Yesterday Layne and I, rigorously noticed by the chief safety officer unloaded the loot introduced again from the States by herself, then we stripped our lockers and sorted stuff we didn’t need to maintain anymore. Then we changed it with the brand new and we hope extra helpful stuff.
It’s good to not be rushed and to be in a cushty local weather and to have a lot of room to unfold out. Layne introduced again a extra appropriate tenting chair by Kilo and we gave away the bigger Kilo chair we determined to switch. The younger French couple of their tiny camper had been grateful for it.
It’s all of the impedimenta of journey and dwelling mixed with heavy wooden furnishings that places our Promaster at full capability. However you pays your cash and also you takes your alternative. We’ve been dwelling full time on this van since October twenty first 2021 and we neither of us are uninterested in it (Rusty would possibly disagree), so we should be doing one thing proper.
By some requirements we’re loaded with stuff which in the event you dwell in a 3,000 sq. foot house is laughable, however I’ve found there aren’t a number of open ended vacationers like us. Most overlanders are on a journey constrained by time or cash so an acceptable life on the street match them is touring mild and principally roughing it in a tough sided tent.
GANNET2 is our residence, so taking some money and time to restore our van after 116,000 of the toughest street miles doesn’t appear an excessive amount of of a burden. Particularly as we have now extra travels to return on not nice roads. Our plan is to be in Pensacola in time to vote within the subsequent election however that could be too quick for us to get again to Florida. Crew Misplaced strikes slowly.
The plan now’s to drop off GANNET2 at Renzo’s store on Tuesday earlier than lunch. I hope by Wednesday night the scanner dude may have some perception into the locked transmission code. Both means I hope we might be again aboard dwelling in our residence by Thursday.
After I prompt a go to to the RAM vendor to clear the codes I obtained a type of basic evasive Latin American noes, and I’m unsure why. Drivemotor Peru doesn’t have a lot standing on this city apparently as I’ve been directed away from them greater than as soon as. Renzo will get his Mopar elements shipped direct from Lima which says one thing I suppose.
Then there may be the brand new drawback of clicking CV joints within the entrance wheels. Bear in mind after I mentioned our van is at full load capability (9400 kilos)? The CV joints are like your knees so I’m truly happy we will get them changed whereas we’re stopped right here. Peugeot Jumper vans are one other Promaster variant and chassis elements are interchangeable. We now have Fiat/Renault/Peugeot bushings bearings tie rods brakes and so forth, already from our repairs in Panama, and a brand new Peugeot windshield from our rock encounter in Ecuador.
Thus as a result of I choose preventative upkeep to roadside repairs – the thrill of my impecunious youth after I broke down throughout Europe on my bikes – I need to test and change our suspension parts. To you it is perhaps a waste of cash however to us it’s one among peace of thoughts.
I attempted to pay Renzo for his or her finished however he refused. He mentioned he solely likes to receives a commission when the job is completed correctly. Okay then. Layne and I might be drawing soles from the ATM in days forward in preparation for an unknown invoice. A bit bizarre however right here we’re. Apart from all that we have now pushed away from Renzo’s store owing him I don’t know the way a lot cash.
It’s a lesson in cultural adaptation all this mechanical annoyance. Our van is damaged however we get to camp aboard and are welcome within the campground. After we broke down in the midst of nowhere we had been welcomed by the area people which helped us arrange a tow to Arequipa. The mechanic took us in instantly and stripped our gearbox. We obtained to sleep in his store unattended and he inspired me to hold round and watch the work.
Typically I catch myself pondering: “we’ll do this after we get residence…”however I’m truly discovering South America normally is a lot simpler to deal with than the inflexible legal responsibility mindset within the States.
One factor we have now realized on this journey is when you’ve got money and time and endurance it should all work out. And as retirees with no obligations and an open ended schedule and month-to-month miraculous checks we have now that privilege.
The principle purpose I report this journey is to have a reminder after I’m older and residential certain that I did dwell. The journeys of my youth earlier than the digital age are locked away solely in my reminiscences, and I’ve all the time wished to see locations and issues for myself, so each likelihood I obtained I went whether or not I had a digital camera or not.
The opposite extra quixotic purpose is to indicate it’s not harmful or silly to get in a automotive and drive south. I’m not a journey agent and I’d by no means encourage anybody to do one thing they don’t need to do however I hope it’s sufficient to open a curtain on the world outdoors in order that others might even see how unthreatening and totally regular life is in locations not usually visited. I remind myself each day I first got here to South America at age 67. I first took my bike to North Africa at age 19, so It took me some time to get right here and I’ve traveled everywhere.
The world I grew up in is fading away and the assumptions I’ve about how the world ought to work are being changed by new realities and since I’m human I perceive however I resist the modifications. I don’t like this new world order of anger and revenge that’s changing the temporary interregnum of peace that I grew up in but it surely’s the truth.
We now have talked about going to Europe and driving East via Turkey to Central Asia however we meet Europeans who had fashioned comparable plans however felt they couldn’t go for the time being so South America was the peaceable different. Thats a lesson for us.
And we’re discovering cheap medical care, out there mechanical elements and welcoming locals. What’s to not like? 90 days her and 90 days there and fairly quickly you’re too previous to maintain driving.
So what if we’re caught right here for a month? After that our tales from the street will resume and no matter issues present up might be a recent alternative to drawback resolve. That’s life on the street or off.