We are on the our road! Finally.
The day started with an early taxi ride to EZE to attempt to clear the bikes - things did not look good for most of the day starting when the cabbie (attempting to be helpful) dropped us, and our 240 lbs. of gear in the middle of the staff parking lot. We had to leapfrog everything to the closest tree (a Charlie Brown Christmas specimen) in the 33 degree 99% humidity and then hunt for Sandra, our customs broker.
By 11:00am we had learned that the flight manifest had not closed and therefore we would not be able to get the bikes today, but would have to come back tomorrow. Sandra was unperterbed, and we were not inclined to give up easily either, and pretty soon we had all the warehouse staff onside and searching for the crate.
By 2:30 we had the crate, and a couple of helpful staff willing to give me a hand dismantling the crate and assembling the bikes. It took all of us, working in the 40 degree heat of the warehouse to get everything done - and we were finally putting on our helmets and getting underway by 5:30pm.
Leaving the cargo area, we had a final checkpoint for customs clearance, and we were under the impression that we would have to exit thru the paid parking area - I pulled up to the ticket booth and explained vociferously that we had not parked in the lot but had "importaciones dos motos! dos motos es cargomiente!!" Following a few moments of blank stares, they raised the gate and let me go, although they dropped it pronptly on Petra's front fender, at which point she explained "I'm with him!" and they reluctantly let her go too. It was only about 500m later that I realized that wasn't the parking lot attendant - but was in fact a National Highway Toll Booth! Police in Buenos Aires tonight are on the lookout for two escaped lunatics on motorcycles. We need to get out of Dodge.
Following a quick fuel stop - and a few unintended directional disorders (getting lost, which I blame on severe dehydration) - we are out of Buenos Aires and stopped in Canuelas for the night.
We need to rehydrate (I think I lost 10lbs today), and repack our gear for longterm travel.
We're going to try to get an early start tomorrow and see if we can make it to Bahia Blanca (some 600+ km's away).
Good to know you are finally on the road. Hope you keep at least one exit ahead of the toll booth police! If not, let me know what prison they throw you in! Your butts will be sore by the time you reach Bahia Blanca.
ReplyDeleteRide safe.
Kevin
I finally had a chance to read through your blogs. Too bad about the delay getting started - Murphy's Law! I'm glad you were able to while away the time in Buenos Aires and check out the amazing architecture, etc. Better than being stuck in the misddle of newhere for that long! Now that you're mobile, I hope you're feeling better and enjoying the ride. Take lots of photos and post some with Petra lest we think she decided not to go along after all. Enjoy! Nora
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