Hi, wanted to do a 'big trip' - my mate has suggested Caracus to BA. He wears risers in his shoes to compensate for his 5ft5"..Am concerned that he may be trying to metaphorically do the same on the trip! So is 8 weeks enough time or is this is overly ambitious. Can't take any more time off work. Thanks for any advice.

Plenty of time if all you want to do is ride ride ride. Not enough time if you want to see or do anything in particular. Some will disagree, of course.

Why Caracas? Why Buenos Aires? And by what route? And what happens at the end of your trip?

Mark

(from somewhere between Buenos Aires and Caracas)

Thanks Mark - we thought would travel down the west coast and also take in Bolivia. Plan to fly the bikes from the uk to Caracas and then ship them back from BA with Dakarmotos.
Can't really answer the 'why' questions.. because its there??

The gist of the matter is that it only makes sense to fly a bike into Venezuela if you're going to take advantage, i.e. tour around Venezuela (where I have not been, but I'm headed there currently and it sounds like a worthy destination). But if you're also planning to transit Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile and Argentina (all also entirely worthy), you're not going to have time to see most of what's on offer, and you're going to pile on a lot of road mileage to no apparent end. Unless piling on miles is what you like to do, of course, in which case never mind.

If you're planning to actually see and do stuff, you might as well start culling right now, because it's not any easier once you're in place and don't have any time to do what you'd hoped. Culling might reasonably take the form of flying into Bogata to start....or Lima....or Santiago....or even B.A., which would give you a nice two month circular trip with plenty to keep you busy.

None of it is out of the question, of course. I spent two months, more or less, between Bogata and Ushuaia. But I only did this by skipping another month's worth of sightseeing along the way, which I picked up on my return journey north towards Buenos Aires. And I've now spent another month and some since leaving B.A., much of which has involved seeing stuff you probably don't want to miss....and I'm still skipping half of what I wish I had time for. It's a big continent.

The reason I asked about your route is that you are, like everyone else, planning to take the route which does indeed have lots to see and do. If you said you'd be coming directly through Brazil, which is shorter and generally less appealing to motorcyclists, your plan would sound more realistic.

enjoy,

Mark

(packing to leave Salvador, Brazil)

Please remit: US$0.02

Mark

I would not say 8 weeks was over-ambitious, but you will be doing a lot of travelling - each to their own.

To enjoy Venezuela properly, you need time and money, and in my opinion the interest does not come from riding a bike, like it might in Colombia for example. You will very likely tie yourselves up for a week organising and travelling the Amazon.

Don't forget you will also have two languages to get to grips with, which is more realistic on a longer trip.

Curious as to how you intend "taking in" Bolivia.

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How much does a man live, after all?
Does he live a thousand days, or one only?
For a week, or several centuries?
How long does a man spend dying?
What does it mean to say “forever”? - Pablo Neruda

And then you are not taking in the days you would be stranded by blockades... :-) Do you want to experience and adventure, you should take things slowly and get to know the region and its people. If you want to take in the highlights, book a tour on a bus do not race your bike along it.

Adventurous greetings,
Coen

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- On the road since 2003 in an antique Land Cruiser