In the meantime ....

This is what we also do right now ...

Etelän pystymettä 2016, Iisalmi, Finland

A visit to the southern Pystymettä (translate into "Southern standing-up forest") - a weekend in the middle of the woods (28.-30.Oct.). It was great as always!

Coming back to Finland appears difficult :-o

What else have I been doing during September 2016?

You can follow our life more closely by watching Skippy's youtube channel: RAWFINN

or follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/veganervagabund/

Motosügis2016

I saw a few Hell Angels on the ferry. Are they coming to Motosügis? Will there be "everything" in the meeting?

I got my new orange bicycle - time for test ride and quick intro

Finally. After waiting for many many weeks I got my orange bicycle. Enjoy with me my first ride and get a short intro of the bike.

Sidecar and trike day in Lahti and why a beer is better than a woman

Perfect riding weather to visit the sidecar and trike day in Lahti, learned a few new things about beer and search for the famous vegan shelf in a Lahti citymarket.

Finland Roadtrip 2016 Episode three: Biker meeting in Yyteri and visit to Tuulispää

The end of my Finland roadtrip included a biker weekend at Yyteri, Pori and a visit to the animal rescue farm Tuulispää in Somero.

Finland Roadtrip 2016 Episode two: WWII memories, couch surfing, Lapland and polarcircle

A short visit to some old WWII fighting areas, my first couch surfing experience in Kuusamo and a quick stop-over at the polar-circle and Lapland.

Finland Roadtrip Aug2016 - Episode one: sidecar meeting, Punkaharju, Kerimäki and Koli

It was time for a road trip in Finland - my first proper journey with this sidecar in Finland! At first I visited the stunning sidecar meeting, rode around the beautiful Punkaharju followed by visiting the worlds biggest wooden church in Kerimäki. Ukko-Koli was all in clouds this time.

The most difficult thing back in Europe after being in Latin America for 18 months

A little bit of this and that: 2 girls and 5 dogs, some info about bike repair, labor camp and Finnish countryside.

Veganer Vagabund - Seit 3 Jahren mit Gespann und Vierbeiner auf Weltreise und so geht es weiter

Für meinen neuen Youtube Kanal (Veganer Vagabund), habe ich hier ein paar Worte und clips zusammengefasst was ich die letzten drei Jahre gemacht habe und was ich jetzt vor habe...

Our sex life sucks and my crazy bike repair continues

The bike repair continued with a few hick-ups and innovative solutions ;)

Vegane Leckereien in Finnland

Diesmal gehe ich in zwei Einkaufsmärkte der grossen Supermarktketten einkaufen.

My 3 weeks labor camp and I never had my beemer dismantled that much - my crazy bike repair

Getting some stuff and back to the labor camp. Finally I started my bike repair and found more surprises... (3.-18.7.2016)

Wolfi's new youtube channel

Well well. In short.
Skippy has her own channel in youtube, she does not feel like writing/updating anything here I decided to make now a shift in the way of presenting my views. I started my own youtube channel (Veganer Vagabund) and yes, it is in German language. I will still conclude this sidecar chapter with the repairs on youtube Sauerkraut&Tofuwurst but after that I will focus on my new channel.

However I(/we?) will continue to maintain this webpage and at least I will post all my youtube movies to this blog as well. Keep pictures and data from the bicycle and other stuff...

And here is my first video on my new channel:

Finally, my wife comes to her senses and returns back home

;)

Who converted my nice home into a shithole and the yard into a jungle

I was in total shock when I came to my old home, saw this jungle and shitty house. I was almost crying...

The aftermath of riding across South America with a dog on a side car

A short summary of what I experienced in South America (1H2016).


Some additional notes:
- As an European I did not need any Visa in any of the countries I have been.
- I did not need at any point a Carnet de Passage.
- It is possible to get a vehicle insurance which covers: Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, Chile, Bolivia and Peru. Insurance for Colombia is mandatory and was obtained at Suramericana www.sura.com. Ecuador, no insurance required.

Leaving my wife for the third time and going back home to Finland

Our ON/OFF relationship continued and I was on my way to Finland...

I got me a bicycle and check out my crazy plans

Some more of our on/off relationship. I got me a bicycle and enjoying some goodies in Lübeck. I also give you some idea of my crazy plans for the future.

Heading north through BENELUX countries and back to Germany (12-15June2016)

Getting first parts of the bike fixed while other stuff got broken as well as me. Besides that plenty of riding and another disappointment at Subways ...

I got some culture shocks in Germany and did Skippy dump me via youtube?

I got a few culture shocks in Germany now that I was back in Saarland but they were also positive ones. Isn't it nice to hear from your wife via youtube that she might consider dumping me? At least Peto made me happy as he goes all ball-crazy.

My experience of importing a dog from Latin America to Europe

A short description of the 6 months long process to bring a pet into Europe.



Official webpage to find details on importing a pet into Europe.
http://ec.europa.eu/food/animals/pet-movement/index_en.htm
www.bmel.de

Peto immigrates to Germany and plenty of other stuff

Plenty of stuff to be organized in Frankfurt (30May - 6June), enjoying delicious vegan food and Bryan Adams live. It was my first concert since ??2013??

Back to Skippy and my plans for this summer and beyond

After being 5 months separated from Skippy we finally are together again. The big question what will I do next...

Going back "home" (from Argentina to Germany)

It was a busy time organizing all things around the bike shipment as well as Peto's export papers. Besides that I had a bit of a time to explore Buenos Aires. Did I make it to Frankfurt as planned or did I have similar issues as Skippy had...

Ruta 3 - the most boring road I ever rode (from Rada Tilly to Buenos Aires)

It was driving, sleeping, driving, sleeping and almost sleeping while driving - watch what all happened on my way up north towards Buenos Aires (12.-22.5.2016).

Border crossing Chile/Argentina with a dog via Paso Integracion Austral and San Sebastian

A short report about how Peto - my dog - and me crossed the Chile/Argentina borders to and from Ushuaia.




Vet and Senasa in Comodoro Rivadavia
Veterania Huesos
M-F 1000-1230 and 1600-2030, S 10-1230
Tehuelches 172
S45.83435° W67.47831°

Senasa
M-F 0830 - 1330 (or so)
S45.86322° W67.47430°

Heading north - from Ushuaia to Rada Tilly

After a short stay in Ushuaia it was time to go back north. It went almost without trouble...

My last 1400km to Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego

Riding in freezing weather, long days across numbing landscape - my last 1400km to Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego.

3 Years on the road - with a sidecar and a dog around the world

What a fantastic adventure this was so far and it is not yet over...

Ushuaia yes or no...

After consulting a few details with Pedro, I made my decision whether we go to Ushuaia or not! Winter was coming and cold, it would be!

The stunning part of Ruta 40 - a dream shattered and reborn

Enjoy these beautiful landscapes with me. A good time of the year to ride across and the coldness is almost forgotten. I tell also what happened to my starter motor.

Welcome to Argentina and border crossing from Chile to Argentina with a motorcycle/sidecar and a dog (Cardenal Samore)

We crossed the border on Wednesday 20April2016 at Cardenal Samore). The crossing was really easy. At the entry check point I got a piece of paper stating my license plate and how many persons. Then to immigration and customs which both stamped this paper. At the exit check point I gave the stamped paper. Since there were no cues it took about 10minutes including all the photo shootings of the officials and by standers. Nobody cared about Peto.

After some 22km there is the international border and after some additional 18km there was the Argentina checkpoint.

The same procedure. At the entry check point I got a piece of paper stating my license plate and how many persons. Then to immigration and customs which both stamped this paper. The border official (who took some pics of Peto and the sidecar) then told me to go to Senasa office. I gave the SAG papers from Chile, had to pay 65ARS (she accepted also payment in CLP - 3000CLP) as a one-time entrance fee for Peto into Argentina and I was done. They kept the white copy of the SAG paper (BTW: The official SAG paper only stated the rabies vaccination details not the parasites. A clear indication that at the Bolivia/Chile border it was pure harassment because with the same paper I can return to Chile). At the exit check point I gave the paper with all three stamps. Since there were no cues it took about 20minutes including all the photo shootings of the officials and by standers.

No copies needed, no other payments required. Nobody asked for vehicle insurance.

The SAG paper from Chile is valid for 10days to leave Chile and enter Argentina. The re-entry from Argentina to Chile is possible with the same paper within 21days (so no need to go to Senasa in Argentina if you move within this time window).

A multiple entry/re-entry is also possible according to the SAG officer. However it might be that you need more official copies. If you plan to do this then ask for more copies or clarify this upfront with the official (The SAG officer in Osorno did not say anything about more copies even though I told her about my intentions).

Based on other travelers info, the time window is more relaxed in the south and is 30days for in both directions also with the note that you might need an official for each entry to the other country (so get several). However, I could not verify this in person.

SAG office in Osorno: S40.57420° W73.13925, Mackenna 674, Osorno, (64) 2232415, http://www.sag.cl/content/oficina-osorno
There was at least one person who spoke fluent German.

ALWAYS triple check ALL data on the paper (they screwed up my passport number and then Peto's vaccination date!)

Teaser - what to expect in Argentina ...

Teaser - what to expect in Argentina ...

Osorno- Peto got new toys - Wolfi got new toys - Shattered dreams

The fixing the starter motor on the R1150GSA continued. Peto got new toys and likes them very much. Shattered dreams and life continues. Look what the campground caretaker did to us...

Skippy's stories about her domestic violence and how she survived...

Skippy decided a while ago to tell her domestic violence story and how she survived. This is pretty heavy stuff, it's all real - no fake!

Check out her Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvYsDRQ_SATFh2JIhe0PG5Q/videos

And the first video of the series...

Limache to Osorno (Chile) and then came the starter motor problem

Yep - another problem and this time with the starter motor. It had made trouble for a while and I thought it would be a good idea to open, check and fix it now (quickly!) so I won't have any more trouble down the road (hopefully)...

Happy Birthday to me and I got a present guess from whom...

Now there is a bit of Chile in FFWD mode and I got one year older but did I get any wiser?

Wildlife at the campground and the bike repair continues...

Dogs, cats, birds, lizards and mice and news on the ball joint bearing, oil filter and more...

Bolivia - pet and bike friendly accommodations, tracks and waypoints

Track 2600km

Track and waypoints in GDB and GPX format.

List of bike & pet friendly accommodation (100BOB ≈ 13.5 EUR ≈ 15USD)

Copacabana - Luz Yhobimar

Type: Room (twin, single occupancy), private bathroom
Costs: 70BOB
Dogs: free
Bike parking: secured parking lot one block away (included)
Contact:
GPS: S16.16630° W69.08779°
Comment: hot shower, Wifi, TV, no drinking water

La Paz - Apartamento en La Paz

Type: Room (twin, single occupancy), shared bathroom
Costs: 12USD
Dogs: 6USD
Bike parking: Garage in house (4USD)
Contact: booking.com,
GPS: S16.50648° W68.14240°
Comment: electric shower head, Wifi, TV, drinking water, common kitchen, fridge, terrace with a view, easy to find. silent and big room. kitchen. Garage in-house. cheap. Hosts speaks English. Clean shower/toilet. had to wait for a while before I got hold of the owner but some other house guests helped. Parking costed 4USD, my dog 6USD per night which made the room a bit expensive for Bolivia but maybe not for La Paz. My room door had glass tiles and I could see when the light went on in the corridor.
Slow to unusable internet. On the last night there was no toilet paper (even though toilets were cleaned) and I could not find the owner.

Oruro - Hotel City Virginia

Type: Room (single occupancy), private bathroom
Costs: 130BOB
Dogs: free
Bike parking: Garage in house besides hotel (mostly for the night not during day)
Contact: 72313391, Av. 6 de Agosto entre Aroma y Villarroel
GPS: S17.96093° W67.10574°
Comment: hot shower, slow Wifi, TV, drinking water,

Potosi - Casa de huespedes La Vicuna

Type: Room (king size bed, single occupancy), shared bathroom
Costs: 120BOB
Dogs: free
Bike parking: in inner yard
Contact: Calle Ingavi No. 184, esq Quijarro
GPS: S19.58640° W65.75365°
Comment: hot shower (after I complained that there was no hot shower), Wifi, TV, room was a closet without window, breakfast included

Uyuni - Hotel Inti

Type: Room (queen size bed, single occupancy), shared bathroom
Costs: 85BOB
Dogs: free
Bike parking: garage 15Bob
Contact:
GPS: S20.46126° W66.82089°
Comment: hot shower, Wifi, no towel, no toilet paper

Alto - Hospedaje Fatima

Type: Room (single bed in three bed room, single occupancy), shared bathroom
Costs: 30BOB
Dogs: free
Bike parking: in inner yard
Contact:
GPS: S21.40105° W67.59720°
Comment: very basic, hot shower (10BOB), no Wifi, no towel, no toilet paper

San Christobal - Hotel

Type: Room (twin room, single occupancy), private bathroom
Costs: 140BOB
Dogs: free
Bike parking: in inner yard
Contact:
GPS: S21.15403° W67.16700°
Comment: hot shower, no Wifi, comfortable, carpet, heating, breakfast included

Kulpina K - Hostal Maluqui

Type: Room (twin room, single occupancy), private bathroom
Costs: 50BOB
Dogs: free (after some clarification)
Bike parking: backyard
Contact:
GPS: S21.25848° W67.22283°
Comment: hot shower, no Wifi, carpet

Pena Barroza - Hostal

Type: Room (twin room, single occupancy), private bathroom
Costs: 100BOB
Dogs: free
Bike parking: in inner yard
Contact:
GPS: S22.19119° W67.33943°
Comment: hot shower, no Wifi

One tiny mistake and 2 days more work - gearbox repair on a BMW R1150GSA - part II

Puppy love and sorrow. Murphy's law hit me hard this time but see for yourself...

Waiting for spare parts - great opportunity for gearbox repair on a BMW R1150GSA - part I

It became obvious that I would be here for some time to get my spare part for the front fork. What a great opportunity to figure out whether my gearbox had some issues as well.

Lagunas, Flamingos and another way to enter from Bolivia into Chile with a dog and a sidecar

Beautiful scenery, catastrophic track especially with a broken front fork but nonetheless I found an innovative way to enter Chile ;)

Some more info on crossing the border from Bolivia to Chile with a dog.

Your pet needs to be vaccinated against internal and external parasites (my dog got medicine designed for swines but I only figured that out later)!

Based on my (horrible) experiences here is what I recommend:
1. Your pet needs a health certificate from a vet stating the rabies information (date, vet who gave the shot) and the vaccination for the parasites (date and vet who gave it). Most likely your vet is incompetent so you need to make sure everything is ok, even the tiniest details! This paper is supposed to be valid for 30 days but I would not go beyond 10 days! The parasite treatment and the health certificate together were 80BOB.

2. Besides that you need an export permit for your pet from the Bolivian Senasag. This paper must state the rabies info (date and vet), the parasite info (date and vet) and better put ALL info you have about your dog into THIS paper (like all vaccines with date and name of vet, and whatever else you can imagine). This paper is supposed to be valid for 30 days but I would not go beyond 10 days!

Note that there is only one vet in Potosi who can make this export permit and this vet might be out on an inspection (or coffee). Better reserve time for this! Most likely this vet is incompetent (or lazy) so you need to make sure everything is ok, even the tiniest details!

Senasag Potosi: S19.55927° W65.76094°
(check their webpage http://senasag.gob.bo/ for other locations, there is no Senasag in Uyuni!)
The paper costs 50BOB and you need to pay at the bank and come with the receipt to the Senasag office.

The actual border crossing:
Bolivian side does not care at all about pets going in or out.

The Chile SAG has all the power to let you in or not. They can be very very naughty - a level of naughtiness which I would call arbitrariness as well as abuse of the SAG position (Other traveler's stories confirm that in regards to bringing animal products/souvenirs into Chile). Based on my experience there is no proven recipe for dealing with this. If they do not like you, they do not let you in, so be prepare to get access denied with your pet even though you believe you have all papers correct.

Potentially if you have a SAG paper from Argentina you might be able to compare and get a similar paper from Bolivia (just to be sure).

Which way to go from Bolivia to Chile and then this happened again...

If you thought my misery was over, watch this episode...

Phuck you SAG, Senasag - drama at the border Bolivia to Chile

The beautiful landscape and plenty of shit I had to take while trying to get from Bolivia into Chile with my dog...

My sidecar is falling apart and I am stranded in Uyuni, Bolivia

Enjoy the ride from Potosi to the Salt lakes of Uyuni. These roads are hard on my old bike and I am beginning to wonder if I will make my journey to the end?

Riding from La Paz to Potosi and enjoying vegan food in the "magic apple"(Bolivia)

The difference between cities is amazing but watch for yourself. I also found a vegetarian restaurant in Potosi in walking distance from my hostel. Watch for yourself...

Riding a sidecar on THE Road of Death (Yungas Road), Bolivia

Here I was - in La Paz - getting ready to ride the world's most dangerous road. How did I manage with my sidecar?

From Copacabana to La Paz (Bolivia)

A smooth ride from Copacabana to another traffic nightmare big city - La Paz.




More info on the bike insurance:
I got the contact data from http://www.smboilerworks.com/
Name: Seguros Illimani
GPS: S16.49903, W068.13338
Address: Loayza No 233 Edif Mcal de Ayacucho (this is the name of the building) Floor 10
You need copy of: passport, vehicle title, Bolivia import paper.
I paid 100USD for 3 months and it covers: Bolivia, Chile, Argentine, Brazil and Paraguay (the others paid 160USD for 5 months). It could also cover Peru if wanted.

Peru - Accommodations, tracks and waypoints

The track

About 3500km, Total Ascent 47161m, Total Descent 44155m

The tracks and waypoints can be found here in gdb and in gpx format.

Accommodations (for one person, 100sol≈27EUR):

San Ignacio - Hotel Zumbilla

Type: Room with single bed
Costs: 20sol
Dogs: free
Bike parking: secured in garage besides the hotel
Contact:
GPS: S5.14505° W79.00707°
Comment: hot shower, TV, no Wifi, no shower curtain, not sure about the name

Jaen - Hotel Imperial Palace

Type: Room with one bed
Costs: 40sol
Dogs: free
Bike parking: secured in garage
Contact: Av. Pakamuros 828, 076-431169, 947895195
GPS: S5.70820° W78.80307°
Comment: hot shower, TV, very slow Wifi, fan, other rooms with more space and/or A/C cost more.

Cutervo - Hotel Megadi

Type: Room with one bed
Costs: 30sol
Dogs: free
Bike parking: secured in garage
Contact:
GPS: S6.38299° W78.81633°
Comment: hot shower, TV, fast Wifi in hallway,

Cajamarca - Hotel Cuenca

Type: Room with one bed
Costs: 35sol (50sol for double)
Dogs: free
Bike parking: secured in garage
Contact: 076-313002, 976885856, 993482604, El Inca #511, hostalcuenca@hotmail.com
GPS: S7.15861° W78.50937°
Comment: dungeon, hot shower, TV, Wifi,

Huamachuco - Hotel Dubai

Type: Room with one bed
Costs: 35sol (50sol for double)
Dogs: free
Bike parking: secured in garage
Contact: Av. 10 de Julio #222, 991122268, RPM#959653697
GPS: S7.81766° W78.04337°
Comment: dungeon, electric shower head, TV, slow Wifi,

Santiago de Chuco - Hotel Restaurant Yordy

Type: Room with one big bed
Costs: 30sol
Dogs: free
Bike parking: secured but a few blocks away (5sol /night) (S8.14341° W78.17183°),
Contact: Miguel Grau No 1421 - Tomas Ganoza No 706
GPS: S8.14573° W78.17305°
Comment: window, hot shower, TV, no Wifi,

Tauca - Hospedaja Santo Domingo

Type: Room with one big bed
Costs: 20sol
Dogs: free
Bike parking: Across the central plaza at the church. It was free and locked during the night.
Contact:
GPS: S8.46980° W78.03833°
Comment: dirty, raw walls, window, electric shower head, TV, no Wifi

Chuquicara - "Rooms"

Type: Room with one big bed
Costs: 20sol (first they wanted 30sol)
Dogs: free
Bike parking: in front of room
Contact:
GPS: S8.65494° W78.23670°
Comment: dirty, window, cold shower (well it was hot), sandflies, water extremely dirty (from river), no toilet paper and no towel (lady got bitchy and said it is not included in 20sol),

Caraz - Hotel Luchita

Type: Room with a single bed
Costs: 30sol
Dogs: free
Bike parking: half a block away in somebody's home
Contact: 043-391569, Jr. Pumacahua 2do. piso
GPS: S9.04520° W77.81049°
Comment: cleanish, decent, windows, hot shower, good Wifi, TV, (felt like luxury hotel compared to the last shithole)

Huaraz - Hostal Quilla Star

Type: Room (martimonial bed, single occupancy)
Costs: 35sol
Dogs: free, but had some trouble to get Peto in.
Bike parking: 3 blocks away and it costs 5sol/night
Contact: Av. Centenario No 571 - Independencia, 043-422320
GPS: S9.51920° W77.52996°
Comment: cleanish, bathroom window, hot shower, slow Wifi, TV. Basically three hotels denied to host pets. This last one only allowed after some discussion. The other hotel which was quickly saying ok was the Real Hotel Huascaran but the prices were 90sol for a single and 120sol for a matrimonial.

Huallanco - Hotel Nancy

Type: Room (martimonial bed, single occupancy)
Costs: 25sol
Dogs: free
Bike parking: free in backyard
Contact:
GPS: S9.89923° W76.94227°
Comment: cleanish, window, hot shower, no Wifi, TV.

Huanuco - Hotel Tito's

Type: Room (martimonial bed, single occupancy), shared bathroom
Costs: 35sol
Dogs: free after some discussion and the fact that Peto is a small dog.
Bike parking: free in garage
Contact: Av. Universitaria No 1348, Cayhuayana Alta Huanuco, Huanuco, 515123
GPS: S9.95643° W76.24843°
Comment: window, electric shower head, no Wifi, TV, balcony, they seem to have another hotel in the centro. There are about 10 hostal nearby this one.

La Oroya - Hostal Nuevo Pablo

Type: Room (martimonial bed, single occupancy), private bathroom
Costs: 30sol
Dogs: free
Bike parking: secured garage nearby (5sol)
Contact:
GPS: S11.52048° W75.90153°
Comment: window, hot shower, good Wifi, TV,

Lima - Affirmate Camera

Type: Room (martimonial bed, single occupancy), private bathroom
Costs: 20USD
Dogs: free
Bike parking: garage in the house
Contact: booking.com
GPS: S11.94857° W77.08665°
Comment: window, hot shower, Wifi, no reception! (looks like a private house)


Review booking.com
+
I stayed there for three nights/days to get some stuff organized in Lima. Pets are for free and private parking where the garage was in the house. The owner was very friendly and helped me fixing a puncture in my tire. The internet was good speed especially in the hallway. I could use the fridge. The room was very hot and later during the first day the owner brought a fan. The room was big and the bed was huge - very comfortable. The place felt more like a private place than a hotel since there was no reception and I got the keys to get in and out by myself which was good. Besides the issue with the water (I noted it was fixed when I left), it was a nice stay. The neighborhood looks average to me, plenty of kids playing in the streets in the evening. There is a Tottu's supermercado a few blocks down the road.
-
The room (the one with the Jacuzzi) was pretty hot. Other rooms do not even have a window towards the outside. On the first day I wanted to test the Jacuzzi but there came no hot water as the hot water seems to come only around 6PM. The next day there came no water at all, after complaining there came only warm/hot water and no cold water. Anyway the flow was so little that the Jacuzzi would have taken hours to fill up (normal fill time is 60min). In the end I could not use the Jacuzzi.

Ica - Hotel Villa Carino

Type: Room (matrimonial bed, single occupancy), private bathroom
Costs: 40sol
Dogs: free
Bike parking: garage in the house
Contact: Av. Los Maestros urb. divino Maestro B-40, Ica, 227495, 956991334, hvillacarino@hotmail.com
GPS: S14.07830° W75.73761°
Comment: window, hot shower, good Wifi, TV,

Nasca - Hospedaje Huerto de mi Amada

Type: Room (single bed), private bathroom
Costs: 30sol
Dogs: free
Bike parking: garage in the backyard
Contact:
GPS: S14.82783° W74.94622°
Comment: electric shower head, Wifi, TV

Puquio - Hostal Los Andes

Type: Room (single bed), private bathroom
Costs: 40sol
Dogs: free
Bike parking: garage in the house
Contact: Jr. 9 de Diciembre 286, Puquio, Ayacucho, 066-452323
GPS: S14.69528° W74.12404°
Comment: window, hot shower, no Wifi, TV,

Abancay - Hotel El Peregrino Apart Hotel

Type: Room (matrimonial bed, single occupancy), private bathroom
Costs: 90sol
Dogs: free, Peto was ok after the receptionist called the manager
Bike parking: secured in backyard
Contact: Andres Avelino Caceres 390, 083-502610
GPS: S13.63418° W72.87558°
Comment: Luxury hotel!, bedroom with separated kitchen/living room, window, hot shower, good Wifi, TV, kitchenette with micro, fridge, breakfast, helpful staff

Ollantaytambo - Hostal Las Portadas

Type: Room (matrimonial bed, single occupancy), private bathroom
Costs: 25sol
Dogs: free
Bike parking: secured in backyard
Contact: Calle Principal S/N, Cel 984620989, 064-204008
GPS: S13.25906° W72.26200°
Comment: window, hot shower, Wifi (was switched off during night), TV, helpful staff

Cusco - Inkita Boutique Guesthouse

Type: Room (matrimonial bed, single occupancy), shared bathroom
Costs: 13USD
Dogs: free
Bike parking: secured in backyard
Contact: booking.com (no reception, private house)
GPS: S13.52500° W71.90044°
Comment: beautiful view, outside Cusco, peaceful, secure, hot shower, Wifi, TV, helpful staff


Booking review
+
The place is almost idyllic and 8km away from Cusco center (taxi takes 15min and costs about 12sol) thus ideal for folks like me who loves to walk with the dog. Plenty of green around and its a delight to have a walk in the neighborhood. Dogs are for free even though the owner might not allow your dog inside the room (at least she hesitated to allow my dog into the room or it was a language misunderstanding). Parking on the lawn inside the yard. very nice garden to sit, relax and enjoy the great view over Cusco. The big rooms are absolute fantastic and are really worth the money. The tiny one (which I had in the 2nd night) is about average. Wifi was fast. There was drinking water available in the kitchen. I had a small medical issue and the owner was so kind to find out an English speaking doctor who was on duty on Saturday.
-
The upper security gate was closed in the evening and the taxi had to take the lower one (if you come with your own vehicle or the taxi does not know it you have to walk). I did not get a key to the property door so I had to knock on the main door and wait for the mercy of the owner to open. I had booked a twin room (25m2) but it was still occupied. So I got in the first night a big room (25m2) with private bathroom (which was nice) but in the 2nd night a very small, hot room (12m2) without proper air circulation. I have slept in smaller rooms but this room was far below my expectations compared to what I had booked! Shared toilet was not cleaned, had no toilet paper and there came no water in the shower. On the second evening I tried to get out to have an evening walk but the door was locked and bolted thus I could not get out by myself.

Puno - Hostal Inka Tours

Type: Room (matrimonial bed, single occupancy), private bathroom
Costs: 45sol
Dogs: free (after some discussion and I told them that I will stay two nights)
Bike parking: in garage
Contact:
GPS: S15.84469° W70.01783°
Comment: near Lake Titicaca, hot shower, Wifi, TV, no drinking water

Bordercrossing Peru Bolivia with a dog and a motorbike

There is no entry fee for EU-citizens into Bolivia, but what about the bike and the corrupt officers? And what about Peto?

Wolfi reveals his mental state from Puno at Lake Titicaca

How am I doing? Being miserable? Party party party? Here come the secrets...

Fantastic vegan food in Cusco

The only reason I went to Cusco was the fact that there are three vegan restaurants and the food was fantastic.

I am 116 years and walked Machu Picchu

Inspired by the magic of Machu Picchu I did manage to have a great time besides the fact that I am 116 years young ;)

How to visit Machu Picchu with a dog and exploring Ollantaytambo

Pets are not allowed on the trains to Machu Picchu neither in Machu Picchu itself. I found two ways to visit Machu Picchu while traveling with a dog. Ollantaytambo had several veg-friendly restaurants and I could have a nice hike with Peto.

Puquio to Ollantaytambo - preparing for Machu Picchu (Peru)

Up and down and up and down. Riding through the Andes on my way to Machu Picchu.

Nasca Lines, broken bearing and back into the mountains

Paranoid? I do not know but I did not want to play it the Latin American way. Amazing difference between coastal and mountain roads.

Audit of my new "Peru-helmet"

Wolfi - the certified quality lead auditor - reviews his latest purchase. Will it pass the test?

New shoes and riding the PE1S

Fixing this and that at the bike and getting out of Lima as quickly as I could...

Some more still impressions from Peru

And a few still impressions from the past days...

More of the beauty (somewhere south of Huaraz)

What a nice idea for a bus stop waiting area.

Ticlio Pass 4818m

 

Mining lorries

And a extra special one for my Finnish friends and readers :D

My lessons learned from drinking Inca Kola and via Ticlio Pass to Lima

I rode the busy Ticlio pass (4818m) to Lima and finally found a vet to get the required papers for entering the EU. Wow, did I get sick this time.

First trillions of potholes and then somebody stole my helmet, Huallanca - Huanuco (Peru)

Another challenging ride for me and the bike which ended with the fact that somebody stole my helmet. But life and the journey went on :)

Reaching for the sky - A breath taking ride in Huascaran National Park

One of the best rides in Latin America. Sit back, relax and enjoy the views together with me.

Canon del Pato Chuquicara to Caraz (Peru)

Another day of adventure riding. PE3N - a road with some devilish features.

Peru - not all is shit - a brief look into the future

My helmet was stolen while I was checking out a hotel to stay for the night. Well, shit happens. Now I ride with a "Peru-helmet" :D

In the meanwhile, enjoy some upcoming views...

Curves Curves Curves and a 3km descent - riding PE3N in Peru

Life in a tiny mountain village and another stretch of great riding which ended with a surprise.

Steep, steeper, Peru - another adventure ride through the beautiful Andes in Peru

The title says it all. From Santiago de Chuco to Tauca via PE3N. Total ascent 4011m. Total descent 3811m.

War games in Santiago de Chuco (Peru)

Carnival everywhere. See how some people in Peru celebrate it and of course plenty of more nice nature between the villages.

Carnival, vegan food and coffee at Starbucks - Cutervo - Cajamarca (Peru)

More of Andes and the PE3N. This road is full of of surprises.

My sidecar and me took a very long mud bath - riding from San Ignacio via Jaen to Cutervo

Sit back, watch the video and me struggling ;)

Vilcabamba, via Zumba, La Balsa (Ecuador) to San Ignacio (Peru)

I had really mixed feelings about riding this road. Butterflies were roaring in my stomach. The border crossing was one of the fastest ever!


Details on the border crossing

I crossed the border on Sunday 31.Jan2016 around 16o'clock. Customs and immigration on the Ecuador side took about 10min. Then I went to take copies of passport and bike papers for the Peru side. Besides that I changed a few dollars in one of the shops so I had some cash if needed. Nobody cared about Peto and a few locals sponsored my journey. Thank you very much!

I crossed the bridge, drove under the barrier and parked on the right side. I got the feeling of being in the wrong movie. Chickens with their little ones running all over the place. But no I was at the right place. However there was an electric cut and thus immigration guys did not want to do anything. 

Then I went to customs because that anyway takes longer. So I filled the papers by hand instead of the guy typing everything into the system and then printing the cards. Now it came REALLY handy that I took some copies on the Ecuador side where they had electricity.

Some time later customs were done, still no electricity and then also immigration people could be moved to give me my stamp manually. This process took less than 30minutes which makes this border crossing one of the fastest - no most likely THE fastest - one I ever had. Only 40 minutes in total! Of course I was honest and said "yes" on the customs form about bringing animals into the country. Meaningless as this question was, nobody cared Peto. Good that I did not invest in any vet's certificate ;)

Peru here I come!

My track through Ecuador:

About 1000km

Ecuador track and waypoints as GPX and GDB files.

Ecuador accommodations

Ibarra - Camping at Finca Sommerwind

Type: camping
Costs: 5USD/person
Dogs: free
Bike parking: besides tent
Contact: http://www.finca-sommerwind.info/
GPS: N0.38049° W78.08908°
Comment: Clean toilets and hot shower, kitchenette, restaurant, great Wifi, they seem to have also cabins.

Quito - Residence Latitude 0

Type: Room for 6+people (all for me)
Costs: 10USD/person
Dogs: free
Bike parking: free in the one and only garage
Contact: booking.com
GPS: S0.21142° W78.48541°
Comment: Clean, shared warm shower, shared toilet, TV, good Wifi, kitchen

Riobamba - Hotel Royalty

Type: Room with one queen size bed
Costs: 13.50USD/person
Dogs: free
Bike parking: secured in inner yard
Contact:
GPS: S1.65549° W78.66520°
Comment: Clean, warm shower, TV, good Wifi, free breakfast, opposite of shopping mall

Cuenca - Mallki Hostel

Type: Room with one queen size bed
Costs: 25USD
Dogs: free
Bike parking: secured in inner yard
Contact: http://www.mallkihostel.com/ and booking.com
GPS: S2.90413° W79.00713°
Comment: Shower head, common TV, Wifi (from congested and no throughput to superfast), free breakfast, kitchen, first two nights in dorm room (10USD/night).

Vilcabamba - Hosteria Paraiso

Type: Room with multiple beds
Costs: 20USD/room (special price, normally 25USD/room)
Dogs: free
Bike parking: in inner yard
Contact: +593 (0) 72640266, 072640029, 0988448057, www.hosteriaparaiso.com, hosteriaparaiso@hotmail.com
GPS: S4.25516° W79.22341°
Comment: Clean, hot shower, TV, good Wifi at reception, free breakfast, swimming pool, steam sauna, Finnish sauna at weekends

Finnish sauna and vegan Falafel and maybe my last video - greetings from Vilcabamba

Vilcabamba -  a village where local people are supposed to get very old. I enjoyed a great Finnish sauna and had excellent tasting vegan dishes there. Is this my last video?

Vegan pancakes, walking through Cuenca and the bike repair continues

I walked through Cuenca and started to work on my next project - getting the required papers for Peto to come to Europe. Meanwhile Andres made vegan pancakes in the morning and I continued to repair my broken rear shock.


Company who did the rear shock work:

Leon Motors
Taller especializado: motor, suspencion, frenos
Christian Leon (he speaks English and his wife speaks German)
Parque Industrial Modulo202
Cornelio Vintimilla y Carlos Tosi
Cuenca, Ecuador
0992832161
crisleonmx@hotmail.com
-2.876990, -78.977967

1000days on the road

It is difficult for me to comprehend that I have been on the road for 1000days now. This lifestyle with all its ups and downs has become the normal thing to do and I sometimes forget that I am on the journey of my life - seeing all those places, experiencing new cultures and all that on my motorbike! So much has happened during those 1000days... and when looking at the maps of South America so much is still ahead. And then there is still Asia and Australia :D

72000km 39 countries 4 continents :)

Market day and bike repair in Cuenca, Ecuador

Andres, the owner of the hostel, gave us a tour to the local market. Besides waiting for my parts to come, I repaired the leaking oil filter... hopefully.

Oh shit - what to do now?

There I was - somewhat stuck in Ecuador. The big question is what I will do next after I realized that my great plan was rubbish.

Wolfi's new master plan

Hanging in Riobamba and making new plans for the future.

Colombia - Tracks, waypoints and accommodations

Tracks and waypoints can be found here as GDB and GPX files.

Almost 3000km

List of pet & bike friendly accommodations:

Cartagena - Hotel Palma Real

Type: Room with one bed
Costs: 65000pesos
Dogs: free
Bike parking: inner yard
Contact: booking.com
GPS: N10.39121° W75.52241°
Comment: Clean, cold shower, TV, Wifi, A/C, fridge, restaurant next door and in neighborhood

Sincelejo - Hotel La Ceiba

Type: Room with one bed
Costs: 40000pesos
Dogs: free
Bike parking: in front of reception
Contact: GPS: N9.27408° W75.41026°
Comment: Clean, cold shower, TV, no Wifi, A/C (on/off via fuse at reception, no remote control),

Sincelejo - Hotel Liyen

Type: Room with two beds
Costs: 80000pesos
Dogs: free
Bike parking: garage yard nearby
Contact: Hotel Liyen, Calle 25 #24-19 Calle Cauca, Sincelejo (Sucre), hoteliyen@hotmail.com, 2760044, 300 258 4885, 300 4981175, GPS: N9.30156° W75.38896°
Comment: Clean, cold shower, TV, Wifi at reception (and rooms near enough), A/C, fan, downtown, opposite to shopping mall

Planeta Rica - Hotel Linda Palma

Type: Room with one bed
Costs: 80000pesos
Dogs: free
Bike parking: besides the house
Contact:
GPS: N8.35945° W75.56115°
Comment: Clean, cold shower, TV, Wifi, A/C, country side, green surroundings

Valdivia - Hotel Monterrey

Type: Room with one bed
Costs: 25000pesos
Dogs: free
Bike parking: in front of the house
Contact: GPS: N7.16656° W75.43916°
Comment: cold shower, Wifi, restaurant, at the Terpel filling station

Medellin - Pit Stop hostel

Type: Big room with one bed
Costs: 90000pesos
Dogs: free
Bike parking: inner yard
Contact: http://www.pitstophostel.com/
GPS: N6.20755° W75.57373°
Comment: Shared bathroom, clean, hot shower, common TV, fast Wifi, some parks around, common kitchen, pool

El Penon de Guatape - Parking lot

Type: informal camping
Costs: free
Dogs: free
Bike parking: besides tent
Contact:
GPS: N6.22187° W75.17881°
Comment: Toilets during day, no shower, Guards are not too eager to let you stay there but then they seem to give in.

Alejandria - Golden Elephant hostel

Type: Room with one bed
Costs: 48000pesos low season (60000pesos high season)
Dogs: free
Bike parking: inner yard
Contact: http://www.goldenelephanthostel.com/index.php/en/airbnb,
GPS: N6.38033° W75.14047°
Comment: Shared bathroom, hot shower (low pressure), common TV, Wifi, common kitchen, billiard

Rio Claro Park Camping

Type: Camping
Costs: 25000pesos for two nights per person
Dogs: free (small dogs are ok even though there is a sign no dogs allowed)
Bike parking: besides tent
Contact:
GPS: N5.89484° W74.85849°
Comment: No parking besides tent, toilets, cold shower are besides campground but were far away (10min walk) from our site, there is supposed to be Wifi at the reception, restaurant and attractions are a few minutes by feed further down the road.

El Portal de Salgar - Hotel El Portal de Salgar

Type: Room with two beds
Costs: 60000pesos
Dogs: free
Bike parking: secured parking in yard nearby
Contact: Calle 16 No5-14, 8399018, 313 6519049, Puerto Salgar,
GPS: N5.46849° W74.65166°
Comment: Private bathroom, cold shower, TV, Wifi, A/C, fan

La Vega - Hotel Los Heroes

Type: Room with one bed
Costs: 80000pesos
Dogs: free
Bike parking: secured parking in garage
Contact:
GPS: N4.99782° W74.33832°
Comment: Private bathroom, hot shower, TV, Wifi, fan, pool, restaurant

San Fransisco - Finca El Cimmaron

Type: House with three bedrooms
Costs: 300000pesos/week
Dogs: free
Bike parking: garage
Contact: 317452666
GPS: N4.98483° W74.28824°
Comment:

Facatativa - Loma Linda

Type: Room with one bed
Costs: 45000pesos
Dogs: free
Bike parking: secured parking behind room
Contact:
GPS: N4.82316° W74.37134°
Comment: Private bathroom, hot shower, TV, Wifi, cold nights

Near Bogota - Hotel

Type: Room with two beds
Costs: 32000pesos
Dogs: free
Bike parking: at parking lot
Contact:
GPS: N4.52659° W74.34722°
Comment: Private bathroom, there was supposed to be hot shower but we had no water at all, TV, no Wifi, truckstop, internet cafe next door

Girardot - Gran Hotel Luis Fernando

Type: Room with one bed
Costs: 80000pesos
Dogs: free
Bike parking: in inner yard
Contact:
GPS: N4.30106° W74.79893°
Comment: Private bathroom, TV, swimming pool, A/C, Wifi was slow and worked only in a few spots, cold shower,

Tatacoa Desert - Camping

Type: camping
Costs: 5000pesos/person
Dogs: free
Bike parking: besides tent
Contact:
GPS: N3.23481° W75.16685°
Comment: Toilets and shower, restaurant, no Wifi, they had also rooms either with private or shared bathroom.

Neiva - Hotel Del Rio

Costs: 50000pesos
Dogs: free
Bike parking: in inner yard
Contact: Cle33P No. 4-38, 8740143, 3112180499
GPS: N2.94814° W75.30939°
Comment: Private bathroom, TV, A/C, good Wifi, cold shower


OTHER INFO
Bearings
Rodamientos California
Pablo Cesar Penagas Chavarro
Cra 5 No. 3-12
Neiva
Tel: 8716716, 3152264075
rodamientoscalifornia@hotmail.com


Machine shop
Alvaro Santofimio e Hiljos & Cia
Almacen Taller y reconstructor de motores
Cra3 No.2-25
Neiva
Tel: 8721647, 871 4870
rectisantofimio@hotmail.com

Palestina - Eco

Type: Room with one bed
Costs: 60000pesos?
Dogs: free
Bike parking: besides house
Contact: booking.com
GPS: N1.72057° W76.11906°
Comment: Private toilet, shared shower, Wifi did not work, ice cold shower

Sibundoy - Hotel

Type: Room with one bed
Costs: 25000pesos
Dogs: free
Bike parking: in front of the hotel
Contact: N1.20470° W76.92105°
Comment: warm shower, Wifi at reception

Pasto - Hotel Concorde

Type: Room with two beds
Costs: 60000pesos
Dogs: free
Bike parking: paid parking opposite of hotel (moto: 8000pesos/24h, car: 10000pesos/24h)
Contact: N1.21931° W77.27989°
Comment: Clean, warm shower, TV, good Wifi


Vets:
De perros y gatos
7360688,3113689229
Cra36 # 18-79, Pasto, Colombia


Bacanes
Cra 36 # 12-87, 27228222, 3017552625, 31652443323, bacanesmv@gmail.com
www.veterinariabacanes.com.co
Pasto, Colombia

One down in the bucket list, many more to go - in Ecuador

Finally I crossed the equator with my bike. One down in my bucket list and many more to go...

Bordercrossing Colombia Ecuador

That was one of the easiest, smoothest, cheapest and fastest border crossing for a long long time. No fees, no trouble with the dog, no "helpers" and the customs officer at the Ecuador side even spoke some English. Despite other travel reports, there was no need for any vehicle insurance. Welcome to Ecuador!

Skippy's arrival in Madrid, Spain

For all of you who wonder whether Skippy and the girls made it, here is the answer. Feel free to follow her adventures on her own youtube channel (Raw Finn) and on Facebook (Raw on the the road)

Skippy's nightmare of leaving Colombia with dogs

It was time for Skippy and the girls to leave Colombia. We have traveled a lot but never ever had such trouble. Skippy was devastated and I am still missing words to explain what happened. See for yourself...


If you want to leave Colombia with your pet by plane then you must obtain an export permission from ICA for your pet. This also applies in case you owned your pet before you enter Colombia.
ICA office is in Bogota (I am not sure where else). This was the case with Avianca, maybe other airlines are less strict.

Trigger-happy Colombians at the Blacks and Whites' Carnival, Pasto 6Jan2016

Many Colombians seemed to me very trigger-happy folks independent of age, sex, or whatever else. Have a look for yourself what happened at the "great parade"…

Blacks and Whites' Carnival, San Juan de Pasto, Colombia (Carnaval Negros y Blancos) 31Dec-4Jan - the warm-up days

Fact is that we came to Pasto because Skippy decided to stop the trip and Pasto is the last big city before the border. Then we heard of the upcoming carnaval and thought it would be a great opportunity to enjoy some nice moments in the end of our common trip. See for yourself what happened and what we thought about it.


Next video is about the grand parade.

Blacks and Whites' Carnival (Spanish: Carnaval de Negros y Blancos), is the largest carnival celebration in southern Colombia, its geographical indication belongs to the city of Pasto. It is celebrated from 2 to 7 January of each year and attracts a considerable number of Colombian and foreign tourists.

In 30 September 2009, this Carnival was proclaimed by UNESCO, as one of the Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.

Source: Wikipedia

Still impressions from Desert Tatacoa, Neiva and el Trampolín del Diablo a.k.a Adiós mi vida

Here are again a few still impressions from our ride through the desert, Neiva and our ride on one the most dangerous roads of the world.

Break: Wolfi checking his bike, Skippy not so happy

A thought came along this road: is a sidecar with its asymmetry a good vehicle to go on such roads?

Desert Tatacoa - cute waysign

And that is how the commercial sign dominates...

View from the first stop

Panorama (click to enlarge)

Pablo's bearing shop in Neiva, Colombia

Pablo (holding my front frame) and Adolfo after the successful operation. Thanks you very very much Pablo, and thank you for your fast work Adolfo.

Since I was out almost all day, Peto made sure I am not going anymore out without him...

... seriously ;)

Welcome to one of the most dangerous roads in the world: trampolin de la muerte

With a length of 69.7 km, the road between Mocoa and San Francisco in the department of Putumayo in Colombia, is one of the most dangerous roads in the world. The road is known as Trampolín del Diablo (Devils trampoline) or Adiós mi vida (Bye bye my life). The road was built in 1930 and zigzags the Andean mountain range.
This road, which is not suitable for public transport or heavy, was built in 1930 to transport soldiers during the war between Colombia and Peru, and so far has been directly responsible for ending hundreds of lives. Different sources record more than 500 people dead in 2011 and in 1989 about 300 people died in a terrible collapse.
Source: http://www.dangerousroads.org/south-america/colombia/3030-trampolin-de-la-muerte-mocoa-san-francisco.html

And such a nice scenery - it was worth going there.

But those steep drops, better not think about it.

Wolfi posing near Laguna de la cocha

Info on the companies:
Bearings
Rodamientos California
Pablo Cesar Penagas Chavarro
Cra 5 No. 3-12
Neiva
Tel: 8716716, 3152264075
rodamientoscalifornia@hotmail.com

Machine shop
Alvaro Santofimio e Hiljos & Cia
Almacen Taller y reconstructor de motores
Cra3 No.2-25
Neiva
Tel: 8721647, 871 4870
rectisantofimio@hotmail.com

Alea iacta est

Alea iacta est. Skippy has made her final decision on what to do next...

Riding Trampolín del Diablo (Adiós mi vida) - Colombia's most dangerous road

This road certainly was spooky. A single lane gravel road often without protection guards and extremely steep edges. One mistake and death is certain. Sharp curves as well as many fast driving trucks and cars required full attention. As this was not enough, we rode parts of it by night and Skippy ran out of gas.


With a length of 69.7 km, the road between Mocoa and San Francisco in the department of Putumayo in Colombia, is one of the most dangerous roads in the world. The road is known as Trampolín del Diablo (Devils trampoline) or Adiós mi vida (Bye bye my life). The road was built in 1930 and zigzags the Andean mountain range.
This road, which is not suitable for public transport or heavy, was built in 1930 to transport soldiers during the war between Colombia and Peru, and so far has been directly responsible for ending hundreds of lives. Different sources record more than 500 people dead in 2011 and in 1989 about 300 people died in a terrible collapse.
Source: http://www.dangerousroads.org/south-america/colombia/3030-trampolin-de-la-muerte-mocoa-san-francisco.html

and a Happy New Year!