A special experience: With the tra-

ditional "Shompoo River Cruise" long-

boat from Luang Prabang to Huay Xai

 

 

Small jetty from where a steep climb

leads to the Pak Ou limestone caves

with its miniature buddha skulptures

 

 

View from "The Sanctuary Lodge" in

Pak Beng over the green gardens on

the river bank and the Mekong

 

Three elephants on the other

river bank are a special gift for

Emil's birthday. They belong to

the "Mekong Elephant Park"

A special experience: With the tra-

ditional "Shompoo River Cruise" long-

boat from Luang Prabang to Huay Xai

 

 

Small jetty from where a steep climb

leads to the Pak Ou limestone caves

with its miniature buddha skulptures

 

 

A river power plant built by China

in the Laotian part of the Mekong.

11 are built now in Laos and by the

year 2100 150 along the entire river

 

A still sleepy street at the little

Mekong village of Pak Beng, the

end of the first River Boat stretch

 

 

The Royal Palace Museum in

Luang Prabang was once the

magnificent royal residence

 

 

Less famous, but still very beautiful:

The small temple complex of

Wat Ahamout Amathany

 

 

Liliana enjoys her first TukTuk

ride in Luang Prabang. A TukTuk

is a 2- or 3-wheeled vehicle

 

 

The variety of mosaic motifs

at "Wat Xieng Thong" Temple

is impressive

 

 

In the KLCC luxury shopping mall in

Kuala Lumpur's city center, surrounded

by skyscrapers, is the dragon monument

on the occasion of Chinese New Year

The traditional lion dance, especially

performed during Chinese New Year,

is meant to bring good luck and fortune

 

 

 

Gigantic towers rise behind a

residential area of Abu Dhabi

 

 

 

 

 

Liliana is amazed at the variety of

the many little bowls of sauces

served with every bountiful meal

in the Arabic/Indian restaurant

Farewell to Eli and Duncan on

12/30/2023 (African Overlanders)

 

 

View from the roof terrace

of the "Ramada Corniche" Hotel

over Abu Dhabi

Emil drives our LandCruiser at

Duncan in his 34th container of the

MSC (Mediterranean Shipping Co.)

 

Christmas party with Duncan,

his wife Eli and friends at the

African Overlanders Camping

Simon's Town Country Club with

its beautifully situated golf course

in the west of the Cape Peninsula

 

 

 

Yellow Protea bushes

(Protea nitida?) with lighthouse

on the Atlantic coast

 

Crowds of visitors at the

Cape of Good Hope

on an ordinary weekday

Emil enjoys the first spring sunshine

in the garden of the Northern Vine

Guesthouse in Brackenfell

 

Farewell photo with the

oncology specialist Dr. van Eeden

in Durbanville/Cape Town

 

9/24/2023: After the last knockdown there is a small light in the tunnel again, and that's exactly on Liliana's 82nd birthday on September 25th, 2023: The MRI, which was performed on September 20th, at the clinic in Durbanville, gives us again a vision with relief at least for the time being. On September 21st, we received the good news from Liliana's new doctor, an oncologist, that the MRI revealed no abnormalities and the stent (bile duct bypass) is not obstructed. The tumor of 1.18x0.67x0.87in. [3.0x1.7x2.2cm] remains stable and no metastases have been detected. In addition, the previous massively increased liver data of the one before the last blood sample have returned to normal. He therefore advises against further measures at the present time, such as the envisaged radiation treatments, according to the saying: "Let sleeping dogs lie!" Also, her weight has increased from the lowest point of 81lbs to 88 lbs [36.8kg to 40kg] – it used to be 121 lbs [55kg]! We have now decided to leave soon for Namibia with our LandCruiser, where – if necessary – cancer medical care would also be guaranteed in Windhoek. We haven't set a date yet, first we want to deal again with the consequences of overstaying our temporary residence permits.

View from Durbanville towards

Jonkershoek Nature Reserve

east of Stellenbosch

 

Pond with wild callas

(Zantedeschia aethiopica) on the

way to African Overlanders

 

9/5/2023: We are still in South Africa! The days, weeks and months go by and are characterized by hopes and worries. On September 9th, 2023, we will have already overstayed our residence permit by 30 days. Thus, the entry ban for future travels to the country will be increased from one year to five years. But we have no other choice. Although the 4th ultrasound of September 4th showed no growth of the tumor and no metastases, Liliana's liver data's from last week have risen again to the extent that another MRI is now necessary. Up to now, we don't have an appointment yet. Our local doctor in Brackenfell/Cape Town mentions two possible causes: Either the stent installed on June 3rd, which regulates the outflow of bile into the small intestine, is now blocked in such an extent that another stent operation (ERCP) is needed. Or the metastases have settled outside the abdominal area, where they could not be detected by ultrasound. At the moment we are (still) confident that everything will turn out well and that we are able to take other steps!

 

8/15/2023: Liliana's recovery after cancer surgery with the built-in of a bypass (ERCP) is unfortunately not going as well as hoped. Our planned travel life continues to be completely thrown off track. At least her condition is stable at the moment: The tumor has not grown for two months and has not (yet) metastasized. This gives us hope again – at least in the short term! In order to give her more time for the necessary immunity for the upcoming journey of almost 1'000ms [1'500km] to Windhoek in Namibia – which is strongly recommended by the doctors – we decided despite the expiry of our visa on August 9th, 2023, to stay in South Africa for another month in order not to take any risks. However, an inquiry with agents and people who have contacts to immigration showed that an extension of a stay in South Africa is only possible in the first month (when we didn't know anything of the existence of cancer). Exceptions because of illness or other problems would not exist! One would have to leave the country, otherwise one would be declared "persona non grata" and would then be banned from entering the country for one year, against which one could appeal. That is exactly what we are doing now! Fortunately, we are in very good hands with Vicky and Hans at our guesthouse 'Northern Vine' in Brackenfell, 18½ miles [30km] east of Cape Town. Vicky cares touchingly for Liliana. Liliana feels very comfortable in the homely apartment with kitchen and view of the small garden with palm trees, flowers and cacti. A welcome change are the two cute dogs Bruno and Shakira as well as the hummingbirds, sparrows, exotic birds and pigeons that we can watch every day from our glass door with garden view. Whatever the future will have in store for us, one thing is for sure: We were allowed to experience unforgettably beautiful travel times in a still relatively intact world during 14'100 days (>38 years) and 487'000 miles [783'000km] on 6 continents, which generations after us can now only dream of!

Our guesthouse "Northern Vine"

in Brackenfell, 16 miles [30km]

east of Cape Town has 5 rooms

 

But not only hummingbirds fly

around - also "common" birds,

many sparrows and pigeons

 

Other species of

succulents and cacti

 

 

 

 

 

6/23/2023: The Cape region involuntarily held us for weeks – weeks that became the most difficult phase of our almost 40-year world record journey. Liliana was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. A tumor – half of it benign, half malignant – was blocking the outflow of bile into the small intestine, causing toxins to enter the bloodstream, turning Liliana yellow and causing tremendous itching. An operation to install a "stent" (bypass) was successful on Saturday, June 3rd, 2023. Since then, she has been recovering in a guesthouse in Brackenfell near Cape Town. What's next. On the bright side, the cancerous focus in the pancreas has not made any offshoots so far and is still considered "local." The surgeon at Somerset West hospital advises her to have a 2nd surgery – a very difficult and very expensive one that can take up to 9 hours and require a hospital stay of 4 - 5 weeks. This would involve an attempt to remove the tumor. After many thoughts and a lot of emotions, Liliana decided not to undergo this second operation, especially since, according to an American statistic, she still has a 44% chance of living another 5 years; and in September she will be 82! Medicine in the field of cancer is constantly making progress too! Liliana still has dreams of discovering more of the world and we hope that her dreams will come true. As soon as she is physically fit enough to continue her journey again, we will pull up stakes in South Africa. With a big portion of optimism we are now planning our next steps.

 

6/8/2023: The climatic difference of 104°F [40°C] in Dubai and 61°F [16°C] in Cape Town was great when we left the airport area in South Africa at 17h on May 11th, 2023. The sky was blue and the view very clear, nature presented itself from the greenest side. It was already dark when we drove with our rental car to our booked apartment in the Cederberg Estate near Brackenfell. We stopped on a breakdown lane to get a closer look on the tablet. A minute later, a police car pulled up as well. We were ready for anything, except that the nice policeman escorted us to our destination right away. That was a nice welcome in South Africa! The luck continued: A few days later, on May 18th, 2023, after 9h, on the premises of our shipping agent Duncan from African Overlanders we had a joyful reunion with our LandCruiser, which had been sailing for two months from Bintulu in Sarawak/East Malaysia on high seas in its 33rd container. Everything was OK, it started immediately, no one from customs was present – it couldn't have been easier. Driving "left" on the road was immediately routine again, despite the 7-week interruption with a right hand driven rental car in the Middle East.

View towards the Jonkershoek Nature

Reserve east of Stellenbosch and the

5'217ft. [1'590m] high Sneeukop

 

 

 

Emil leaves the 33rd container

after 64 days on a makeshift

ramp made by Duncan

Approach to Dubai DBX with view of

the district of Deira (left = east) and

Bur (right = west) of Dubai Creek

 

Green space planting in

Al-Ain Park near the

Jebel Hafeet ascent

A tiny stretch of coastline in

Dibba that is still open to the public

to see the sea in front of you

 

A young camel in the desert-like

landscape between the Arabian

Gulf and the Hajar Mountains

5/11/2023: Flight in a 20-year-old Boeing 777-300ER of Emirates Airlines from Dubai/U.A.E. to Cape Town/South Africa (almost 10 hrs.).   4/22/2023: We are in the Sultanate of Oman! Oman – then as now one of our favorite destinations – was "love at first sight" on 20.3.1994 when we landed for the first time in Muscat with our LandCruiser arriving from Singapore on a ship of the 'Blue Star Line'. The deep Arabian culture, the lonely desert feeling, the picture book oases with its souks, the exotic landscapes and the unique hospitality overwhelmed us at every turn. On 4/12/2023 we arrived again from Dubai with our V.A.E. rental car 'Kia Picanto' for a 2-weeks visit (Hertz makes it possible!). What a difference to our very first visit on 5/10/1978! At that time we flew from Switzerland via Iran (under Shah Reza Pahlavi) to Muscat. In between we covered almost 10'000ms [16'000km] with our Toyota in this fascinating country during 5 longer trips (1994, 1996, 1999 and 2013). And even after 10 years since our last visit, this country has not lost any of its oriental charm for us. Oman still remains on the top ranking of our 186 visited countries.
The 2ms [3km] long Corniche of Mutrah in the center of Oman's capital Muscat	The Bimmah sinkhole near Dibab on the northeast coast of Oman between Muscat and Sur	A still "working" dhow at Sur (in contrast to the tourist dhows). On the hill the Al Ayjah watchtower	The foothills of the Wahiba Desert near Romail on route 23 from Sur to Nizwa
4 Omanis in front of pottery (ceramics) in the renovated souk of Nizwa	In a slightly older part of the Nizwa souk	The oasis of Birkat Al Mouz, 15ms [25km] east of Nizwa, where the "4x4-paved road" (!) leads into the beautiful Jebel Akhdar area	Omani bus driver in front of the UNESCO fortress of Bahla, 25ms [40km] west of Nizwa

 

4/5/2023: We are in Dubai! Dubai, the city of superlatives, the world's tallest tower "Burj Khalifa" (2722ft [829.8m]) and the largest artificial islands has taken a very special place in our hearts due to unique experiences from earlier years: We are looking back: On May 8th, 1994, we celebrated our silver wedding anniversary here. In 1999 Liliana could participate in the fairy tale wedding of an Arabian princess. In 1999 we also experienced the heydays of our world record tour in Dubai. With the exact number of 500'000 km [310'685ms] on the speedometer of our LandCruiser, we were presented with our first laptop, an IBM Thinkpad 390, and a Mavica FD91 floppy disk camera from Sony on the occasion of a Middle East conference of IBM. As a result of the many media reports, the Wallenius Wilhelmsen shipping line offered us a free ride with our LandCruiser from Dubai to Kobe in Japan (arranged by the U.A.E. Toyota representative Al-Futtaim Motors). On December 27th, 2012, we had the honor of attending the 1st Emirates Traveler's Festival under the patronage of the Crown Prince of Dubai – Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum. This was all back in the days before mass tourism took hold here and we were still treated as strange foreigners and special guests, not "tourists". The changes from then are striking in every respect and seem to be increasing the longer the more all over the world. Certainly, the entry in the Guinness Book of Records "The longest driven journey", awarded in 1997, helped us to get this picture.

Silver (= 25-year) wedding

anniversary on 8/5/1994,

29 years ago in Dubai

 

 

 

On 5/20/1999 we were able to board

in the former harbor Port Rashid

MV Figaro, a car carrier of Wallenius

Wilhelmsen shipping line, with

destination Kobe in Japan

 

3/24/2023: Flight in an Airbus 380-800 of Emirates Airlines from Bangkok/Thailand To Dubai/UAE (7 hours).

 

3/24/2023: Change of plan in a "flash": We put our LandCruiser into its 33rd container in Bintulu/Sarawak on March 15th, 2023, and shipped it with Evergreen Marine to Cape Town in South Africa! Why not Indonesia? There are several reasons why Indonesia didn't really entice us anymore: With the normal e-visa, after one month you have to apply for another extension month, but after two months you have to leave Indonesia again. You can then fly right back in with a new visa, but the flights to Singapore, Malaysia or East Timor are not really cheap. With the quite expensive business visa B211A you can extend again after two months four times for one month each, but each time only with a local sponsor! So you have to look for a new one practically every time. That is one thing! Then the fasting month of Ramadan begins on March 23rd and lasts to April 22nd, 2023. We know what that means in a rather strict Muslim country (excl. Bali): During the day, all food options are closed and for this then the night becomes day, with the corresponding noise of course. OK, we would have put up with all that if there had been a lot of new territory for us. But this is not so. "Our" so beloved "Trans-Papua-Highway" is still not passable throughout. Of the planned route to northeast Indonesia of about 6'500ms [10'500km] of road, we have already driven about 6'200ms [10'000km] in 2017/18 – so only about 310ms [500km] of new territory would have been left for us due to a lot of road missing on the "TPH". So the decision to leave Asia was not too difficult. In Africa we have much more "leeway". We hope we made the right decision. The freight with the Evergreen Marine, including port fees in Bintulu, is with approx. USD 2'000 on the favorable side. How and where we will spend the time until our container arrives in Cape Town in early May, we are still planning. At the moment we are in Bangkok/Thailand, because we had to leave Malaysia on 3/17/2023 for visa reasons!

Sibu (pop. 250'000) is situated on the navi-

gable Rajang River, about 37ms [60km]

inland from the South China Sea

 

 

 

Our LandCruiser is tied down in a con-

tainer for the 33rd time, this time on

the way to Cape Town/South Africa

 

 

 

3/17/2023: Flight in a Boeing 737-8 of Batik Air, alias Malindo Air, from Kuala Lumpur to Bangkok in Thailand (2 hours).

 

3/15/2023: Flight in an AirAsia Airbus 320 from Bintulu in Sarawak to Kuala Lumpur (2 hours).

 

3/6/2023: The reaction, the surprise and the amazement on our unannounced appearance in "our" workshop 'Yung Lee Auto & Painting' in Miri on February 7th, 2023, towards evening was unique. The boss Lance Lau rushed over beaming with a big bottle of Guinness beer for each as a welcome gift. It then became a "humid beer evening" in his small eatery attached to his garage. A few days later our LandCruiser was already in his care. Contrary to Emil's assumption that it is done with an exchange of the tie rod and other steering rods, more and more problems appeared. For example, the two left steering knuckle bearings were worn out too. Although the two right ones, repaired by Emil in Gorno-Altaysk/Russia 29'500ms [47'500km] ago, were still OK, they were also replaced as a preventive measure. The two front right side axle bearings were also a bit cracked and were changed. The same was the case with the rear wheel bearings with which we had difficulties in Angola and South Africa. Thus some "preventive work" was done, reducing the risk that Emil with his battered back (spinal osteoporosis) has to take care himself somewhere on the road under the car. Miri/Sarawak is also the place where you can still get some original spare parts. With our hope for the body work we had less luck. The person in charge, an independently working painter, refused to do the job, even though he had done the damage himself in 2018 due to botched work – too much putty applied. On the morning of February 23rd, 2023, we could take back our vehicle, exactly one day before Emil's 81st birthday, which we still celebrated at the boat club Piasau in Miri. On Sunday, February 26th, we then set off for Kuching, the capital of the East Malaysian province of Sarawak, where we arrived on March 2nd, 2023, after 510ms [820km] and four overnight stays. The visit of the Indonesia Consulate the day after revealed that there are only e-visas available. We are now working on this and the recently introduced vehicle import permit!

17'309ms [27'856km] and a Covid-19-

calamity later, we are 5Ό years after beeing

 in "South America" back in our workshop

As usual, Emil searches the desired

but unfortunately dwindling parts

at Miri's spare parts dealers

Emil is looking for suitable things in

our "warehouse", which however

is checked by the "boss" Lau

Farewell photo on 2/25/2023 at

Yung Lee in Miri, on the way to

510ms [820km] away Kuching

 

2/6/2023: Colorful fireworks in the most beautiful formations illuminate the night sky for hours all around. People are celebrating the end of the 15-day Chinese New Year. We admire it on February 5th, 2023 back in Bintulu from our large room window on the 6th floor of the Fairfield Hotel. It just is very nice, because we actually have something to celebrate too: The results of our medical examinations in Kuala Lumpur are satisfactory insofar that nothing serious was found that could have put our onward journey in question. Of course we are very happy about that. Something we both still have to live with, however, are our partly very painful mobility problems due to severe advanced osteoporosis in Emil's back and Liliana's hips (according to MRI results). Both of us had now the medicine "Prolia" injected to build up the bones. This has to be repeated after six months. Hopefully it will help! However, the mobility problem in the current condition will not stop us from traveling to new corners in the future. It is the adventure that still brings renewed enthusiasm, excitement and challenges into our lives.

 

Our LandCruiser, which was waiting at the home of Nelson – our shipping agent – for our return, had its own little happening: One of his chickens liked it (the car) so much that it chose one of our spare tires on the roof to lay eggs. There were 10 of them when we picked it up. On February 7th, 2023, we will now make the 125ms [200km] trip to Miri to "our" workshop.

Street "Jalan Sultan" in Chinatown/

Kuala Lumpur during the

Chinese New Year 22.1.-5.2.2023

 

 

 

One of Nelson's chickens laid

10 eggs in our spare tire

on the car's roof

 

 

Drummers are also part of it,

as well as red and firecrackers

to drive away the evil spirits

Dragon or lion dance in Chinatown of Kuala Lumpur on the occasion

of the Chinese New Year - the most important festival in the Chinese

calendar - on 22.1.2023 at the beginning of the Year of the Rabbit

Gifts, donations and

Sacrifices are offered

While we park our LandCruiser at our

shipping agent we fly on an Airbus 320

of AirAsia from Bintulu to Kuala Lumpur

 

 

 

 

 

 

At our "family doctor"

Dato Dr. Prakash Rao (Ampang

Medical Practice) at Ampang Jaya,

about 6ms [10km] east of Chinatown

 

Emil pictures the seal number

to verify if the container has been

opened during the journey

 

The Taoist Dragon Temple

in the Chin-Lee Gardens

near the old airport of Bintulu

Xmas atmosphere in Carrefour in City-Center

in Dubai, UAE, where we bought a HP laptop

for Liliana and a Xiaomi cell for Emil

A swallowtail butterfly

(Papilio lowi) (also called

great yellow Mormon)

Shortly after the Argentine-Uruguayan

 customs of Fray Bentos on the RN2 -

190ms [300km] to Montevideo

11/21/22: Toyota loading in port

Montevideo into 20' container to

Bintulu/Sarawak/East Malaysia

 

10/18/2022: Today, October 18th, 2022, we have to celebrate something again: Our 38th travel anniversary! Exactly 38 years ago - on October 18th, 1984 – we set off from Zurich in Switzerland on our trip around the world, which is still going on, but unfortunately was interrupted by the well-known ongoing "inconveniences". Where to next? We are discussing that now. Six days ago we returned from Paraguay to Argentina and are considering the following options: Via the Panamericana to Colombia or via Brazil and French Guiana to Suriname to ship to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. Shipping directly or with transshipments to southern Africa is not possible due to the unknown transport restrictions to us. Or to spend the just started good summer season in South America – spring is just arriving and it is greening and blooming everywhere. Or to park the car in Uruguay up to one year and travel by plane to the Pacific without our LandCruiser to visit islands that are still unknown to us – maybe the restrictions to Africa and Asia will disappear with time. The decision is not easy for us!

Liliana shortly before leaving the

camping at Parque Manantial in

Hohenau/Paraguay

World map of 38 years world trip

→ 485'000 miles [780'000km] in

186 countries 18.10.1984 - today

 

10/10/2022: The interesting suddenly popping-up possibility to ship from Asunciσn unfortunately went up in smoke again after only one week. Why? – was not to be found out yet. Therefore, after two months we will leave Paraguay again on October 12th, 2022, and return to Argentina. The colorful parade of immigrant collectives from the Itapϊa Department, consisting of many nations with their traditional costumes, met on 9/30/2022 in Hohenau in the "Park of Nations" for performances and culinary delights. This was for us a nice ending of our relaxed time in a country that still and today apparently even more so enjoys a lively influx of immigrants (in one month alone about 2'000 Germans are now said to intend settling down here).

Hohenau was founded on 14.3.1900

by German immigrants and has

today about 16'000 inhabitants

..... Descendants represent

here and on the previous

picture today's Paraguay

 

 

 

9/29/2022: We are still in Paraguay, still in the same park where the orchids in front of the door continuously delight us with new blossoms and where Liliana could celebrate her 81st birthday in the rain on September 25th, 2022. In the meantime the agents from Suriname as well as from Colombia contacted us about a shipment to southern Africa. What seems certain is that it is simply not possible from either port to Namibia as well as South Africa. There are supposed to be "certain restrictions" on booking – which ones we haven't found out yet. But Emil's incessant research on the Internet may still bring us to Africa, albeit by a detour. Saudi Arabia is supposed to have opened its borders for tourism (!!!) from September 1st and so he had the idea to ship to Jebel Ali near Dubai in the U.A.E. the 8th and 9th shipping option. We already have offers for a 20' container from Paramaribo/Suriname as well as from Cartagena/Colombia to Dubai in the Emirates. Both amount to around USD 3'500, including South American port charges. After arriving in Dubai, we first would try to travel to Saudi Arabia and then take the ferry from there to Sudan (which is supposed to run again now). Then we would continue by land southward. In the opposite direction we have already traveled in 2015, but there is not only one route. And just when we decided for the option "Colombia", a new alternative pops up: Shipping from Asunciσn. Asunciσn in Paraguay??? In fact, as a result of the opening of a port two years ago in Asunciσn on the Paraguay River, it should be possible today to ship internationally on the Paranα River (like shipping on the Rhine from Basel to Rotterdam)! The first contact has already been made. We let ourselves be surprised and wait now for an offer. From Asunciσn we could save ourselves the long 4'600 miles [7'400km] drive along the Andes to Cartagena. But until we have reached Colombia and until the arrival of our LandCruiser in Dubai, it could be already too late for Saudi Arabia, because there the heat becomes extreme from April/May.

Agouti (Dasyprocta azarae)

is a rodent found in Central

and South America

Many good tasting Swiss

 cheeses are produced at

 Hohenau and surrounding

View from the camping to the pool

area in Parque Manantial

in Hohenau

Pond on the grounds of the

Parque Manantial in Hohenau

 

 

8/24/2022: On August 12th, 2022, we left Argentina and our nice apartment in Candelaria. However, we did not leave for Brazil, but for Paraguay. It was a "last minute decision". Karin and Lars, Swiss travelers with whom we spent a few days at the Chacra Holandesa camping in Atlαntida/Uruguay, raved about a beautiful site in Parque Manantial in Hohenau in eastern Paraguay. They wanted to stay there over the weekend to meet us. We liked the idea. So about 37ms [60km] after Candelaria on the road RN12 to Iguazϊ we took the ferry from Puerto Manν/Misiones (-27.10663, -55.52206) to Bella Vista in Paraguay. The relatively small raft only runs to the north side of the Paranα River Mondays to Fridays with about 8 cars maximum. The border crossing was a piece of cake. No one asked questions, no one even wanted to look into our LandCruiser. So we returned from the apartment life back to camping life (US$/€8/day). And we like it very much. The area is spacious and you have the feeling to be back in nature. There are two cute owls and three tapirs besides horses, goats, white "Brahman" cows with calves and turkeys. In addition, trees and bushes are beginning to bloom and the lush orchid splendor in the park is a real feast for the eyes. We intend to stay here until we get the confirmation from a different agent in Montevideo/Uruguay about the fresh shipping date in September to Malaysia. Yes, we got another chance!

Owl (Athena) by its nest in the ground

Tapir (Tapirus terrestris)

in his enclosure in the

Parque Manantial

8/12/22: Ferry (Balsa) across the Paranα

River from Puerto Manν/Argentina to

Bella Vista in Paraguay

Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo)

with female in the enclosure of

the Parque Manantial

 

8/11/2022: "More about the 37Ύ-Year-Journey around the World" is now updated including Argentina on 8/11/2022 (last time 12/5/2021).

 

7/10/2022: We are back and still in the Northeast of Argentina. We can't seem to get away from our "Covid-19 home" in 2020. We are desperately trying to find an "escape route" to Southeast Asia or even Africa, be it recently again from Buenos Aires/Argentina or from San Antonio in Chile via the Pacific, where we landed in South America at Christmas 2018. We have also written to agents in Malaysia and East Timor. All so far unsuccessful; even the "Freightnet" was to no use. Most of the time we don't even get a response! Nobody is interested in a single container anymore. In the meantime we heard (unconfirmed) that in Montevideo/Uruguay containers to Europe should cost now about US$10'000 and to Africa US$13'000 and that Ro-Ro has even been shut down (temporarily?). What's new for us is that there are apparently shipping agents who require full payment of freight and port charges in advance to be booked. What if it's a new "phishing way"? Or is the shipping industry now adapting to the flight booking system? But we have not yet completely lost hope that a door will open on our end. However we are also thinking about where we want to spend the winter in South America. At the moment we are still enjoying the late summer warmth in Candelaria near Posadas/Misiones in a cozy apartment with a beautiful garden and three cute cats. And the nature reserve Urutaϊ is just around the corner.

 

6/19/2022: Once again change of plans: Our intention to travel on to the warmth of Northeastern Brazil has no longer priority. On June 17th, 2022, in Puerto Iguazϊ, we stood at the Brazilian border, but then decided against crossing it: Somehow Brazil just doesn't appeal to us! For the time being we want to remain in Argentina (the ambition to reach again Indonesia and Southeast Asia via the Pacific already mentioned on 22nd February [see below] remains however!). Thus we set course southwards again choosing as a new destination the 2 miles [3km] (!) long series of waterfalls along the Uruguay River in the province Misiones, 37ms [60km] north of El Soberbio. They are (still) gushing continuously in a rock fall of 10 to 23 feet [3 to 7m] – unique in the world [see links]. The view is shared by Argentina as "Saltos del Moconα" in the Parque Provincial Moconα (left), and Brazil as "Salto do Yucumγ" in the Parque Estadual do Turvo (right). On the road RN12, already known to us, we backtracked from Puerto Iguazϊ to El Alcαzar and then on a new experience on the very good provincial road RP11 direction El Soberbio. After 25ms [40km] we dived into a fantastic jungle world for about 14 miles [23km]. Yes, and then – shortly before reaching the destination – popped up the big disappointment: Due to the heavy rains since the end of May, the ford-like bridge over the Yabotν-Guazϊ Stream, a tributary to the Uruguay River, the Moconα waterfalls about 1½ miles [2km] further away couldn't be neither reached nor seen due to 5 feet [1½m] torrential floodwaters on the bridge. Whereto next? We don't know yet ourselves!

6/18/2022: Many houses along the

provincial road RP2 from El Soberbio to

the Moconα Park are refreshingly colorful

 

5/31/2022: It was not meant to be! We are back in Argentina! The shipment from Uruguay to Asia didn't work out! We didn't find out the actual reason, but we assume that first of all it's because of the worldwide chaos of ships and their containers, which is then especially exploited "ad nauseam" by all the agents. Thus for the time being we inevitably remain in South America. On May 15th, 2022, we entered Argentina from the Uruguayan border town of Fray Bentos to Gualeguaychϊ and set course northwards from there. Our main destination is the warmth of northern and northeastern Brazil. The 822 miles [1'318km] from Atlαntida/Uruguay (Camping Chacra Holandesa) to Posadas/Misiones was no new territory for us. We know it from passing 323 days during the lockdown of the Covid-19 pandemia. The more we are looking now forward to unknown places, probably through Paraguay via Coronel Oviedo to Corumbα in Brazil. At the moment we are sitting out the rainy days in a cozy apartment in Candelaria and are very happy about its heating. It's high time to move to warmer regions. The fact that YPF gas stations here in Posadas now sell only the most expensive gasoline and diesel (type Infinia) to foreigners or only give 8 gallons [30lt.] per tank filling is a new experience! But: The destination of Indonesia and Southeast Asia already mentioned on February 22nd, (see below) remains – if not via the Atlantic, then just via the Pacific!

5/15/2022: Chacra Holandesa:

Farewell to Jan and Maia,

the cute new "family member"

 

5/11/2022: The worldwide Covid entry regulations change almost daily and keep us on our toes – fortunately rather in our favor – but unfortunately too late. On April 29th, shortly after the cancellation of the ship leaving May 2nd, 2022, we read that Malaysia was lifting some restrictions as of May 1st, 2022, including the US$20,000 per person Covid-only insurance we were stumbling on. Did we prematurely cancel the May 2nd, 2022, shipment from Montevideo to Port Klang in West Malaysia? In the meantime, we have made a new attempt, but sadly haven't yet achieved any result with regard to the shipment. We aren't properly served anymore by the Uruguayan shipping agents and brokers. Apparently, if there isn't a simply ro-ro shipping to Europe – as most travelers do here – their willingness to help is on hold by all excuses. So at the moment it looks like we'll stay in South America for the time being and travel on to Brazil, first to the Pantanal, where we hope to see the jaguars. On May 16th, our Uruguay visa expires anyway and it would be a miracle if by then Asia could still be reached from Montevideo. But maybe we can ship from Chile across the Pacific to Asia, where we arrived in San Antonio on Christmas 2018. We are celebrating our 53rd wedding anniversary today, May 8th, 2022, still on Chacra Holandesa with horses, cows, dogs, cats, chickens and the sow called "Schnitzel" in Atlαntida – a lovely little town on the Atlantic coast.

5/8/2022: Morning mist at

Chacra Holandesa in Atlαntida

 

 

4/22/2022: Unfortunately the shipment of April 16th, 2022, to Bintulu/Sarawak/East Malaysia on the island of Borneo did not work out. Thereupon we received the following new offer with a new date and a new destination and accepted it immediately: Freight: about US$1'700; Date: May 2nd, 2022; new destination Port Klang in West Malaysia. Unfortunately again, we had to cancel the shipment of May 2nd, at the beginning of the week due to the ongoing strict Covid entry regulations in Malaysia. Two reasons forced us to do so: Being over 60-year-old we need a booster, which they say is only possible six months after the vaccination. Furthermore, we have to show a pure corona insurance of at least US$20'000 per person, which we cannot fulfill. It seems that we are simply still too early for Asia. While in South America more and more borders have been opening since some time now – the Chilean borders are likely to open next on May 1st – the Asians are still lagging far behind. But postponed is not canceled. What is the alternative now? We are thinking about it!

3/20/22: MAN TGS 6x6 26.440

truck with motorcycle on camping

Hotel Suizo in Nueva Helvecia

 

3/31/2022: Weeks of intensive camping life in Nueva Helvecia/Uruguay are now slowly coming to an end. It was interesting and also very impressive to see how unbelievably traveling ("vanlife") has changed since we set out on our world trip on 10/18/1984. There is often not much of an adventurous spirit left. Rather, people today want to show off their mega vans. Washing machines, dishwashers, generators and in one case even a quad bike for shopping are proudly on board! Satellite TV and WLAN amplifiers are also not to be missed. No, we are not jealous and would not like to swap. With our LandCruiser we can park anywhere, drive on the narrowest jungle roads and very important: We fit into a normal 20-feet container – just to name a few reasons. Our previous 31 shipments alone outweighed comfort and luxury. However, during our voyage the world population has increased by 66%, which in turn is boosting luxury tourism more and more.

 

Our 32nd shipment to Bintulu in Sarawak/East Malaysia is now also getting closer – hopefully. We have chosen Tebedu/Sarawak/East Malaysia as our entry point to Indonesia, instead of Batugade/Timor Leste. With a business visa you can enter everywhere also by land, except Papua New Guinea. Next possible date is now April 16th, 2022, if the ship "Danube" of the Cosco shipping line still has an empty space for a 20" container – it holds a total of 9'400 !

 

3/10/2022: The uncertainties regarding our shipment to Indonesia are delaying it. It is still being clarified whether it is possible to enter Indonesia also by land with a business visa of US$280 p.p. – which must be requested via an agent! Tourist visas are currently not issued anymore. When we read on March 8th, 2022, that Malaysia will reopen its borders for tourists on April 1st, suddenly a new alternative popped up for us: Shipping to East Malaysia to enter on the island of Borneo from Entikong in Sarawak at Tebedu in Indonesia (if it is really possible with a business visa), as we already did twice in 2006 and 2017. Our "family doctor" of many years is in Kuala Lumpur and a visit is long overdue. From this point of view, our forced "travel break" at the camping in Nueva Helvecia in Uruguay has been worth it. We still enjoy the peace, the greenery, the sunrises and sunsets and the birdsongs that greet us in the morning. There is also no lack of nice, interesting and admirable fellow campers, such as the Swiss wheelchair user Renι Kδgi, who, despite being in a wheelchair, did not let himself be stopped from traveling the world in an own car together with his wife Sonja and has already published three books. No matter which option works out – it will ultimately lead us to our dream destination Indonesia.

2/18/2022: Wolfgang and Dorly Maidlinger

with Iveco Daily 35-10 4x4 on Camping

Hotel Suizo in Nueva Helvecia Uruguay

 

2/24/2022: Emil's 80th Birthday on a Camping with fellow campers in Nueva Helvecia/Colonia in Uruguay

2/24/2022: This time unbelievable

morning glow in Nueva Helvecia/Uruguay

on Emil's birthday on 2/24/2022

 

 

 

2/22/2022: We are now in Uruguay! Faster than expected it seemed to work out with our desired destination "Indonesia". Although the offer of US$ 6'074 shipping costs all-in from Montevideo were no bargain, we wanted to go for it, the more so as it would have become a part of Emil's 80th birthday, which he will celebrate in two days. It was and still is his dream to travel the whole of the 1'710ms [2'750km] Trans Papua Highway from Sorong to Jayapura one day. In 2018, when we were there, the road was still under construction in places. According to the latest newspaper articles, it should now be completed! Our port of call would be Dili in Timor Leste (East Timor), where we already landed with our LandCruiser in 2007. From there we would cross the border into Indonesia with a new Carnet de Passage Alone the ferrying involved through the Sunda Islands and Moluccas to the start of the Trans Papua Highway would be a challenge again, as it was in 2018. ! It was foreseen to load our Landcruiser into a 20"-container in Montevideo on February 25th, leaving on March 1st, 2022 with CMA-CGM to Singapore to be reloaded there on ANL for Timor Leste. Duration about 50 days. Everything seemed to work out perfectly. Then suddenly there was contradictory back and forth. The latest message is now that until March 17, all ships are full. Do we really want to wait one month in Uruguay? We are now thinking about it.

Note: 6/19/2022: As we learned, today a 20' container to Africa is said to cost up to USD10'000 and to Europe up to USD13'000; Ro-Ro from Montevideo is said to be discontinued at the moment.

 

2/17/2022: Interview with newspaper "Helvecia" in Nueva Helvecia/Uruguay.

 

2/9/2022: Are we heading north or south from Zapala/Neuquιn/Argentina? The dice are cast, but not entirely voluntarily: The solution is "eastwards" after we both were stuck in Zapala for a week because of a flu (Omicron?) and the requirements to enter Chile on a land border has proven not only too complicated, but for us also simply not feasible (the authenticity of the vaccination must be confirmed by the public institution - not only by a certificate - for us that is the Health Ministry of South Africa!). Time is running out. On February 18th, 2022, our Argentine visa expires and we are forced to leave the country. We need a plan! Half-hearted options are again the neighboring countries Uruguay, Paraguay and Brazil. More tempting alternatives: Shipping from Montevideo either to South Africa/Namibia or to Indonesia's archipelago – our preferred option. What is financially doable? We are waiting now for any quotes.

2/3/2022: The "Dique Casa De Piedra"

dammed by the Rνo Colorado, at the border of the provinces La Pampa & Rνo Negro

 

1/29/2022: Since 10 days we are now on the road in southwestern direction, driving daily about 200ms [300km]. On the good RN5 we first experienced in rainy weather immense sunflower fields (so we called it the sunflower road!). Towards Neuquιn it changed into endless Patagonian steppe and after Neuquιn – direction western Zapala – we already experienced the notorious climate of Patagonia. The desert winds already were blowing to such an extent that they resembled a sandstorm and really shook our LandCruiser vigorously. Probably due to the strong winds the most bizarre white cloud formations appeared in the sky – a great sight. In Zapala we met the famous RN40, which we already knew, and from there we headed north again to Las Lajas, since a strong ice-cold wind was blowing around our ears (48°F [9°C] in the morning). Up to Las Lajas we enjoyed above all the large areas of golden yellow shining grass tufts, which conveyed an Altiplano feeling. In Las Lajas we turned off to RP21 and 26 through the attractive land of the Mapuche Indians to the village of Caviahue, lying on an altitude of 5'413ft. [1'650m], which continues to Salto de Agrio. Lake Caviahue became the highlight of our trip so far for us. Mighty Chilean araucarias (Araucaria araucana) lined Lake Caviahue, which glowed turquoise under a blue sky. The rocky shore with its deep orange stones, caused by chemical acidification from nearby Copahue Volcano (9'833ft. [2'997m]) added to the mesmerizing sight. It was beautiful! Northbound the asphalt ends and the road continues only on "Ripio" (= Gravel), first about 100ms [160km] to Chos Malal and then on the otherwise mostly asphalted RN40 in direction San Raffael and Mendoza. However, between Laguna Coipo Lauquen and Bardas Blancas there are also 60ms [100km] of gravel; (37ms [60km] even described as "hell"). First of all we did not feel doing it, and secondly, badly corrugated roads is "poison" for our LandCruiser, which is celebrating its 40th birthday this year, especially now that the steering wheel shows play. So yesterday we landed again in Zapala, where it is already 93°F [34°C] hot again. Liliana wants to move further south, and Emil??? Let's see!

1/24/2022: Lago Caviahue; the colored

shore is the result of acidification

by the Copahue volcano

 

1/13/2022: In Garupα/Province Misiones was the "turning point" for us in the north of Argentina! There we spent a few relaxing days in the lovely park of the Allaitι Lodge, surrounded by shady trees and also rang in the New Year 2022. There was almost a bit of an "African feeling" when in the evenings we listened to the birds and the ever-present waves of chirping crickets on the veranda of our rustic bungalow. It was also there where we gave the newspaper "Primera Ediciσn" Posadas our second interview – the first took place on February 18th, 2020. After eight relaxing days we took again course southwards, passing the border cities where we could have left either for Brazil or Uruguay. Reason: All Argentineans we talked to said unanimously: "There won't be a new lockdown, the government can't afford it politically as well as economically, especially not during the big summer vacation season." While still tainted with a portion of skepticism, we let ourselves be convinced to the extent that we now drive as quickly as possible to the south, in order to tackle afterwards the scenically more beautiful route along the Andes northwards!

1/1/2022: Allaitι Lodge in Garupα

(-27.48853 -55.86070) in a

park-like environment

 

1/8/2022: Interview with Primera Ediciσn, Posadas, Misiones - Argentina: Article Jan. 8th, 2022: "Sin ataduras, Liliana y Emil siguen su viaje por el mundo"

 

1/1/2022: Happy New Year! The good news: Our LandCruiser makes us happy again! The damages of its months long immobility are repaired and it has now proven during 620ms [1'000km] that it runs normally again even at high temperatures around 104°F [40°C] – a beautiful Christmas gift!
The not so good news: The number of Corona cases in Argentina is increasing steadily (yesterday Friday, 12/31/2021, 47'663 and rising) and we fear that the government might impose anytime new restrictions. Due to this uncertainty we changed our planned attractive southern route along the Andes with the boring flat landscape northeastwards in order to be able to leave the country any time either to Brazil, Paraguay or Uruguay. On the more beautiful southern West route we wouldn't have any way of escape because Chile has not reopened yet its land borders for us. Despite of this "sword in the neck" it is nice to be "on the road" again with our LandCruiser, although the very high temperatures without air condition are getting to us a bit. If an all-clear is in sight regarding Corona in Argentina, we turn South!

12/25/2021: (Escape) Bridge over

River Uruguay to Brazilian city of

Uruguaiana near Pasos de los Libres

 

For the 2nd time: Despite of Corona we wish everybody a Merry Christmas and a good and healthy and better New Year!

 

18/12/2021: Little by little some small things come to light that have affected our LandCruiser during its 331 days of storage in Argentina. The engine doesn't always run smoothly (gasoline too old), and unfortunately also the ignition key doesn't anymore turn so easily as before (jamming because lock "sticky"). Liliana is at war with the interior – a colony of ants has taken up residence. And of course stowing away our travel bags into the aluminum boxes on the roof also takes some time. The place at Andean Motorhomes Rentals is perfect to get our LandCruiser back in shape. All this delays our onward journey to the South a little more. In addition, our bank's Debit Master Card was hacked and someone – named LIM* – charged us smaller € amounts from day to day that didn't require PIN entry (contactless without card? – weird!). We had to block the card, which of course causes us other problems. According to a French forum, this has also happened to customers in other banks.

 

12/10/2021: "The cat is finally out of the bag"! On December 9th, 2021, we were able to pick up the new Argentine TIP (Temporary Import Permit) for our LandCruiser at the customs office in Buenos Aires. It is now valid until April 11th, 2022. We are really looking forward to resume our independent life "on the road" and to spend more time in nature again.Full of emotions we ordered Uber and drove the 25ms. [40km] to its parking place in Ricardo Rojas to Andean Motorhomes Rentals. There it was, our "freedom machine", just as we had left it 331 days ago! Is the oil level still OK? Does it still have water in the radiator? Is there still power steering fluid in the reservoir? Will the engine start? Emil excitedly connects the batteries – no purring sound, it does not want to start, it needs "help". After the jump-start however, it sounds like music in our ears! Now we have to reorganize ourselves. Then we will be heading South!

12/10/2021: 3pm Arrival at the storage

yard of Andean Roads of our LandCruiser

in Ricardo Rojas Bs.As.

 

12/5/2021: "More about the 37-Year-Journey around the World" is now updated including South Africa on 11/20/2021 (last time 3/4/2021).

11/30/2021: "The Journey's Chronological Sequence" is now updated (last time 3/4/2021).

 

11/26/2021: We made it back to Argentina! After 313 days of separation from our LandCruiser, we landed well and without any problems in Buenos Aires/Argentina on Sunday, November 21st, at midnight after almost 22 hours of flying from Cape Town via Addis Ababa/Ethiopia and Sγo Paulo/Brazil. Although we were able to spend the short nights in hotels in Addis Ababa and Sγo Paulo, the three jam-packed planes were tiring. Between our departure on January 14th and our return on November 20th, 2021, there were beautiful trips and stays – unfortunately without our car – in Sγo Tomι, Portugal, Morocco, Turkey, Egypt and South Africa. And, as in almost all of the aforementioned countries, we were able to leave South Africa in time to avoid the Corona pandemic that continues to run rampant.

 

We are not yet united with our faithful LandCruiser that stays in Ricardo Rojas, 25 miles [40km] out of Buenos Aires, but the anticipation is huge. First the customs office (-34.58249 -58.37044) has to lift its interdiction and issue us a new temporary import permit (TIP). This should take at least 1 - 2 weeks, we were told on Wednesday at the customs. We ourselves can stay in the country for three months.

11/19/2021: Boeing 787-8 of

Ethiopian Airlines from Cape Town

via Addis Ababa to Sγo Paulo

 

11/16/2021: After our nostalgic tour to the Cedar Mountains near Clanwilliam, we were again traveling through uncharted territory. Route: Lambert's Bay - Clanwilliam - Citrusdal - Middelberg Pass (3'514ft. [1'071m]) - Ceres - Tulbagh - Worcester - Franschhoek - Stellenbosch - Brackenfell/Cape Town. In sunny, warm spring weather and on good roads with little traffic, we drove along miles of golden wheat fields and through the Western Cape wine region with its fresh green vineyards and orchards. Meadows full of wild flowers, the evergreen "Fynbos" vegetation zones and the feeling of space accompanied us constantly. Our most beautiful experience was the visit to Lambert's Bay, the nesting and breeding place of thousands of Cape Gannets (Morus capensis). We enjoyed the refreshing chatter and the hustle and bustle of the about 17'000 birds. We also enjoyed the rural village of Tulbagh, surrounded by three mountain ranges, with its white-roofed stately homes in the famous Cape architecture. The overnight stays in guest houses varied greatly, but they were all expensive. You can hardly get anything for less than US$70 [€60]. The two nights at the 'Summerhill Guest Farm' near Worcester – a little paradise in the middle of tall trees, blossoming flowers and many chirping bird species – was a nice end to our short rental car tour through the Western Cape. Then Cape Town had us back, where we returned our Hyundai at the airport on November 14th. Now we have our eyes on our most important goal: The return to our LandCruiser in Argentina, now that our Janssen-Corona vaccination is recognized as of today!

11/7/2021: Spring blooms between

Clanwilliam and Lambert's Bay

 

 

11/9/2021: We are on a little nostalgia tour in Western Cape with our Hyundai rental car. Not only around Cape Town, where we spent a lovely afternoon with overlanders Diana and Brian in Newlands, but we were drawn again to the region of the Cederberg Mountains near Clanwilliam, about 150ms [240km] north of Cape Town. Under a steel blue sky we zoomed up to the 2'969ft. [905m] high Pakhuis Pass and refreshed memories from our visit with our LandCruiser in 2015 – good and bad ones! The good ones include the beauty of the vast "Cederberg Wilderness Area" with its jagged sandstone rock formations that glow especially attractive in the warm evening light. The bad memory is losing a wheel (our 5th) in January 2015 due to a broken axle just 2'311ms [3'720km] after the same problem happened in Angola on the eve of our 30th Travel Anniversary on 10/15/2014 and the hours of hard repair in the middle of the road. Despite driving very slowly, we couldn't make out the deep groove in the asphalt caused at that time.

 

11/2/2021: We are in South Africa! It was a "last-minute" decision: On October 23rd, 2021, we changed with our 6th and most expensive PCR-Test (US$120 p.p.) with Ethiopian Airlines from Cairo via Addis Ababa to Cape Town. The destination South Africa particularly inspired us for three reasons: It's spring time, rental cars are easy to get, and a faint hope for a Corona vaccination was also included, so we could fly back to Argentina to our LandCruiser. Everything came true: The warm spring weather where everything is in full bloom, renting a small Hyundai G-i10 for three weeks (US$585), and today a free one-time Johnson & Johnson vaccination! What failed in Sγo Tomι, Portugal, Morocco, Turkey and Egypt being tourist, was made possible by our hosts Vicky and Hans from the Northern Vine Guesthouse in Brackenfell, about 20 miles [32km] from Cape Town. Finally a reunion with our LandCruiser in South America is approaching – we hope! We are overjoyed! By the way: Since we left the African continent in Capetown to Australia on November 2nd, 1992 after a crossing of four years and 61'440 miles [99'000km] from North to South, South Africa has made us happy already ten times during 12'194 miles [19'624km].

10/30/2021: Sunset Beach: View to Cape

Town's Table Mount. (left, 3'563ft.[1'086m]

and Lion's Head (right, 2'195ft.[669m])

 

10/30/2021: What started with frustration in Egypt, ended with happiness! We finally experienced what we wished for: A train ride through the wide Nile Valley and thus an insight into the rural life along the Nile: How was our journey from Aswan to Cairo? Liliana's diary entry from October 20th, 2021: "It is still pitch dark when at 4.30am on October 20th, 2021, the guesthouse owner Taha ferries us with his boat at the first call of the muezzin to the other bank of the Nile and accompanies us to our train compartment. With a 3 minute delay, at 5.33am the air-conditioned express train in Aswan starts moving. Slowly it dawns. On the other river side a green ribbon of vegetation reflects in the mirror-smooth water. Fishermen with small boats and feluccas are gliding past silently. Farmers with old-fashioned donkey carts are working on their fields, with flocks of white egrets following them. Tall palm trees lining the river are part of the exotic charm. The train rattles past sugar cane, banana plantations and corn and vegetable fields. Sometimes we pass crumbling dwellings with colorful clothes fluttering in the wind. In contrast, many magnificent mosques with high slender minarets appear. Most of the houses are built of earth-colored bricks, and most of them are unfinished – cement pillars with its concrete iron still rising from the roofs. Unfortunately, the railway ride doesn't follow often the mighty Nile, but along its irrigation canals. But it is still beautiful, except of the many garbage dumps along the track. Really negative is the freezing temperature of the aircon in the train. We each put all three T-shirts we have taken with us beneath the warm sweaters and even cover ourselves with our thin linen sleeping bags in order not to catch a cold. With about 2Ό hours delay we arrive in Cairo after 10pm and are "greeted" by a real chaos of people and vehicles at the railway station – a totally opposite world, which we left only 16 hours ago. We will often remember our idyllic place directly on the Nile, where we were able to experience five unforgettable days. We are at peace with Egypt again!"

10/20/2021: Coptic Orthodox Cathedral

of St. Michael the Archangel, 400 yards

[350m] north of Luxor railroad station

10/20/2021: Liliana with Egypt map

of the Nile Valley in the first class

coach of the VIP-Express 981

 

 

 

10/18/2021: Today, October 18th, 2021, we are celebrating our 37th travel anniversary on the Nile in Aswan, whose departure 13'516 days ago we missed by a fraction! The place could not be more beautiful: From our Nubian Maghrabi Guesthouse with its stately mango trees located directly on the Nile, we enjoy the view of feluccas with their hoisted sails drifting up and down the river, of camels passing by and of water birds fishing on the shore. At night, from the eastern side of the Nile, where the actual city center is located, the twinkling lights reflecting in the water convey a bit of festivity to our special celebration!

10/18/2021: Two dromedaries (Camelus dromedarius), also called one-humped camel, on the Nile in Aswan

 

10/17/2021: Emil's tireless research has borne fruit: On Friday, October 15th, 2021, we flew with Air Arabia at a bargain price of US$59 p.p. (Egypt Air charges US$160 p.p.!) to Aswan. Inspired by our beautiful train trip with Dogu Epress in Turkey, a Nile Valley train ride was on our wish list from the very beginning. On our way back to Cairo on October 20th, it will happen. Then our wish will come true: A 14-hour railway day trip along the Nile Valley with an air-conditioned express train. (by the way, the twice charged fare Cairo-Aswan surprisingly was credited again!). We are now really looking forward to a little glimpse of Egyptian country life along the fertile Nile Valley with feluccas, camels and farmers working the fields. In Aswan we are staying at the Nubian Maghrabi's guesthouse on the west side of the Nile ($50/night with breakfast and very beautiful river view). Will this spontaneous side trip before our departure on October 23rd, help us to become a little reconciled with Egypt again?

 

10/7/2021: With our intention to rent a car for three weeks to travel self driving around the country, we are left in the dark. According to the tourist police at the airport, we are not allowed to leave the city of Cairo without a local driver, but the Avis car rental company claims the opposite. What's true now? Our inquired consulate refrains from helping, the tourist information booth at the airport as well as the manager of our accommodation are on the side of the police. Interregional buses run almost exclusively at night, the Nile Valley trains during daytime are practically fully booked and the nightly sleeper trains make no sense to us, since we want to see the countryside! When finally two day seats were given free and we booked them, the amount was debited twice, but the ticket was canceled at the same time! What however shocks us in Egypt above all are the hotel prices. Be it in Hurghada or Sharm El-Sheikh, in Aswan or Luxor, and even along the Mediterranean to the Libyan border, all those accommodation that look somewhat acceptable to us are well over US$150/night, although not many tourists are seen. We are now considering whether or not to stay here until our visa expires on October 23rd, 2021.

The Nazlet el-Seman tombs at the

bus parking near the entrance to

the pyramids complex

 

10/16/2021 Friday- (Jameh-)

Mosque in Qism/Aswan

 

10/5/2021: "We are already on our feet at 6:30 am. From the open window of our room we look at a flock of ducks on the opposite roof top, at neighing horses down in the courtyard waiting for the warming sun and at tethered camels already decorated for the tourists. Roosters crow from the roofs of houses where also goats live, dogs bark and the clopping of horses' hooves can be heard. In between, the muezzin calls to prayer. The air is drenched with camel and horse dung." This is Liliana's diary entry from December 3rd, 2018, when we stayed 7 days at the Pyramid Village-Inn in Giza for US$60/night and where shortly afterwards two terrorist attacks took place with deaths and injuries. Today, almost three years later, the reviews (Booking.com) of the hotels in Giza have become so heavily bad what probably caused the prices to drop (e.g. the same above mentioned place is now down to US$18/night!). Thus we preferred a clean, comfortable and still affordable studio near the airport (Ocean Blue Apartments, US$70/night). Still fascinating of course is the timeless imposing backdrop of the pyramids, the grandiose structures of the empire of the ancient Egyptians. Otherwise, however, it is no longer "our" Egypt, as we remember it (December 2018, September 1989 and Emil even as early as 1965). Many construction ruins, closed restaurants, malls with 90% shut down stores, and everywhere else much more garbage, trash and rubbish is our impression.

 

9/26/2021: We are now in Egypt! Turkey has seen us off with a beautiful sunset glow! With three flights in three different continents – Van-Ankara (Asia), Ankara-Istanbul (Europe), Istanbul-Cairo (Africa) – we landed late in the evening of 9/24/2021 in Cairo, the capital of Egypt, where we celebrated Liliana's 80th birthday yesterday, 9/25/2021. Btw: The 50th took place in Lilongwe/Malawi, the 60th in Sidney/Iowa/USA and the 70th in Tamatave/Madagascar - always with our LandCruiser. This is our third trip to Egypt. In autumn 1989 we explored the country with our car during 6 weeks (4'232mi [6'810km]), and in December 2018 we lodged on our nostalgia trip during 7 days at the pyramids in Giza, while our LandCruiser was on its way in a container from Sarawak/Malaysia to Chile. We received like 3 years ago a one-month visa on arrival for US$25/p.p.

9/24/2021 On the flight from Istanbul

to Cairo with Turkish Airlines in a

13-year-old Airbus A321

 

 

9/12/2021: Van: Resting day with many beautiful memories of our 20-day round trip. There is also some melancholy, because it is already over! Tomorrow, 9/13/2021, we will return our Renault Clio, which never gave us any worries, at the airport of Van 20 days and 1'497½mi [2'410km] "older". To us, the invested US$568 were more than worth.

 

9/11: Hakkβri - Traverteni ("Mini-Pamukkale") - Van = 184mi [296km]. It is 9.30am when we leave the mountain world of Hakkβri and return to the main road to continue our journey to Van. After we exchanged the D400 (it ends after 46mi [74km] at the Iran border) at Tatlı/Yόksekova with the D975 to Van, we make very fast progress on the mostly four-lane highway, so fast that we miss the turnoff to "Traverteni" - the "Minipamukkale" - by 17mi [28km], because our Nόvi GPS lost the turnoff data (37.82322, 44.08497). Was it worth driving back? A hundredfold! It goes on a gravel road deep across the mountains. The narrow piste is cut into a steep slope, to the left of it the little streamlet Karasu ripples in a green valley strip through the gorge. After each tight curve, another rugged backdrop opens up. Towards the end, after about 11mi [18km], the road leads through the village of Dereiηi, where horses, foals, goats and sheep graze and haystacks and pyramids with dried cow patties are stored in front of stone huts as heating material for the winter. Pure rural idyll! Arrived at the destination, we see immediately that due to my walking problems for me the steep rock descent to the Sinter Terraces is not feasible, and Emil renounces for time reasons. But it is still beautiful here. Below us a flock of sheep grazes in small groups. They are white shiny dots in the mountain landscape. We enjoy our little special detour to the fullest and then roll on the fast four-lane highway further towards Van. It is not new territory for us. Nevertheless, we again enjoy the varied landscape we pass. The city traffic in Van is catastrophic today Saturday. Only stop and go traffic, whereby stop predominates. Finally we reach "our" hotel Dosco, from which we started on August 26th, without any dents. We are "home" again!

9/11/2021 Sόmbόl - a lower situated

neighborhood of the provincial

capital of Hakkari

9/11/21 Behind the rocks are sinter

terraces like in Pamukkale, only

much smaller and no tourists

9/11/2021 The Hoşap Castle in Gόzelsu,

built 1643, on the way to the town of

Van on lake Van, 36mi [58km] away

9/11/2021 Crops along

the Dφnemeη River between

Ortakφy and Ηavuştepe

 

9/10/2021: Cizre - Hakkβri = 126mi [203km]. After a sumptuous breakfast buffet on the terrace with a view to Syria, at 8.30 am we are already on the road again, because the most beautiful section of the D400 now awaits us. Up to the neighboring town of Şırnak, the landscape remains rather disappointing. But from there to Hakkβri and further, the wilderness and beauty of the mountain scenery is simply stunningly spectacular and majestic. On the 125mi [200km] drive on good asphalt road, which winds in many bends over 7'500ft. [2'300m] high passes and then down into green valleys again, we stop countless times to enjoy and take-in the breathtaking views. High plateaus, deep wild gorges, green encircled valleys, but above all impressive mountain scenery opened up at every corner. Some road works in progress, occasionally littered corners, sand and rubble hills and the not very attractive Kurdish villages along the road cannot overshadow our enthusiasm. The increased numbers watchtowers and military controls posted here along the Iraqi border do not for a moment make us feel unsafe. We are always treated friendly and courteously. Conclusion: This five-hour top experience will undoubtedly be a crowning culmination of our 20-day tour of Anatolia, which is coming to an end. Hakkβri, framed by mountains, where we were already with our LandCruiser in 2013, welcomes us today with chaotic, crowded and gridlocked car traffic. What a difference to back then! Without a reservation, we check into the same hotel in the city center as in 2013 - the Şenler Otel.

9/10/2021 Descent to Yemişli

on the Iraqi border

 

 

 

9/10/2021 Karakol Pass (6'873ft.

[2'095m]) between Ortakφy and Ηığlı

 

 

 

9/10/2021 Kurdish village on the

Great Zab River north of the D400-

Junction in Kφprόlό to Ηukurca

 

 

9/10/2021 Another gorge is

announced about 30mi [50km]

on the way to way to Hakkari

 

9/9/2021: Mardin - Cizre on the D380 = 200km. For this stretch we choose the scenic D380 mountain route instead of continuing on the still boring D400 through the Mesopotamian plain. But except for some desert hills shortly after Mardin the drive is also rather monotonous. There is hardly any traffic. At 2 p.m. we arrive in Cizre, where until 2016 there were still clashes with the Kurds, with many buildings being destroyed. Today the place is fully restored again. The Hotel Divan is the only one in town - a four-star luxury hotel located next to the Tigris River. Across the river, about 200m away, is Syria. This is probably why there are certain security precautions. The parking lot is closed off by a high rail that can only be opened by the parking attendant. And the elevator works only with the room card. The sun has just set as we both leave the room and enjoy the atmosphere from the restaurant terrace across the river to Syria and the lights of the city of Cizre flaring up until the mosquitoes from the green riverbank drive us away. The three-country triangle Turkey-Syria-Iraq is only 26Ύkm away from here.

9/8: Visiting day in Mardin. Perched on rocky hills north of the flat Mesopotamia (now Iraq), sits the old city of Mardin with its ancient historical buildings. Mid-morning we are on a sightseeing tour with our rental car up- and downhills of the narrow streets of the old town. They are already full of life with crowds of Turkish tourists walking along the many stores. The through traffic is already completely clogged with cars, which are even parking in second line, leaving little or no space for the moving traffic. Finding a parking space is completely hopeless. We drive through to the end of the old town without stopping, the main road being now our destination. From there we enjoy the best view of the old stone houses of Mardin, which stretch along the whole steep slope up to the citadel. Especially beautiful is the view from the terrace of a store, whose owner invites us to his terrace. The master baker next door waves - he wants to show us his bakery and offer us a cup of tea. These are the beautiful moments away from the mass tourism!

9/8/2021 Mardin - almost 100'000 inh.

on an altidude of  3'553ft. [1'083m] at

northern end of the Mesopotamia lowland

9/8/21 Bakery along the main

by-pass road

Yeni Yol Cd

9/8/2021 Historic city of Mardin

with the outstanding

"Grand" Mosque

9/9/2021 Tigris (Dicle) River at Divan

Otel in Cizre, which forms the

border between Turkey and Syria

 

9/7/2021: Şanlıurfa - Mardin = 174km. On the four-lane highway - again on the D400, which we already drove on 5.9, - we shift to Mardin - one of the most authentic and unique cities in Turkey. Like the Nemrut Dağı, it is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Also on this stretch, the D400 is not very attractive. We stay at the Mardin Airport Hotel, which so far is the only accommodation that still strictly sticks to the Corona rules. When we are lead to our room, the first thing is spraying disinfectant around the beds, and at the breakfast buffet, plastic gloves are a must.The room is new, everything is shiny and super-clean - it conveys a sense of luxury.

9/6: Visit of the "Sacred Fish Ponds" (Ayn Zeliha Parkı) in Şanlıurfa, which have become a place of pilgrimage. Legend has it that when King Nimrod had Prophet Abraham - condemned to death - thrown on a burning pyre, Allah intervened and turned the fire into water and the wood into fish = carps (Cyprinus carpio). For the faithful, the fish swimming in the pond by the thousands are sacred. They are fed by them (fish food can be bought on the spot). Families with children and people of all ages visit and take selfies. The atmosphere already has an oiental touch. Some ladies wear floor-length skirts infused with glitter and equally glittery headscarves. In stark contrast are the women totally wrapped in black, often covering their faces with a "niqab". They are said to be refugees from Syria. The park is large, very beautiful and well-kept, and with its many benches under shady trees and restaurants, a place to linger.

9/6/2021 The Halil-άr Rahmβn Lake,

also called the Pool of Abraham

with the Rizvaniye Mosque

9/6/2021 The sacred fish in Halil-άr

Rahmβn Lake of the Ayn Zeliha-Park in Balıklıgφl/Şanlıurfa

9/6/2021 For the holy place of

pilgrimage, the Abraham's pool with the

fishes, these visitors dressed specially

9/6/2021 Western view of the

Halil-άr Rahmβn Lake in the

Ayn Zeliha Park in Şanlıurfa

 

9/5/2021: Halfeti - Şanlıurfa = 76mi [120km]. About 12½mi [20km] east of Birecik along the dammed Euphrates River we meet the scenically highly praised road D400, but until Şanlıurfa it leads unspectacularly through a plain with pistachio plantations. Our booked room in Şanlıurfa at the "Asis Otel" in the city center is difficult to access by car. But in the early afternoon, we manage to get one of the three parking lots in front of the hotel entrance. To leave again would mean to loose the parking space.

9/4: Excursion to the sunken village of Halfeti = 31mi [50km]. When we are getting up at our "Şitamrat Otel" in New Halfeti, the first rays of sunlight are just catching the top ridge framing the reservoir. Flocks of birds fly past, otherwise nothing is moving yet. The atmosphere is just beautiful. Today we are searching our own way to the sunken village of Halfeti. Through pistachio plantations, their pink fruits hanging like grapes from bunches, we drive towards our destination. Thanks to Emil's traced coordinates, we find it without any problems. The last mile, i.e. the descent on a gravel road to the lake described as 4x4, is quite steep indeed, but also doable with a passenger car. This proves "our" Renault Clio. After we have overcome the few stony passages at the lake shore, we stand in front of THE sight: A minaret rising out of the water. We sit down on the bench under the weeping willow and watch for a while the pretty busy tourist boats arriving with loud music. The passengers quickly twitch their cell phones before the boat immediately turns around and returns without stopping. We consider ourselves very lucky that we are able to discover everything on our own and being able to escape this mass hype.

9/4/2021 The minaret of Old Halfeti, which

was flooded at the end of 1999.

Clever businessmen knew how to exploit this

9/4/2021 Full tourist boat arrives

at Old Halfeti; without a stop

but with a lot of music

9/4/2021 Pistachios (Pistacia vera)

from the Gaziantep region. Turkey is the

third largest producer in the world

9/5/2021 Yeşilφzen, 7½mi

[12km] east of New-Halfeti,

on the way to Şanlıurfa

 

9/3/2021: Khata - Adıyaman - Halfeti = 122mi [196km]. From our Nemrut Dağı pension we continue through a plain with huge pistachio plantations to the "Halfeti villages": the old sunken, almost extinct Halfeti (a neighboring village of Savaşan), and the new "tourist Halfeti" built on the reservoir (from which the boats to the sunken Halfeti leave). Due to the construction of the Birecik reservoir, most of the "original" Halfeti was submerged, and the minaret of the mosque, which still partially rises from the Euphrates, has become a popular tourist attraction. From Halfeti, one crowded excursion boat after the other chugs daily for 45 minutes to the sunken village (a horror scenario for us individualists). But there is a possibility to reach the sunken village by car on a so-called 4x4 track. We plan to do that tomorrow 9/4. The sunset mood from our "Şitamrat-Otel" in the touristy Halfeti on the mirror-smooth lake and the flaring of the first lights in the small village below us is simply magical.
Unfortunately after 10 days and 815mi [1'311km] it's already half time here. As of now we are on our way back to Van. We are now curious to see if we can share the enthusiasm of other travelers about the upcoming D400 route. Can it be any more beautiful than what we have already experienced?

 

9/2: Nemrut Dağı N.P., which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with its huge statues of gods at 7'001ft. [2'134m] altitude, built by King Antiochus, is another impressive highlight of our round trip. We have the "summit" completely to ourselves in the early morning after a strenuous 646 yards [600m] long and steep ascent. At our destination, about a dozen well-preserved, impressive heads of gods such as Zeus, Apollo and Hercules, each carved differently, await us. They are lined up at the foot of the still intact thrones with the seated (decapitated) statues. A guard with a cane and handcuffs (!) makes sure that the barriers are not crossed by selfie-crazy people. We lingered for a long time, admiring these marvels of the past on both the east and west terraces of the mountaintop. (To avoid misunderstandings it should be mentioned that the two mountains with the same name, which are 196mi [315km] bee-line apart from each other, and which we visited on 8/27 and today, have nothing in common).

9/2/21 The steep westward ascent from

the parking to the Nemrut Dağı summit

with its statues from the 1st cent.BC

9/2/2021 Thrones and heads

on the east terrace

 

 

 

9/2/2021 West terrace:

Head of the Persian eagle god

 

 

 

9/3/2021 New Halfeti - a tourist

center at the Birecik reservoir

of the dammed Euphrates River

 

 

 

9/1/2021: Elβzığ - Malatya - Adıyaman - Karadut near Kahta = totally 180mi [290km]. In Malatya we turn off to Adıyaman, which gives us a very nice drive southward through a wild mountainous area. The good asphalt road runs up hill, down hill. Sometimes the mountains are spectacular, sometimes a small lake, sometimes villages clinging to slopes, sometimes small and large lush green fields, either on tiny terraces or in the vastness of a plain, sometimes tobacco plants in full bloom – whole fields of them. In Kahta we turn off to our Nemrut Dağı pension in Karadut and lodge in the middle of the mountains.

 

8/31: Round trip around Elβzığ, which includes two ferries across the Keban reservoir (totally 90mi [145km]). After visiting the castle of Elβzığ on the hill, we drive the approx. 30mi [50km] to the first Meseli/Elβzığ ferry. For US$1.89 [€1.60], car included, the first ferry takes us across the lovely turquoise Keban Lake, nestled in a barren desert landscape, to Pertek at the other shore. Particularly beautiful about it: In the middle of the lake, perched on a rock, rises the imposing Pertek Castle. On the northern side of Lake Keban near Pertek, we continue for about 30mi [50km] through a hilly landscape to Yemişdere/Ηemişgezek, where the second ferry takes us to Muratcık for US$1.77 [€1.50] and thus back to Elβzığ – a lively town with a special charm.

 

8/30: Sightseeing of the city of Elβzığ (310'000+ inhabitants).

8/30/21 İzzet Paşa Mosque ottoman style

with 1 main dom (Ψ65½ft. [20m]) and

25 smaller doms, in the center of Elβzığ

8/30/21 At the southern ferry

landing for Pertek. In the center

the island of the Pertek citadel

 

 

9/1/2021 The Ηat reservoir near Ηelikhan

along the beautiful, 54mi [87km] long

road from Malatya to Adıyaman

 

 

9/1/21 Flowering tobacco plants

(Nicotiana tabacum) near Doğanlı

 15mi [25km] before Adıyaman

 

 

 

8/29/2021: Muş - Elβzığ = 155mi [250km]. Starting from Muş, the landscape reminds us a bit of Patagonia. Between the bare, desert-like hills, the green of clusters of trees with a farmhouse keeps sticking out. The landscape alternates between plains and hills; after Bingφl – an unremarkable town – deep ravines open up. Just before Elβzığ, the Murat River Valley with its patchwork of fields offers great views again. The mirror-smooth dammed Keban Lake at Elβzığ shimmers in the midday heat as we arrive. We stay at the Şirin Otel in the city center.

 

8/28: Resting day in Muş.

 

8/27: 12½mi [20km] detour from Bitlis to the crater lakes of Mount Nemrut on an altitude of 7'372ft. [2'247m], which are beautifully embedded within the high crater wall. Already the ascent with the many hairpin bends to the narrow ridge inspires us. The views from the top of the pass to the huge Lake Van, the beautiful moods in the crater, but especially the untouched nature are highlights. In the afternoon we continue to Muş, totally 90mi [144km]. Through a wide valley with a lot of agriculture, where farmers along the road offer honey and watermelons, we continue on the well-built four-lane road.

 

8/26/2021: Start of our 20-day rental car round trip in East- and Southeast-Anatolia, where a Kurdish majority lives. With hot weather but bright blue skies throughout, we saw and experienced many beautiful things every day. Contrary to some travel advisories for Anatolia, we always felt safe and welcome, and the police and military checks always waved us through in a friendly manner or wanted just to see the passport. Some short excerpts from Liliana's diary are following. Route: Van - Tatvan - Bitlis = 106 miles [171km]. To the left of the four-lane road bare desert mountains are glaring, to the right the blue Van Lake. Kurdish villages with their typical glittering tin roofs nestle at the foot of the hills.

8/26/2021 Akdamar Island (0.27sq.mi

[0.7km²]) with Armenian Holy Cross

Cathedral, in the South of Van Lake

8/26/2021 Holy Cross Cathedral

from 1st millennium; renov. 2005

Ferry Pier: 38.30906° 43.03976°

8/27/21 Nemrut Lake (4.77sq.mi [12.36km²])

 alt.7'372ft. [2'247m] in Nemrut Crater,

ca.14mi [22km] from Tatvan (tar road)

8/29/2021 Dammed Murat-

River before Keban reservoir,

ca. 31mi [50km] east of Elβzığ

 

8/25/2021: Other region – other city – new planning: Van with the peaceful Van Lake, whose surroundings we already know from our 2013 Turkey trip with our LandCruiser, brought us luck. On 8/24/2021 we could finally rent a small reasonably priced (USD568) Renault Clio car for 20 days without any problems at Van's airport. To be mobile again by ourselves is a lovely gift! We still stick to our plan to travel the scenic route D400 along the Syrian-Iraqi border (see Google map below). However, due to the current heat of more than 104°F [40°C] in southeastern Turkey, we will do the loop the other way round (counterclockwise), i.e. first we will travel through the cooler eastern Anatolian mountain regions. During the few days we spent in Van at an altitude of 5'663ft. [1'726m], we especially enjoyed the beautiful view of the imposing 'Hazrat Omar Mosque' from the breakfast terrace of our Hotel Dosco on the 7th floor right up to the high mountains in the East (Mt. Erek, 10'663ft. [[3'250m]) and to the 1'450sq mi [3'755km²] large Van Lake (Lake Constance "only" 207 sq mi [536km²]). Worth seeing was also the small, modest, but therefore "tourist-free" bazaar very close by. The most beautiful experience for Liliana however was the visit of the special white Van cats with their two different colored eyes (blue and amber), which are only found here at Van Lake. It brought back nostalgic memories of the cat families she lovingly cared for during our 11 months Corona lockdown in Posadas/Argentina (see pics further down from May 2020).

8/23/2021 Hazrat Omar Mosque

in Van (Beşyol)

8/25/21 Van citadel/castle (Kalesi)

from the 7th to 9th century

8/25/2021 Van cat (Felis catus)

with a yellow and a blue eye

8/25/2021 Map of our planned

20-day-trip through SE Turkey

 

8/21/2021: Until Tuesday, 8/17/2021, we spent a week in Erzurum, a nice city in eastern Turkey with a beautiful castle, mosques and madrassas. We felt very welcome and enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere and the low priced food in the many restaurants. Unfortunately, our plan A to rent a car in Erzurum didn't work out because of the long school vacations: The car rental market was completely dried-up. Now plan B came into play: We boarded a bus that took us in 6Ό hrs. the 267 miles [430km] from Erzurum to Van, which lies 50ms [80km] short of the Iranian border. It was a 40-seat Mercedes-Travego of the bus company Kβmil Koη, which is also marketed for "non-Turks" by european Flixbus. The journey of the not even half-full bus took us through the Turkish continuation of the Armenian Highlands, crossing two mountain ranges: Aras Dağlan between Horasan and Ağri (very beautiful) and Ala Dağlan between Ağri and Lake Van (pretty beautiful). With the exception of the first mountain range crossing, the road was practically four-lane. The traffic was rather light until entering the city of Van, so that we arrived earlier than scheduled.

8/13/2021 Erzurum citadel/castle

(Kalesi) from the 5th century

8/13/2021 Young, independent

turkish ladies in Erzurum

8/17/2021 Bus company Kβmil Koη

in bus terminal Erzurum

8/17/2021 On the single track

route between Horasan - Ağri

 

8/8/2021: Train station Istanbul Pendik: At the ticket check, we have first to queue due to the following luggage screening. The Turkish YHT - a kind of German ICE, French TGV or Taiwanese THSR - to Ankara arrives on time from Istanbul. On our comfortable seats we are taken in 4Ό hrs at a maximum speed of 155ms/h [250h/km] to our first destination Ankara. Once the huge, about 60+ miles [100km] long metropolitan area of Istanbul is behind us, there are some nice views along the eastern Sea of Marmara, then we pass briefly through forested mountains. Otherwise, the route leads through an unattractive plain with many industrial plants and cultivated areas. After 310ms [498km] Ankara welcomes us with a sultry tropical climate. We change from the new modern YHT station over the bridge to the old station and after three hours of waiting time, we board the "traditional" promising Doğu-Express (see 2 pictures further down).

 

To say it right away: We were not disappointed: The journey with the Doğu-Express from Ankara to Erzurum was a highlight and by far exceeded our expectations. As soon as we left the agglomeration of Ankara, beautiful landscapes and pure nature opened up to us. A colorful patchwork of harvested fields was followed by wild river valleys with rushing streams, rugged mountains, bizarre rock formations, narrow gorges, bare desert hills dotted with green bushes, lovely reservoirs with wonderful reflections and lonely farms and small villages. Also the lazily flowing brown Euphrates accompanied us for a while. And again and again we went through tunnels, which tempted Emil to start counting. There were 139! The 170 photos that unfortunately we had to shoot through the window, which could neither be opened nor was clean, are proof of our enthusiasm. Benefiting our "sightseeing" were also the many stops at stations and the relatively slow driving due to track conditions. The only negative experience was the night. Although on fresh sheets, wrapped in plastic directly from the laundry, sleeping on the coach was uncomfortable. It was too much shaking so that sometimes we thought the train will derail. In addition, the blinds were so transparent that we were constantly floodlighted on the 44 train stations from outside. But when at dawn we looked out of the window again and a coffee from the restaurant revived our spirits, the exhausting night was already forgotten. On August 9th, 2021, 5:17pm, we reached Erzurum after 23h 22m with about 2Ό hours delay after 714ms [1'149km].

8/9/2021 Emil admires from the

window of the Doğu-Express

the landscape rushing by

8/9/2021 Tunnels again

and again - totally 139;

here near Divriği/Sivas

8/9/2021 Narrow gorges again

and again through the mountains

between Sivas and Erzincan

8/9/2021 The dammed

Euphrates river about Ύ hours

before Erzincan

 

8/6/2021: We have now again a fixed date and thus a perspective! Next Sunday, August 8th, 2021, we will once again travel by train (last time January 2017 in Myanmar): At 10:51am with the high speed train from Istanbul/Pendik in 4Ύ hrs. to Ankara, where we will change into a sleeper of the "Doğu-Express" to Erzurum. We should arrive there at 3pm on Monday. It is said to be a scenic ride, not necessarily until Ankara, but afterwards eastwards. From Ankara, we reserved a whole four-person sleeper compartment for the two of us, and with 50% retirement discount, the whole trip from Istanbul comes to just US$52.70 [€44.50] for both of us. Simply unbelievable the low prices in Turkey. Erzurum is also a cheaper destination for rental cars than Istanbul. Whether a car rental company will still rent us a car being short of 80 years old, is another question. Either way, we are excited to experience something new! The only downer are the skyrocketing corona- and 7 days incidence numbers since about two weeks - exactly since we entered Turkey - which at some point could trigger a new lockdown or a ban on entry in future countries.

 

7/26/2021: We are in Turkey! To escape the announced lockdown in Morocco on 7/23/2021 starting 11pm, everything went again in a jiff! Complete a rapid antigen test and book a cheap flight on 7/21/2021 with Air Arabia from Casablanca to Istanbul. But before we rent a car here, we first follow the development of the somewhat unstable Turkish Covid-19 situation. Do the Corona case numbers/incidents increase here as well, we risk not only being caught in another lockdown, but loosing also the prepaid car rental costs and perhaps a denial of entry in further countries. We want to avoid that at all costs. Africa would be again or still our intention. In the meantime, we enjoy the great variety of tasty Turkish food in the small cozy restaurants and cafes around our rented apartment in Yenişehir/Pendik on the Asian side of Istanbul. Life is good: The food is incredibly cheap, (around US$8 for 2 people), the 2-room apartment with cooking facility costs US$42/day and the weather is sunny with pleasant temperatures (about 77°F [25°C]). This is the sixth visit to Turkey, but the first without our LandCruiser.

7/24/2021 The Great Mosque of

Yenişehir 2½ms [4km] north of the

Sabiha Gφkηen airport of Istanbul

7/26/2021 In a Turkish restaurant in Yenişehir/Istanbul in the Asian

part of Turkey

 

 

8/8/2021 YHT trains (high speed

trains) in Ankara YHT Train Station

("ours" is on the left)

 

 

8/8/2021 The "traditional"

Doğu-Express near Kayaş on

its way to the East (Kırıkkale)

 

 

 

7/21/2021: Our four-week rental car tour in Morocco is over after 1'775ms [2'856km]. The route of our last week was Agadir - Essaouira - Safi - Oualidia - Berrechid (Casablanca). It was new territory for us and led us on a varied and interesting drive along the Atlantic coast. Bays with long sandy beaches, lined with gnarled trees bent by the wind, offered a beautiful picture. Then a world of dunes welcomed us, and in the touristy surfer paradise of Essaouira, the camels in the dunes waiting for tourists conveyed a touch of desert feeling. As a change, from time to time the road ran inland, past colorful markets, where rows of ancient donkey and horse carts were on their way home. Not much seems to have changed there yet. Shortly before Safi, we crossed a huge industrial area from which phosphate is mined and exported. On the last stretch from Safi to Oualidia we followed an imposing cliff coast where in the plain the dry desert soil was now and then studded with green shining corn plantations. In Oualidia we then left the coastal road and turned onto the highway in the direction of Casablanca, where we delivered our small Kia Picanto rental car at the airport on July 18th, 2021. To be "on the road" again was the most beautiful experience for us, because it gave us back a small part of our former travel life – but only a small part, because the constant accommodation reservations were exhausting. Where to next, away from the heat and away from rising Corona case numbers? That's the question we're grappling with right now!

7/15/2021 "Camel Parking" near

the Ocean Vagabond Restaurant

at Tagharte Beach in Essaouira

7/15/21 Coast road R301 2½ms

[4km] north of Souira Kedima

near Dar Aicha Guesthouse

7/15/2021 Horse carts are in the

countryside still in use everywhere

 

7/16/2021 Back on the coastal

road R301 between

Safi and Oualidia

 

7/11/2021: The itinerary of our third week in Morocco, from Taroudant - Tafraoute - Mirleft - Sidi Ifni to Agadir was dictated by the onset of an extreme heat wave. Nevertheless, we ventured from Taroudant still the detour over the interesting Tafraoute in the Anti Atlas Mountains, where the "hell climate" bothered us so much that we had only one wish: Off to the cooler Atlantic coast. There we aimed first at Mirleft and then at Sidi Ifni further south, which welcomed us with persistent fog. Sidi Ifni, like Western Sahara, which is even further south, was still Spanish West Africa almost 50 years ago. Then we went to Agadir, the tourist center in the south of Morocco on the Atlantic coast, where we stopped at the garden oasis of the "Maison Marocaine". In Morocco, the privately run, relatively small accommodations are quite numerous, are often good value and comfortable, but are always called differently: Maison d'hτtes, Riads, Auberges, Boutique Hotels, Bed & Breakfast, Villas, Bivouacs (tent), etc. Interesting is also the climate on the relatively cool Atlantic coast, to be compared with western South Africa and Namibia: While the narrow (foggy!) coastal strip has about 68°F [20°C], the about 12-50ms [20-50km] more easterly (sunny!) Inland can already be 68-86°F [20-30°C] hotter in summer.

7/5/2021 Mosque of Aday 2ms

[3½km] southwest of Tafraoute

along the route R104 to Tiznit

7/5/2021 Road signs in Tiznit

in Arabic, Berber (Amazigh)

and French

7/6/2021 Former Spanish Sidi Ifni

with its beach and the somewhat

higher situated city center

12/15/2018 Agadir and its beach

viewed from Kasbah of Agadir

Oufla in our trip to Chile Dec. 2018

 

7/3/2021: Also the second week in Morocco is already behind us. We drove the following route: Tinerhir - Dadθs Valley - Ouarzazate - Marrakech - Ijoukak - Taroudant. Thereby we crossed the High Atlas twice, drove countless tight curves on masterpieces of mountain roads and enjoyed again beautiful views of Berber villages with its village life. New for us was the route Marrakech - Ijoukak - Taroudant, which also turned out to be the most scenic. The 76ms [122km] long and 6'867ft. [2'093m] high Tizi-n-Test pass was built in the 1930's by the then French colonial power and is practically paved throughout, alternating between a single and double lane road. An authentic Berber experience awaited us in Ijoukak at the "Auberge Tigmmi N'Tamazirte" at 4'003ft. [1'220m] altitude. The location of this simple Berber-style guesthouse is surrounded beautifully by mountains. From the terrace the sheds can be seen, where pottery is made for home use. Only the increasing heat drove us away from this idyllic place. At the moment we are at the "Maison d'Hτte Riad Asma" in Taroudant - also at almost 104°F [40°C] - and plan our further route. Should we move on to the cooler Atlantic region or to the more interesting but hot Tafraoute region in the Anti-Atlas mountains?

6/27/2021 Tisdrine serpentine road

bypassing the Dadθs Gorges

6/27/2021 Gorges du Dadθs

½hour north of Boumalne

 

 

7/2/2021 Berber village on the

north side of Tizi-n-Test pass

 

 

7/3/2021 Orange seller in front

of the 3Ύms [6km] long Taroudant city wall

 

 

6/26/2021: The first week in Morocco is already behind us. We drove on new paths for us into the Atlas Mountains. Route: Berrechid (Casablanca) - Beni Mellal - Kasba Tadla and on the 107½ms [173km] new winding mountain road to Imilchil at 6'952ft. [2'119m] altitude, where we stayed overnight. On a less good tarred road we continued over the 8'678ft. [2'645m] Tizi Tigherrhouzine pass down to Tinerhir, where we now have >95°F [35°C+]. The drive was beautiful: Bizarre rock formations, fertile palm valleys, wild mountains in all shapes and colors, spectacular views, small villages in traditional adobe building style and green river oases alternated. In two villages it was market day and Berber women and old men on donkeys were part of the exotic picture. Shortly before our destination Tinerhir we passed through the impressive Todra Gorge - at the lowest point the rocks are 300m high. There were already signs of local Moroccan tourism, but foreigners are still missing. Currently we are at the Hotel Riad Dar Bab Todra in Tinerhir at 4'692ft. [1'430m] altitude on the edge of the palm oasis with a view of the green palm belt and the desert behind. Here we plan our next stage. Unfortunately a predicted heat wave of >113°F [45°C+] makes the decision difficult for us: Either back to the mountains, to the Atlantic or to the "hell" of Merzouga in the desert of Erg Chebbi.

6/25/2021 Liliana and our rented

Kia Picanto near Imilchil

 

 

6/25/2021 Lake Tislit 4ms

[6km] north if Imilchil

 

 

6/25/2021 Gorge du Todra 10ms

[16km] before Tinerhir

6/25/2021 Below us Ait Ojana

and in the back Tinerhir with the

palm belt and the Todra river

 

 

6/22/2021: We are on tour in Morocco! After we heard that Morocco has reopened its doors for tourism on June 15th, 2021, we acted immediately: PCR test, flight, hotel and rental car booking and off to the airport with Uber. On June 18th – exactly three hours before the start of the new weekend lockdown in Lisbon – we were in the air to Casablanca on an Air Maroc propeller plane. It was a super quick decision! The exotic we missed in Portugal is back; and according to our feeling at very reasonable prices! We rented a Kia small car from Avis for one month and are happy to be mobile again. Now we are back in the country – for the sixth time – where Emil "tested" Liliana for her willingness to travel in 1968 before we got married. At that time we were on our way with one of his old VW Beetle, which revealed its quirks several times.

6/18/2021 Welcome at Equi Palace in

Berrechid, 34ms [55km] south of Casablanca

 

 

6/22/21 Castle of Ain Asserdoun

near Bιni Mellal

6/22/2021 Stork families on the

mosque of Oulad Embarek

6/22/2021 Reservoir of

Bin El Ouidane south of Beni Mellal

 

 

 

6/13/2021: The Inselspital (University Hospital) Bern supports us with medical e-emergency advice.

 

6/5/2021: The only news: A third extension of the temporary eight-month import permit (TIP) of our LandCruiser stationed outside Buenos Aires that expired on May 21st, 2021, was rejected by the Argentine customs. We now have to follow by email the procedure of its decommissioning. Yes, we miss our LandCruiser enormously, but we don't expect that Argentina will reopen for tourism again before the end of the year. Until then we have to plan our flights and accommodation very carefully and on short-term in order not to end up in a deadlock. So all options are still open.

 

5/25/2021: Lisbon is a very beautiful city; currently the jacaranda trees are in full bloom. Restored old nostalgic trams from the 1930's still circulate through the narrow alleys of the hilly old town. A ride on No. E28 – the so-called tourist tram – was a real treat on Pentecost under a steel-blue sky. The garden restaurants at the lookouts over the red roofs of the city were bustling with activity. Since Portugal reopened the gates to the English a week ago, 16 planes from England have landed in Lisbon in one day alone, not to mention those flying directly to Faro, Porto, Madeira and the Azores. Before the hype gets too big, it's time for us to move on. Besides the Comoros and Zanzibar also Malta, Cyprus and even Greenland are buzzing around in our heads. The decision itself is not easy, not to speak of all the restrictions and regulations!

5/25/2021 Largo Portas do Sol-

Viewpoint in Lisbon

5/25/2021 Bica Funicular at

Largo Calhariz, Lisbon

5/25/2021 Av. Dom Carlos I - from

the parliament southward, Lisbon

5/25/2021 Praηa Martim Moniz

vs. Castelo de Sγo Jorge, Lisbon

 

5/9/2021: The timing was perfect: Just as we were celebrating our 52nd wedding anniversary, relief arrived: Our health examinations at the CUF Clinic in Lisbon revealed no nasty surprises – just confirmations of what we already knew or suspected: Liliana's hip bone joint and Emil's spinal vertebrae, both caused by age-related osteoporosis. In the meantime we moved from a 183sq.ft. [17m²] small hotel room near the airport (Portela) to an apartment in the city center (Rego), where we enjoy all the amenities (incl. washing machine) – a small but nice substitute to our life on the road with our LandCruiser. Thanks to Schengen we don't have any visa stress, thus we don't rush with our onward journey. We are still not sure whether we should fly via Dubai (where the heat will soon become unbearable) or via Nairobi or Zanzibar to the Comoros. Who knows whether other possibilities might suddenly pop-up despite Covid-19.

 

5/1/2021: After the African island life on Sγo Tomι, we experience a pulsating European city for the first time in a long time. The contrasts could not be starker. On the one hand, we miss the exotic and the "more carefree lifestyle"; on the other hand, it is also pleasant to get everything we need and our hearts desire, and "to feel safe on the pedestrian crossing". Life in Lisbon is almost back to normal. Masks are compulsory everywhere outside the "own four walls" and is strictly observed. But you can move freely again, stroll around, browse in the stores and also indulge yourself in a good restaurant indoors or outdoors. We also used our short stopover here for a long overdue visit to the doctor. The results are still pending. But of course we hope that they will be positive according to our age, and that our health will allow us to continue our beloved free travel life – at least what's within our current possibilities.
 

4/18/2021: With a nostalgic look to the colorful crowd waving goodbye to their loved ones at the airport in Sγo Tomι, we boarded the Portuguese TAP plane to Lisbon on April 18th, 2021. A novelty for us was that we had for the first time wi-fi in the air, even for free. After six hours of a quiet flight over the Sahara in a brand new A321neoLR, we landed in Portugal on time, switching from the tropics to the European spring. But Lisbon and with it Europe will only be a stopover for us to do some shopping. What we cannot manage here, we would have to try in Dubai, before we return to Africa. Planned are still the Comoro Islands, but only after the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan on May 12th.

4/18/2021 Farewell at

the airport of Sγo Tomι

4/18/2021 Landing approach of

the 2.5 mio. metropolis Lisbon

4/23/2021 Estaηγo (station)

de Lisboa-Oriente

5/6/2021 District Rego

in the center of Lisbon

 

4/16/2021: Reports from Georgia (June to August 2013) caught up: Georgia (1)  /  Georgia (2)  /  Georgia (3)

 

4/11/2021: Our relaxing time in the still not too well known exotic African tropical country Sγo Tomι & Prνncipe is coming to an end after three months. Despite the Covid crisis (or should we say "thanks to it"), it was a wonderful time and a free life that we'll treasure. It won't be easy to change from a peaceful island life temporarily into the big city of Lisbon, where again everything is dictated with European pettiness by Corona. But the so-called pandemic says today what is possible and what isn't! As a farewell, for the time being, we attach four photos that remind us especially of this tropical island. We will miss many things: The lively hustle and bustle we have come to love as well as the simplicity of the people who go about their often arduous daily chores in the hot tropical sun with the greatest self-evidence. And last but not least, the special moments in the "Passante-Cafe" at the sea promenade, where we often let the day end with a cappuccino while "people watching". The only regret is that out of respect for the people, who often didn't want to be photographed, we cannot show much of the colorful everyday life. Did the "pre-pandemic tourist groups", which are missing today, contribute to it? Finally an apt quote from poet Jean Paul: "Memories are the only paradises where we cannot be expelled".

2/12/2021 Drying laundry along

the main road EN2 near Αgua Izι

2/26/21 Wooden home with fields near Porto Alegre in the South

3/8/2021 Little girl at Bombaim

in the center of the island

3/13/2021 "People watching" at Passante-Cafe in Sγo Tomι

 

3/29/2021: And already everything is different again! After the announcement of the new flight schedules for the (northern) summer, our last preferred route via Gabon-Cameroon to Sharjah in the UAE can no longer be realized. In addition, airfares are rising massively everywhere. Once again, we had to rethink and act quickly. We just unexpectedly managed to get hold of a cheap flight with TAP Air Portugal to Lisbon and thus also cash-in their voucher for the recently cancelled stretch from Sγo Tomι to Accra. We have now firmly booked for Sunday, April 18th, 2021, and hope that by then new Corona regulations in Portugal won't again cause an unpleasant surprise. But there is something good about it: Maybe it wouldn't have been a good idea to travel to an Islamic country during Ramadan, which takes place between April 12th and May 12th. We have not yet decided where to proceed now from Lisbon.

Happy Easter! - once more despite of Corona

3/20/2021: Since a few days the rainy season has started and turned the dirt roads in the jungle into mud tracks. This no longer affects us so far. We still drove them in dry weather and actually saw everything on the island that we wanted to see. Now we just concentrate on asphalt and gravel roads and the colorful city life of Sγo Tomι and make ourselves homely in our comfortable bungalow at the Hotel Praia. Emil continues to research how we can get on from here as reasonable as possible, still focusing on our original destination of Dubai. We already have two airline vouchers - from TAP Air Portugal and Egyptair - and don't want to collect more. Two flight routes are in the forefront: Either with Afrijet to Libreville in Gabon and further with Air Senegal to Douala in Cameroon and change there to Egyptair (= cash-in of a voucher) to Dubai. Or with TAAG to Luanda in Angola and further with Emirates. A flight today depends not only on its fare and workability, but also on required visas and the feasibility of the obligatory PCR tests. However, we do not necessarily see all this as a disadvantage - at the most as an obstacle - but see it as a challenge that is rewarded by less tourism and consequently by a more cordial "welcome".

 

3/20/2021: The "35th Anniversary on 16.10.2019 in Guarapuava/Brazil" is now updated.

3/20/2021 Emil in front of the

Postoffice of Sγo Tomι

2/28/21 Pond near Fernγo Dias 10ms north of Sγo Tomι

2/12/2021 Beach with fishing boats in Pantufo 2½ms south of Sγo Tomι

2/12/2021 Roηa Αgua-Izι

10½ms south of Sγo Tomι

 

3/11/2021: Today is our 56th day on the tropical island of Sγo Tomι. An "average" group tourist usually stays here only one week to visit the lush rainforest, the ruins of the former Portuguese cocoa and coffee plantations, called Roηas, and to experience the typical African hustle and bustle in the small villages with their colorful washing days at the rivers. With our advantage of having time we can get a deeper insight into the country and its people and always discover something new – be it the arrival of fishermen with fresh catch, a waterfall or the orange glowing flame tree shining through the jungle's green, deserted white sandy beaches and dugout canoes floating in the Atlantic with their white simple sails. But we are also already planning our onward journey. Covid-19 and Ramadan (in the U.A.E. and the Comoros), which takes place from April 12th to May 12th, 2021, are messing up our original program. The plan was to go first to Dubai and then to the Comoros – another African island that we are not considering with our LandCruiser. Emil is now constantly on the look for a reasonable option. It is not easy to find common ground for all PCR tests, visas, fluctuating corona regulations and Ramadan obligations. B.t.w.: A nice article about our world record tour was published yesterday in the American online magazine "Autoevolution".

 

3/4/2021: "More about the 37-Year-Journey around the World" is now updated (last time 12/19/2019).

3/4/2021: "The Journey's Chronological Sequence" is now updated (last time 9/3/2017).

 

3/1/2021: On February 24th, 2021, – Emil's 79th birthday – a heavy tropical rain is pattering on our bungalow roof all day. Two days later, after a very long time finally the sun shone again, perfect for exploring the 46ms [74km] southern coastal route EN2 to Porto Alegre, at the end of the road. The density of the primary tropical vegetation left and right of the road were once again a feast for the eyes. Everything seemed to be covered with moss, everywhere it seemed to sprout. The slow driving through the hilly areas with its many tight curves allowed us to observe the normal daily life in the small simple settlements and to avoid running over the pigs, goats chicks and dogs that ran across the road. Every now and then there were beautiful views through the thicket to lovely palm bays and white, deserted sandy beaches. At km 51 [~32ms], the landmark of Sγo Tomι came into view: The impressive 2'175ft. [663m] high Cγo Grande, a volcanic vent rising vertically from the plain. Then came the shock: A huge palm oil plantation began (currently 5'190 acres, planned up to 12'150 acres), as we know them from Malaysia (pic.22+24) and Indonesia. Tractors with trailers crammed with palm oil fruits crossed us. At the gate of the main entrance to the Agripalma plantation near the Τbo Nature Park (!), the good asphalt road suddenly stopped, and difficult stretches mixed with deep holes, broken asphalt and coarse gravel began. Porto Alegre, the small fishing village with 800 inhabitants at the end of the road EN2, where fish is carefully spread out to dry on grates and roofs, was then for us the epitome of an original island life, as it was centuries ago and still partly is.

2/26/2021  Praia Micondσ 6ms [9km] east of Sγo Joγo dos Angolares

2/26/2021 Cγo Grande view from the eastern descent to Rio Cauι

2/12/2021  Creek for washing near the beach of Αgua Izι

2/28/2021  Kindergarden hour in

Fernγo Dias

 

2/21/2021: We couldn't resist a second visa extension of 60 days (!). Thus, we would be allowed to stay in Sγo Tomι until April 22nd, 2021. In the meantime we made some excursions again. The nature is everywhere still largely intact and strongly tropical. The 28ms [47km] of the EN1 along the wild west coast to Santa Catarina, where the road now stops 2½ms [4km] later (earlier a ring trail is said to have continued to EN2), surprised us with the turquoise shimmering "Lagoa Azul", a wild coast with small villages with simple stilt houses and self-carved nutshell fishing boats on the basalt beaches. The exotic charm was once again provided by palm trees bending towards the sea. Sao Tome is still real "laid-back" country – as we experienced it during our Africa crossing between 1989 and 1993. The road network offers a single mini-tunnel; there are no traffic lights, however sometimes quite a lot of potholes. The women still carry laundry and dishes on their heads to the river to wash them there, their babies hanging in the back cloth. Yesterday we changed the hotel. The new one offers a fully functioning kitchen in an own bungalow. Eating always out no longer satisfies us in the long run.

 

2/9/2021: Bad news: The Portuguese TAP Air Portugal stopped its flights to Accra/Ghana due to the Corona crisis in Portugal, among them is also our booked and paid flight on February 20th, 2021, with a connecting flight of Egyptair via Cairo to Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates (also booked and paid). What now? We need to find a solution because our visa extension in Sγo Tomι expires on February 21st. Alternative: With the Angolan TAAG on February 18th, to Luanda in Angola and there five days later with Ethiopian Airlines via Addis Ababa to Dubai (a rather expensive option). The Angolan embassy here would issue us a 5-day transit visa for Luanda (US$10/p. - to spend in quarantine). Nevertheless, we still inquired at the local immigration here about the possibility of a second extension of two weeks, since TAP apparently plans to resume their flights to Accra at the beginning of March. Big surprise: We would get our Sγo Tomι visa extended for another 60 days (US$83/p.). What we will decide now is still open.

 

2/6/2021: The full moon's change of January 28th, 2021, brought a temporary improvement in the weather situation – reason enough to explore more corners and peculiarities of this small tropical island. We focused on the "interior", the island covered by lush green rainforest, which thrilled us with its exuberant vegetation. One destination was the "Sγo Nicolau" waterfall. Just getting there on one of the many jungle tracks was beautiful, but bumpy. Hidden in the sprawling greenery are ruins of the Roηas – the former Portuguese coffee and cacao plantations. They were usually self-contained places with a hospital, school, mansions and tiny quarters for workers. After independence in 1975, the plantations were nationalized. Unfortunately, due to a Marxist mismanagement, only ruins remain today. Every now and then one of the Roηas is converted into an "eco-resort" or slowly mutates into a "normal" village.

2/2/2021 "Our" Suzuki Jimny

in the rainforest

2/2/2021 Wild growing porcelain rose (Etlingera elatior)

2/2/2021 Sγo Nicolau waterfall

above Monte Cafι

2/21/2021 Atlantic Coast 1m

south of Roηa Diogo Vaz

 

1/31/2021: After 14 days of very hazy weather with milky skies and a few heavy tropical showers in between, the sky finally cleared up a bit for the first time on January 28th, 2021. We jumped into our 'Suzuki Jimny' and set off. First to Roηa Monte Cafι – one of the oldest coffee plantations, founded in 1858 by the Portuguese. There we visited the well-stocked museum where we learned about the origin of coffee (Arabica and Robusta). Motivated by the sunny weather we continued our trip, back to Sγo Tomι and along a part of the south coast. It took us through a landscape of deep tropical vegetation, picturesque palm-fringed bays surrounded by colorful fishing boats, fine sandy beaches and villages bursting with African street life. We are now looking forward to explore more. Immigration has extended our '15 day-free-visa on arrival' for STN2'220 (=US$110) p.p. by 3 weeks! New departure date: February 20th, 2021.

 

1/23/2021: Africa has us again for the fourth time after 1st 01/89-11/92; 2nd 07/11-06/12; and 3rd 10/13-12/15! And it is a far more authentic Africa than we would have experienced it - as previously planned - in South Africa or Namibia. After almost 20 hours of flying and 20 of hanging around from Buenos Aires to Sγo Tomι & Prνncipe, we landed on the evening of 1/15/2021 on the small airport of the island state on the west coast of Africa. A bright, clean and spacious room with sea view welcomed us at the Emoyeni Gardens Hotel. With a rented Suzuki Jimny we will now leisurely explore the 386½ sq.ms. [1'001km²] with its <1975- Portuguese past and are already dealing with the extension of our 15-day "visa on arrival". Life here is relaxed, corona masks are mandatory only in public buildings and shops and the islanders are friendly and very unobtrusive.

1/15/2021: Number of Visited Countries updated

1/15/2021  Arrival at the international airport of Sγo Tomι

1/20/2021 Pupils on their way home in front of Hotel O Bigodes

1/28/2021  Beach of Sγo Joγo dos Angolares (seen from Miσnga)

1/31/2021  Fishing village of Praia Melγo south of Sγo Tomι

 

10/1/2021: After three days "on the road again" we arrived in Buenos Aires on Sunday evening, 10th January 2021. Despite the intense heat of >104°F [>40°C], our LandCruiser ran perfectly during the 633ms [1'000km] through flat land. The mechanic in Posadas, who still knew about old car engines, did a great job. We are infinitely grateful to him. Here in Buenos Aires, things took an unexpected turn: Customs made real problems with certain things on our packing list, and our booked three flights to Sγo Tomι were at stake. Not hesitating, we decided to temporarily park our LandCruiser at the "Andean Roads" campsite in Ricardo Rojas near Tigre, 25ms [40km] northeast of Buenos Aires. It is now in good company with other stranded until we return and hopefully can travel freely again in South America. Latest indications for Argentina point to late March/April. There are still many places along the Andes to the north that we don't know yet. If it doesn't work out, we'll either go to southern Africa as planned (if the Covid-19 situation eases there) or ship somewhere else. On January 14th, 2021, we were on our way as planned in a plane to a "new world".

 

12/24/2020: Everything is organized: The 32nd container is booked, as well as our three flights on the first and second day: From Buenos Aires with Aerolineas Argentinas to Sγo Paulo/Brazil in the morning of January 14th, 2021, where - after a PCR test - we shall board TAP Air Portugal for Lisbon and after changing the plane onwards to Sγo Tomι; arrival in the evening of the 15th. What's then depends all on Corona. The number of cases in South Africa as well as in Namibia is steadily increasing and the newly mutated virus only makes things worse. Rumor has it that on the destinations where our Toyota is supposed to arrive, a second complete lockdown could be ordered, which would mean that ships no more would be allowed into the ports of Cape Town and Walvis Bay. This was apparently at least the case during the first lockdown. Therefore we have to be flexible with our planning, because the situation can change from day to day. The only certainty is that our days in Posadas are numbered: We'll still celebrate Christmas and New Year under the sunny and hot skies of Argentina. Today we learned that "our" hotel will reopen on January 2nd, 2021. Good news for "our" extended cat family! On December 6th, four new were born, all of them snow white and very cute. Now there are 10 in total and another litter is expected pretty soon.

Despite of Corona we wish everybody a Merry Christmas and a good and healthy and better New Year!

 

12/2/2020: - The most important thing: We have now booked our departure from Argentina! We will fly on January 14th, 2021, with the Portuguese TAP from Sγo Paulo/Brazil via Lisbon to the island of Sγo Tomι & Prνncipe on the west coast of Africa. This is new territory for us – just without car! There we will explore the island while our LandCruiser will sail from Buenos Aires across the South Atlantic to Cape Town in its 32nd container.

- The best: After a long search we are finally on the track of a shipping agent in Buenos Aires who doesn't want to rip us off in advance.

- The latest news: In the hotel garden the "Queen of the Night" (Selenicereus grandiflorus) bloomed again on 11/29/2020. The last time was on 4/12/2020.

- The saddest thing: One of the little kittens has been bitten to death by dogs; the remaining three ones (besides the four already grown up) are thriving splendidly and we still hope to be able to find a new home for them before our departure, which is quite difficult.

- The most worrying: Liliana's 3-year-old laptop Acer Swift 1 is causing problems, as does Emil's 7-year-old camera Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ70, after Liliana's same-aged Nikon Coolpix P520 already gave up more than a year ago.

- The most boring thing: Today is the 307th day in the same room in the same hotel and the 258th day of the Argentinean quarantine, which is no longer a lockdown, but still none of the 24 provinces can be left – travel "kaput". However, we have the luxury of retreating to the air-conditioned room with private bathroom and wifi, which is pleasant at the current heat wave of 104°F [40°C].

12/2/2020  Location of Sγo Tomι & Prνncipe

12/24/2020 Corona Xmas in Posadas/Misiones/Argentina

12/24/2020 Hotel La Misiσn Cat Family Offspring

1/10/2021 At one of the many campsites along the canal

"Rνo Coronel Martνn"

 

11/13/2020: An apt quotation from a friend on our 36th travel anniversary on 18.10.2020: "Does it make you sad, because things may not be the same today as they were in the past, or are you happy that you can have such memories?" Since November 8th, Argentina has moved from the phase of isolation (ASPO) to the phase of distance (DISPO). However, it is just another name, but does not imply a significant improvement of our restrictions. Provincial and national borders – the most important thing for us – remain closed! This new phase is now valid until November 29, 2020. What after that? Rumors say that hardly anything will change before the New Year, but perhaps in the months after. Beautiful prospects! Since our last update there is little news: Concerning shipping offers from the ports of Buenos Aires or Zαrate to Namibia or South Africa we have made some progress. But not everything is clarified yet, especially with our outbound flight. Covid-19 (tests, quarantine, restrictions, changes) complicates flying extremely. But we are still at it! Last Tuesday we were able to get a preventive vaccination against pneumococcus and flu for the trip; yesterday an eight-week young white kitten of the last quintuplets found a new home, and nature is green and blooming. Spring has definitely arrived – see pics.

 

10/18/2020: Today 36 years ago, on October 18th, 1984, we missed by a fracture of an inch the start to our journey to freedom due to a chaotic departure (http://www.weltrekordreise.ch/a_akte_20._jubilaeum.html). The adventure of our epic journey began! With nostalgia we now look back on the 36 wonderful travel years of our life and are happy to have been able to experience the world in the past 13'149 days when it was still okay. The privilege of being able to feel the great freedom in this form will probably not return so quickly anymore. Just yesterday, the Vice-Governor of the Province of Misiones in Argentina, where we have been stuck for seven months, announced that the provincial and national borders will remain closed at least until 31.12.2020. It seems that after that date, only regulated and controlled travel will be introduced in Argentina, which no longer corresponds to our free life. So we are now trying to plan for the future and to obtain shipping offers to our possible next destination - "southern Africa"; with zero success so far. Our everyday monotony, influenced by corona, is still brightened up by our lovely cat family. The "new" quintuplets are now 4 weeks old and very cute! Also the changing nature in the hotel garden always offers new surprises. At the moment the palms are bearing fruits.
 

 

 

10/18/1984  Begin of our worldtrip

at JFK Airport New York, USA

 

 

11/13/2020 Spring: Jacaranda  Tree (Jacaranda mimosifolia)

 

 

11/13/2020 Spring: Asiatic Dayflower

(Commelina communis)

11/13/2020 Spring: Blooming  Sago Palm (Cycas)

 

10/17/2020: The fourth page from Argentina with 63 nostalgic pictures from 1986-88 is now online.

 

9/29/2020: The third page from Argentina with 72 pictures from 2019/20 is now online.

 

9/26/2020: Our present quarantine routine with currently more than 13'000 daily new Covid-19 cases has now been extended until October 11th, 2020. Since our last update from 9/4/20, orchids were blooming and fading in the hotel garden, the last avocados felt down, mangoes were ripening, parrots started to build their nests, exotic birds appeared, the three now adult kittens became more affectionate every day and Liliana celebrated her 79th birthday. And, "our" cat family got five new brothers and sisters, whose birth on 9/20/20 caused quite a lot of excitement, when the highly pregnant mother cat did not appear for feeding for three full days. Our search was unsuccessful. Then, on 9/23/20 she suddenly appeared again around noon – much slimmer and very hungry. Where was she the whole time? Where did she give birth? When she only left the feeding place again in the evening, we followed her secretly and were amazed when she steered towards the locked door of the equipment shed. So we opened the door and discovered five mini kittens in a much too small cardboard box, two of them snow-white. How did she get in there? Three days ago, she apparently sneaked unnoticed into the door that the gardener had left open for a short time, which he then closed again. If he hadn't accidentally fetched the lawn mower three days later, she would not have been able to get out (again unnoticed) and she would have starved to death together with her kittens. And if we had not followed her secretly to the closed door, she would not have had access to her little ones anymore. Happy ending!

 

9/18/2020: The second page from Argentina with 96 pictures is now online.

 

9/7/2020: After a longer break we are a bit more motivated to catch up again on our trip picture pages (though it won't be possible to continue in the foreseeable future). Thus the first page from Argentina with 76 pictures is now online. Three more will gradually follow.

 

9/4/2020: Due to the increasing number of corona cases, which yesterday reached 12'026/day (!), Argentina is still firmly in the grip of Covid-19. Argentina has become the worst corona infected country in the world (compared by population worse than Brazil, India and the USA). Over the last weekend, the 11th extension of the isolation has been put in place until September 20th, 2020. In provinces with a high number of cases, to which Misiones luckily does not belong, the freedom of movement within the province has been limited again and put back to level 1 (= isolation at home). At least until the end of September, there will neither be long-distance transportation (bus, internal flights) nor international "normal" commercial flights. Thus for us the monotony of our everyday quarantined life continues. Last Sunday it was broken by the invitation to a delicious fondue at Erika and Heinz's place - a Swiss couple who has been living in Argentina for 30 years and who ran the "Restaurante Suizo" in Candelaria - a village 17ms [28km] southeast of Posadas - until the end of last year. It is beautifully situated on their own park-like grounds. Chatting the afternoon away with them was a real pleasure after the long time being just the two of us and the four cats, which admittedly are always fun to watch. Now we hope that at least the provincial borders will reopen soon, so that at least we can be somewhat "on the road" again in Argentina – probably wishful thinking until next year!

8/30/2020  Enjoying Fondue

9/19/20 Moth orchid

(Phalaenopsis amabilis)

9/20/2020  Cat increase

9/25/2020  Liliana's Birthday

 

8/2/2020: Our situation in Posadas/Argentina is still the same. The lockdown will continue unchanged for us until at least August 16th, 2020 (= 150 days). But what has changed in the meantime is the environment in our hotel area. The avocado trees, which for weeks provided us with an abundance of their fine fruit, are now being replaced by mangoes, which are slowly beginning to ripen. The bushes, which were still in hibernation, are starting to blossom again and spread a springtime atmosphere with their colorfulness. Also the chirping of the birds is intensifying. The temperatures are rising and allow us to spend more time in the lovely garden. Our cute kittens are soon grown up and provide entertainment and often also excitement, when the smallest and most playful one meows miserably on a high palm tree and doesn't know how to get down anymore! Only regarding the two of us things remain the same: We are still waiting for any openings and a solution where to go next! If we are lucky, the airport of Buenos Aires might reopen in September for commercial flights, thus we might park our vehicle securely and look for a change by plane, while the provincial and land borders seem to remain closed for an indefinite time.

 

7/8/2020: Since our last update of June 26th, 2020, nothing has changed in terms of the lockdown in Posadas/Argentina – on the contrary, the next extension could come on July 18th. But there is a ray of hope otherwise: We seem to have come closer to solving the long-running stuttering problem of our LandCruiser. Thanks to Heinz, a Swiss who has been living in Argentina near Posadas for 30 years, we ended up with a mechanic, who still knows about old car engines. After a week in his workshop, where he mainly worked on the carburetor, we were able to drive the six miles [10km] back to our hotel without any stuttering. Did the miracle finally happen? A longer test drive, which is not possible at the moment because of the Corona movement restrictions, will show if we can definitely cheer. Of course the current cooler winter weather still plays a role too, but maybe we will experience yet another summer heat wave here?

 

6/27/2020: Today, June 27th, 2020, we celebrate the 100th day in our isolation in Posadas, Argentina. The country has managed to grab a world record as "the longest and most strict quarantine" – not necessarily very pleasant for us! And there is no relief. On the contrary, in Buenos Aires, where the number of infected cases is currently rising due to the onset of winter, it's now spelled back to level 1 of March 20th. We read in the local newspapers that this will mean that another 20'000 small and middle-class businesses will lose their existence. The tourist office in Posadas has announced that after the pandemic, tourism will only resume at the "post-war era" level (what ever that means). Beautiful prospects! And how are we doing? Psychologically not optimal. When we see how in many countries people are slowly but surely able to move more freely again, we ask ourselves how long we want to be "locked up" here. We are now making plans again! The days are getting colder as winter approaches, so that we can no longer eat in the garden every day, which is always one of the nice moments of our isolation. And when a hummingbird (Hylocharis chrysura) visits us, our day has been saved! Liliana continues to devote herself lovingly to the little kittens that thrive without Covid-19.

 

6/13/2020: As feared, the now already 86-days lasting lockdown continues in its 7th phase and will now last at least until June 26th, 2020! At a minimum, we received a letter from the hotel manager yesterday, which allows us to drive to the city center to buy finally what we couldn't get in the last 12 weeks in the supermarket 2 miles away. For various reasons we dropped our initial idea to take the Swiss Edelweiss repatriation flight from Buenos Aires to Zurich on June 10th, to finally be able to leave Argentina. The destinations we prefer and where we want to ship simuntaneously our LandCruiser to, are Indonesia, Malaysia and Papua New Guinea. So we are waiting to see which of these three countries will be the first to reopen for tourists. "Our" cat family is still doing well; the 8-week-old kittens are growing and are simply adorable.

 

 

6/11/2020   7½ weeks old

 

 

6/27/2020  Guilded Hummingbird

 

 

7/8/2020 At the workshop of Alberto in Garupα/Posadas

2.8.2020 Spring flowers (Azalea)

 

5/27/2020: Everything is still unchanged with us! The 6th lockdown phase is running and will end after 80 days on June 7th – who believes it! The province of Misiones, where we are stuck, hasn't had any new infected persons for 3 weeks now, and yet the extreme restrictions remain unchanged. However in the neighboring province of Corrientes, which had significantly more infected people, normality is slowly returning now. We feel more and more frustrated, and having no perspective begins to gnaw at our minds too. What still remains are small things that brighten up our daily routine life: The chirping of the birds in the tropical garden and "our" cute cat family, which couldn't survive without us – actually it is the only "consolation" of our "settledness" since March 20th. An opening of the borders to our neighboring countries is not in sight, not even to the neighboring provinces. In addition, on 5/22/2020 Argentina announced a national bankruptcy. What effect this will have on us travelers, we will see.

 

5/17/2020: In today's corona virus stalemate, what do you do with its worldwide restrictions? You are beginning to dream of previous times, when the world was still in order, when traveling still meant adventure and freedom. This opportunity was offered to us by pure coincidence by Swiss Television, which yesterday, 5/17/2020, re-broadcasted our nostalgic 22-minute contribution (in Swiss German) as part of their program "Wanderlust Souvenirs on the Road (La Strada)". It was shot end of March 2004 on the Caribbean islands of Guadeloupe and Dominica and was followed-up by a Skype interview in April 2012 from the island of Rιunion in the Indian Ocean. Here the link: Wanderlust Souvenir Part 6

 

5/11/2020: Here in Argentina there is still no sign of a relaxation of the coronavirus blockade for us. On the contrary, the fourth extension of the curfew imposed on March 20th, has already come as "phase 4" into force: It will now continue until May 26th, 2020! Thus the radius of movement of 1Ό miles [2km] remains unchanged for us. And our visa, which has already been unbureaucratically extended by one month, expires again on 25th May. We are checking now with the immigration authorities whether and how we can extend it again, because it doesn't look like any neighbor's border is going to open this month. Fortunately our days are brightened up by our pleasant stay in the hotel with a nice garden and birds' twittering. Also the sweet hotel cat with its three cuddly kittens are a welcome change. Nevertheless, we are more and more worried how to get out of this unfortunate situation. But we think we are not the only ones, although we are slowly becoming impatient too!

 

4/26/2020: The corona virus lockdown in Argentina has now been extended for the fourth time until May 10th, 2020. This means for us that we are only allowed to drive 1Ό miles [2km] to the next supermarket/pharmacy. For the city center we would need a permit. The government also decided to suspend all international and domestic flights until at least September 1st. What kind of country are we stuck in! The only sensation was that our cute black hotel cat that we take care of gave birth to three kittens: a snow-white, a grey and a baby tiger kitten. B.t.w.: Our visa was automatically extended by one month and will expire now on May 25th.

 

 

4/26/2020 Our hotel cat got kittens

 

 

5/10/2020   3 weeks old

 

4/12/2020: It is now decided: Argentina extends its lockdown at least until April 26th, 2020. Our visa expires one day earlier. With the help of our hotel "La Misiσn" at Posadas we will try to get an extension from the immigration after Easter. In the meantime, a routine and monotony has crept in: In the morning at 8am hotel breakfast – yes we get it still despite the closing – coffee drinking at the now emptied pool, surrounded by banana trees, the "queen of the night" cactus flowers and palm trees, where croaking parrots and other birds fly back and forth, feeding the black pregnant hotel cat, which follows Liliana like a puppy. At noon we are allowed to cook in the hotel kitchen as we are slowly running out of camping gas; eating under a mostly blue sky under the shady avocado tree; taking a siesta, watching the sunset in the pool area. In between we inform ourselves in the internet about the development of the spread of the corona chaos, answer emails from dear people, where partly the contact already slept for some time but now fortunately is revived again and dream from time to time about possible continuations of our journey. The LandCruiser still has to wait until we are allowed to do a test drive.

 

4/1/2020: Where, how long and how are we sitting out the Corona crises:
What: Lockdown/quarantine. Where: In Posadas/Misiones/Argentina. When: Since March 20th, incl. until April 12th, incl., for the time being. How: Because of the eternal overheating problem our LandCruiser stood several days in the workshop of the Toyota dealer in Posadas – unfortunately with unsuccessful result – we changed to the hotel "La Misiσn". We landed a direct hit not only in terms of price, but also humanly when in Argentina the closing of all hotels, campings etc. was ordered. Because we had a good relationship with the management, we are now allowed to stay even after the hotel closed. We now cook and eat at our LandCruiser, put table and chairs under the shady avocado tree and enjoy a kind of camping life. In addition we have the luxury of retreating into the air-conditioned room with its own bathroom and wifi, which is pleasant in the still prevailing heat of 104°F [40°C].

 

 

3/31/2020 Meals from camping kitchen

4/1/2020 Coronavirus regulations

1/27/2020 Iguazϊ - Ferry Paraguay - Argentina

1/27/2020 Argentina Customs Puerto Iguazϊ

2/21/2020 Toyota Misiones in Posadas Argentina

 

1/20/2020: Scanned slides from the pre-digital area show how much South America has changed visually since our first visit in 1987/88. Emil followed up some of the Chilean attractions based on roadmaps and with the help of Google. The immense changes are partially disappointing! Where we were alone with nature at that time, there are nowadays parking lots, fences, compulsory walkways, and a lot of more dos and don'ts. But on the other side today's roads are better (paved), investigations by internet are much easier and some other developments such as cash withdrawals, communication, border crossings (customs and immigration documents) have been facilitated. At the end of our Chile-2 photo page we added now 36 of such nostalgic pictures.

 

1/14/2020: The second page of our 2nd South America trip 2016 through Chile with 60 new pictures is now online.

 

1/8/2020: The first page of our 2nd South America trip 2016 through Chile with 75 new pictures is now online.

 

1/4/2020: Fortunately, time is on our side. Because what we really need is time and patience to organize the 32nd container voyage of our LandCruiser from South America to our new destination in Papua New Guinea. During the festivities nothing at all happened for two weeks anyway. Now slowly some movement is becoming apparent, including obstacles: The logistics firm of the French shipping company CMA-CGM announced that they don't handle cars with personal belongings inside, not even in a container "FCL". Now we just have to wait and see and drink tea!

 

12/25/2019: We are still stuck in Ciudad del Este in Paraguay and are still waiting for offers of shipping companies, which are not very cooperative here in South America. As soon as we know if our LandCruiser will be sailing either to Papua New Guinea from Montevideo/Uruguay via the Atlantic and Indian Ocean or from San Antonio/Chile via the Pacific Ocean, our onward journey will continue accordingly. Today, the two of us have been celebrating Christmas quietly at a festively set table in our air-conditioned room while outside the temperature has risen to almost 104°F [40°C].

 

12/19/2019: "More about a 35-Year-Journey around the World" is now updated (last time 5/26/2019).

 

12/14/2019: The page of our 2nd North Asia trip 2016 through Saudi Arabia with 18 new pictures is now online.

 

12/14/2019: Liliana is feeling better again! We are now preparing our take-off from South America at the beginning of 2020. If everything works out, our next destination will be Papua New Guinea for the second time. According to our principle "Never give up", we finally received after another attempt another permission to explore the country with our own LandCruiser on a temporary basis (the first time was in 2010). Now we are working on the tricky task to find a shipping line taking our LandCruiser in its 32nd container from South America to the West Pacific region.
We wish everyone a Merry Christmas and health and happiness in 2020!

 

11/27/2019: It's the first time in her life that Liliana was on a drip As the stomach flu symptoms with abdominal cramps and vomiting sickness did not improve for days and the fever yesterday reached already mid-afternoon over 102°F [39°C], she pulled herself up for a consultation at the Santa Lucνa Hospital opposite of their Nova Hotel. She has been diagnosed with food poisoning. With medication she feels already a bit better today but it means to remain still a bit longer in Ciudad del Este in Paraguay.

11/27/2019 So fast it happens: Liliana on drip

12/14/2019  Merry Christmas!

 

 

12/25/2019  Xmas table 2019

 

11/24/2019: The daily temperature raises up to 104°F [40°C] what reduces considerably our activities. After all we finally found a voltage regulator in Ciudad del Este in Paraguay and endured also three days in the heat under a corrugated iron roof of a car electrician in order to solve the overheating problem of our LandCruiser. But despite of installing a fourth electric gasoline pump with direct access to the tank and renewing all the other fuel lines, barely having left the workshop we got stuck again in the midst of the city's rush hour traffic: No matter what "goes on" around us, it means unscrewing the carburetor feed line and suck in fuel . Air bubbles still interrupt the gasoline flow. Where does it come from? Slowly we are out of ideas, but also the "experts". To make things worse both of us have been affected since days by a nasty stomach flu. As soon as we feel better again and the heat wave is over, we are off again, most probably towards the South, where it's less hot.

 

11/13/2019: The page of our 2nd North Asia trip 2016 through Ukraine part 3 with 33 new pictures is now online.

 

11/3/2019: After 3½ workshop days at the Sassa Car Service workshop in Cantagalo/Paranα/Brazil the big worry on our Brazilian visa expiring day of October 30th, 2019, was: Is the problem now really solved in order to be able to reach the 190mi [306km] to the Paraguayan border without any breakdowns to leave the country on time? Until about one mile [1½km] before the border everything went well. There, however, at 104°F [40°C], we got stuck in stop-and-go traffic of a double line due to the 35-years "teething trouble" of our LandCruiser. The carburetor was overheated insomuch that the recently installed three new electric fuel pumps weren't anymore able to build up the necessary pressure. That meant: Cool down the carburetor with water, disconnect the petrol pipe from the carburetor, suck in the fuel and after refitting make new starting attempts - and this not only once! But finally we reached customs where its procedures were fast and easy.

 

10/27/2019: We are stuck at the Sassa Car garage in Cantagalo/Paranα, 190mi [305km] short of Foz de Iguaηu, due to the increasing stuttering, stalling and misfiring of our LandCruiser at the slightest ascent. As soon as the gas pedal has to be floored more than half of its way, the problem starts. Last Thursday, 10/24/2019, we have exchanged some of the electric parts and replaced the three fuel pumps - to no avail. Friday it was once more the cleaning of the carburetor despite of having done it only two weeks ago. The compression shows fine data after 9'000mi [15'000km] of its last engine overhaul. When Emil came back with the workshop boss from their umpteenth test drive with finally his thumb up, it felt almost like a miracle. But the joy didn't last long. On Saturday the old problem returned; the carburetor was once more cleaned and a new big gasoline filter was installed. The test run was again OK. But we aren't trusting it anymore and want to take down the gasoline tank, clean it and check the fuel pipes tomorrow, 10/28/2019. We are a bit under time pressure because our Brazilian 90-days stay will expire on October 30th, 2019. At least the lovely "Pousada Espaηu Verde" with its camping is only 1½mi [2Όkm] from the workshop, where we can relax fairly from the stressful situation under a bougainvillea tree in full bloom.

 

10/18/2019: Today in the South of Brazil in South America, we are celebrating another milestone in our world record tour: Our 35th anniversary on the road! It was October 18th, 1984, when, with a chaotic start, we swapped our ordinary life in Switzerland for an adventure into the unknown. The goal was to explore the world free of schedules at least for one year and enjoy the freedom. From one year it became two and afterwards it never stopped. A special imprint left three more prominent milestones: Our 30th travel anniversary in Angola in Africa under an unlucky star, our 25th travel anniversary in our dream destination Tahiti/French Polynesia in the Pacific, and our 20th travel anniversary under palm trees on the island Saint Martin/Sint Maarten in the Caribbean. (15th: Canada, 10th: Pakistan, 5th: Egypt).

10/18/2019 Passport fotos at start 35 years ago

10/27/2019 Camping Pousada Espaηu Verde

10/30/2019 Brazilian Customs in Foz do Iguaηu

11/20/2019  Once more below the hood

 

10/10/2019: "When the drive matters more than the destination" - article in The New York Times about people inspired by wanderlust as far back as 1894.

 

10/3/2019: The page of our 2nd North Asia trip 2016 through Iran with 78 new pictures is now online.

 

9/30/2019: The day when our LandCruiser reached its 777'777.7km [= 483'289mi], it was greeted by the Tarpan Toyota in Blumenau, which granted it a long overdue lubrication service.

 

9/27/2019: On September 27th, 2019, the odometer of our LandCruiser jumped to 777'777.7km [= 483'289mi] in charismatic Blumenau. Of course we make a remembrance picture and at the same time flash back to some more interesting figures and milestones on our epic journey: The 700'000th kilometer [434'960mi] we celebrated in Abkhazia (which we recorded but got lost due to the robbery of both our cameras in Abkhazia). The 600'000th [372'823mi] was in French Guiana; the 500'000th [310'686mi] in the United Arab Emirates; the 400'000th [248'548mi] in Estonia; the 300'000th [186'411mi] in Australia; the 200'000th [124'274mi] in Libya; and the first 100'000th [62'137mi] in the USA. The heyday of our worldrecordtour was 1999 in the UAE where we drove up at a Middle East Conference of IBM with exactly 500'000km (310'686mi] on the odometer on which occasion we were presented with a IBM Thinkpad – our first laptop – followed by a Mavica Floppy Disk Camera from Sony. Due to the huge media coverage, we were offered by the Wallenius-Wilhelmsen Shipping Line a free ride from Dubai to Japan for the LandCruiser and us, arranged by the Toyota representative Al-Futtaim Motors in Dubai.

 

9/22/2019: The last two weeks were weather-wise not a pleasure: Rain, dense fog, wind, storm and overcast skies. Who wants to explore the world in these circumstances. We have been sitting out this period – still in our apartment at the Island Santa Catarina near Florianσpolis – and have been working on our website's photo pages of Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan that are now online. Now it's Iran's turn with 78 beautiful pictures of our 3rd tour in 2016 to North Asia. In any case we'll spend still a few more days here, as it's Liliana's wish to celebrate her 78th birthday on coming Wednesday at this lovely place. Then we have to look first of all once more for a Phonak hearing aid representative, because after her left earphone, which was repaired in Asunciσn/Paraguay, now also her right one is dead (there's always something that breaks: material fatigue within 2Ύ years).

9/22/19 Sunrise in Praia dos Ingleses SC

9/27/2019 777'777.7km in Blumenau

9/27/2019 Lubrication service in Blumenau

10/10/2019 The New York Times

 

9/17/2019: We found a nicely written article on the net from a Swiss 4x4 Online-Magazins of 11/9/2018: "Toyota LandCruiser Weltrekordreise".

 

9/14/2019: The page of our 2nd North Asia trip 2016 to Kazakhstan with 57 new pictures is now online.

 

9/5/2019: "It is harder to move on when everything feels right". Thus, we still enjoy our little apartment at the beach front at "Praia dos Ingleses" on the island of Santa Catarina near Florianσpolis. Nearby Satinho Beach with its white sand dunes belongs to our favorite places on the island. What next? We will first head to "Ciudad del Este", the Paraguayan duty free border town near the Iguazϊ Falls. We need one or two new cameras – our present ones are already over 6 years old (19'000 resp. 13'000 pictures), and we will also check a DashCam.

 

9/3/2019: The page of our 2nd North Asia trip 2016 to Turkmenistan with 45 new pictures is now online.

 

8/26/2019: We are back on the coast – at the moment at the island of Santa Catarina near Florianσpolis. Here we are now enjoying some relaxing days. We got now in the off-season in an apartment house of the Pietra Flat at the "Praia dos Ingleses" an offer that we could not resist: A room with balcony and ocean view, a small kitchen, breakfast buffet included, for R$177 a day = approx. US$46. We enjoy the soft sound of braking waves, the sun rising at the calm bay, the powdery soft white sand of the beach and filet mignon as well as cheese fondue on our balcony. There is almost a Caribbean feel to it! Further north (Curitiba, Sγo Paulo) the impact of the disastrous wild fires of the Amazon forest are already felt in the air, thus we are not really in a hurry to move on. Btw: At the "Cambarα do Sul" plateau" on August 16th, we have seen ourselves several fires caused by human activities, even at the entrance of the "Aparados da Serra" National Park.

 

8/23/2019: Our second side trip from the coast into the mountain region lead us from Criciϊma in the Brazilian state of Santa Catarina to the "Serra do Rio do Rastro" mountains. The narrow mountain road climbs from the small town of Lauro Muller along a steep cliff within 15 mi [24km] in 284 curves and switchbacks (we did not recount them!) to an altitude of 4'662 ft. [1'421m]. Is a truck or bus approaching, then it gets precarious and the adrenalin flowing. There are some turnouts enabling us to enjoy the view over the lush green plain right up the Atlantic Ocean. The "Serra do Rio do Rastro" counts to the most beautiful places in Brazil. That our LandCruiser braved the long 10% steep ascent without its notorious overheating problem added to our lovely mountain experience.

 

8/17/2019: As the four-lane coastal road BR 101 north of Porto Alegre does as before not run directly along the Atlantic Ocean, but often through big cities, we decided to do a side trip to the "Cambarα do Sul" plateau, lying at an altitude of 3'300 ft. [1'000m]. It is a region with deep canyons and high towering Araucaria trees. Our goal was the "Aparados da Serra" National Park with the Itaimbezinho Canyon. A trail along the canyon revealed many wonderful sights into the deep gorge. It was a welcome change from the monotonous lowlands. Having explored most Brazilian main attractions already 1988 – by then luckily without today's flow of tourists – we are now concentrating on less spectacular places, but still worth visiting. Thus, from the city of Criciϊma we will undertake another side trip into the Farofa mountain range.

8/16/19 Araucarias in Itaimbezinho Canyon

8/19/19 Ascent "Serra do Rio do Rastro"

8/25/2019 Chilling out near Florianσpolis

9/5/19 Praia Sotinho Island Santa Catarina

 

8/7/2019: On August 2nd, 2019, we changed from the Uruguayan city of Chuy to the Brazilian one of Chuν – from a pretty expensive, very clean, Spanish speaking but rather "sterile" country into a more vibrant, more affordable and Portuguese speaking country. Always along the coast, we drove up to now 438mi [705km]. What did we experience? At the Rio Grande beach, we marveled at the endlessness of the Brazilian beaches, and in Tavares, 89mi [143km] more northern, we visited the 'Lagoa do Peixe National Park', where in October flamingos on their migration route to the South make a stopover. Now we saw at least a big colony of cormorants and some other water birds. The access road procured us a kind of thrill: The soft sandy track was often under water for long stretches, and at the small wooden bridges we asked ourselves: "Do they withstand the Lancruiser's weight of nearly 4 tons?" Otherwise the whole coastal stretch was flat, agrarian oriented with grazing cattle and horses and huge grain elevators. The road was never following directly along the seashore.

 

8/1/2019: Four years ago today we experienced the worst night: An armed robbery in Malawi.

 

7/30/2019: It was only a 85mi [137km] drive from Montevideo to Punta del Este in Uruguay. Faithful to our intention for Brazil (see below July 20th), we already chose here the coastal roads wherever we found access to them. The many white sand dunes lining the shore were a fascinating foretaste to what lies ahead of us: The 5'800mi [9'300km] long drive from Chuy in Uruguay along the Brazilian Atlantic coast to French Guiana that we already visited April 2003 and again in June 2005.

 

7/21/2019: Merely 114 mi [184km] into Uruguay's good roads, we got stuck in the small city of Trinidad due to a broken water hose of our modified heating system. The water of the radiator, colored with red antifreeze, inundated our LandCruiser in the front. It was a real mess! Emil fixed it provisionally. At least we reached in the meantime Montevideo despite leaking still a bit. It is the second time that this in 2012 additionally built-in heating system in Miri/Sarawak/Malaysia (see pic. #451) makes this problem; but at 37°F [2°C] temperature a bit of warmth is appreciated.

7/21/2019 "Mess in Trinidad"

7/30/2019 South coast of Uruguay

8/2/2019 left Chuy uy/right Chuν br

8/5/19 'Lagoa do Peixe'-NP at Tavares

 

7/20/2019: Despite of Emil's persistent low back pains and Liliana's persistent bronchitis that still bothers both much, two days ago we left Santa Fe heading southeast through a landscape dominated by farming. However we aren't yet driving towards our planned project "Tierra del Fuego in wintertime". Due to our prevailing health problems, we postponed the visit to the "southernmost permanently inhabited place" to a later date. New goal now: "Driving along the Brazilian Atlantic coast from Chuy in Uruguay to Saint-Georges in French Guiana" – 5'800mi [9,300km]; that's from the southernmost to the almost northernmost point of Brazil. We hope hereby that the warmer climate in tropical Brazil will speed up our recovery. Currently we are in Colσn in the Argentinean province of Entre Rνos along the Uruguay River, opposite the Uruguayan border town of Paysandϊ.

 

7/5/2019: We are still stuck in Santa Fe. Despite of further injections and medication, Emil's low back problem hasn't improved noticeably; fortunately it seems that the backbone itself is ok. But: Liliana starts to show slight temperature and it looks like she caught a flu somewhere. Shouldn't we get our health under control soon, we'll have to postpone our project "Tierra del Fuego in winter" to the month of August.

6/30/2019: The Route Map around the World is again updated (last time 1/23/2018).

6/30/2019: After 537 miles [865km] and 17½ driving hours into the first quarter of our >2'500 miles [>4'000km] long journey to Punta Arenas, Emil's low back pains (see 6/15/19 below) increased in such an extent that we had to consult a doctor in Santa Fe. Today he got an injection (Dexamethasone/Diclofenac) and we hope to be able to continue tomorrow Monday. But we are still on track for our "winter project Tierra del Fuego": For the remaining miles, it will probably take us about 65 driving hours = for us almost 15 driving days, in order to reach the ferry in Punta Arenas on July 25th, 2019, to Puerto Williams.

 

6/23/2019: Tomorrow, June 24th, 2019, we are leaving Paraguay definitively and will start to our winter journey to Tierra del Fuego. 2'500 miles [4'000km] are lying in front of us until Punta Arenas, where on July 25th, 2019, we will board the ferry "Yaghan", which will sail with us in 32 hours (349 miles [561km]) through 9 different sea channels to Puerto Williams on the island of Navarino at the Beagle Channel, the most southern "city" of the world. The municipality of Cape Horn is running once a month a complimentary ferry to Puerto Toro, a hamlet at the eastern side of the Island of Navarino (coord. -55.08294/-67.07578) and therefore about 7½ miles [12km] more southerly than the well known Argentinean Estancia Moat, 80 miles [129km]east-southeast from Ushuaia. Around 30 people live there permanently in near complete isolation. The mayor of Cap Horn kindly allowed us to join this tour with our LandCruiser on July 28, 2019, also free of charge, in order to give us the opportunity to reach the "southernmost permanently inhabited place" of the world within the frame of our "Longest driven journey". We are really excited!

6/23/19 Winter project 2019 "Tierra del Fuego"

6/27/19 Ruta RN11 Chaco-Santa Fe

7/20/19 View from Colσn/Arg. to Uruguay

 

6/15/2019: We are still in Luque in Paraguay! Emil caught a very bad, surprisingly afebrile bronchitis, which brought all our actions for two weeks to a halt. Hardly back on his feet and his adventurousness returned, he got shot with lumbago! But one can still plan: In order to experience in South America still something new, special and exciting, we chose the option "Tierra del Fuego" in wintertime after we explored the region 32½ years ago in summertime. Will camping get too uncomfortable, we will book into a hostel, and will the roads become too icy, the tires will get fitted with spikes. We will start in the coming days to this journey.

 

5/29/2019: The page of our 2nd North Asia trip 2016 to Kyrgyzstan with 88 new pictures is now online.

 

5/26/2019: "More about a 34½-Year-Journey around the World" is now updated (last time 8/8/2018).

 

5/21/2019: After Liliana was able to repair her broken Phonak hearing aid yesterday in Asunciσn/Paraguay, our top issue is now: "Whereto next?" At the moment we are discussing five possibilities (the order does not say anything about the priorities): 1) In wintertime to Tierra del Fuego. 2) Along the Brazilian coast from Chuy in Uruguay until Saint-Georges in French Guiana. 3) From Manaus with boats via Leticia, Iquitos to Pucallpa in Peru. 4) Shipping from any South American container port to another corner in the wide world. 5) To remake our grills of the front side windows, which went missing in Salta/Argentina; to have some body work done (cracking and chipping putty) and to find a solution of the never-ending engine overheating problem of our LandCruiser in the workshops of the Mennonites in Filadelfia in the Paraguayan Chaco.

 

5/8/2019: Today is a very special day for us: We will celebrate our "golden wedding anniversary". Of the 50 years of married life, we spent with our LandCruiser 35 years on a journey around the world, which makes it even more special! As a festive setting, we are incidentally surrounded by lush green in the beautiful tropical garden of the camping site 'Quinta Tiffany' in Luque near Asunciσn /Paraguay. And for today, we are not sleeping in our LandCruiser but in its "Cabaρa". Three days ago we entered Asunciσn after having crossed the plains of the Argentinean Chaco, affected by heavy rains. At the moment the rainy season is here still in full swing and some roads of the Paraguayan Chaco are not drivable due to flooding.

 

4/27/2019: Because we found it hard to leave the Andean mountains, we lazed away more time in the South of the Bolivian border. Especially in Tilcara/Jujuy – another village with a Bolivian flair. But on Easter Sunday we took the gloves off and began our journey to the East. Luck had it that in the little village of Tumbaya/Jujuy an Easter procession was underway and later in Cobos near Salta a Gaucho festival – two special highlights on this Easter Sunday. The third surprise was that for the first time in his life, Emil was asked by a police woman to blow into an alcohol detector: Result negative! That he drank on that day exceptionally only one can of beer at lunchtime feels like a premonition. After stopovers at the already known camping sites of Salta and Cafayate, we continued yesterday from Cafayate over the 10'000 ft. [3050m] high "El Infiernillo"-Pass to Tafi del Valle/Tucumαn on 6'560 ft. [2000m] altitude. Tomorrow we will drive further to the East.

5/8/19 "Golden Wedding" in Luque/Paraguay

 

 

12/30/1986 Ushuaia/Argentina

 

4/14/2019: Cafayate-Salta-Cachi-Salta were the next legs since our last "What's happening". This triangle with its outstanding scenery captivated us already 32 years ago. And it did also today! Definitively worth a second visit was the stretch Cafayate-Salta with its gorgeous stone formations of different forms and colors stretching for about the first 37 miles [60km]. But also the spectacular hairpin bends from Salta to Cachi over a 11'320 ft. [3450m] high mountain pass were a pleasure. Lovely and interesting were also the encounters with a couple of motivated overlanders. Among them also the Swiss Yvonne and Alois, who, inspired by our worldrecordtour website, hit the road now for already six years. Salta was also the place where we actually wanted to repair the reinforcement panel that broke between the textile cover and the roof. But being not a supporting element, the local Toyota suggested us to leave it as the Argentineans would do it. We also adopted now the Argentinean way of thinking!
In Salta we also needed to plan our next sector. To the North through the Andes or to the East to the warmth. Finally, the North won. From now on, it was partly new territory for us, as we drove 1987 a slightly different track. The little adobe though by now touristy village of Purmamarca, embedded in red stone formations, and the 39 miles [63km] drive on the very good tarmac road until Humahuaca with its Bolivian flair were the highlights of that stretch. There, in Humahuaca, lying on an altitude of 9'850 ft. [3000m], we suddenly were not anymore enthusiastic to spend more cold and wet evenings on the front seats of our LandCruiser. We therefore changed our plan and are now heading East towards Paraguay and Brazil instead.

 

3/22/2019: After we enjoyed relaxing days at the camping "El Rincσn del Leo" (-33.04906 -69.07883) west of Lujαn de Cuyo (Mendoza) and could refill in town at "Faveri" also our four gas bottle cookers from South Africa, Brazil, Oman and Qatar despite of the different adapters (-33.03639 -68.87661), on March 13th, we hit the road northbound again. Our daily stages were to San Juan (province San Juan) - San Josι de Jαchal (prov. San Juan) - Guandacol (prov. La Rioja) - Chilecito (prov. La Rioja) - La Ciιnaga (prov. Catamarca) - Santa Marνa (prov. Catamarca). New territories and highlights were especially the 20 miles [33km] ride through the Ciιnaga Nature Park near San Josι de Jαchal with sweeping views over reddish mountain ranges, remembering us to the West of the USA. Equally inspiring was the drive over the "Cuesta de Miranda", which took us from Chilecito to the province of Catamarca. The mountain road meandered in many bends through eroded red rocks and stately candelabra cacti. The vast empty land and the mainly traffic free roads rose our traveler spirit! Less motivated were some camping with always barking dogs, unclean and dilapidated sanitary complexes. We started to dream of the wild nature places of the past! But since our armed robbery in Malawi we are not anymore very keen for rough camping. And how did perform our LandCruiser? No overheating anymore so far! But a reinforcement panel broke between the roof and the textile cover, banging at the minor bump. In Salta - approx. 180 miles [300km] further - we will have to take care of it.

 

3/1/2019:  "News – January/February 2019" is now online.

 

2/26/2019: Still escaping the cold we followed the legendary, now mostly paved "Ruta 40", to the North. In touristy Bariloche we decided to meander once more through the densely forested lake region of "Siete Lagos". Under a brilliant blue sky which accompanied us since the beginning of our nostalgic South America journey (1/11/19), the lakes embedded in pristine nature were gleaming in deep blue. After the bleakness of the steppe it was a refreshing sight. But there was also new land for us. For many kilometers we rolled through wide hilly highlands, followed by a (still) 50 miles [80km] long unpaved and corrugated stretch through a beautiful landscape between Barrancas/Mendoza (exactly -36.57094/-69.82873) and Bardas Blancas/Mendoza (-36.07503/-69.72234). But this had a price: Bothering was not only the heat of 95°F [35°C] (yes, we finally have our much anticipated share of warmth!), and the dust that penetrated into the interior of our car despite having sealed newly its doors. But it was especially our good old LandCruiser itself that after a climb-up the overheating problem popped up again and forced Emil to suck gasoline in order to continue - something he swore in Tajikistan, where we had this problem over and over again, he would never do it again. But he had no choice! In the meantime we reached Mendoza and are relaxing at the camping "El Rincon del Leo". It is a beautiful quiet place where finally also wifi works and where Emil celebrated his 77th birthday. South America keeps us really on the move. Until now, we traveled so far 3'170 miles [5'100km], with a gasoline consumption of 12 miles per gallon [22.8 lt. per 100km].

2/15/2019 Camping Portal Norte in El Bolsσn

3/16/2019 RN40 South of Catamarca

3/16/19 Cuesta Huaco San Josι de Jαchal RN40

3/30/19 On RP33 from Salta to Cachi

 

2/12/2019: Five days ago we changed from Chile Chico into the neighboring country of Argentina, from snow covered mountain peaks and crystal clear lakes into the inhospitable and windswept Pampa, where the wind howled continuously and complicated camping life. Despite of it, it was lovely to drive for hours through the deserted flat dry steppe towards the North, occasionally only interrupted by remote estancias, tucked between high cypresses. Shy guanacos and fast rheas (a kind of ostriches) crossed our way. About 250 miles [400km] after the border – near Gobernador Costa – the landscape changed abruptly. Bleak desert hills lined the road and a meandering river with lush green trees and yellow flower carpets at its shores gave the brown landscape color and a special touch. We want now to escape the penetrating cold of the South and are now on our trip to the North and the warmth. But Argentina is also long: 2'360 miles [3'800km] (Chile 2'670 miles [4'300km]) – and internet access is still very very lousy!

 

2/4/2019: Since days we are now moving southwards on the Carretera Austral. Only once at the beginning we were surprised by drizzle; otherwise we rolled under a deep blue sky past turquoise lakes, rushing mountain rivers, always accompanied by snow covered mountain peaks and glaciers and steep forested slopes. In the valleys we crossed little hamlets and farms, and at campgrounds we met some same-minded overlanders but also some who do not have anymore the same overlander-spirit like us. After a few frigid nights we have now midsummer temperatures, but mid-week the weather is changing. We have therefore no pleasure to "trudge along" with our old bones and simple camping style for the second time through the notorious bad weather zone towards Ushuaia, where we already were in 1986/7 celebrating Christmas and New Year. After 385 miles [620km] on the Carretera Austral - today mostly good asphalt, yet about 60 miles [100km] of bad gravel left - we therefore plan to take the ferry from Puerto Ibaρez to Chile Chico and entering afterwards Argentina.

 

1/22/2019: Back to our camping life: Since we left Santiago in Chile towards the South on January 11th, 2019, we traveled 1'055 miles [1'700km]. Only on our 11th camping, on the "Turismo Tell Camping Los Suizos" in Punaco, 6 miles [10km] east of Los Lagos in the XIVth Region of Los Rνos (-39.87382 /-72.72009), we found functioning Wifi, where we finally are able to update "What's happening"; also the mobile network (Entel) is hardly usable with 2G. Highlights of our chosen route were among others three National Parks: The "Laguna del Laja National Park" with the Antuco volcano, the "Conguillνo NP" with the Llaima volcano and its impressive Araucaria forests, as well as the "Villarrica NP" with the Villarrica volcano. All three perfectly coned volcanoes greeted us in a brilliant white under a steel-blue sky. The nights are already getting chilly (about 43°F [6°C]), but our sleeping bags keep us cozy warm. We are continuing now to Osorno and Puerto Montt, where the Carretera Austral starts, which we would like to drive more to the South. Since the oil leak at the engine's front keeps within bounds, we didn't take action yet, but we keep an eye on it.

 

1/3/2019: In Santiago/Chile, on January 3rd, 2019, we had a wonderful reunion with the two people who inspired us in August 1983 in Cape Mclear in Malawi to embark on this epic journey around the world. We met them 35½ years ago on our common yearly holidays on the African continent. Brigitte and Gerhard from Germany. At that time, the two were touring Malawi during an Africa crossing with their 4x4 camper mobile. The idea of such a life of freedom took especially possession of Emil. He slowly tried to win Liliana for it. The result is known!

1/3/2019 Brigitte & Gerhard in Santiago

1/17/2019 Llaima-Volcano Conguillνo NP