April 2006

NICARAGUA
COSTA RICA

April, April – I do what I want!!

After the usual 1 ½ hours border paper work and the first terrible kilometres I made it to Leon.
A lot of history and chaos try to combine here and the result is a relaxed, busy, big town.
Also the old and new, tradition and trend is well mixed.

Horse carriages are seen as well as fancy cars & fashion.
I explore a lot by walking and on a nice day I ride with Fusae to the beach.

What a surprise, Poneloya is great.

Totally nice beach, half-moon after half-moon bay, some rocks and hardly any tourist.

It is nice to explore at the clean beach and have a drink here and there.

The sound of the ocean get mixed with some music from the bar and maybe some working noises.

It looks like it is only a question of time till this little paradise changes.

From riding on the bad roads some parts of the motorcycle simply break.

Its easy to find a welding shop which does it immediately!

On the outskirts of Managua I ride my way to Granada.

Catch even the right road.

Many time I have to cross where to go.

It helps to orientate after the sun and maybe the direction of the wind than searching for signs ;o)

After some days in and around Granada we (Fusae, Moses and me) take the ferry to Ometepe.

At the ferry jetty beach is on Sundays a lot going on.

The boat rides to the double Volcano island is not a s bad as the roads over there.

About a quarter of the island roads are cobblestone and the rest...?!

The rest is more a track then something else. I make it to my accommodation and enjoy it TO BE.

I swim to a money island and have on the way back a yet with the fisher man.

At the hostel dock it is photo time with Fusae.

At the 5th day back to the mainland, I see one more historic interesting town which is changing to a tourist destination.

It is crazy, just cross the border and the wealth is smiling at me – I’m in Costa Rica.

Except of the bad roads it’s an American- westernised- Tico(Costa Rican) world.
First I make my way at the Nicoya Peninsula south.

In the super alternative and ‘wonnabe’ hippy town Montezuma only the Cabo Blanco nature Reserve gets my attention and passion.

The great colours, animals, the for me new noises, plants and strong ocean are impressive.

With the ferry I easy get back to the main land and ride up to the mountains.

At lake Arenal I meet the German bicyclist Rainer again. Via little Switzerland, where I ‘jodel’ of course when I pass, I just make it without rain to Fortuna. Many time I get asked about home sick.... I do have everything I need – Ok, here and there it would be nice to have family and fiends around me...

All the time I have some little projects going on.

See great waterfalls, hike forest roads which I have almost for myself (and if it starts to rain – I make myself a ‘natural’ umbrella), great views and at night we see even some glowing lava rocks rolling down the volcano Arenal !!

How cool is that – never seen something like it before and I even could hear the volcano grumbling.

On the way to Alajuela, Fusae has the 1st flat tire on the back – of course in the cloud forest with permanent rain :o(

In Alajuela I find a nice little, cosy hotel where I make also a reservation for next week.

Shane (the crazy Kiwi) is flying in form the states to celebrate my birthday.

On this Easter weekend is a lot going on.

The statue of Jesus get with a lot of other people in bible costumes carried around town.

I take off in to the jungle.

There is a biological station in the northern corner to the Caribbean side of Costa Rica.

I get invited to watch a soccer game which cracks me up.

So much fun – gringos against Ticos.... any questions...even at the game the footwear nr. one are rubber boots.
Have a look at the referee – not a story!!

I do it the same way for my hike in the forest.

In the high grass and plans you are not looking for a snake surprise!!

From this rubber boot hike to a 12 km beach walk close at the Panamanian border I experience all sorts.

Also on the way from one location to the next one –traffic jam, a truck lost his material or just the regular roadwork when they try to fix them causes a traffic jam.

It is totally normal – all the time something is going on!

The same way on Sunday when Shane arrives. Since a while I was nervous and I didn’t knew why,... but when I picked him at the airport up, it was clear – the love is gone!!
At my 30th birthday I took all my strength to tell it Shane :o(

Since this day I’m back on my Solo trip!!

And if the light, my mood, the camera angle is right – I still look acceptable with my 30 years!?

On the move.... to the pacific .
At Quepos I enjoy the beautiful Manuel Antonio National Park and prepare Fusae for the continue travel with a great oil and filter change.
The tyre rims I got in Alajuela done, that we can hit some more pot holes!

I think I spend the last April days at the OSA peninsula, but I only think it. As I reach Dominical Fusae dies!!

So I spend these days in this little town at the surfer beach and hammer around Fusae to see what’s wrong,
Shit , an other big repair – I’ll see what Royal Enfield USA says.

What’s going on with my travels the next future – you will read on this pages.

Maybe I do even a special for the 1st year anniversary!
Oh – something else – I got a mail from an other ‘traveller’ I met.

He is telling me that he put me in his ‘collection’ at http://world1tours.com/Luna/TN.HTM !

For now I say almost like a real Tica – PURA VIDA !

Special

1 year ‘on the road’

or

365 days ‘on tour’
what ever you like better

Facts;
* 4 month with Shane in a car thru Mexico
* 18.ooo km

* 1 repair

* 1 new tire

* 8 month with Fusae my motorcycle / 9 countries

* 30.000 km

* 1.200 lit (around 300 gal.) gas

* 40 lit (around 10 gal.) oil

* 4 cylinder heads

* 2 throttle cable

* 1 exhaust pipe

* 1 set of brake pads

* 2 chains

* & some more little extra parts

* no accident (knocking on wood)

* 4 times bike on ground

(sand, wind, soft underground

for parking and being stupid)

* & uncountable insect kill

If I have a look at the list myself

is looks I have been doing nothing else

then repair all the time,

but that’s not the truth.

Of course I spend a lot of time to

maintain my motorcycle and with this stupid

circumstances that Fusae had this manufactory mistake

(maybe shouldn’t have bought her at Friday 13th ?)

it was more time consuming than usual necessary.

But what’s normal?!
I met even in this situations a lot of nice people

which helped me more then I could ever ask for!!

It also opens the possibility to have a look

under the tourist sheet and experience, live,

feel, learn, see, accept, offer, open up

and inspire my horizon to wake up.

Even with all this technical delays

I feel so happy and satisfied on this trip

then I ever did before!

As it is meant to be I am right new in Costa Rica

and have the opportunity to give Fusae a total service

with specialists knowledge,

while we are waiting for parts.

More about the repairs you will read & see

at the following blog.

It would make me very happy if you don’t

forget me to soon and click here and there on this page

to follow my (for sure unusual) travels.

Now it is celebrating time - 1 YEAR on the road

My motto;
Live in the HERE and NOW

and enjoy it TO BE !

!!!

!!

!

May 2006

COSTA RICA
zone South

Only 3 times I hit
my hand with the hammer
– not too bad for a women!?!

How ever, as soon as I had the cylinder head off the engine – the order for Royal Enfield USA is set.

These awesome guys told me straight away that they will send me the stuff.

The ‘waiting’ time I used to explore the area around.
Some towns further south there is an 'OK' hostel and some stuff to do.
I meet at the accommodation some nice travellers and we spend a pleasant time together.
I climb riverbeds up stream to water falls, hike dirt roads up to the mountains and enjoy the beautiful beach.

This ‘peninsula’ is called whale tail. On low tide the sand, rock and coral combination looks like a huge whale tale.

After these days I hitch back to dominical where Fusae is and also the parts should come in. I do get a ride from an older guy. We discover that he is German in origin and grew up less then a hour drive where I’m from.
He is an engineer and raced motorcycles when he was young. Straight away he offers me to give me a hand and I also could stay at his house....

We pick up the parts in San Jose and after our return I move in.

Fusae gets taken apart in 100 pieces at a nice spot close to Georges planes.



He fly’s ultra light tours here in Costa Rica since 10 years.


We celebrate the one year travel anniversary with home made apple strudel and champagne. .



All the time we work a bit at my motorcycle, visit some people or go somewhere.

George is also a member of the tourism chamber.



At the last may weekend we go to a meeting where I am welcome to join.

First we drive to Sierpe, From there on we go by boat thru the labyrinth of the mangroves.

The final difficulty for the boatman – we are ’surfing’ on top the waves from the river to the open ocean.

So cooool.
These guys know what they are doing with their boats!

We reach Drake Bay save – wow even hot water showers here – what a luxury in pure nature!

The nature beauty is just stunning and also some animals are to spot.

Evenings there is a beach soccer game going on and it looks they want to show up before the world cup starts.
This country is crazy about soccer especial when they made it to the world cup champion ship in Germany.


Back in the house in Uvita I make myself in the household useful and work on little projects all the time.

For some days a remodelling of table and chairs keep me busy.
I like it to do something while we are waiting for more parts.

An other project is to get a hammock and mosquito net for it done.

We buy the material at a store at the border and bring it roughly done to the lady in town which has got a sawing machine to do a proper job.

It should be for south America, I want to stay malaria free if possible.

The ‘tropicalisation’ was already enough. My body reacts in this humid heat (all the time 25-32 ‘C & 56-83% humidity) with itchy spots all over.
When I travel I don’t get things like that. All the time there is a climate change of different elevation.


But I’m already too long here and it would be easy to get stock, find a job or just get lost in time.
The rainy season started as well, and sometimes it rains cats and dogs
I prefer to get my bike fixed and be on the road again.
I’ll see when it can go on with Henriette alias LUNA on the road.

Once more greetings from Costa Rica
......who thought that .......

....... I didn’t !

June 2006

COSTA RICA
PANAMA

Guests, the lost rider and the final repair !

The first June days I got surprised.
When I drive (with Georges car) after shopping ‘home’ I have to stop.

Not because one of these 'great' bridges collapsed or the road is washed away.

I cant believe it, a parked camper with Austrian number plate.
Sweak – I jump on the breaks and turn.
Irene & Heinz are travelling with their Spinifex (great Camper) up north. After a talk it is clear, the next 2 nights they will camp at Georges house, where I still live.
We have a good time.
Beside good information exchange about sights we empty one and the other bottle of red wine.
The spirit to travel got flamed again – not a question!
They are travelling further north . . . . .and I?

We are working on Fusae and realize that there is an other problem.
The pushrods got hit and are bent, so we need new one – ok!
One more Royal Enfield USA is willed to send us the material. Awesome!
One week later I receive the DHL package.

And in between??
A lot of e-mail writing, go shopping, visit nice people, cooking and household… And else…
In this little town is not that much going on, but that little can be funny.
(Beside the soccer world cup of course).
Its totally normal to see horses in the daily traffic.

So it is logic to use this kind of transportation to the bar as well. But if the rider is totally drunk – then it gets interesting!

To get on the horse is mostly not a problem – thank the ‘western’ saddle, but with leading the animal!?!
One late afternoon as we go to the beach, we see exactly this scene…
Totally drunken guy sits o the horse – he let the leash down to the left – horse goes left – but the rider is fighting with his balance and is moving heavily right – the leash fells right – the horse goes right - ….

It goes on like that the road up and down and up and down….that the rider doesn’t feel to well is understandable.
Up and down and in a circle and as we come back for the beach he is still riding….maybe sometime he reaches his home, both exhausted and till drunk or already sober?!

OK now back to my ‘horse’.
Slowly I get all the parts.
Also the new helicoil which Jose a Swiss specialist for engines here under palm trees put in – for free – he meant that he will support me with his work – THANK YOU - JOSE!!

One part after the other we put back on.


George is doing a great job and I am more or less his helper.

I could have done it, but he does it better.

Sometimes he is quiet difficult to work with, but in the end is will be worth it.
.


I love my motorcycle and the best is just good enough – what ever it takes..
Some body work, adjust her and . . . .

The test ride at the last weekend in June is positive and so the following days.

I'm happy to put the tools away and unse them as lagguage!

.

.

I can't belive it –
- my journey can go on!

I have my loved independency back and so I’m free!

Once more I change my luggage.


It rains a lot and I want to have dry stuff.
I send the backpack home and use the smaller waterproof bag.
The sleeping bag, hammock, mosquito net and some books go on the back I hope to find a good box for that stuff in Panama.

Nothing keeps me any longer here in Costa Rica – and so I ride the ocean road, cross the border and make it to the pretty mountain town Boquete in Panama !