South America - the Andes

VENEZUELA - Part II

Venezuela route
(the southern line)

Entered:  July 20, 2012
(Santa Elena de Uairen)

Departed:  August 1, 2012
(San Antonio del Tachira)

Duration:  12 days

Average Daily Expenses:  US$59
  NOTE:  We brought in cash in US dollars and Brazilian Reiais this time. The dollar had become stronger, finding rates of around 9 to 1.

Average Fuel cost:  US$0.01 per liter
  (yup. We didn't have to pay on one occasion.)

HIGHLIGHTS:
Gas prices - it's worth another mention
Riding with Rami through La Gran Sabana for a few days
Couchsurfing with Jesús in Mérida
The mountain riding outside of Mérida


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COLOMBIA - Part II

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Entered:  August 1, 2012
(Cúcuta)

Departed:  September 4, 2012
(Ipiales)

Duration:  34 days

Average Daily Expenses:  US$56

Average Fuel cost:  US$4-5 per gallon
  (Colombian Pesos:  8,700 for normal unleaded.  And yes, they sell it by the gallon.)

HIGHLIGHTS:
 Riding and hiking around El Cocuy National Park, including our stay at la Esperenza hacienda.
 Motorcycles don't pay tolls, which are expensive for cars.
 Tierradentro - the town, the hike, the ruins, and the silly fall into deep mud on our way there.
 The absolutely, incredibly, exceedingly warm, friendly, and helpful Colombians we met.


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ECUADOR



Entered:  September 4, 2012
(Tulcan)

Departed:  September 11, 2012
(La Balsa)

Duration:  7 days

Average Daily Expenses:  US$41
 
Average Fuel cost:  US$1.48 per gallon

HIGHLIGHTS:
 Hot sauce found on every table.
 The natural beauty throughout Ecuador (Quilotoa, the road into Puyo, etc).

DISLIKES:
 The "Gringo Tax" seems to be worse here than almost anywhere else we've been.
 The people we met fell waaaaay short of the warmth of the Colombians; much gruffer personality found here in general.


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PERU



Entered:  September 11, 2012
(La Balsa, north of San Ignacio)

Departed:  October 22, 2012
(Desaguadero)

Duration:  41 days

Average Daily Expenses:  US$69
 
Average Fuel cost:  S/ 12.50 - 15.50 per gallon (US$4.60 - 5.75)

HIGHLIGHTS:
Machu Picchu. WOW.
Seeing friends, and a fully functioning water system, in Llacamate.
Huanchaco
Northern Peru - Quelap, Leymebamba, and all the riding from that area to Trujillo.
Riding with Radioman (aka Mark).
Learning that the cops aren't as corrupt as many moto travelers will tell you they are. They were all nice and just wanted to talk whenever we got pulled over.


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BOLIVIA

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Entered:  October 22, 2012
(Desaguadero)

Departed:  December 2, 2012
(Yacuiba)

Duration:  41 days

Average Daily Expenses:  ~US$50 (incl. Jill's language school. Without:  ~US$35)
 
Average Fuel cost:  ~3.50 Bs/Liter at local prices, 9.22 Bs for foreigners (US$1.30 per liter)

HIGHLIGHTS:
 riding the Yungas region
 Torotoro National Park
 riding the Ruta del Che
 La Paz was a cool big city, laying low in Cocha was nice, too.
 meeting up with Mika


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ARGENTINA


(route through northern Argentina and Chile. See below for southern route)

First Entered:  December 2, 2012
(Yacuiba)

Last Departed:  tbd

Duration:  38 days as of March 8, 2013, but been going up by 1 everyday since...
(see below for explanation)

Average Daily Expenses:
  • US$46 for the 5 days in northern Argentina
  • US$80 for the 18 days in Argentina over New Years (beer is good, but adds up)
  • ~US$60-70 for Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego

Average Fuel cost:  7 Argentine pesos per liter (~US$1 at black market rates)

Travel in Argentina is made much cheaper by camping, free (especially down south) or super cheap (~US$2) in the majority of towns. Hotels are pricey! We only stayed in hostels on a few occasions, and didn't even bother asking about private room hotels after our first few attempts. Lunch can usually be found for 18-20 pesos, but as you get into tourist districts it can be hard to find a milanesa sandwich for less than 35. Thankfully they are usually big enough portions to split!

HIGHLIGHTS:
 reaching our southernmost destination - Ushuaia!
 working with John and Annette in San Rafael
 hanging out with Lisa for the holidays
 free/cheap camping
 YPF gas stations have it all

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CHILE

First Entered:  December 7, 2012

Last Departed:  March 8, 2013

Duration:  58 days total
(see below for explanation)

Average Daily Expenses:  too much...
I would guess around US$70, but this was greatly reduced by the generosity of Mike's parents in Santiago, and should be far less than that (~US$40 ?) while camping across the Carretera Austral

Average Fuel cost:  US$1.75 per liter

HIGHLIGHTS:
 seeing family in Santiago
 meeting some great people - Osvaldo and Clara, Pancho and Roxane, Clara and Santi
 the Carretera Austral


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ARGENTINA to CHILE and back again


(route through southern Argentina and Chile)

Bouncing back and forth between Argentina and Chile makes it difficult to break down a summary by country.  Here is a list of the crossings that we made between these two countries, ordered by date:

December 7, 2012 - ARG to CHILE - Paso Agua Negra
(San José de Jáchal, Argentina to la Serena, Chile)

December 21, 2012 - CHILE to ARG - Paso Libertadores
(Santiago, Chile to Mendoza, Argentina)

January 8, 2013 - ARG to CHILE - Paso Futaleufú
(Esquel, Argentina to Futaleufú, Chile)

January 18, 2013 - CHILE to ARG - Paso Roballos
(Cochrane, Chile to Lago Posadas, Argentina)

January 25, 2013 - ARG to CHILE - Paso Dorotea
(Rio Turbio, Argentina to Puerto Natales, Chile)

January 30, 2013 - CHILE to ARG - Paso Bellavista
(Magallanes, Chile to Tierra del Fuego, Argentina)

February 4, 2013 - ARG to CHILE - Paso San Sebastián
(Rio Grande, TDF, Argentina to Magallanes, Chile)

February 22, 2013 - CHILE to ARG - Paso Laurita
(Puerto Natales, Chile to Casas Vieja, Argentina)

February 25, 2013 - ARG to CHILE - Paso Rio Jeinemeni
(Perito Moreno, Argentina to Chile Chico, Chile)

March 8, 2013 - CHILE to ARG - Paso Icalma
(Icalma, Chile to Villa Pehuenia and Lago Aluminé, Argentina)


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BRAZIL - Part II



Entered:  April 4, 2013
(Foz do Iguassu)

Departed:  April 12, 2013
(Chuy)

Duration:  8 days

Average Daily Expenses:  about right

Average Fuel cost:  ~US$1.25 per liter

HIGHLIGHTS:
 asado with Rodolfo in Foz
 Iguassu Falls themselves are stunning


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URUGUAY



Entered:  April 12, 2013
(Chuy)

Departed:  April 17, 2013
(Fray Bentos)

Duration:  5 days

Average Daily Expenses:  a lot for us - Uruguay is expensive

Hostel rates in Montevideo were around US$15/person at best. Private room with shared bath in Fray Bentos was US$22. Meals were on the high side, at least US$4 per person, and went up from there.

Average Fuel cost:  ~US$2 per liter

HIGHLIGHTS:
 staying with Alejandro at Kampale Moto Ranch
 fossil info at Parque Brisas del Plata
 exhaustive walking tour of Montevideo


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PARAGUAY

MAP NOT INCLUDED
(does not do our amazing Paraguay visit justice)

Entered:  April 5, 2013
(Ciudad del Este)

Departed:  April 5, 2013
(Ciudad del Este)

Duration:  about 3 hours

Average Daily Expenses:  US$150 (including a new set of tires :)

Average Fuel cost:  didn't matter

HIGHLIGHTS:
 new MT-60 front and rear for US$135
 Mexican food lunch
 not waiting around for immigration

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MAYBE MORE?

Entered:  tbd

Departed:  tbd

Duration:  tbd

Average Daily Expenses:  hopefully not much

Average Fuel cost:  US$tba per liter

HIGHLIGHTS:
tbd


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