Go Back   Horizons Unlimited - The HUBB > Planning, Trip > Travellers Seeking Travellers
Travellers Seeking Travellers Meet up with other travellers on the road, or find someone to travel with to the ends of the earth!
Photo by Daniel Rintz, Himba children, Namibia

The only impossible journey
is the one
you never begin

Photo by Daniel Rintz,
Himba children, Namibia



Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 6 Mar 2010
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Truro Nova Scotia, Canada
Posts: 251
anyone in Buenaventura, Colombia?

I am here for a few days and doubt if anyone is around these parts, but just in case... A nice spot for sure.

Larry
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 7 Mar 2010
Registered Users
HUBB regular
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Southern Ontario, Canada
Posts: 22
Ya made it!

Hey Larry,
I see you made it to Colombia! Nice! Did you stop in Medellin yet? So you found the city with a murder rate 24 times that of NYC! Looking for adventure, are you? Have a good time and let me know how the trip is going. I wish I was back there instead of shoveling snow here!

Kevin
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 7 Mar 2010
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Truro Nova Scotia, Canada
Posts: 251
Quote:
Originally Posted by 1thumper View Post
Hey Larry,
I see you made it to Colombia! Nice! Did you stop in Medellin yet? So you found the city with a murder rate 24 times that of NYC! Looking for adventure, are you? Have a good time and let me know how the trip is going. I wish I was back there instead of shoveling snow here!

Kevin
haha that's me. I am heading to Cali today. Will be in Medellin next week some time I guess. May pass on Cartagena. Have not met up with a single rider going my way yet...maybe in Equador/Peru.

Cheers
Larry
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 8 Mar 2010
Registered Users
HUBB regular
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Southern Ontario, Canada
Posts: 22
Mmmmm...Cali.

Make sure you at least stop by Hostel Casa Blanca while you're there. If there's any bikers around town they will either be there or Mike will know how to find them!
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 9 Mar 2010
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Truro Nova Scotia, Canada
Posts: 251
Quote:
Originally Posted by 1thumper View Post
Make sure you at least stop by Hostel Casa Blanca while you're there. If there's any bikers around town they will either be there or Mike will know how to find them!
thanks I will...do you happen to have an email address for Ruta 40 in Med.? Did you need an appointment or just ride in?
Larry
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 10 Mar 2010
Registered Users
HUBB regular
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Southern Ontario, Canada
Posts: 22
Aaah! Medellin!!

Hey Larry,

I don't have email for Ruta 40 but I just showed up and they took me right in as they did with a friend of mine 2 days later. They stock lots of different tires (if you need them) and they seem to be very accommodating to travelers. They've also got lots of great maps and pics on the walls to check out while you're waiting. [ Ruta 40 ]

Kevin

PS. Stop in and say hi to Albert at the Barking Spider for me while you're in town too. It's in El Poblado right behind the Juan Valdez coffee shop in Parque Lleras, Medellin.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 10 Mar 2010
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Truro Nova Scotia, Canada
Posts: 251
Cali top Medellin

I survived Bueneventura and had a night in nearby San Cipriano where they use motorbike powered rigs on the train tracks to Cordoba on the highway, neat.
Setted in to Cali and second day here was jumped by two guys during daytime stroll though a public park. One huge strong guy with a buck knife and another smaller guy. Amazing how quick and efficiently I was set up in a situation I couldn't really escape from, and I am not small. I thought I was gonna get cut for sure but kept yelling no, **** off and doing a crazy dance with the guy holding me by the shirtfront with a death grip and the other arm poised high with the knife and me circling away from the smaller guy trying to get behind to get my wallet (when I go out at night I generally do not take my wallet). I kept the wallet and compromised by throwing some pocket bills at him. This was scarier than the time in Nairobi when two cops on a dark night got $20 from me, using machine guns to pursuade me. Bastards, wish I had a gun I would have fertilized that park for sure.
All well in general though. How long in total did your trip take? And where is Casa Blanco in Cali?

Cheers
Larry
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 10 Mar 2010
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: nw england
Posts: 379
wow man sounds like things could have got bad.i though cali was a safe place when i was there.even of a night.hope things go better as you head south.
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 10 Mar 2010
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Truro Nova Scotia, Canada
Posts: 251
Quote:
Originally Posted by kito View Post
wow man sounds like things could have got bad.i though cali was a safe place when i was there.even of a night.hope things go better as you head south.
Might not get to Peru for a couple weeks. Where would you recommend for Equador? Yeah things turned out ok relatively speaking, no cuts and small cash loss, kept my wallet and watch. It was a wierd kind of rapid negotiation thing...
Larry
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 11 Mar 2010
Registered Users
HUBB regular
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Southern Ontario, Canada
Posts: 22
Whoa!

Holy shit! That could have turned out a whole lot worse! It's strange, isn't it? When you feel like you're in a dangerous place you usually aren't and when you are totally at ease is when the shit goes down. Glad to hear you made it without getting hurt.
Here is the info for Casa Blanca
CASA BLANCA HOSTEL
Avenida Sexta Bis, Calle 26N, #57
Santa Monica Residencial
Cali, Colombia
Tel. (+57) (2) 396 38 49
Telefax. (+57) (2) 668 99 86
Email: booking@casablancahostel.com
Skype: casablancahostel
GPS coordinates: 03°28′09″N, 076°31′47″W

In Ecuador, Quito is pretty interesting (I consider Quito the most dangerous place on my trip) aside from my hostel being robbed at gunpoint (I was across the street having a ) and meeting several different people who had, at some point, been mugged. I stayed there for 3 days and had no trouble, even walking around at night. I would recommend stopping in Otavalo to see the amazing market there. There are several hundred vendors there on any given day but on Saturdays there are over 3,000! It's an incredible town to walk around on a Saturday and I'm not much for markets! Check out my friends' website www.moto-treks.com for more info on Ecuador. He and his wife spent quite a bit of time there doing different things and loved it.
Have fun and play safe!!

Kevin
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 11 Mar 2010
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Truro Nova Scotia, Canada
Posts: 251
Quote:
Originally Posted by 1thumper View Post
Holy shit! That could have turned out a whole lot worse! It's strange, isn't it? When you feel like you're in a dangerous place you usually aren't and when you are totally at ease is when the shit goes down. Glad to hear you made it without getting hurt.
Here is the info for Casa Blanca
CASA BLANCA HOSTEL
Avenida Sexta Bis, Calle 26N, #57
Santa Monica Residencial
Cali, Colombia
Tel. (+57) (2) 396 38 49
Telefax. (+57) (2) 668 99 86
Email: booking@casablancahostel.com
Skype: casablancahostel
GPS coordinates: 03°28′09″N, 076°31′47″W

In Ecuador, Quito is pretty interesting (I consider Quito the most dangerous place on my trip) aside from my hostel being robbed at gunpoint (I was across the street having a ) and meeting several different people who had, at some point, been mugged. I stayed there for 3 days and had no trouble, even walking around at night. I would recommend stopping in Otavalo to see the amazing market there. There are several hundred vendors there on any given day but on Saturdays there are over 3,000! It's an incredible town to walk around on a Saturday and I'm not much for markets! Check out my friends' website www.moto-treks.com for more info on Ecuador. He and his wife spent quite a bit of time there doing different things and loved it.
Have fun and play safe!!

Kevin
thanks for the info, Kevin. Yes my little mugging could have been a lot worse, no cuts and lost about $50, kept my wallet...and learned a lesson about listening to that little voice in my ear.
How long did you have? I am thinking I might have to extend from May 2 flying from BA to May 10...

Larry
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 11 Mar 2010
Registered Users
HUBB regular
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Southern Ontario, Canada
Posts: 22
How much time? Not enough time, that's how much!!

I was just over 3 1/2 months but I was stuck in Cuzco for two weeks and I stayed in Medellin for 8 days. I stayed in several places 2 or 3 days but I blasted through the desert in northern Chile and up the east coast of Argentina after leaving Ushuaia. I had two 1000 km days there. Not much to see other than stopping at Monte Leon National Park and Peninsula Valdez on the way up. It would have been nice to have a few more months to play but the time I had was the time I had.

Kevin
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 12 Mar 2010
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Truro Nova Scotia, Canada
Posts: 251
Quote:
Originally Posted by 1thumper View Post
I was just over 3 1/2 months but I was stuck in Cuzco for two weeks and I stayed in Medellin for 8 days. I stayed in several places 2 or 3 days but I blasted through the desert in northern Chile and up the east coast of Argentina after leaving Ushuaia. I had two 1000 km days there. Not much to see other than stopping at Monte Leon National Park and Peninsula Valdez on the way up. It would have been nice to have a few more months to play but the time I had was the time I had.

Kevin
my time available/defendable works out to be close to 3 1/2 months too. Once you got to BA how long did it take to arrange with AC to fly your bike back?

Larry
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 12 Mar 2010
Registered Users
HUBB regular
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Southern Ontario, Canada
Posts: 22
Not very long. Sandra from Dakar Motos went with me to the airport to arrange everything. She does it all the time so she made it very easy for me. Then you just have to get downtown to pay for the shipping at the broker and you're done. Probably 3 hours at the airport and 2 hours to get downtown (you can jump on a bus right at the airport and it drops you off 8 or 10 blocks from the broker). I was delayed for 3 days because of the quake until Air Canada put some direct flights on the schedule.
I don't know if you're looking for any off-asphalt riding but if you are I have a suggestion. If you head east from either Trujillo or Chimbote in Peru you can ride through Canyon del Pato. It was an excellent ride! Dozens of rock tunnels, waterfalls over the road in a couple places, pretty hard-core in a couple spots but it was one of the best rides of my trip.
Enjoy the coffee while in Colombia. That's as good as it gets! The women too! As soon as you hit Ecuador the quality of both takes a steep dive!!
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 12 Mar 2010
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Truro Nova Scotia, Canada
Posts: 251
Quote:
Originally Posted by 1thumper View Post
Not very long. Sandra from Dakar Motos went with me to the airport to arrange everything. She does it all the time so she made it very easy for me. Then you just have to get downtown to pay for the shipping at the broker and you're done. Probably 3 hours at the airport and 2 hours to get downtown (you can jump on a bus right at the airport and it drops you off 8 or 10 blocks from the broker). I was delayed for 3 days because of the quake until Air Canada put some direct flights on the schedule.
I don't know if you're looking for any off-asphalt riding but if you are I have a suggestion. If you head east from either Trujillo or Chimbote in Peru you can ride through Canyon del Pato. It was an excellent ride! Dozens of rock tunnels, waterfalls over the road in a couple places, pretty hard-core in a couple spots but it was one of the best rides of my trip.
Enjoy the coffee while in Colombia. That's as good as it gets! The women too! As soon as you hit Ecuador the quality of both takes a steep dive!!
haha ok, on the quality of coffee and women... too?
I will keep those riding options in mind when over there. I guess that is not something you would do solo... I am at the Casa Kiwi in Medellin now, nice ride over from Cali. Nice to chat with some other bikers here. To RUta 40 shortly to give them the bike for awhile. Bike has been super so far, good old 93 R100 GS.\\
cheers\Larry
Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 Registered Users and/or Members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
shipping by boat colombia-panama-colombia seeadler Trip Transport 2 11 May 2009 23:32
What should I see while in Colombia? jeff akins SOUTH AMERICA 8 23 May 2008 16:34
The New Colombia BklynDakar Travellers' Advisories, Safety and Security on the Road 15 29 Aug 2007 04:07
Colombia? lorraine Travellers Seeking Travellers 0 2 Aug 2007 14:21
Colombia ekaphoto Travellers' Advisories, Safety and Security on the Road 0 25 Sep 2003 04:40

 
 

Announcements

Thinking about traveling? Not sure about the whole thing? Watch the HU Achievable Dream Video Trailers and then get ALL the information you need to get inspired and learn how to travel anywhere in the world!

Have YOU ever wondered who has ridden around the world? We did too - and now here's the list of Circumnavigators!
Check it out now
, and add your information if we didn't find you.

Next HU Eventscalendar

HU Event and other updates on the HUBB Forum "Traveller's Advisories" thread.
ALL Dates subject to change.

2024:

Add yourself to the Updates List for each event!

Questions about an event? Ask here

HUBBUK: info

See all event details

 
World's most listened to Adventure Motorbike Show!
Check the RAW segments; Grant, your HU host is on every month!
Episodes below to listen to while you, err, pretend to do something or other...

2020 Edition of Chris Scott's Adventure Motorcycling Handbook.

2020 Edition of Chris Scott's Adventure Motorcycling Handbook.

"Ultimate global guide for red-blooded bikers planning overseas exploration. Covers choice & preparation of best bike, shipping overseas, baggage design, riding techniques, travel health, visas, documentation, safety and useful addresses." Recommended. (Grant)



Ripcord Rescue Travel Insurance.

Ripcord Rescue Travel Insurance™ combines into a single integrated program the best evacuation and rescue with the premier travel insurance coverages designed for adventurers.

Led by special operations veterans, Stanford Medicine affiliated physicians, paramedics and other travel experts, Ripcord is perfect for adventure seekers, climbers, skiers, sports enthusiasts, hunters, international travelers, humanitarian efforts, expeditions and more.

Ripcord travel protection is now available for ALL nationalities, and travel is covered on motorcycles of all sizes!


 

What others say about HU...

"This site is the BIBLE for international bike travelers." Greg, Australia

"Thank you! The web site, The travels, The insight, The inspiration, Everything, just thanks." Colin, UK

"My friend and I are planning a trip from Singapore to England... We found (the HU) site invaluable as an aid to planning and have based a lot of our purchases (bikes, riding gear, etc.) on what we have learned from this site." Phil, Australia

"I for one always had an adventurous spirit, but you and Susan lit the fire for my trip and I'll be forever grateful for what you two do to inspire others to just do it." Brent, USA

"Your website is a mecca of valuable information and the (video) series is informative, entertaining, and inspiring!" Jennifer, Canada

"Your worldwide organisation and events are the Go To places to for all serious touring and aspiring touring bikers." Trevor, South Africa

"This is the answer to all my questions." Haydn, Australia

"Keep going the excellent work you are doing for Horizons Unlimited - I love it!" Thomas, Germany

Lots more comments here!



Five books by Graham Field!

Diaries of a compulsive traveller
by Graham Field
Book, eBook, Audiobook

"A compelling, honest, inspiring and entertaining writing style with a built-in feel-good factor" Get them NOW from the authors' website and Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Amazon.co.uk.



Back Road Map Books and Backroad GPS Maps for all of Canada - a must have!

New to Horizons Unlimited?

New to motorcycle travelling? New to the HU site? Confused? Too many options? It's really very simple - just 4 easy steps!

Horizons Unlimited was founded in 1997 by Grant and Susan Johnson following their journey around the world on a BMW R80G/S.

Susan and Grant Johnson Read more about Grant & Susan's story

Membership - help keep us going!

Horizons Unlimited is not a big multi-national company, just two people who love motorcycle travel and have grown what started as a hobby in 1997 into a full time job (usually 8-10 hours per day and 7 days a week) and a labour of love. To keep it going and a roof over our heads, we run events all over the world with the help of volunteers; we sell inspirational and informative DVDs; we have a few selected advertisers; and we make a small amount from memberships.

You don't have to be a Member to come to an HU meeting, access the website, or ask questions on the HUBB. What you get for your membership contribution is our sincere gratitude, good karma and knowing that you're helping to keep the motorcycle travel dream alive. Contributing Members and Gold Members do get additional features on the HUBB. Here's a list of all the Member benefits on the HUBB.




All times are GMT +1. The time now is 12:16.