Lobsters to Llamas, Maritimes to Argentina

[Kedgi]

Originally Posted by rtwpaul

hope customs don't give you any hassle in Miami, i was sent to steam clean my bike before i could ship it, i was told customs are clamping down a lot on dirty bikes...good luck and be prepared for culture shock, its weird being back in the US

It is weird being back in the US. After some hassle at MIA (Like who knew you can no longer exchange Argentina Money in the USA by law) That explains all the black market activity in BA. Warning, if you are leaving Argentina, change your money to USA bills before you leave. It took about an hour to find a motel shuttle that would actually pick me up at MIA. I waited an hour and a half in line at passport control after about 30 hours of traveling. I thought there was a law against cruel and unusual punishment.

The dirt on my bike is just road grime from the two really wet days riding into Buenos Aires. I like would have sprayed it somewhere given the opportunity, but in the end it went in a van to the BA airport. I hope it doesn't cause a lot of trouble today. I want to go to Key West.

I found someone who is going home to NB out of the camping area where my inlaws stay in Zypherhills. He is hauling a car north on a trailer and has etra room for my bike. Yay! He will take it right to my hometown, Saint John, about 90 miles from Shediac, for 200 bucks. He doesn't leave until March 15 but has a place to keep my bike in the meantime

I could have picked better weather in South Florida for the next three days rain and 10 to 15 degrees below average temperatures. Oh well! It is what it is. 80 degrees by Thursday, the day I'm likely to fly home to the snow.

Ride safe Paul!

Kedgi

[Kedgi]

Originally Posted by BluNozr

Safe travels Dwight.

Thanks Len!

I'm happy to be back in the USA.

If I can just get the bike back today and get going it will all be good.

Dwight

[Kedgi]

Originally Posted by Tsotsie

Rats!

I now have to find another good read now that this one is ending!

Glad you enjoyed it!

There will be more one day.

Kedgi

[Kedgi]

Originally Posted by novaboy

Damn it, heading to Florida with the kids for a week that day. Have a good welcome home party, I'll be there in spirit. Hopefully catch up with in the spring/summer.

Looks like you'll have good weather in FLA.;

Thanks for reading.


Kedgi

[Kedgi]

My last night in BA I went out on the town with my friend Robin, the Sea Captain I had met. He bought me a great steak Without question, the best meal I had in SA




We had a few beers and even a few shooters




The next day I ran around BA getting ready to go and I saw a couple cool bikes on the street including this Royal Enfield



The woman that cleans at the Colonial Hostel had her little daughter with her and as I packed I had a helper. My God! She was so cute, I wanted to take her with me.









I said goodbye to my new friend, Lucas, the manager of the Colonial. He's a great guy. He sure made me feel at home for the five days I spent there. He was sorry to see me go.




So after saying goodbye. I began the epic flight(s) home or at least home to Miami. I saved a couple hundred bucks by taking one with two stops, and a 7 hour layover in Lima. Not sure I would do that again.

My friend Marduly, that I had met months before through Sebastian the manager of Houlihans in Lima came to the airport in Lima to see me and to break up the 7 hour wait. When we first met, months before, she was less than impressed by my trip or just didn't understand because of the language barrier. I'm not sure. It seemed though that once she understood the scope of the trip she became a fan of sorts. She and her friend Paula met me and we had a lunch and a couple drinks. That was nice and broke up the long airport wait.

Marduly



Paula




From what I can understand Marduly manages a professional dance group, and Paula is a singer for the group. In any case, it is hard to really have a conversation but it was nice to see them and we still managed to have a few jokes and laughs and between my little bit of Spanish and their tiny bit of English we talked as best we could. It broke up the wait and i'm glad they took the time to come see me. They are both real outgoing characters and a lot of fun.



In any case, the girls left and I checked back in to take my next flight to El Salvador. That's when I tried to pay a $31 airport fee. I knew I would have to pay it because I left the secure area. I would have left the secure area even if I wasn't meeting my friends because I had such a long wait and I had no problem with the associated fee but all i had was Argentine Pesos. What a cluster! No Currency Exchange in the Lima Airport would change them. The Lima airport has several ATM's but they are all the same brand, I think it's called GlobalNet and it would not work with my card. In, short I could not get back into the secure area because i could not pay the fee. WTF!

The girls were long gone or I likely could have borrowed some Peru Soles from them so I was really stuck. I had about 2 and a half hours before my flight was going to leave without me.

I asked Taka Airlines for help. I suggested to their station manager that they might give me a cash advance on my Mastercard. NFW. Or simply bill me for the fee and pay it. NFW They were so unhelpful it wasn't funny.

I didn't know what to do. I sure didn't want to miss the flight with the associated costs and delays and I would have been stuck at the airport in any case because I couldn't even get a cab to a bank, with no Peru Money and no USA money. WAPITA. In hindsight Peru may have a law against taking ARG money and I was in more of a jam than I even imagined at the time. Just when you think your "going home" another challenge presents itself.

I started asking fellows travelers if they would be willing to exchange just $40 for me. One couple from the USA turned me down. Then, I explained my plight to some young guys from Chile who were backpackers. They understood the ARG money difficulties and very generously agreed to change some money for me. Saved!

I was in such a panic to make my flight I never even thought to get their names. But this is the young man that helped a fellow traveler out of a jam. When I told them about my ride report, they suggested this great picture of me and him with the much needed $40. and his new ARG pesos



I got my flight, with little time to spare.

In four hours I was flying over the beach at El Salvador



The El Salvador Airport. It was funny to be there, about 30 miles from Playa del Tunco where I had met Steph and Wilson so many months before.



A change of planes there and three hours later I was in Miami, where this morning I am up early, as always, waiting to see what today brings when I try, first to find my bike, and second, retrieve it.

Wish me luck.

I talked to Angele last night and the excitement in her voice was absolutely palpable, now that I was back in the USA, 5 months after beginning this awesome adventure.

We are both looking forward to seeing a lot of friends at the welcome home party. The response has been absolutely overwhelming. We have had to rent the Club BoisHebert in downtown Shediac to accommodate the anticipated crowd.

Hope to see you all there.

Kedgi

[BKMLWR]

sounds like you get the bike back in time to clean up for mud season....

glad you were able to get back with that Ag money...their economy structure has collapesed at the government level so no one wants to get stuck with the money...

[slide]

Originally Posted by BKMLWR

sounds like you get the bike back in time to clean up for mud season....

glad you were able to get back with that Ag money...their economy structure has collapesed at the government level so no one wants to get stuck with the money...

More than that. The Fernandez seizure of YPF made Argentina a pariah government in the world.

[Hevy Kevy]

Culture shock will be real Dwight. To help you out a bit, that flat bladed item in the garage with a wooden handle is called a shovel. Beware!! Loved your journey bro, the offer stands for riding the Great Lakes. Over and out! Hevy Kevy, et al. Unti we meet again!!!

[bESS]

Dwight:


Welcome back, you are nearly home . . .

I was on the edge of my seat wondering how you were going to get back into that secured area. Seems silly for credit cards not to work I mean having a credit card is better than having to change money all the time

one more hurdle overcome, and now your last hurdle of getting your bike released. What luck finding transport for your bike. You must have an Angele looking over you

Wished we could be there for your welcoming party. You are a true adventurer, a person I could look up to and admire. Thanks for taking us along

bob

[CloneBoy]

Welcome home Dwight!


Been following since the beginning, excellent narrative thank you so much for taking the time to update regularly and letting us follow along!

[SparkyL]

And Thanks Again for the great RR! Enjoy your return home.

[BeachGuy]

I have yet to figure out how it is that a man who hates the cold mountains of South America can be so happy to head north to Canada. Heck even your northern brothers have stated and I quote “that flat bladed item in the garage with a wooden handle” is waiting on you.

Must be something or someone very special, to endure more of that torture by heading north.

Thanks for the report, it kept me from working.

[Toadride]

It's been good entertainment, Kedg.
Glad yer safe and a job well done...OLD MAN!

[riverman]

Getting close now buddy. By the way, not sure when your bike might arrive in Saint John but I am going down there from Moncton on March 22 if you want a lift. Of course the weather would have to cooperate and not blowing a blizzard for that day. Anyhow, let me know if that might work for you as the time gets closer.

[Smithee]

Originally Posted by BeachGuy

I have yet to figure out how it is that a man who hates the cold mountains of South America can be so happy to head north to Canada. Heck even your northern brothers have stated and I quote “that flat bladed item in the garage with a wooden handle” is waiting on you.

Easy to understand. It's March, so winter in NB will be over in 45 days or so.

Welcome back to Norte Amricano Dwight!!!