Heya mate ... yeah blonde slowelyfastly turning silver .. blimey not good

Those logs, yeah they were a bit of a trick and the bloody floppy wire didn't help, luckily I have lighting quick cat-like reflexes to save my gruds gettin wet...next time I will take Maya

Yes trying to keep the report as interesting as we can while in the same region, main thing is we are still enjoying it and enjoying recording/writing about it.

Mi Espanol es bueno, getting there, can hold an ok but basic conversation, Ellen is miles ahead of me tho, you would thought with 14 month of practice ....

Anyway, all good mate, how is life in Banff?, what is news, hope you are keeping the place clean and tidy for when we come back

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Cheers Andi & Ellen .... https://twomotokiwis.blogspot.com/ Two Moto Kiwis Alaska - Argentina - April 2012 -> Somewhere

We left Libano for Bogota, city of 10 million people, not normally our gig but Salvador had given us some great local knowledge for roads to come over which was cool so it was a pretty neat day loaded with twisties.

Salvador and Paola had kindly offered us to stay with them in their apartment in downtown which was simply awesome, Maya had full undercover parking and it is as safe as houses.

We had a few things to do, get the new Heidenau, get out tablet replaced, try and get our debit cards sorted and have my birthday.

Add to that we were meeting Dan and Sara from World Wide Ride, we had chatted over email prior leaving from New Zealand and we had passed them in Canada with big waves without realizing it was them in the rain, they arrived in Bogota the 25th with our new replacement filter :clap.

We managed to get our tablet sorted and changed after some anger and international f-words which was clearly understood and we picked up the new tyre so mission accomplished there.

Being the 25th was my birthday Dan and Sara joined us for tea at a local seafood restaurant which was cool.

The six of us chatted, drank and ate the evening away, what a super birthday of new places, faces and food, a very international gathering of likeminded nuttas, on going to leave they shouted our tea which was spiffing, onya guys we are lucky people to have great and generous friends

Me, Sara and Ellen



Opposite side of the ring, Dan, Paola and Salvador



The only photo of the birthday cake .....truly lookin like a retard singing ... you are allowed to when you are old :rofl



Due to this being my birthday week which I was happy to drag as long as I possibly could the mission was set to go to the northern part of the city where there are clubs and bars galore, given Salvador is an interior designer having done very top end international work in Dubai etc he told us of a cool place, he understated that and took us to a the place that was five floors of bar, night club and seriously groovily finished.

Check out his work SFAD-Home :clap

This place rocked, starting of with a bottle aquadiente which lasted one round it was all on, we got bar platters of beautiful food and continued chatting, eating and drinking, check out the detail in the not so great photos that don't really do it justice.





A reminder which side of the stair to use, handy when you have bobbly boots from Scotch input :rofl



A 20 foot shipping container in the bar ... as ya do!!



Some locals with stylie hairdos



Three queens, Miss Bogota .... your choose :evil:evil



More Scotch, more shots, more smiles.





As the night grew so did the sounds progressively turning from cool local/english restaurant/bar music into full on international club sounds inducing much freestyle dancing and drunken grins, great night out for the oldies ... it was dark when we got home.

Sara and I making the most of the shadows so no one could see us dancing ...ahem scotchinducedfreestyle



This guy is just trouble :evil



Now everyone says Bogota is just a big ugly city, although BIG cities are not totally my gig I disagree with ugly and maintain that pretty much no matter where you go you can make the most of it and enjoy it, you will always find the good side if you want it.

Guys, thanks that was the best 47th birthday I have ever had :rofl, truly was great celebration with grog, girls and guys.

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Cheers Andi & Ellen .... https://twomotokiwis.blogspot.com/ Two Moto Kiwis Alaska - Argentina - April 2012 -> Somewhere

Salvador and I have a lot in common, we both have 4 x 4 Toyotas set up well, we both have KTM 950, we both have a great other half and we both love Scotch ... just to name the important ones.

So Salvador knowing this organised some local hoods that he hangs with to come out and play on Saturday on a cool track to a hill range top.

Dan and Sara were here too so they were extended the invite and we shuffled between trucks during the day ...WOH HOH.

Arriving at the head of the track tires were let down and preps made before we hit the good stuff, Salvador drove the first 200 meter gnarly section then handed over the wheel to me and said go for it ..... what was a man to do.



Salvador negotiating the first bit and making easy work of it in a well set up truck.



Given my 4x4 history of competition trials and speed events there was a bit of pressure to get it right, in my mind I did OK cos he got his truck back in one piece, this is more than I can say for some of my acts of unprofessionalism in New Zealand.

This is my truck misbehaving



In action



Click on the pic to see our river crossing, we didn't do this to Salvadors truck



Check this out for cool territory



This is Salvadors sister doing her best to be a counterweight



I thought I would have a crack at doing a wheelie in Salvadors truck ... nearly got it :rofl



Arriving at the top we had pretty good views being at about 3300 meters, fog was hanging on the cliff side and a big rain wall hanging on the opposite ridge and we managed to sit in the middle dry and listen to the thunder clap and roll through the valleys.



A barbecue was pulled out of one of the back of a truck and a big beast was cooked up with beef, chicken, sausages and pork all on offer, at 3300 meters and cool enough this tickled the right sensors.



Heading back down Dan took the wheel and did a good job navigating Salvadors truck through various obstacles, the last part of the track I drove down to “the hole” then I handed back to Salvador.



It was a good size washout with guidance needed to make sure the truck wheels didn’t drop literally about 1.8 meters which would flip the truck over a and do some big damage.



Successfully navigating this goodbyes, handshake and hugs were had, what a great bunch the Colombians are, just like Kiwis in so many aspects.

Now the big mission, Salvador had been on the phone more than a dozen times to help get Dan and Sara bike out of Girag which is the local air freight company from Panama to Colombia.

Dan and Saras bikes were supposed to have been in on the Thursday and we had confirmation at 4pm on the Saturday driving home from the 4 x 4 trip so we diverted to the airport.

Even armed with Salvador, fluent in Spanish and local knowledge they tried to brush him off talking through a crack in the door, luckily Salvador had the number and name of a bigwig so things started to happen.

Even so it was a long drawn out process of excuses etc and finally they were reunited with their bikes at 8.30 pm Saturday night.

Now they had left their batteries connected for 5 months so there was big doubts as to their state, no fear at all.... Dans fired straight up with Saras needing a little encouragement but both bike under the steam of their own batteries, very impressive to say the least, they run the Deka Batteries EAST PENN manufacturing co., inc.: Lead-Acid Batteries; Battery Manufacturers; Thousands of Different Types of Batteries, Cable & Wire Product

Getting the bike home was great, Salvador being the great host had organised a boys ride on Sunday so Dan was able to join ..... that next.

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Cheers Andi & Ellen .... https://twomotokiwis.blogspot.com/ Two Moto Kiwis Alaska - Argentina - April 2012 -> Somewhere

There is no stopping Salvador when it comes to 4 x 4 and even more so motos.

After a relaxing day 4 wheeling a lads hoon was organized through the back blocks of Colombia north of Bogota, for me this was a treat as I got to sit back knowing we would find our way out with surety..... something new :rofl

Meeting up with a V Strom 1k and F800GS and their owners we headed out of town slicing up traffic like a knife through butter out to Juans place set in a stunning valley, so quiet but not far out of the concrete, we were invited in for breakfast .... fed eggs, bread, coffee etc, awesome feed and set us up for the day ....well at least till lunchtime. :evil

The team line up including two XT 660 Tenere's



After our breaky we followed our leader up roads, shingle roads, a couple of goat tracks all through small towns and farm lands.



Lunchtime soon came upon us so we stopped in Pacho for Pollo y papas (Chicken and spuds)

Salvador, not wanting to wait for a photo ... and rightfully so the tucker was very nice



The bikes parked in the main square, first time there was no massive crowd looking, just as we were about to leave a lady wanted her photo, of all the bikes she picked Maya, sorry Dan just shows if ya wonna pick up the chics ya need orange rofl



Another coffee so we could do stupid shit much quicker and we were on the road again heading back toward bogota through various backroads.

We all made it back safe and sound however one of the riders hit a broken down car in the middle of a bridge, the bike and rider both suffered but the rider was ok after some hand surgery, his F800 GS not so well.

Another great day out with grins from ear to ear with thanks to Juan and his good lady, thank you so much for guiding us around clap.



Again this was where we went, stunning countryside.

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Cheers Andi & Ellen .... https://twomotokiwis.blogspot.com/ Two Moto Kiwis Alaska - Argentina - April 2012 -> Somewhere

Great posts! Reading it felt just like I was there with you....oh yah I was! Miss the gang, but having an epic time up here!

Sp

__________________
Sara

Those who say something is impossible should not hinder those who are achieving it!





www.worldwideride.ca

HU RR Finding Freedom...World Wide Ride

G'day guy's as always love reading your posts,the high country reminded me of parts of the south island.spectacular country.nice you were able to go 4x4 ing ,after the water crossing ,remind me not to lend you a 4x4,

great read and pics!
looks like an advertisement with Salvadors sister on the side of the car.
for a moment I feared you would swim away with the car...: )

Yeah we miss Salvador and Paola they are great people, really enjoyed Bogota.

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Cheers Andi & Ellen .... https://twomotokiwis.blogspot.com/ Two Moto Kiwis Alaska - Argentina - April 2012 -> Somewhere

Heya Noel, yeah having the 4 x 4 trip was a taste of home for sure, a great day out.

So no truck when we come to visit you in OZ ..... miserable bugga, I can bring it back washed

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Cheers Andi & Ellen .... https://twomotokiwis.blogspot.com/ Two Moto Kiwis Alaska - Argentina - April 2012 -> Somewhere

Heya Tobius, yeah cool trip to a great place, ha re my truck I would still rather let it do the swimming in there.

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Cheers Andi & Ellen .... https://twomotokiwis.blogspot.com/ Two Moto Kiwis Alaska - Argentina - April 2012 -> Somewhere

Bogota And Two Dodgy Ozzies

Minding our own business and checking our emails pops up a message saying Two Dodgy Ozzies, being it was bordering on our patented Two Dodgy Kiwis name we investigated further :evil.

Turns out Adrian and Lauren from Ozzie are on a 12 GSA on a north to south trip, just a little shorter than us.

They were arriving in Bogota while we were there and asked if we wanted to catch up???? .... we said nah you are on a BMW, then we found out he did have a 990 Adventure R so ok, we can make concessions(j/k).

We organised to meet and head out for coffee (they also brought along Jürgen, Dan and Sara had seen his F650GS at Girag, Jürgen is tarvelling south too) which turned into lunch, which turned into a walk up the Monserrate for the afternoon followed by an information swap session later that avo.

What a great day out with our neighbours amidst excitement of travel tales and experiences, now Adrian has a feature I am seriously envious of, being able to stand over a tall adventure bike with room to spare, here he is pictured with Ellen.



So Adrian and Lauren are touring on a 12 GSA making the most of their time which is cool to see, onya guys for doing it too.

The Team up at the top after our walk.

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Cheers Andi & Ellen .... https://twomotokiwis.blogspot.com/ Two Moto Kiwis Alaska - Argentina - April 2012 -> Somewhere

Finally after getting stuff sorted with bike, bank and Bogota we set to, destination Choachi via Jesus.



We were here :rofl



Salvador convinced Paola it was a great idea to go for lunch at Choachi, I backed him and we won ... boy power WOH HOH.

As Murphy would have when we got to the top it started raining, being the good bastid that I am a lent her my wet pants, if the social team is happy everyone is happy (and dry)



Then ... as Murphy would have it again ... the rain cleared so my pants worked well.... then it got bloody hot however we were up at 3600 metres and it was cool enough to warrant leaving the pants on and helped keep Paola warm.



Arriving at Choachi we went to Salvador and Paolas fav spot with very nice food.





Thanks for that guys, a little treat that was.

So bill time, we agreed at the beginning that we were spotting lunch, Salvador and Paola teamed up and he pulled the “I am going to the toilet” maneuver, Paola tricked me into conversation with Salvador quietly paid until I busted him.

Soooooo while he DID go to the toilet I did the “I will check the bikes” maneuver and quietly stuffed the money into his glovebox on his 950 Adventure ... he he .... won’t get one over the Kiwis!!! :evil :rofl

We won, I rang him when he got home and told him to check his glovebox HA ..Done! :clap

Guys thanks for having us stay with you in Bogota, you really made our stay an absolute blast, helping us and Dan and Sara out as well was beyond the call of duty, we look forward to reciprocating in New Zealand.

Team Salvador and Paola



Team total

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Cheers Andi & Ellen .... https://twomotokiwis.blogspot.com/ Two Moto Kiwis Alaska - Argentina - April 2012 -> Somewhere

Hey there's nothing wrong with being a dodgy Ozzie.haha,like the shot of you guy's with Jesus ,boy that's one tall lad.carry on still love you work.
4x4's must be in the Kiwi blood my cousins are just as mad.
I like 4x4 ing but not at the level where i break the car.

Hola from Medallin! We have had some adventures and lots of fun. We are here for 2 days then head to near Chinchina. Where are you guys headed??

sp

__________________
Sara

Those who say something is impossible should not hinder those who are achieving it!





www.worldwideride.ca

HU RR Finding Freedom...World Wide Ride

Heya Noel, yeah luv the 4 wheeling, I try not to break the truck but sometimes mum nature outsmarts me (no hard) and shit happens

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Cheers Andi & Ellen .... https://twomotokiwis.blogspot.com/ Two Moto Kiwis Alaska - Argentina - April 2012 -> Somewhere