Friday, September 10, 2010

Everywhere she goes, heads turn

Travelling alone on a tiny motorcycle, you tend to meet a lot of really lovely people. Take a lot of unbeaten tracks and explore. Your mind is completely open to everything around you. Your senses open to exploration. And, it seems, every where we go people just want to talk to us, or watch us in wonder - it's not every day you see a girl on a 125 cc motorcycle touring Chile, apparently.

Day 4: Chanaral to Antofogasta
Isabella and I had to return to Antofogasta for additonal registration papers and our first service. Normally recommended within the first 30 days of ownership, her 1,000 km service was due by day 4. We had 1,341 km when we arrived to Antofogasta!

This time, we followed Route 5 - the Pan Americ Highway. Highlight on the 300 + km desert filled day was the Hand of the Desert. It even gave us the thumbs up!

Day 5: Antofogasta - Juan Lopez - Mejillones
Intially the plan was to get to Tocapilla - but the rego papers took a little longer than expected. We left Antofogasta in the afternoon, and took some time to explore the region to Mejillones (only 100km away).

Highlights:

La Portada - similar to what our Great Ocean's London Bridge USED to look like...

Meeting new friends on the white cliffs of Juan Lopez

Crossing the Meridian of the Tropic of Capricorn

Sunset tour with Alfredo (my hostel owner) at Mejillones.

As always, there's more updates to soon follow! So keep your eyes peeled for the next episode of Isabella's adventures in Northern Chile!

Hasta Leugo mes amigos!

2 comments:

  1. Ola Jewlz, que tal ? :)
    It seems your little but brave motorbike is a perfect companion for the south american roads !
    You can be proud of you, traveling in the region on your own must be amazing and exciting at the same time: well done !
    Take care, stay upright and have a good time on two wheels ^^.
    Ben

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  2. Bonjour Ben!

    I'm having an absolute blast. Not too much internet, and when I do get it, I'm pretty tired. :-(

    Completed the most rewarding road - ever. Approximately 160 km of dirt road, plenty of sandy corners, on a tiny bike, carrying fuel and my bags. Felt so alive! And the scenery was stunning!

    You definitely need to bring Laurence here - you guys would LOVE IT!!!

    Also met a crazy french guy who's riding a BICYCLE from Arica in northern Chile, to Bolivia and Argentina down to the south of Chile to finish in Patagonia. I thought I was crazy. But he took the cake! :-)

    Anyways, miss you guys - will skype next week if you are around!

    Je t'embrace plus forte!
    J xo

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