Lets Travel Around The World

Visa for one day Oops! At the border of Belize I realized that Argentinians need a visa to enter, and I hadn´t budgeted for the money to buy it, but after insisting a bit and explaining them my voyage they let me enter the country, but only for a day!

In the middle of a storm I arrived at a small village on a heavenly beach, and super super tranquil. Here I am looking out of the window at the beach while I am writing. Tomorrow at noon I already have to be in Mexico.

Pyramides in the jungle
I just visited the National Park of Tikal, an incredible Maya city in the middle of the jungle! The Spanish found it mysteriously abandoned when they arrived in America. It has many temples in the form of pyramides, dedicated to different monarchs, and altars where human sacrifices where held. See pictures.

P.N. Lachuá, Guatemala

Too many stones!
To get to the Lachuá Lagoon, I had to cross 120 km of sand and stone trails that did make me a bit nervous… Poor little motorcycle, it seemed as if it would fall apart on the parts of the road that were full of stones. Coming back I preferred to travel at night to see the ground better with the light of the motorcycle. But I got a bit carried away sliding about on the little stones at high speed and my leg got stuck between the suitcase and a mound, leaving me with a good bruise… See pictures.
P.N.
Alta Verapáz, Guatemala

Red Alert! They're burning everything!
It is sad to see that in certain parts of the country the destruction of the forests is advancing rapidly, and they use the burning strategy to clean the fields, which often “by mistake” sets fire to the woods. In Cobán, there are days where you can not see the sun because of the smoke coming from the fires. The government does little to encourage a better management of the soil by the farmers, and thereby avoid that it wears out and impoverishes.
And the ecological culture is fairly poor. I saw with my own eyes how people had the nerve to enter and exit a national park with shotguns and pistols, to amuse themselves a bit with the last specimen of jaguars, pumas and tapirs that are left in the region.

Alta Verapáz, Guatemala

Caves for every taste
They have caves to burn, but they are under water…
The rocky structure of the region is soft, since many rivers erode it and form long subterranean caves, which with time fill with stalagtites and stalagmites.
I visited the ones of La Candelaria and of Rey Marcos. The first one is very large, with parts that have a height of up to 60m, and can be visited by kayak along many of its 30 km of length. See pictures.

Semuc Champey, Guatemala

Swimming in the Kan'Ba cave
With a candle in one hand and swimming with the other, one has to cross a cave which threads its way through the mountains of Semuc Champey. In total, it is 11 km long and is penetrated by a current of water that flows into the river Cahabón. One can see stalagtites and stalagmites of various types, and you have to be skilled to dodge the bats at the entrance, swim with one hand, climb waterfalls with the help of ropes, descend through water-filled holes, dive underwater, without the candle going out!!

Floating in paradise
I was able to get away from the magnetism of the Atitlán Lake and took the road towards the center of Guatemala. First, I passed some dry, mountainous, interesting landscapes which suddenly changed to intense vegetation with increasing altitude. On a road of loose stones I slipped with the motorcycle and twisted my ankle, which had gotten stuck underneath (I wasn´t able to jump off in time), but it wasn´t serious.
And what was the prize in getting here? A paradise on earth: natural steps of swimming pools that form above a river that penetrates a 300m long cave, the water a crystal-clear torquise, with small fish milling around you, and with the perfect temperature to swim and go from swimming pool to swimming pool along the cascades, all of this in the middle of the jungle… This place is a dream. See pictures.

Vacations

Visa for one day Oops! At the border of Belize I realized that Argentinians need a visa to enter, and I hadn´t budgeted for the money to buy it, but after insisting a bit and explaining them my voyage they let me enter the country, but only for a day!
In the middle of a storm I arrived at a small village on a heavenly beach, and super super tranquil. Here I am looking out of the window at the beach while I am writing. Tomorrow at noon I already have to be in Mexico.

Pyramides in the jungle
I just visited the National Park of Tikal, an incredible Maya city in the middle of the jungle! The Spanish found it mysteriously abandoned when they arrived in America. It has many temples in the form of pyramides, dedicated to different monarchs, and altars where human sacrifices where held. See pictures.

P.N. Lachuá, Guatemala

Too many stones!
To get to the Lachuá Lagoon, I had to cross 120 km of sand and stone trails that did make me a bit nervous… Poor little motorcycle, it seemed as if it would fall apart on the parts of the road that were full of stones. Coming back I preferred to travel at night to see the ground better with the light of the motorcycle. But I got a bit carried away sliding about on the little stones at high speed and my leg got stuck between the suitcase and a mound, leaving me with a good bruise… See pictures.
P.N.
Alta Verapáz, Guatemala

Red Alert! They're burning everything!
It is sad to see that in certain parts of the country the destruction of the forests is advancing rapidly, and they use the burning strategy to clean the fields, which often “by mistake” sets fire to the woods. In Cobán, there are days where you can not see the sun because of the smoke coming from the fires. The government does little to encourage a better management of the soil by the farmers, and thereby avoid that it wears out and impoverishes.
And the ecological culture is fairly poor. I saw with my own eyes how people had the nerve to enter and exit a national park with shotguns and pistols, to amuse themselves a bit with the last specimen of jaguars, pumas and tapirs that are left in the region.

Alta Verapáz, Guatemala

Caves for every taste
They have caves to burn, but they are under water…
The rocky structure of the region is soft, since many rivers erode it and form long subterranean caves, which with time fill with stalagtites and stalagmites.
I visited the ones of La Candelaria and of Rey Marcos. The first one is very large, with parts that have a height of up to 60m, and can be visited by kayak along many of its 30 km of length. See pictures.

Semuc Champey, Guatemala

Swimming in the Kan'Ba cave
With a candle in one hand and swimming with the other, one has to cross a cave which threads its way through the mountains of Semuc Champey. In total, it is 11 km long and is penetrated by a current of water that flows into the river Cahabón. One can see stalagtites and stalagmites of various types, and you have to be skilled to dodge the bats at the entrance, swim with one hand, climb waterfalls with the help of ropes, descend through water-filled holes, dive underwater, without the candle going out!!

Floating in paradise
I was able to get away from the magnetism of the Atitlán Lake and took the road towards the center of Guatemala. First, I passed some dry, mountainous, interesting landscapes which suddenly changed to intense vegetation with increasing altitude. On a road of loose stones I slipped with the motorcycle and twisted my ankle, which had gotten stuck underneath (I wasn´t able to jump off in time), but it wasn´t serious.
And what was the prize in getting here? A paradise on earth: natural steps of swimming pools that form above a river that penetrates a 300m long cave, the water a crystal-clear torquise, with small fish milling around you, and with the perfect temperature to swim and go from swimming pool to swimming pool along the cascades, all of this in the middle of the jungle… This place is a dream. See pictures.

Traveller Profiles

“La Garota” goes on a boat ride
Finally… she left! This is the first time in 20 months that she will be more than 10 meters away from me, but it will be worth it, because the reunion in Barcelona will be grand. The ship that is transporting her over the Atlantic Ocean will land there.
Special thanks to Sidney Lewis (FAST), Federico Martínez (CrazyBoxer) and Víctor García, who made this shipment possible.
I will stay in Mexico a few weeks more, waiting for the “La Garota” to arrive in the Old World before flying there myself to take up again those roads that provoke so many expectations in me. Which friends will I find? Which landscapes, adventures and difficulties are waiting for me? There is only one way to find out: continue ahead.
24 hs of Enduro and crazyness!
This really was crazy… get on an Enduro motorcycle for the first time, at the starting line of a 24h race!!! And what´s more, registered with my only teammate in the category IRONMAN! I knew this was crazy, ride Enduro without any experience… but never had I imagined such rocks, jumps, mud ditches, descents and ascents of almost 90°!!!!! Thank God I was able to finish this spin, but I did not want to continue on the motorcycle, seeing that night and rain were nearing. My mate did have the courage to face his third round under these circumstances. At 6 in the evening he penetrated into the wooded mountains. But the rain and the other motorcycles devistated the trail so much that he was not able to pass some parts of it, which is why we did not see him until… 18 hours later!!! He did not die of hunger and cold lost in the total obscurity of the woods, because we sent him provisions through other drivers. But his tenacity made it possible for him to complete the fourth round, at noon the next day!! Just as the race was finishing…

Expo Moto and Expo Bici
Every July a great motorcycle exposition is held at the World Trade Center of Mexico City, and there I spent four excellent days getting to know people out of this world. Thanks to all who came to the stand and collaborated bying postcards and CDs!
The expercience was repeated at the Expo Bici, where wonderful people appeared from everywhere to tell me about their own dreams or travel experiences.
Just one negative experience: somebody stole my digital camera.

Motorcycle Party in Querétaro
Where there are motorcyclists, there is fun, that´s the principal law. And even more so when hundreds of them unite, from all parts of the country, with the only objective being having a good time and share the passion of two wheels.
So I went with my good friend Lev and his brilliant sister rolled towards Querétaro, the point of reunion 210 km from the capital. Here are some pictures of the event and the routes.
Total repair of the motorcycle
The motorcycle was already needing a bit of maintenance: some noises in the starting mechanism, the gas tank dented and rusted, the exhaust damaged, broken spokes, the clutch worn-out, the tyres worn out, the battery exhausted and other little things. Yamaha Motor of Mexico took care of all of this and much more, leaving the motorcycle as good as new to continue rolling.
Special road and special people
The trip from the peninsula of Yucatan to the capital of Mexico was very unique, most of all because of the special people I met in each city. The was no city where I did not make great friends, whom I will always remember. Click here to see the story and the pictures of the trip.

Thank you Mexico!
Thanks to all mexican friends who are contacting me from all over the country!! Thanks for the mails that give me the strength to continue and for all the support!! Thanks to all of the friends I have already made in Quintana Roo and who are helping me a lot in my first kilometers here. Thanks Pilar and Paty (Chetumal)! Thanks RafaelFriends!! We´ll see each other on the road!!

Everybody here is multilingual!
For the people of Belize, it is normal to be bilingual, and it is very common to speak three or four, and there are some that speak up to seven!! The official language is English and it is the language spoken in the schools, but because of family heritage the mayority also speaks Spanish, and many speak Criollo amongst themselves, which is a strange kind of English. Because of the large indigenous population, Maya and Quiché are also spoken. Along the coast, Garífuna is very widespread, which is a mixture of an african tongue with that of the first caribbean settlers (Arawaka). Another language spoken is Mestizo, which is a mixture of Spanish with something else.

Flight Stats

A cheese and ham sandwich
This was how we got to know Gianni, while we were having our cheese and ham sandwich next to the sea in Denia. La Garota was parked a few meters away from us, and Gianni, who passed by, stopped to look at her.
Right there we made friends, and Gianni (Giovanni Celli) was the one who ended up sponsoring the motorcycle we needed in order for Elke to be able to join this adventure.
Gianni told us that he is a pilot in classical car races. This is why we went to Mallorca, to see him participate in the Classical Rallye of Mallorca. We took a ferry from Barcelona and spent a few days on the island.

Somebody very very special joins the voyage!
Now you know the reason why I stayed in Spain for so long. Her name is Elke, and she is the girl with whom I want to share my days. Because of the things that destiny does, our paths crossed, we got to know each other, and we fell in love. We thought that our paths were very different and that each should continue his path. She is German and is studying a PhD in engineering in Barcelona.
Today, a day of surprises, a daythat changes lives, we have two motorcycles waiting downstairs at the door. The old “Garota” and the young and sparklingly brand-new “Milton”. Starting as of today, a new experience begins for both of us. We will continue together, shoulder to shoulder, to Australia, and to all of the places that this incredible life will want to show us.

A tour around Spain
Finally the motorcycle has left the port (special thanks to Yamaha Spain and to the motor-racing team TCR) and I have already covered some thousands of kilometers in Spain. From Barcelona to Alicante along the coast of the Mediterranean, later penetrating Castilla-La Mancha to Cáceres in Extremadura, and later going up to Salamanca and Valladolid, where I took part in the “Pingüinos”, the famous winter motorcycle meeting.
I posted many pictures in the Spain section. The travel through Spain will continue, I hope our paths will cross each other soon.

Will I marry here?
When I came out of the airport of Madrid and began to roam the streets, enter the restaurants and talk to the people, for a moment the thought crossed my mind: “the voyage is in danger!! ”… the streets were swarming with women so beautiful that the eyes can´t cope? every 20 meters a bar tempts you with an incredible variety of food and wines, the eye can´t detect defects in the architecture and tidiness of the city? the air is pleasant, impassioned and cosmopolitan because of the people in the streets.
This is a new challenge for the adventure: pass through Spain without getting trapped. Let´s try it. And to make it even more difficult, I´ll try to travel as many cities as possible on the peninsula. What a punishment… ;)
Right now I am in Barcelona, and in a few days I will pick up the motorcycle at the port, where it has arrived from Mexico on boat. My first intention is to hit the road towards the south. As soon as I have more news I will let you know.
I leave you a story of some experiences in Madrid, Zaragoza and Barcelona.

Cruises Guides

Paris, France

Finally in Paris!!
We have completed the second tour around Spain, Portugal and Andorra. 15.000 km that left us verwhelmed with kindness and hospitality of the people in every city, and dazzled by the beauty of it all as the kilometers rolled along under our wheels.
We have now finally abandoned the peninsula. With one eye crying, as we are leaving behind many beloved friends, but also one eye laughing, full of enthusiasm for the new routes and cultures that await us one the road.
We are now in Paris, where we are staying at our good friend Jeremy's house. Finally we have the possibility to work with a roof over our heads and access to the Internet. We hope to finish the homepage in a few days. There are hundreds of new photos to sort through and stories to write down. Soon everything will be online, so look out for that!

Pedrogão, Portugal

The motorcycle clubs in Portugal are “de mais”!
Today we are sitting next to the sea writing, on the beach of a ghost town in Portugal. There, on the other side of the ocean, Argentina, Brasil, Venezuela, and so many memories that come to mind…
We met wonderful people in Portugal. We stayed for one night in the Motorcycle Club Faro, in the south. They have rooms especially prepared for travelling motorcyclists that want to recharge their batteries, and they display a very special warmth in receiving you that you end up wanting to stay there. A very special thank you to José Amaro, the president of the motorcycle club.
We also got to know the people of the Moto Club Lisboa, who even though we arrived very late showed us their headquarters and offered us splendid accomodation.
Last weekend we were at the motorcycle meeting of the Moto Clube Leiria, and continued to have a great time thanks to the friendlyness of the Portuguese and the support of MC Leiria.
Jerez, Spain

Saying hi to Valentino Rossi
We rode all the way to Jerez to assist in the Gran Prix de Motos, and we were invited by the organization to exhibit the voyage inside on the racing grounds. We placed the motorcycles and the sign just a few meters away from the race track, so we could almost say hi to Rossi, Capirossi and Pedrosa every time they zoomed past.
We had a good time at this great festival, and Sunday night we fled to a tranquil beach to rest. More than 50.000 motorcycles come to Jerez every year to be at the Gran Prix. It´s more than a race, it´s a motorcycle celebration.

Summer Stage

Maintaining the water outside, and inside as well.
The Dutch are experts at hydraulic engineering. They have performed wonders to win a few spots of land from the sea. We have crossed kilometers of floodgates that impede the water to invade the hectars from which it was drained painstakingly over the years. The same water that produces unique beauty in cities like Dordrecht or Amsterdam, with its canals and little bridges that make you want to stay just one more night…

Has anybody seen our host?
In some cities we stay with people who offer us accomodation through the Internet. It's a brilliant system, but sometimes strange things do happen. Like tonight, when we waited for two hours on the street because our host had forgotten about us! Finally other charitable people from the house saw us on the street and put us up in their flat… thank you Nesrine and Ronoy!
In two days we will leave Belgium, which has impressed us greatly with the beauty of its cities. We strongly recommend visiting Brugge and Gent, pintoresque cities with canals and little ships everywhere, in the style of Amsterdam and Venice.

St-Omer, France

Fleeing from the hunters
“Make sure you get up early and leave, it's hunting day”, the farmer who saw us put up our tent in a small forest in France warned us. Searching for a place to put up our tent when the sun begins to fall is our daily task. We then take smaller and smaller roads until we find a nice place on a hill or tucked away in the forest. It is usually difficult to find a place, since there are houses and fields everywhere.
Today we camp ten meters away from a lake with ducks. So we'd better run tomorrow morning, before they start to shoot at us.

4 countries in one day
This is how far we drove today on our mighty machine which Elke has lovingly baptized “Monster”. We crossed the boarders between Germany, Luxemburg, Belgium and France in only a few hours? with a little trick of course… it's all just next to each other!
We thank our friend Serge for giving us accomodation and a lot of support in Luxemburg.
Widooie, Belgium

We switched to 900cc!
But only for a few days… our friend Vicente lent us a beautiful Yamaha XJ900 in Paris, with which we are doing a spin around France, Belgium and Luxemburg. We enjoy the power and the speed, but we also miss the tranquility of our “little ones”, that allow us to enjoy more fully the countryside around. But let's forget about that for the moment… let's raaaaaace!!

The Anchor Inn

Just married
A big hug from Linde, a small village 50 km north of Berlin. We are finishing the last details to hit the road again in one week approximately. The plan is to visit the north of Germany and then cross over to Poland, where we will follow the lost trails of Gustavo's family. On our sitewe added pictures from France and Andorra, plus a section where you can see all of the comments of photos.
Finally, we would like to share a great joy in our lives with all of you: we got married! The news from Oct/2005 came true - incredible as it seems. Now the adventure will go on as a family.
Thank you for travelling with us. We always receive your greetings and good wishes hoping that our paths will eventually cross. Some day, some place.


Time of growth
We are in Berlin, where we are working hard on continuing the journey. We had some crazy ideas and are working intensively on them. It is a time of growth, a time where the dreams become even larger, and one has to concentrate hard in order for them to become reality. The project is growing, it's still TOP SECRET, but as soon as we see that it is taking definite shape, we will let you know. All of this is only possible thanks to the encouragement that you send us daily.
Thanks to all of you for the beautiful emails and comments in the guestbook. We have added the possibility to comment on the pictures, as well as to evaluate them with points. We are sorry if we have not been able to answer your email yet. We have not forgotten you, it's just that we are a little overloaded at the moment. Soon we will catch up. A big hug!!
Gustavo and Elke


Breaking prejudices
“People from the north are cold and uncommunicative”. That's the myth that can be heard in the countries of the south. We shattered this myth completely travelling through the “cold” countries. In France, Belgium, Luxemburg, The Netherlands, Germany as well as in Denmark we have constantly met the most friendly, kind, talkative and welcoming people you can imagine. We love these countries and their people!

German precision
This time we had to leave behind our love for travel without prior planning. Due to organisational reasons we have to arrive in Berlin on a certain date. To achieve this without having to camp outside in the cold winter night, we coordinated overnight stays with 16 people from Paris to Berlin. I thought this would be impossible. But now I have a German co-pilot, there is no lack of organisation, and as of today, we have not gotten delayed a single day. It is a very nice (and at the same time strenuous) experience to have dinner with a different family every night. We are learning so many things… thanks to all of you for so much hospitality!

Canals, windmills, flowers… and a broken letter-box.
Ok, there's not too many flowers because the season is already over, but water, canals and windmills are everywhere. Also hospitable people, like the girl who accomodated us in Groningen. And what's more, very trusting, since almost not knowing us she gave us the key to her appartment this morning when she went to work. “Put it in the letter-box when you leave”, she said. This we did, when we thought we had everything packed onto the motorcycles. But, “Hey! The papers! ”, I remembered just one second too late. After trying unsuccessfully with a wire, we resorted to the lever bar to open tyres. We tried to open the door just a little bit. But, “clank! ”, we broke the lock. “Susy will definitely kill us! Now what do we do!” We tried with every type of glue… nothing. We were hiding the bars and pliers every time a person passed. Finally we drove back into town and with some difficulty obtained a lock that was exactly equal to hers. Once that was in place, and we were relieved, we continued our way towards Elke's native land… with a broken lock in our pocket.