Sri Lanka, Elephant Orphanage and Anuradhapura, 24 Sep 2012

Posted on Monday, 24-September-2012 by Chris Desmond

I hired a car and driver for a 6 day tour of some of the sites of Sri Lanka, cost Rs.5,500 ($42) per day including 100km, Rs.45 ($0.35) per extra km. Hotels are around $50 a day and the driver gets free accommodation at the hotels. First stop the Elephant Orphanage at Pinnawala, then north to Anuradhapura the Ancient capital of Sri Lanka. Good roads for the most part but slow going due to the many villages and towns along the way. Its hotter and drier in the North.

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Sri Lanka, Colombo, 18-23 Sep 2012

Posted on Sunday, 23-September-2012 by Chris Desmond

I arrived in Colombo from Chennai, India. Spicejet had overbooked and we were told we had to wait 4-5 hours so I cancelled my ticket and got on the next flight with Jet Airways about an hour later. I won’t be flying with Spicejet again. Taxi to the hotel took 1.5hrs and cost $28.

First impressions of Colombo are cleanliness and traffic actually following the rules of the road. Took Took’s are ubiquitous and cheap and are up to their usual tricks.

The Fort is not a Fort though it must have been one in the past, its the City area of Colombo a mix of old and new with lots of police around. Touts and con-men abound in the city, at first you think, what a friendly guy hahahaha.

A very nice museum, some temples, the beach, nice people, big trees and many old buildings still around. The trains remind me of Bombay.

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Brazil, Rio De Janeiro, 18-26 March 2012

Posted on Tuesday, 10-July-2012 by Chris Desmond

Taxi to the Bus Station in Puerto Iguazu, short distance then waited for the bus which came at 1245, lots of busses coming and going, had to ask if the bus had arrived or I would have missed it, short trip to the company Cerro Del Norte Bus Depot where we transferred to the long distance bus, seat upstairs this time, more room plus an overhead luggage rack, always ask for upstairs towards the back, no one walks past you then.

First stop Argentina border, only took 10min for the passengers but we were stuck there for another hour? Brazil border was quick no aduana, left at 1500 watched a movie on the overhead TV, stopped at Maringa for dinner from 2000-2100, arrived at Sao Paulo at 0440, half the passengers got off the bus, black people a common sight now, stopped at Roseira from 0630 to 0715 for breakfast. The bus stops have these huge canteens serving food, as food is not allowed to be served on the bus in Brazil and is not included in the bus fare. Arrived in Rio at 1300 looks a bit run down. Taxi to my hotel which was not far was R$39 or USD$22.

Went on a tour to see the Cone Cathedral made of concrete like the one in Managua then Christ the Redeemer, the famous statue  on top of the hill.

Another tour to Sugar Loaf mountain, cable car takes you to the top and a drive past Copacabana and Ipanema beaches

Checked out the National Museum, slavery was much bigger here than in the USA, Carnival dinner and show in the evening.

Took a bus to the Copacabana and Ipanema beaches wandered around a beach is a beach.

Walked to the Santana Park, strange place in the middle of a poorer part of the city, millions of cats wandering around, various species of ducks and Agoutis, rabbit like creatures.

Journey Home, 27-29 March 2012

Taxi to the airport at 0245, 15 min ride to the airport cost R$70 or US$41, checked in flight left at 0630 and arrived at Sao Paulo at 0745 where I had to change planes, got stopped at check-in and told that I would not be able to make my connecting flight in Santiago because they had not taken into account daylight saving hahahahaha, this is LAN airlines. They gave me vouchers for transport to a hotel and meals.

The next flight is at 1640 tomorrow, no sleep last night, spent the next 24 hours in bed and back to the Sao Paulo airport, checked in and walked to the gate and waited, then a gate change and flight delayed by 30min stood in the queue for another 2 hours, not 30min talking to a Kiwi teacher before we left at 1850, 2 hours late and arrived in Santiago at 2310, the departing flight was held back to wait for us, quite a few passengers were transferring to it finally left at 0010, 45min late, arrived in Auckland at 0450 had to get off the plane and then back on again left at 0615 and arrived in Sydney at 0945 picked up luggage and through Immigration and Customs in 45min no problems had to show my Yellow Fever certificate, bus to the domestic terminal at 0830 left at 1010, arrived in Perth on time at 1210, longest flight time ever, is it good to be back home, YES.

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Argentina, Puerto Iguazu, 17 March 2012

Posted on Monday, 26-March-2012 by Chris Desmond

I booked a tour to the Itaipu Dam and the Brazil side of the Iguazu Falls it turned out to be a private taxi with only me in it 260 pesos or US$58, pickup at 0740 drove to the border where, for cars they have a drive through for both Argentina and Brazil, you don’t even have to get out of the car and no customs check, this is what they should have for the Ushuaia border crossing but I think Chile customs are too uptight.

The travel agent said I could change money at the border the same guy that put me on the wet boat, no luck so the car driver lent me BRL50 reals arrived at the dam at 0820, first English technical tour was at 1030 so went on the Panoramic Tour BRL22 at 0830 drove around and back, big dam produces a lot of electricity, its owned by Paraguay and Brazil 50:50 and they share the staffing and electricity, back at 0945, drove to the Brazil side of the Iguazu falls BRL41 entry, paid with US$100 and got change in Reals 1:1.75 so I could pay back the driver, bus to the falls 20min ride, then walked lots of people and not enough space on the lookouts this is higher up so you are looking down at the falls got near the end which was packed and the spray was so heavy it was like being in the shower, backed out quickly and back up the stairs to the bus queued up and back at the entrance at 1245 back the same way to the hotel at 1330.

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Argentina, Puerto Iguazu, 14-16 March 2012

Posted on Friday, 16-March-2012 by Chris Desmond

Rained all night, this area gets an incredible amount of rain so I was lucky not to have any over the last couple of days. Taxi to the Terminal de Omnibus, Asuncion, streets flooded got there at 0710, bus half empty this is a semi cama bus which has 4 rows of seats across instead of 3 as it is not an overnight bus, I had 2 seats to myself, left on time at 0730. Farmland and villages along the way arrived at Ciudad del Este bus terminal at 1255, this is a big place.

Got off and on to the direct Cerro del Norte bus to Puerto Iguazu, it has to go through Brazil but does not stop so no Brazil Immigration and Customs only Paraguay and Argentina. The reason it has to go through Brazil is because the borders between the 3 countries are rivers and there is a bridge between Paraguay and Brazil and then a bridge between Brazil and Argentina but there is no bridge between Paraguay and Argentina so you can’t go directly from Paraguay to Argentina and there is a lot of traffic between these countries a crazy situation hahahaha.
The driver said he would drop me off at Paraguay Immigration to get my exit stamp and I would have to continue on the next bus an hour later, PYG10,000 guarani about US$2.50. Bus left at 1320 and got to the Immigration just before the bridge to Brazil at 1335, instead of dropping me off the driver said he would wait so I charged into the building no one else there had my passport opened to the Paraguay entry stamp page and said “Salida Paraguay”, the customs officer did not even look at the photograph page he just stamped my passport, no computer check either and I charged out again 2 min flat hahaha fastest border exit ever.
Drove across the Parana River bridge to Brazil and through Foz de Iguacu, big place, no stopping then over the Iguazu River bridge into Argentina at 1425 stopped at Immigration everyone had to get off and get stamped into Argentina then Aduana bags scanned and they made a few open their bags, Argentine people go across the border to shop must be cheaper, I had to open my suitcase because of the tools which were at the bottom, packed up and went outside and the bus had left, they said I could wait for the next bus or take a taxi, decided to take a taxi which I would have had to do from the Iguazu bus station anyway short drive to the hotel 20 pesos $4.50, checked in at 1435.
Went for a walk to Tourist Information, this is a small town everything within walking distance got some info about the Falls then walked to the 3 borders lookout where the 2 rivers Parana and Iguazu meet, these are big fast flowing rivers, I could see boats being pushed around by the power of the current.
Woke the next day with the flu, headache, body aches and pains, nothing a few ibuprofen can’t fix, short walk to the bus terminal at 0900, 10 pesos 30min trip arrived Iguazu NP, queued up 100 pesos and in at 1000. Walked to the Falls boat ride, this is a joy ride, no rain coat like in Niagara and you get soaking wet including your shoes, socks and jocks and I had to walk around for a couple of hours like that until my quick dry clothing dried out, people wearing cotton will stay wet all day, they do not warn you either when they sell you the ticket, not nice.
The falls are an amazing site and spread out over a big area, lots of walking, there is a miniature train that gets you from one end of the park to the other and its packed. I also went on an eco boat ride which was in an inflatable with oars floating down river, back to the hotel at 1630.

Posted in Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay | Tagged | 2 Comments

Paraguay, Asuncion, 11-13 March 2012

Posted on Tuesday, 13-March-2012 by Chris Desmond

Taxi to the Montevideo Tres Cruces bus terminal UYU$130 or US$6.50, first had to check in at the EGA counter where I bought the ticket, they keep your passport and give it back on the bus once you are underway, security reasons hmmm, boarding at 1230, big comfortable seats with lots of leg room.

Bus left on time at 1300, soft ride, same flat farmland, stopped at the Argentine border at 1920-1940 where we had to get off and get stamped out of Uruguay and stamped into Argentina very quick only 20min, snacks, water and coffee served a couple of times, one drink then dinner served at 2130, then the Attendant took our passports off us and closed all the curtains for security reasons, lights out at 2320, Argentina border crossing at 0330 passengers sleeping, the Attendant got the stamps for everyone then Paraguay border crossing same thing, very considerate Immigration they did not even get to see anyone finished at 0430, breakfast served at 0800 arrived at the Asuncion Bus Terminal at 1010, journey took 21:10hrs surprisingly not feeling tired.

Time here in Asuncion is 1 hour behind at 0910.

Booked my ticket to Ciudad del Este on NSA, PYG$83,000 or $20, semi-cama, non-stop, leaves at 0730 and arrives at 1230, 5 hours. No busses direct to Puerto Iguazu, Argentina have to figure out the connection to Puerto Iguazu and the Immigration when I get there. Taxi to the hotel PYG$40,000 about US$9.40.

Wandered around the town for the next couple of days, hot and humid, this has to be the least developed of all the capital cities I have been to, the whole place looks dilapidated and unkempt even the Congress.

Posted in Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay | Tagged | 12 Comments

Uruguay, Montevideo, 5-10 March 2012

Posted on Friday, 9-March-2012 by Chris Desmond

I traveled from Buenos Aires to Montevideo using the Buquebus Company, you can buy tickets online or through a travel agent cost is the same. I chose the fast ferry (1:30hrs) to Colonia and then the bus (2:15hrs) from there to Montevideo, cost ARS$275 or US$61. They have their own Terminal which is a bit like an airport first checked in and dropped suitcase off, then security and immigration, finished by 1120 sat and waited departed at 1230, duty free shop on board, arrived at 1400, suitcase was on the belt when I arrived picked it up and walked out straight onto the bus, left at 1430, flat farmland with a few villages not much traffic, good road with a few tolls arrived at 1645 at the Montevideo TRES CRUCES bus terminal. The time here is 1745.

Went to book my bus to Asuncion while I was at the terminal and they said I needed a Visa in advance for Paraguay, surprise, they issued the ticket for Saturday UYU$2,658 or US$140 for a Sleeper seat.
I spent the next day getting the Paraguay visa, it poured all day, first went to the Embassy they said go to the Consulate across the road at Bulevar General Artigas 1191, the Consulate guy was nice and spoke good English, I had to submit the following docs

Visa Application
Passport
2 photos
Bus Ticket from Montevideo to Asuncion
Copy of Credit Card
Copy of Hotel Booking in Asuncion (had to go back make the booking and return)
USD$65 for a single entry Visa and $30 in Taxi fares.
This can be done in one day, I couldn’t be bothered waiting so came back the following morning.

I then did something unusual I went to a McDonalds and had a Quarter pounder $5 and a McFlurry Oreo $4 convert that into the local currency and you are not going to get fat eating McDonalds in this country.
I then decided to check on visas for Brazil, I thought one would be issued at the border, not so, I now had to get a Brazil visa, at least this Consulate was just up the road at Calle Convencion 1343, phone 09-901-2024, documents required were.

Visa Application
Passport
1 photo
Copy of Bus Ticket to Rio
Copy of Air Ticket out of Rio
Copy of Credit Card
Hotel Address and phone in Montevideo
UYU840 about USD$45 for a multiple entry Visa
You will need 2 full days (48hrs) to get this visa they will not issue it on the same day.

Otherwise there is not much else to report about Montevideo a truly unremarkable city.

General comments about this region (Argentina, Uruguay) – Stubble chic is the fashion, kissing in the street is not an uncommon sight, Hitch hikers, Bikes without mufflers, Tattoos, Lifts with Concertina doors, Air-con’s dripping onto the street, Smoking.

Posted in Argentina, Uruguay | Tagged | 4 Comments

Argentina, Buenos Aires, 26 Feb – 4 Mar 2012

Posted on Sunday, 4-March-2012 by Chris Desmond

First 3 days in BA were a long weekend and nothing was open, most restaurants are closed on weekends when it should be their busiest time.

I had advertised my bike for sale on the HUBB so I met the buyer a guy from California, the Title will be transferred in the US and payment is in US dollars so its basically a US sale in Argentina, its illegal for an Argentine to buy the bike because of the 300% import duty but sales between foreigners is common in South America. This will save me the cost of shipping ($2000) the bike back to the USA. Time to say good-bye after 2.5 years and 49,000 miles and let someone else do the driving.

Once that was over I wandered around the city, it’s the nicest city so far, no machine guns or razor wire here.

The subway is cheap and frequent, about 60 cents flat fare for a ride anywhere. Imported goods are very expensive due to the high import duties and there is a black market in US$, a simple suitcase that would have cost less than $40 anywhere else cost me $105 here. House prices are in US$ and there is a white and black component. Apparently there are 3 classes of people, the Whites, the Latinos and the Indigenous people and they do not mix, can’t say I saw any Indigenous people in this part of town

I went on a City Tour then a Gaucho Tour and a Dinner and Tango Show, there are also lots of Plaza’s with outdoor restaurants and Tango dancers. Tourism is well organised.

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Argentina, Buenos Aires, 21-25 Feb 2012

Posted on Sunday, 26-February-2012 by Chris Desmond

21 Feb 2012, Ushuaia to Rio Gallegos, Argentina

After yesterdays snow and freezing temperatures I was not looking forward to today but when I woke up it felt warm and the roads were dry, the land lady said that the town had run out of petrol yesterday, tankers were expected overnight, then gave me direction to ride past 3 gas stations and if they were all empty to come back to the hotel hahaha.
Left at 0810 found the first gas station 2 cars queued up filled up and left at 0825 heat controllers only on half, neck warmer pulled up to just under my nose works really well stops fogging, no traffic winding roads through the mountains snow on the side of the road, once onto the plains on the other side the wind picked up and it started to get cold cranked up the controllers to full, wind started blowing a gale got to Rio Grande at 1030 queue at the YPF about 7-8 cars in front filled up and left at 1050, wind blowing even harder now and very cold got to San Sebastian Argentina border at 1140, the Aduana guy there took the TVIP off me and he shouldn’t have, left at 1150 dirt road now rode to the Chile border at 1215 had to be issued a new Chile TVIP again for the next 3 hrs, then the customs people made me open all three boxes, I am not even stopping in Chile, they also made them take all the bags out of the tourist busses and put them through the xray scanner and the busses are also driving through not stopping, not very intelligent, left at 1240, strong wind blowing me sideways in the dirt and a continuous stream of traffic coming towards me cars and trucks and the wind is now blowing the dust across to my side straight into my face, all the people returning from the mainland after the long weekend got to the end of the dirt at 1455, 2:15hrs 30min more than going the other way shows how bad the conditions were.
Still blowing hard but new concrete road got to the ferry at 1515, topped up tank with the 6lt gusts nearly blowing the bike over ferry arrived at 1600, rode on only half full got to the other side at 1615, rode off first did not want to get stuck behind the 3 tourist busses, got to the Chile border crossing at 1655, huge queue joined and after half an hour asked the Argentine Aduana guys if they could do the TVIP while I was waiting in the queue and the guy said I was in the wrong building to go to the one further down the road, the one I was told to bypass on the way in, wasted 35 min disorganised, rode 1k and parked again and went in, no queue thank god immigration took 2 min then aduana and the confusion started because the guy had taken the TVIP off me when he shouldn’t have, they got it sorted and then issued me with another TVIP left at 1810, wind had died down or maybe it was behind me flying along then 9k’s out of Rio Gallegos, police checkpoint and I had to go inside where they wrote down my passport details into a ledger and I rode on, queue around the block at the YPF hahaha, got to the hotel at 1900, 577k’s in 10:50hrs what a day, half of it spent queuing.

22 Feb 2012, Rio Gallegos to Caleta Olivia, Argentina

Left at 0740, queue at the YPF took 40min then discovered that I could have jumped the queue because they had 98 octane but how do you leave the queue to check when you are so far back, blue skies but cold and got colder with side winds blowing but not as bad as yesterday got to Piedra Buena at 1040 another queue but only a few cars, filled up and left at 1100, tail wind now very easy riding no buffeting and quiet very little traffic, got to San Julian and the YPF on the highway was out of gas, they said go into town hahahaha like last time rode in and there was a queue a mile long so turned around and headed for Tres Cerros, tail wind again sitting on 100kph now hardly using any fuel, they were out of gas as well (thats 500k’s and no petrol) but said Fitz Roy had gas, topped up with the 6lt container, tank showed full so I knew I could make it to Caleta Olivia without stopping and I did no problem, long straight stretches of flat treeless plains or null arbor, the pampas checked in at 1630, 710km in 8:50hrs.

23 Feb 2012, Caleta Olivia to San Antonio Oeste, Argentina

Left at 0730 cool and cloudy and windy lots of traffic upto Comodoro Ravadavia with deeply rutted roads got through it ok and then flat open country sitting on 110-120kph very little traffic except near the big towns, no gas problems now small queues filled up as scheduled at Garayalde tailwind after that to Puerto Madryn filled up again then side and head winds all the way to San Antonio, stopped at an Esso and filled up cost 50% more ??, checked in 1530 way earlier than expected made really good time 773km in 8 hours, this is a sea side resort town and it is hot now.

24 Feb 2012, San Antonio Oeste to Benito Juarez, Argentina

Left at 0800 no heated vest or jacket, cold overcast went down 251 instead of 3 should be shorter and less traffic as it is inland not on the coast, countryside has changed from the null-arbor scrub desert to farmland with endless fields and eucalyptus have re-appeared, long straight roads no hills here, filled up at Rio Colorado, Esso again expensive, got to Bahia Blanca and went through down town instead of the bypass no signs making good time not much traffic sitting on 110kph cars overtaking me slow trucks but straight roads means easy overtaking, got to Tres Arroyos filled up at a YPF fuel only 5.199 instead of the 6 something at the Esso, could not find a hotel but only 1500 so decided to keep going stopped at Benito Juarez, checked in at 1630, 698km in 8:30hrs, nearly there only one more day to get to Buenos Aires.

25 Feb 2012, Benito Juarez to Buenos Aires, Argentina

Short ride today left at 0920, no liners, cool and cloudy wet road with a few drizzles no rain lots of traffic coming the other way with the usual crazy overtaking heading out of BA to the coast for the long weekend this is the second long weekend in a row, stopped at Flores for fuel and the roads were dry after that, put the Nokia around my neck got to a freeway about 70k’s out of BA that took me all the way to the centre checked the Nokia to make sure I was on the right track but I had also written down the names of the freeways, traffic built up as I got closer got to the hotel no problems checked in at 1430, 404k’s in 4:50hrs.

The hotel had scales in the bathroom and its official, my weight has gone from 81kg to 74kg in 4 months, its called the Ushuaia Diet hahahahaha.

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Argentina, Ushuaia, 19-20 Feb 2012

Posted on Monday, 20-February-2012 by Chris Desmond

19 Feb 2012, Rio Gallegos to Ushuaia, Argentina

Left Rio Gallegos at 0730 straight to the gas station no one there filled up and on my way, freezing, road works out of town again, arrived at the border at 0820 stopped at the Argentine building and they said to go on to the Chile building about 1k down the road they were combined now, put my gear back on and rode there saw a queue of cars went to the front and parked near the entrance, stood in the queue and filled in the Immigration and Aduana forms, first Chile immigration had to show them passport and the bike title, stamps and then to the Argentine TVIP handed the old form in, then Chile TVIP filled in another form and was issued a new TVIP then to the Aduana got it stamped and went out and gave it to one of the inspectors had to open all three boxes then he said go at 0940, took 1:20min a full on border crossing.
Rode on to the ferry got there at 1015 queue of cars rode to the front, ferry left at 1045 and got to the other side at 1100, cost ARS45 or $9 but no one checked tickets and I only discovered where to buy when I went inside to have a look, half an hour on the pavement drizzled for a bit and then onto the dirt at 1130 first and last 20k’s not bad in between varied got to Chile Immigration at 1315, 115k’s of dirt in 1:45hrs, queue again, handed in the Chile TVIP after only 3.5 hours of being in Chile and got stamped out finished at 1345, 30min, rode off still on the dirt for another 15k’s, then Argentine Immigration queue again at 1355, got stamped in and issued another TVIP hahahaha, topped up tank with the 6lt of fuel and left at 1415.
Pavement now rode on to Rio Grande 120kph made good time, they launched the Falklands war from here, arrived there at 1530 filled up and left asked gas guy and got the wrong directions kept asking and one guy said follow me and showed me the way out, drizzled again very cold, strong winds all day making it even colder, road now winding through the mountains at the end slow local traffic and some idiots on quads and trail bikes throwing up clouds of dust riding alongside the road and trucks following them very slowly causing a road block, scenery like Alaska, snow on the mountains, 20k’s out started to feel dizzy, realised I hadn’t eaten all day except for a Coke and a Snickers and I was burning calories to keep warm probably low blood sugar levels, arrived at Ushuaia stopped and checked the Google cached maps to get my bearings and then rode straight to the hotel, arrived at 1805, 581k’s in 10:35.

3 border crossings unbelievable with the number of tourists coming through they should have streamlined this crossing, booked a bus ticket to the National park ARS 85 return $17.

20 Feb 2012, Tierra del Fuego National Park, Argentina

Decided I had to eat as much as possible today, probably lost 5kg in the last 4 months, started snowing at 0930, the forecast was for snow but I did not think it would happen its summer here and at only 55 degrees South which is about the same latitude as Edmonton, Canada is in the North it should not be that cold, Prudhoe Bay, Arctic sea was 70 degrees North and no snow there in summer another micro climate, glad I decided to take the bus and not ride.
Bus arrived early went around picking up other people got to the park 20k’s away at 1030 got dropped off at the visitors centre still snowing wandered around inside bought a fridge magnet and a sticker and a neck warmer like I used in Alaska should keep my face warm tomorrow, then had a snack and a coffee big cafeteria with views all round very well done eventually snow stopped and I walked to the Lake Roca café and back campground there with lots of tents and bon fires, bus came at 1300 got on and then did 2 circuits of the park picking people up and dropping them off, back to the hotel at 1400.

Posted in Argentina, Chile | Tagged , | 4 Comments