Back to Life ,Back to Reality
Buenos Aires we’re back! We arrive at our apartment to meet our host a little latter than we had planned but still within our time slot. We were nearly late due to a navigation systems disagreement but they couldn’t fool us this time BA is a city we’d already ridden and we soon realised my phone had landed us in totally the wrong side of town over to Jill and our normal navigation system.
We were soon settled into our apartment it felt just like home we had stayed here on our previous stay and we’d chosen it again out of convince.
First job after unloading everything from the bikes was a supermarket sweep and to get a pocketful of washing machine tokens and that’s us settled in for three weeks. One job for me (ha-ha just one job you had just one job!!!) was to get the bikes cleaned ready for shipping home. Jill was going to knuckle down work on her blog and produce a few YouTube videos. And that was that the day neither of us really wanted but in reality, we both knew would come. The trip was over! Well the riding at least we still had three weeks before our flight home. It was still a good time some well-deserved relaxation and still a few things to see and do around the beautiful Ciudad Autonoma de Buenos Aires. Yes, I know, well that’s its name, I’ll just call it BA which also happens to be one of my favourite cities visited on this trip. Over the three week period we did visit a few sights not previously seen but we mostly just sat around killing time, sulking and getting fat on junk food and beer (well I did anyway) the days where a lot cooler now and the city didn’t seem to excite us as it did before but there was hope another couple of motorcycle travellers have pulled into town and are happy to meet us for food and drinks… yippee I can work on my rather large beer belly in the company of two well-travelled English bikers kelvin and Susie these two have been riding south America for over two years and are air freighting their bikes home a few days before us . It was good to get out for a proper drink. A few days later we were back in there company in their rented house eating tradition South African food with two more motorcycle travellers these two were from South Africa it was a great craic with some really nice home cooked food its always great how you get to meet people along the way even at the very end.
The end it was though first the bikes go to airfreight and then we are delivered to the airport good buy BA, South America, and welcome to our comfy seats on board a very posh new aeroplane (I won’t go into to the details they will follow in a blog shorty) but the upgrade to primmer meant we could get the excess baggage home within the cost of our flights and for the first time in my life on a long hall flight I had a comfy seat with leg room.
The dread the wonder what faces us now as we collect baggage and head to are last port of entry on this trip what changes do we have to look forward to someone has already told us since we’ve been out of the country the money has changed another thing that I’ve been total oblivious to is Brexit ok I’ve seen a bit on social media and the world news but I’ve followed it not! All I know is when we left the UK two years two months ago the people had voted to leave and we still haven’t enough said.
And here it is our first change electronic passport booths for all UK citizens there was lots of them but no one really knew what to do but they did let use back in the country with no questions a shame really I was quite looking forward to the questions that could have been asked of us after being out the country for so long and no passport stamp in to the country disappointing that after collecting so many stamps in our passports without the return stamp the passports felt a little bit incomplete.
A short wait at the arrivals terminal in Gatwick south I changed my Argentina pesos into some new English pounds and we waited watching the English tourists coming in from places like Malaga, or where ever else it is they go to get there kiss me quick hats and straw donkeys it had sunk In to us ever since we were on the plane but seeing these families all sun burnt and still in there union jack shorts makes us also feel as if we’ve just returned from a two week holiday.
Big brother arrives and we our rescued from having to witness another arrival of the English. We were one of the first arrivals into Gatwick that Saturday morning so it’s not long before we are cruising around the M25 in his posh new jag there’s hardly any traffic on the roads a true blessing for the M25 just a few lorries going about their business and as the sun rises I can’t help but notice how clinical it all is no pot holes, no families of 3-4 up on a scooter flying past, trucks running on clean diesel, no dogs standing around on the road sides, ( I still miss the street dogs ) and Anthony is driving like a vicar! Well in fairness he has to, our entire journey is on film buy the smart motorway system and yellow speed cameras are everywhere adapting to this is going to be a shock to the system.
Not to worry now though it’s still the crack of dawn and it’s all around to Mummies for bacon Umm I can already smell it!!And were still on the M25. It’s really great to be reunited with my family Jill’s family will be next and very soon due to Anthony’s kind offer for me to use his jag whilst he is on holiday in a few days’ time (what has he let himself in for) families however are not strangers with the use of social media, face time, Skype etc. we have been in regular contact with them just something else that seems now only to add to the we’ve just returned from a two week holiday feeling. Friends mates all you other lot we will meet again soon all in good time and whenever I pull my head out the sand and decide to get on with things. so just one more helping of bacon and eggs (thanks mum) and we are delivered home tired and slightly unhappy only because the last two years seems to have disappeared into a bit of a blur and as I crawl into bed to hibernate my first impressions of the country we left behind two plus years ago is that it seems to have had all the fun taken out of it.
So, what happens now then? When you have completed your “end of life plan” and you’re still alive. There is nothing left just a shed load of great memories ‘memories that a lot of people we meet won’t be that interested in not for long any way hey! if you’re ever board though we could tell a few great campfire stories (blazing saddles springs to mind no stop it!!). What happens next for me is we go again not straight away but we do have a plan watch this space. Jill has walked into a steady local job so we are not gunner starve just yet although we have both got to lose a mountain of the weight that we put on while traveling so we are quite hungry!! The answer to the main question is not yet decided yet? Where to next? Like I said watch this space.
It was always thought that I’d have to redecorate this house when we got back so I was always going to prolong going back to work a bit longer than Jill (see I’m not just being lazy, or am I ?) but as it happens the house has been left in a reasonably liveable condition so I’ve got out of decorating unfortunately that means I can’t milk it too much longer and will have to find a job sooner rather than later (any one got a job for me? ) there now I’ve applied online don’t anyone dare answer!! So, the plan well be for the foreseeable future get up in the morning and see what that day brings. (Much the same as life on the road then) suits me.
I don’t really want to go into the hassle we had on our return trying to re-insure our bikes and the disappointment of not being able to ride our bikes back from Heathrow due to this countries MOT and road tax laws . It’s like the missing passport stamp the trip all be it only 40 odd miles feels incomplete . And whilst I’m having a moan it would appear that I’m now an alien in my own country payed into the system all my life but because I’ve been out of the country for X amount of days, I’m not entitled to any benefits for three months hey-ho welcome home!! Let’s leave that there talking about it doesn’t make me any happier to be home, but what does? I really miss travelling like we were if I had the money wright now and all but for family and friends I would have happily turned around and ridden the whole 62625-mile ride in reverse. So, for the unknowing among you here is just a few things I miss about life on the road in the Americas. The constant movement, street dogs, the Latin American way (si mi amigo we can fix that maybe manana) ,not being understood (I am rubbish at Spanish worse at Portuguese) ,the daily challenge with the”23” different plug adaptors you need to charge your everyday items, not forgetting the sheer beauty of the place and the friendliness of the people this applies to all countries visited I think that’s a traveller thing the last one , this list could go on for ever .
It’s a short life and you can’t take it with you so for now we are poor but I wouldn’t change it for the world we are very rich in other ways. So there you have it don’t put off doing the things you want to do or love doing to long do it while you can there are no guarantees in this already short life, but there is always hope we had the privilege to ride for a day in the winds of Patagonia with a couple two up on a BMW he was 80 years young and she was …. I can’t tell you that!! There you go get me around that campfire and there will be no end to it. So, to any that wish to follow in our footsteps or just do the Americas any which way you can my advice to you is take your time and take a travel plug. Speaking of wash bags ,wash kits whatever you choose to call them three weeks plus now at home and we are still living out of ours yes the his and hers wash kits our in the bathroom as they have been for the last couple of years (isn’t that sweat or sad I’m not sure which)
So, what have we learnt (well it certainly wasn’t Spanish or Portuguese) well it wasn’t for me. Jill has picked up some good Spanish and is going to continue learning it now she is home. I managed to bumble through with a few every day necessities? I really regret not learning languages but feel I’ve now missed the boat as far as learning is concerned. I'll bumble through as ever. To travel has to be one of the best experiences/educations available in life. So much better than any work experience or a job reference why don’t they ask to put your travel experience on your CV’s or at interviews? One of the things I began to notice as we moved across Canada and the USA and which is also noticeable in central and South America and in Europe as it is the rest of the world (you should all notice it but properly take it for granted) is the consumption of the people of this planet and their needs for the everyday items is pure madness. Everything ( just think about it for a minute)from the massive cattle herds of Texas all waiting to become beef stakes on the supermarket shelves to the simple fact that every supermarket , corner shop, bar, restaurant or road side seller , has for example( and I could choose thousands of others ) cans of Coca-Cola on their shelves or in there fridges O dear am I starting to sound like a politically correct vegan snowflake well sorry I’m not I like the fact that these products are there so I don’t know what the answer is I’m sure it’s something like hell yeah this plant will burn out sooner or later let’s just carry on .One thing that brought it home to me. He’s off again put the campfire out and shut him up please!! Heading east one day a boring (no sorry I can’t use that word nothing about our ride was boring) let’s just say my mind was wondering as we cruised along on one of North America’s interstates. In a timed half an hour period I counted 32 UPS double trailered .I think the yanks call them semi’s we call them articulated Lorries heading east. And that’s just one example of goods heading in one direction it’s just none stop. There is no immediate answer to this issue people are lazy they want things on the supermarket shelves and things delivered to their door the goods must get through but this next issue can be addressed.
Plastic here we go snow flake mode again imagine this every plastic bottle you drink from, every meal wrapped in plastic you eat, (them steaks have got to be individually shrink rapped) every plastic straw you use, every plastic bag you use only once to carry these items in. Well take them and just chuck them all out of your car window or leave them on the beach or even better drive to a beautiful spot with a beautiful view where there are wild animals and just chuck it all over the parapet just like everyone else dose now you are in Mexico, central and south America I’m not saying it’s not a global problem but the people south of the border with the USA really do need some education, help and incentive from their governments to take a bit of pride in the places they live. Plastic will be the down fall of a lot of species on this planet ,maybe even adding to our own decline if the insects don’t get us first.
Shall we have another campfire story to end on? Something a little more cheerful anyway? Something I’ve already touched on but worth bringing up again while in the USA and heading south we were often asked where are you from? Where are you going next?” Mexico” don’t go there you’ll be shot, stabbed cut up buy machete wielding drug lords you could even get kicked by a donkey didn’t dare tell the unworldly Americans (I know I’m sorry not all of you! we loved you and loved your country but some of you need to get out more) that we would be visiting Colombia where you have as much chance of getting attacked by a hippopotamus as you have bumping into a drug lord. Take advice listen to the people that have travelled keep an eye on current local affairs but don’t let the unknowing people sway your judgment on things they have no clue on. The countries we could have been lead to believe where going to be a problem turned out in our experience to have the friendliest nicest people of all that said of all the people we encountered only one caused us a problem we lost a camera to his quick hands as much our own fault as his.
The lessons learnt are many and as ever the list could go on for ever so if you see me around that campfire sit your bums down somewhere else or be prepared to be told a yarn or two.
Hasta pronto mis amigos
I would like to dedicate these pages to Aunty Margaret French
Who has followed and read these ramblings since the begining?
Aunty you must be the only one who has!! Thank you XXX
The whole trip I personally would like to dedicate to Brian and Margaret Mills better known as Mum and Dad who on the same day as the completion of this little ramble received a letter from the queen in celebration of their 60th wedding anniversary
60 years wow that kind of humbles two years on the road well dune you two XXX
