Note:

Readers should be aware, that the nature of this blog is such that the start of the trip is at the back, and the end of the trip is at the front... if that makes sense!!! If you want the story to unfold you need to start at the back and work forward.

Also, if you get to the bottom of the page, there is a small button that says "older posts" this will take you (not entirly unsuprisingly) to some older posts.

Thanks for reading, Ian.

PS since doing this trip, I have started a new motorcycle related business. We are offering Rental BMW's, and guided tours of varying types. If you would like to find out more, please have a look at our web site, http://http://www.motoadventure.com.au/

Back in Tassie.

Home in Tassie

Starting in Tikal northern Guatemala, and after 5 days of constant traveling - 6 buses, 5 taxis, 4 plane rides and countless kilometers of walking I have suddenly found myself back in a totally different reality.

Helen welcomed me back with open le.....er.....arms. Our home sparkled with the wonderful views and the warm sun streaming in... comfort, clean air, ordered life and society.

No doubt on Monday I will return to my workplace. My boss will almost certainly have the dirtiest, most boring, shortest time frame and under-quoted job in the history of the company waiting for me, as payback for my long absence.

I will be absorbed back into the river of everyday reality like a raindrop in a river, with virtually everyone around me totally oblivious (and why shouldn't they be) to the intense reality I have just experienced on my journey.
I say reality, because this journey has been far more for me than just another holiday. Holidays for a week or so on a beach are part of the workday reality of everyday life. My journey, for me , felt completely different to that.

I have had two months living in a very intense movie, 3d, ultra sharp technicolor, sensorama, smellorama, and full doby soundtrack.. I have met a constant stream of wonderful people who have treated me with friendliness, respect, tolerance and downright hospitality.*.

The Mexican and Guatemalan people I met along the way, happily put up with my ignorance of their language, and tried hard to understand my mispronounced baby talk Spanish, virtually to a man they are cheerful tolerant people, getting on with their lives. I loved their love of their jangly music, and good humour in difficult situations, like the hundred or so people packed onto the chicken and pigs bus in Guatemala, laughing their heads off at being so crowded.

The other tourists and travelers I met along the way, often shared only a very brief time together, which can be a slightly sad experience, as these people are probably the ones who would best understand the kind of reality a journey like this constitutes, and would perhaps be potentially wonderful friends, if they shared ones workday reality.

The other people who made my journey such a wonderful experience were all Americans.
Mar, who sold me the bike, drove me around, took me to a wrestling match, and told me about life as a patriotic American. Paul and Nadine who put me up in their home, and shared their passions for line dancing, and the grand canyon and space exploration and Mexico. Ben who put me up, drove me around, was my mate, and showed me the fun side of Houston, and Jeanie who took us to the rodeo.

So now its back to business, the end of the blog. I have enjoyed doing this, its been kind of a diary for me, and a proxy postcard for my friends, I hope it hasn't seemed too self absorbed and that readers have enjoyed it. See ya.

Guatmalans still laughing despite the completely overcrowded bus being driven at insane speeds on unbelievably bumpy, windy backroads, which we were forced onto as we were not allowed on the main road which was closed so that the president of the United states could travel upon it.

The rodeo in Houston, 60,000 people, a stadium the size of the MCG. Everything is big in Texas.

Guatamala

Mayan temple recently retrieved from the jungle at Tikal, northern Guatamala.

Crater lake at Panajachel with one of the surrounding volcanoes just visible.

Religous festival Antigua

Classic Guatamala pigs and chickens bus.

Market day Antigua

Guatamala

Well after those whimps at NASA chickened out on sending up the space shuttle with a few dents in it (hell I mean, my BMW had a huge dent in the tank, and still got me to Mexico and back), my plans were shot to pieces. So rather than continue in the USA to Florida, I decided to sell the bike for a pittance, and return to central America.

I am writing this from Flores in Guatamala.

I have just spent all day clambering around Mayan pyramids at Tikal. Outside this internet cafe is the sidewalk taco shop. I sat for an hour or so at a plastic table on the sidewalk, taking in the tropical clouds, the boats on Flores lake, the pretty senoritas buzzing around on their scooters, the happy chatter of the locals as they buy their 5 cent taco,s. I helped the Taco lady move her stall when the rain started.

I know I said in another entry thatI had come to love Mexico and the Mexicans... well Guatamala is even more so. Free of the burden of the bike, I have been travelling on local and long distance buses, staying in local hotels and eating mostly off the street stalls... Absolute bliss, I love it.

Alas tomorrow I head for home... the long way. Plane to Guatamala city, bus to Mex border, bus to Mexico city, plane to LA, Plane to Melbourne, Plane to Hobart...

Guess I will have to reaclimatise again, still that should be easyish with all the comforts of home.. But then theres the return to work to deal with!!!!.

Texas

Inside ice bar. When in Texas........ and I quite like the sign in the background. Would be appropriate for Joes Bar.

Sunday afternoon outside Cruisers Ice House. Inside some of the best Blues ans rock it is possible to find.

This is my host and mate Ben

Saturn 5 rocket at Houston Space centre. They went to a lot of trouble to fake those moon landings eh!!

Little house on the Texas mexico border

Sad Moment Leaving Mexico

Texas...

I met a gentleman on the Mexico border. Ben, from Houston, big bloke on a Yammie cruiser.

Ben is one of the friendliest people I have ever come across. He would start talking to strangers at the drop of a hat. (a trait I noticed with a lot of Texans as it happens).

Ben invited me to stay at his home. He unfortunatly lost his wife to cancer last year, is retired and lives alone. We lived for the 6 days I stayed there like a couple of old batchelors (Bens 63).

His fridge is stocked with plenty of Bud light, water, wine, but little else. Who needs food at home, thats what they made restaunts, bars and pizza delivery boys for.

Ben introduced me to his friends, and even his girlfriends, he took me wherever I needed to go in his hot black Caddie. Helped me find the camera I should have bought before I left Aussie, found a dealer to purchase my bike and a Fed Ex office to send my excess luggage home ( I should have just bought a plane it would have been cheaper)

Best of all, I told Ben, I would like to go to New Orleans, mostly for the live music... No need for that he said, and over the weekend, we rode to a couple of the greatest venues I could imagine, right there in Houston. Aparantly a lot of New Orleans musicians left after Katrina, and ended up in Houston (and other places I guess). These venues are hole in the wall places they call Ice House´s. Cruizers on a Sunday afternoon had the best live blues I have ever heard, for free. I got some short movies of these people to prove it but cant put them up here. Believe me that ice house experience was world class, and a highlight of my trip.

One of Bens friends is an engineer at the space centre houston, he was the one who first told me my plans to go to Florida for the space shuttle launch were in tatters with out me knowing it.

Launch postponed till June probably. So I had to come up with yet another new plan. That is to catch a plane back to Mexico, and travel around on local buses for a few weeks, which is what I am doing now.

Up to the USA Border

Sombrero Shop in Tuxpam on the Gulf Coast.

This must be the most diabolical bridge , ever devised for motorcycling.

Shiny 4" pipes, IN LINE with the direction of travel. I came off the other end, completely sideways with a car coming towards me. Somehow scrambled back to my side of the road, but boy!!!!..

Coming down off the central plateau, towards the Gulf coast, the scenery changed to very familiar looking. Green, rolling, looked like Tasie only hot.

Traveling North

Toluca

Beautiful hill city of Taxco about 150km south west of Mexico city, built on the side of very big hills. Biking around here was all 2nd and 3rd gear, with wonderful scenery at every turn.

A complete change of pace,Toluca, 75 km West of Mexico city, clean streets and old Spanish buildings.

Me happily contemplating climbing the pyramid of the Moon

2700 year old pyramid of the moon at Teotihuacan just north of Mexico city.

Beautiful clean food stall in Teotihuacan.

Well I guess as this is basically an electronic diary, made public, then it would mean little if it was all sunshine and light. Life just isnt like that.

As I said in the previous blog entry, I basically lost my nerve in Acapulco. Didnt want to get back on my horse. I was kind of paralized by not wanting to go on with the bike and not wanting to go back. I thought, every kilometer I go on, is a kilometer I have to return.
So in the end I decided to turn round, and not continue to Guadamala border. I had had too many scary moments on the road south and basically didnt want any more.

So I headed north, with huge regrets. As soon as I left Aca... everything changed, the riding conditions became normal, enjoyable. I went via beautiful mountain, desert winding roads past amazing towns built on the sides of hills, to Toluca. Could not believe I was i the same nation.
Traffic stops at traffic lights, give way to each other, the footpaths are flat, and the rubbish goes in the bin rather than o the ground. Old spanish buildings and a cool climate.

So that experience, and the days on the road since have convinced me that I should not have turned around, it was just the crazy hot overpopulated west coast the was the problem.... I regret that decision. I am now on the Mexico USA border, and spent last night agonizing about turning around again, heading back south. I love Mexico, I love the mexicans for their zest and enthusiasm for life, the noise, the music, street life, friendlyness and tolorance of an ignorant Aussie who cannot speak the lingo .

The riding has been superb, beautiful scenery everwhere, and I have even become at home with the size of the Beemer, can now do feet up full lock u turns with all the luggage on board. A very important skill bearing in mind Mexican road signage.

In the end I have decided to continue into the USA, try to unload the bike and most of my luggage, and maybe return to Guadamala by plane, and travel by bus for a few weeks.

Anyway thats todays plan, who knows what I will have decided by tomorrow.

Pics of Acapulco

Found this pic of the longshot of the cliff diving place.

Markets near my Hotel. Those tomatoes are 5 pesos per kilo = 5 cents.

Clara at Jugo narango stall.

You thought Stephanie close had good view Helen! get a load of this!!!

They actually start very high. you can see the camera is looking up here and down in the image below.

The famous cliff divers. Didnt get any good still pics of this as I was taking movies.

This taxi is about to try to reverse out of the traffic jam. Unfortunatly not noticing my huge Bavarian beast. Knocked me over. I needed his help to get the bike on its feet. Just a few more scratches to add to the many already there. But no harm done we departed amigos.

One of the many little beaches around the bays of Acapulco.

Nice place for a beer.

There are some rather outstanding things about Mexico.