The Americas 2013

You know you are in the US when you open the curtains of your hotel room in the morning and the vista to greet you is one of a gigantic aircraft carrier docked in the bay and war ready! You know you are in the US when you go down for breakfast and what is usually ham, cheese, toast and coffee through most of Latin America is a waffle and pancake “all you can eat” fest! You know you are in the US when the 2 lane highway you usually consider fantastic when in Latin America turns out to be a 16 lane mega highway and you definitely know you are in the US when its not considered a sanitary sin to throw the loo paper in the actual Loo!!

Not meadows and mountains but unique and interesting nonetheless!!!

After a very long sleep recovering from my Iron Butt challenge it was a slow and lazy start to the day. We had a very short run of just under 200km from San Diego to Los Angeles, (our final destination for Leg 3 of the Americas trip) where the riding was super easy and fast if not a little boring which meant that the ride was completed in a little under 2 relaxing hours.

Our days ride…

We got into LA just after lunch time and as a treat we have booked into the 4 seasons in Beverly Hills for the next 3 nights. From here we will get everything washed up, packed and ready for the next leg to Alaska and get the bike serviced. We are returning back to SA for 3 weeks and will be back in LA to continue our Northward journey on the 1st of July and will not be updating the blog again until then.

On arrival at the 4 seasons Beverly Hills…

The trip through South and central America has been wonderful in so many respects. The people met along the way that have become lifelong friends, the towns and villages that range from the magnificent to the downright bizarre and the myriad of experiences that only a trip of this nature could produce has made me realise just how fortunate and blessed I am to have had an opportunity to devote a short and selfish period of my life to this most wonderful endeavour! For this I am truly grateful to family, friends and colleagues that have picked up the slack in my absence to date.

We have thus far completed 29,000km of which this leg 3 was 11,000km. The total trip to Alaska and then across Canada to NY is estimated to be about 48,000km which means there is still roughly 19,000km to go but we are well past the halfway mark and still hungry for more discovery!!

Leg 3, 11000km.

Leg 1–9400km (Red), Leg 2–8400km (Blue), Leg 3-11000km (Green)

It is common to hear fearful stories and rumours about the dangers that abound through Latin America ranging from kidnappings, muggings, murders and even the threats from the military and law enforcement themselves. Comments like “don’t go there; you’ll die!!” are a common slogan of the armchair traveller and whilst I am sure that this happens here, and all over the world for that matter, our most dangerous experience has been the kind that comes from eating funky chillies, tortillas and empanadas!! Every single encounter with military or law enforcement has been polite, courteous and respectful. Every encounter with a stranger when help has been needed has only ever been generous and willingly supplied with a smile and it goes to show that when you travel, if you extend courtesy and respect, the likelihood of receiving the same warmth in return is likely to outweigh the risks by 1000 to 1, not to mention the pleasures that an armchair vista could never supply so Thank you Latin America for the most incredible experience…we will be back!!

Rui and Jax, Los Angeles, USA, 5 June 2013.