Sunday, January 28, 2007

Days - 4 to +5





Nadine Line dancing.

Mar with the dissasembled BMW.




I have been a bad little blogger. Life on the road is hectic, it has been very difficult to find time to get to a computer.

A brief summary of the trip so far.
Day minus 2, a couple of my friends bought me a few drinks at the world famous Joe's garage, and sent me home a little useless. James Benham, (who must have way too much time on his hands), presented me with a very useful, alternative phrase book for use in central america. This is it:-

Motorcycle related

Could you extract this small mammal from my motorcycle please?
Podrías extraer este mamífero pequeño de mi motocicleta por favor?

Could you extract my motorcycle from this large mammal please?
Podrías extraer mi motocicleta de este mamífero grande por favor?

My motorcycle uses petrol not diesel you idiot.
Mi motocicleta utiliza el diesel de la gasolina no tú idiota.

Could you push my motorcycle to the next town please?
Podrías empujar mi motocicleta a la ciudad siguiente por favor?

Where is the nearest bus stop?
Dónde está la parada de autobús más cercana?

Social occasions

Yes I knew Steve Irwin, he lived next to me.
Conocía sí a Steve Irwin, él viví al lado de mí.

Hey, this is good shit man.
Hey, éste es buen hombre de la mierda.

Your grandmother is very attractive. Is she married?
Tu abuela es muy atractiva. La casan?

No I'm not a homosexual, but after a couple more Tequilas I'll be willing to learn.
Ningún no soy un poopokero, pero después de que un par más Tequilas yo esté dispuesto a aprender.

This food tastes like shit. But it's beautifully cooked.
Este alimento prueba como mierda. Pero se cocina maravillosamente.

Dealing with nasty people (including police)

Don’t shoot. I’m Australian, not American.
No tirar. Soy australiano, no americano.

No that is not marijuana in my panniers, I just had a crash in long grass.
Ningún que no es la marijuana en mis panniers, acabo de tener un desplome en hierba larga.

Last night I was attacked by bandits, and they stole my motorcycle.
Ayer por la noche a los bandidos me ataqué, y robaron mi motocicleta.

No I won't carry drugs into Australia, but I know someone who can. Now put the gun down please.
Ningún no llevaré las drogas en Australia, sino que sé a alguien que puede. Ahora poner el arma abajo satisfacen.

You won't put the gun down? Of course I can take your drugs to Australia.
No pondrás el arma abajo? Por supuesto puedo llevar tus drogas Australia.

Thank you very much James, I am sure that will form the basis of my spanish communications, if I ever bloody get there that is.
Day 0:
Helen bravely dropped me at the airport in Hobart, and let me go.
Relatively uneventfull and pleasant flight to LA. My neighbour was an Aussi/Yank biologist, Randle?? I have to thank Randle for the gift of a book, "The blind watchmaker". I have found it amusing and a very handy scource of ammunition for animated conversations in the USA.
Day 1:
Arrived in LA.. That is one BIG mother of a city. Just the place to be dragging a backpack, a travel bag and a bloody crash helmet around. I wanted to get to Oceanside, near San Diego, to pick up the bike, so decided to catch the bus... Found to catch the bus I had to catch another bus half way across town. That took 1/2 hour waiting, then around 1 hour, to get to the other side of town, where we had a flamming traffic accident didnt we!!! Only minor, but enough to hold us up for another flamming hour!
Anyway, finally got myself to Oceanside, found a motel and got in touch with Mar.
"sorry dude, the bike is not ready to go."
BUGGER.. The bike is in Mars friends garage, partially dissasembled, as Aden (mechanic) had discovered the front brake not working properly,. Aden had it apart but by Friday night still not got it back together.
Day 2:
Friday, all day spent driving around San Diego, looking at the bike, visiting Aden at work, shopping, trying to transfer money to purchase the bike. In the end the whole day dissapeared, and I still had not managed, to get the bike, get the rego transferred, or the insurance organised.
This is a crazy place, everywhere, it seems even the shops are a half hour drive on a freeway. Everything seems to take forever. Constant heavy traffic in every direction, and me still jetlagged, my head was spinning by the end of the day.
Day 3:
Saturday: I gave up on trying to organise the bike, decided to hire a car, and come to visit friends Paul and Nadine in Flagstaff Arizona for the weekend. 8 and a half hour drive.
Paul and Nadine lovely people that they are, fed me, gave me a beer, and immediatly after dinner took me out to a cowboy bar. It was fantastic, kind of a cowboy museum, stuffed mountain lions, and waggon wheels. Lots of tuff dudes with cowboy hats, line dancing, and other traditional dances. I even had a go at a two step, though that mostly involved one step on Nadines foot and the other off it.





Saturday, January 20, 2007

Day minus 5

Late onset mid life crisis, sale of my business, losing mum, who knows why, but for some reason I have decided to go for a little motorbike ride to central America.

Dont know where I will get to at this stage, just planning to get on the bike and head south from LA.

Yesterday I paid a deposit to Mar, of Oceanside CA for his 95 R1100GS.

He is having it serviced, and a long range tank fitted.

I am heading oput in 5 days.