at in my heart and if they pose a threat to my health longer term which may require medication or a Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator (ICD). The outcome of these tests will determine the next steps and I should have some answers in the next 12 hours. As I mentioned in a response to a comment yesterday, the previous blog entry was written at various times during the day while I was at the hospital, in effect making it my first ‘real time’ entry rather than all our other blog entries, while sequential, were written at one time or after all the events had taken place for that day. Hence the focus here can change from paragraph to paragraph or even be contradictory. Today’s entry will follow a similar format.

Some words of wisdom to those of you who face major surgery: do not, as I did, make your parting words to your spouse, as I was wheeled into surgery for a quadruple bypass (4CABG) in 2009 “Remind them I am an organ donor”. Which, while well meaning, are not the best parting words to your loved ones as the operating theatre doors close behind you. I will try and remember that today.

I am waiting in the patients’ lounge by myself as I am at the end of the electrician’s, sorry the cardiac electrophysiology specialist’s, list today. Most of the morning patients have passed through the adjacent recovery area and so the place is much quieter. I feel a little apprehensive, possibly the thought of my reaction to yesterday’s cannula insertion and the fact that yesterday’s process is fresh in my mind. It may also be that should I have a diagnostic outcome, which suggests an ICD is required, this will bring some changes to my life going forward both mentally and physically at least in the short term.

It is somewhat strange to be writing about this on RTW motorcycle blog, but this is part of our journey and depending on the outcome may in fact be the termination of our journey in its current form. You the reader will have to wait, like me, for the outcome later in this blog entry.

I have noticed that the Vascular Lab as the department calls itself has a logo, maybe they do a label we could put on our motorcycle top box with other flags and logos from our travels. Wow I must be bored to write this, back to the Reader Digest it is.

Been here some four hours waiting with nothing happening, been reading, writing this blog, playing games all on the iPad Mini 2. Very useful tool, it took both video and photos for yesterday’s blog entry as well as allow me to write it as I am doing now, five minutes before they start the procedure. I have been advised I will be partially sedated for this test which will last 90 minutes. I have read, unfortunately, that they will be testing my hearts electrics that may end up stopping my heart and hopefully restarting it. Hummm… not my idea of fun, but us bloggers need to keep giving our readers new adventures to follow or they may desert us. For those of you who have said they feel they are riding with us on this journey, you may wish to sit this particular ride out. Oh here they come for me…. See you soon.

Onto the bed in in lab 3 again, the setup similar to yesterday. A new team to talk to as they professionally go about their business. A relaxant is introduced to my system to assist with the process by making me feel more comfortable. I feel relaxed and my next vague memories is of being in a bed in the ward. So much for user involvement in the process! They must have turned the sedative flow rate up to maximum to keep me quiet. Whatever they gave me really knocked me out – so much for mild sedative, I missed everything, but THE NEWS IS THE BEST, no ICD required, they were unable to induce a VT, hence the reason I was knocked out. I am good to go and I will be able to travel on with only the addition of some beta blockers to add to my current medication. South America is back on the agenda, once we have sorted the medication out.

My thanks to Bianca, Bree, Delwyn, Joel, John, Meredith, Wayne and the other members of the Vascular Laboratory team whose names I have forgotten and all the staff at St Andrew’s hospital.

– Anthony

The morning after

The morning after