Argentina from snow to the sun

Entering Argentina

Snow 


From the heat of pacific coast of Chile than burned by the fire, to colder and colder Ands, roads was climbing up.

climbing Andes on Chilean side

Wet rain than snow hits first just before border, but unusual views were compensating lost and mood was uplifted time by time.

 At some point me and my Italian Friend reached last 30 km from the border to Argentina.  This was the highest point of the mountains. Something slightly over 3k altitude, Carburetors were okay it feels bit sluggish but my most concern was freezing cold and wet.  Heavy snow starts.
We basically stooped as we couldn't ride any more . It was quite cloudy afternoon as well.

how ever snow, was bad new it reminds me where I am from - Poland and and all this snow drops brought me smile

Argentina border

We stooped at some kind of cafe or restaurant for defrost for around 45 minutes - and my memory went back to Russian cafes where i stoped every so often. Here most people were asking and paying for boiled water for mate  tea.

I was happy and sad at same time

Crossing border - it wasn't bad as African borders. we waited for some time than we started descent and air start warming - but rains was continue and no clothes for change/

It was getting darker and we decided to stop in first city, there was proper camp with some toilets and showers.

Me and Claudio pitched tents and shared some food, I really felt happy I had his company today, as going thought this all journey with fire and snow wasn't easy task.
Conversation with him was poor as language barrier was big, but we were both really moved how the day went, so we could use single words. this evening was true celebration

 I put my last saved semi dry clothes on me.

Rest of wet clothes i spread  in the shower house.

Hot shower wasn't working. It would be nice after all this cold passage, But I was enough happy to have this evening. Amazing was that: in Morocco, on begin of my travel, was  last time when  paid for the camping


In the moring Claudio left earlier to head south I wished him safe journey. 

I stay till late in city having good lunch. Surprisingly I  meet some Argentinians with Polish surnames. It was very warm how many of them there, there is estimate 500.000 Polish Argentinians by polish descents

That's why Argentina was so friendly for me,




I was heading to the long awaited Atlantic ocean - I  didn't know that my travel will take me further than geographical dimension.

south america- chile - motorbike on fire but not only

Chile 

Reuninitg with My zebra in Valparsio was full of doubts.  She was tired of travel - me too. We still had hope will reach buenbos Aries in Argentina - original plans was to maybe go to Peru and Bolivia, but things changed


I remember watching Che Guevara film and his travel. The Motorcycle diaries and his travel on La poderosa - the might one. Old Norton 500 and their travel was one of my motivation to get to South
America.

In Valparasio I stayed in Villa Kunterbunt, owners are known for their motorbike minded place - they also helping with transportation customs etc so good place to be, seemingly name Villa Kunterbunt is taken from old Swedish child film Pippi langstrumpf, probably by the look - wooden old villa. 

my zebra once again - beatifull marraige we have 

unpacking motorbike was still a fun - but first attempt of staring failed, and I had to to work 2 days to find out what was the problem, and once again this was electrics - finally i got this sorted and i could zipp of once again

Lukasz Gorniak and his friend Marta Zajchowska was starting their big travel from Valparasio
we were heading to colect motorbikes from depot, for me travel was ending but for them this was big start
All the best and save travel

On my way out of the valparasio  I made picture of west coast of pacific ocean

- same ocean i was standing in Vladivostock but on the otherhe  side of the globe 

Fire over my zebra,
going througt flames 

Leaving colourful city of Valparaiso was stressful as no Sat Nav. I have tried to get to the mountains in next day or two to cross Andes, 

Somehow I was luck and I meet Italian rider Claudio Breeano. He was first class equipped and had GPS, he was heading over the Andes so I kindly asked if I could follow him just to get over the mountains 

He was faster and after maybe 50 km I felt power lost.
I thought this is either petrol problem or I have size the engine for the forth time, but I was going downhill so I could try me revs to detect what going is wrong, than slowed down and pulled to the right

and than!!!.....

flames of fire came to to height of my face, 

I have jump of the moto, and on the first milliseconds of panics i started open my pannier to get my laptop and diary bag out - I was thinking this is the end ....
but it wasn't
in some way I have recalled what  old man said to me , The man I have meet in Poland when getting my motorbike shipped
He was triyng  weld my plastic tank but he wasn't able do that as tank what he said was fire proof made, - Accerbis extended range tank - saved my life

having around 20 litres of petrol and highly flames around tank - makes me to run away, but this little tough  about fire proof of having fire prove tank, gave me few second to calm down and turn of the petrol valve off
 than , than petrol start goes down and i with silly way try to blow out with my mouths, it did worked and flame was gone

Believe or not this was my second motorbike fire. First when I was 14 year boy - my old 250 Jawa was with same scenario , petrol leak from carburetor,


In all of this mess I haven't realise that other cars stooped of of them was some kind motorway rescue car, but the fire die so no much more of excitement

The only think I need to repair was  my burned petrol hose So I replaced it so quicly that my italian freind was amaized thinking this fires are every day task,

 I was happy, I am alive and motorbike starts first time

Few moment latter me and Italian were heading in to the Andes few hours later we start climbing up

aye brows burned as well my zebra tank slighlty as well 

Motorbike transportation from Vladivostock To Chile - wrong way round

Hi, again,

I will tell you how I get my motorbike transported to Chile,

In Vladivostok I decided to go back to Europe.  Otherwise I could go to South Korea as there was ferry link from Russia and that fly to Canada, well obviously I didn't do this I went back to Europe and start organising next stage.

I took transiberian train to get to the  Moscow 8 days and almost 10 thousand of kilometres there, people, Russian food at the platforms and horizons that never ends.

transiberian railway for passanger train company, it was something like 160 euro for sleeping wagon for 8 days throught the bigest country in teh world,  motorbike was sent on the second trian for around 250

lucky number 13 for my train cart

Transport my self and motorbike from Vladivostok to Moscow, was around 400 euro. Motorbike need to go on second train - it is slower, so you need to plan this somehow ahead . transport train company is here
http://www.jde.ru/t

and that you just need passenger ticket - I bought from ticket office in Vladivostok train station.

this is unpacking my Zebra in Moscow

from Moscow I went through Scandinavia and Germany.

at that time I stayed in Amsterdam - and get paid job there just to make sure I will have enough money to get to South America.

Dutch  love I meet in Russia was one of the reason I came back to Europe, She than appear to be narcissistic and  believe or not this relationship put me down as nothing  in my life, it took me mouths, longer the travel that i understood what is  Narcissists personality disorder, and damaged to my feeling was huge.  My self  believe were crushed, she made me crawl and this became codependent -love addiction but I decided to finish travel anyway.

I sized up top of the engine in Amsterdam and had to fix my self before delivering to transport company in Poland. This all been done by mean of own tool, inventiveness and hope, my brother send me second hand engine so i could make one of two.

Search gave me idea to send motorbike from Poland.  I contacted some people and got confirmation this was possible. I had some time to get prepared. I use polish motorbike  transportation and travel company, they gave me good price, they are easy and very professional people.
I think i paid around 1600euro both ways for motorbike and documents...
their contact is here, https://www.facebook.com/advfactorycom/
special thanks to Krzysztof Samborski and Aleksandra Trzaskowska


Flight to Chile were from Berlin , and took me long hours to get there.
Landing in Chile was sunny but soon I had to find starting electrical problems

see my next entry