Some info from inside Venezuela

[Frank on AT]

Allow me to add experiences to Mika's info about Venezuela from 15th of June.
First I wanted to add this under his thread, but then decided to write a little more, then a little extra as Venezuela seems of interest and finally it seemed a little mucho.
Here we go:



I rode in Octobre 2022 east to Margarita Island. Not one control on both ways. In a village I asked a policeman, thanked him for his kind answer and he replied: "The police of Venezuela is here for you, especially for internationals and we will help however we can".
I was impressed!

Somewhat unpleasant was the ferry enter procedure: I thought I traveled from Venezuela mainland to Venezuela island, but it felt like a strict border crossing. I cannot complain, but will not do this again.
You will open your luggage, have your papers overly checked, get the impression of problems, many photos of all and everything will be taken, many calls will be made, you must pay taxes somewhere - but then I was free to hop on the ferry.
To was easier than fro, but that might have been my sensation only, because on to I can drive home if my patience gets overly stressed, on fro I am under pressure to get on board.

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In December 2022 I rode west to Choroni (playa grande, Puerto Colombia).
No controls on both ways. From Caracas I took the Panamericana, then the highway to Maracay, then north. At the end of Maracay (Las Delicias) you enter the hills and by that the Henri Pittier NP. A police post is installed. I asked if they needed something to see. If I was armed was the only question and off we went.
This road is wonderful and dangerous. It starts like savanna then changes into jungle. They had earthslides and not all was repaired, many tricky curves, narrow serpentines, here and there water running over, earth on road, fallen trees...
On the way to we came into clouds and my view was in parts down to three meters. I rode that part with warning lights, high beam and overly slow... and still came up to a car (without lights of course).

I am getting older and a Super Tenere (in German we call her "the fat one") is no Africa Twin - that said, this was since my time in Bolivia the trickiest road. And Bolivia is twenty years ago.


The return was without clouds - I had wonderful views.
Then the perfect highway back to Caracas - I followed the signs home. But in Caracas I became unsure if I was still correct underway, saw a policestation and asked there. A friendly policeman went to ask his collegue who explained there were two ways for me, I was still on track.

I mention this as I had in a little over two years three controls in town - and these contacts on the trips. The first control (over two years ago) was the only one, where a bribe was possibly "tried to construct". The others contacts have been a pleasure and stressfree. No hassle or even with "welcome feeling".

As I never crossed over to a neighbouring country - I cannot speak about that. Ferry customs are strict - no question, but police here is my "friend and helper" (this is what the police in Germany once was called - but these times are gone).

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On the way back from Margarita we took a tricky to recognize sideway (partly overgrown by bushes and sandy) to El Hatillo. This village is located on a very small and long connection as a laguna full of birds (Flamingos et al) separates it from the mainland. It looked extremely interesting on the map.
El Hatillo is an isolated, overly empty (some ruins, some houses closed) fishermen village, where people were chatting with neighbours and friends. I felt like a time traveler. There was nothing to see or do, but another world. Behind it, the in that part pretty destroyed road brought us to Boca de Uchire and close to it are many houses and posadas. Here we stopped and watched the birds - it was wonderful!

Out of the long row of houses a lady came and asked if we were in trouble with the Yamaha. No, we were enjoying her million dollar view, I joked. She returned, if we would like to come in and see the other side (beach and caribe), as that was the more "expensive" house side. We stayed maybe two hours there chatting. The house was older and simple, but I could live and die there. When we left, she gave us a bag with little mangos - a type I did not know. Yummy!

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I am a guest here as I have been in other countries before and whereever I live - there is home. The international (western only?) reputation of Venezuela is still terrible or beyond, but I like it here very much. If Don Nicolas offered me a permanent residency I would not hesitate a second! The problem is burocracy; too much, too slow, too unwilling, too complicated. But have I seen this elsewhere? Of course, even not to that extreme. And how do people solve this? They know and find a way without.

Reputation is a lagging indicator! When things go worse, everyone and everything needs time to adapt. This is a painful process, no question. But I think Venezuela is bottoming out now (while other parts of the world are entering this process of adaption to new realities). I hear and see renovations. It feels people are coming back from abroad and spend some dollars here. Tourism is somewhat simple or expensive - but "we are in the age of no travel" the late James Dines said.

People are nice everywhere - and Venezuela is no exception.
Remember I am biased.

Regards de Caracas!

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[hasuhasu92]

Hello, I'm planning to cross it in a week from Brazil to Caracas to Bogotá, what was the situation at the time with gasoline stations? Can you find any without having to deal with the black market ?
Also I'm being warned really serious by a venezuelan tour guide against the trip as he says there's many police expecting high bribe as 3-400 USD if not they create all sorts of problems including prison