From Cape Town, South Africa to Buenos Aires, Argentina - November, 1997

Dimensions of 240 cm L x 102 cm W x 137 cm H, and total weight 550 kg in box. 6000 cubic cm = 1 kg per SAA Cargo, so their calculation is 559 kg.

16 Oct/97 - Martin at SAA Cargo quoted R7.99 / kg approx. R4,500 + R50 for handling from Cape Town to Buenos Aires direct.

28 Nov/97 - South African Airways Cargo; R4,390.66 - airfreight bike to S. America; US$993.36

Grant built most of the crate on Thursday, then the owner of the bike shop where he'd been doing the work drove the crate pieces in his trailer to the airport, and we followed him on the bike. At the cargo area, Grant finished putting the crate together and the bike in it, while I did the paperwork. The customs official was amazingly casual about it all, strolled over and looked at the bike before the box was finished, then stamped the carnet.

Our flights were on Malaysian Airways. Price: US$ 775.10 each.

Re carnet for Argentina:

Gonzalo Figueroa, Argentina/Norway, from a post on the Bulletin Board about the carnet question for Argentina, "You do NOT need a carnet and that is definite Argentine law. If you want I may provide the name and number of the Argentine Customs Regulation where this is made clear, as well as the text from a cable from the Argentine Ministry of Foreign Affairs on which requirements for foreign reg. vehicle entry are listed.

If customs upon arrival starts asking you for a carnet it will be because (1) they do not know what the law says (lack of knowledge is common) and/or (2) they want you to "collaborate" - give them a tip. Although these two instances are rare that does not mean you might not suddenly get an idiot to process your entry. But Argentine law is clear on this point: No carnet for temporary entry of foreign reg. Vehicles up to 8 months, renewable for another 8.

Gonzalo Figueroa, Argentine"

Grant's comment: Carnets are very useful to have, typically making customs clearance much less hassle, so if you are travelling elsewhere (e.g. Asia) where you need one, might as well have it valid for South America as well.