3 weeks to go.We are both busy informing clients of our plans, getting together with friends and family, putting on a garage sale, and selling vehicles. So many details to finalize.
I am the paperwork queen, tasked with making sure our insurance is up to date, etc. I have booked one year's insurance with a company called Global Rescue (www.globalrescue.com) They offer emergency response services worldwide, as well as advise if your passport is lost, or if you need any assistance with any government paperwork on the trip. They fly you to the closest approved hospital, if necessary. Hope we will never use it, but the $1,000 seems totally worth it for peace of mind. Today, we get our International Driver's licences, and will join AMA, as they have great maps, and good campground/hotel discounts in NA.
Brent sold his car yesterday (sniff, bye BMW) but it went to a good home, our neighbour! We are now down to the old pickup truck, and my vehicle. I took a photo last week of my truck to list it on
Kijji, and then promptly backed into something and put a good sized ding on the truck. So, $1,000 deductable later, it's booked in for repairs! Now, the price of the vehicle has gone up, as it will have no dings or scrapes on it.
It has been fun sharing our plans with our clients, and they have been most supportive of our journey. Some of the questions we are asked:
What's your budget?
Well, we have budgeted $1,000/week. This includes gas, lodging, transportation, meals, sightseeing, and extras.
Where are you going?
We have no set timeline for our journey, except that we hope to be on the road around July 1 and back at our jobs July 1, 2011. The general outline is that we are heading east across our beautiful country, with the hope to see Labrador, Newfoundland, Nova
Scotia, PEI, and then head into the USA. Eastern Seaboard and then head west and go into Mexico through Texas. Central America will include most of the countries, with the exception of Belize, which we have already spent time in, and maybe not too much time in Costa Rica for the same reason. We hope to take Spanish lessons somewhere in Guatemala. Panama to Columbia and south from there. Not sure if we will ship the bikes home from SA at the end of our trip, or sell them down there. I know it sounds a bit vague, but we really don't want to feel rushed and on any specific timeline. This way, we can loiter longer in areas we find interesting or restful and not feel pressured to follow a specific schedule.
Where are you staying?We plan to camp as much as possible in NA and stay off the beaten path. Brent is looking for good riding routes which should influence our locations. Once we get to Mexico, we will ship home our camping gear and stay at inexpensive hotels.
Why can you go in an armored car?This question was from my Mom! Motorcycle riding is such a great way to see the country. Not only do you see, smell and experience the scenery, you are way more approachable as a tourist to the locals and other travellers alike. The bike is usually a starting point for great conversations. Most people have their own bike story to share with you, even if you are just stopping for gas or lunch, and that usually opens up an opportunity to learn more about them in the process.
