Date: 11/08/2012 à 13/08/2012

Where we were: Cartagena de Indias - Colombia

Why? Temporary export of Tanajura to the U.S.

Time devoted to bureaucratic processes and preparations: 3 days, somando tudo.

Filled Tire : treatment of Colombian. All the people with whom we interact are quite solicitous and sympathetic, ever bothered to help us and make us spend as little time as possible with all procedures. It is worth mentioning that even the guards who toured the car were friendly!

Flat Tire : have gone to the harbor (it was far from where we were) a toa, at 8am, por causa de uma informação errada dada por uma funcionária.

Tanajura and His Journey to the U.S. Maritime

After we researched very, considered and discussed what would be the best way to send Tanajura, Send decidindo just-the, by navio, Cartagena (Colombia) for Seattle (U.S.) - More information about our difficult decision that you can find here, our post about all this!

Because this whole process is very bureaucratic and full of details, we will try to tell here step by step so that everyone can know how it works!

Well, our first day of work was pretty intense. We woke up early and went to the company Naves Colombia, working with shipping and would be who would take care of the boarding Tanajura. Arriving there we were very well served by Luz Elena that, although it was not very well informed about our case by our agent, foi sympathetic and patient. We would like explained all procedures and gave us a two-page document containing all the instructions for next steps, seemed a gymkhana!! Saímos of e…..estava given to start!!

Task 1 - Objective: Request authorization to export the vehicle. Duration: 1h30 (duration times include displacements from one place to another). We entered the Tanajura and headed to a place that took xerox, because we would need some documents. Then we went to the DIAN (Colombian customs) provided with copies of: driver's license, Document entry Tana in Colombia, car and passport document. This task was easy, just took a while for us to meet, but nothing fairer, enter the building and everyone was celebrating winning the first medal of another of Colombia in London Olympics (Mariana Pajon, BMX)!!

Task 2 - Objective: Register of us in port. Duration: 3h. We had to request a pre-authorization on Port Society (company that manages the port) for, on the day that the car was dispatched, a person driving the car could enter. Since the port is a controlled area, This person must have a record. Another important thing is life insurance, every visitor that enters the port must have a valid life insurance and submit it at that moment when the record does. In our case we do not need to buy because our travel insurance (that e World Nomads) was enough for the required port. As we near the lunch hour we had to wait a little longer than normal, mas correu tudo bem e pudemos até degustar um bom café colombiano durante a espera.

Task 3 - Objective: Delivering a clean and empty Tanajura. Duration: 6h. The night before we had to take all our valuables and clothes that would use during the nearly 30 days without Tanajura. Since it is our home, spend a little time doing it reasonable. After all, plus we take our things we had to reorganize many other, to make sure that nothing would be on the inside of the car (where people who would handle the car would have access). Besides, took her for a bath, since tinha that be delivered clean. Then the next day we headed to the terminal to deliver the Tana! Once there everything went well and she was in a courtyard, awaiting some surveys and boarding. Shortly thereafter we went to the police department counternarcotics, which is also within the terminal and there deliver some documents to request a date survey. To this survey is mandatory for all cars that are exported from Colombia. When we got there we discovered that we would have written a letter of responsibility on the car and that, because it had not at hand, would have to return the next day to ask for survey. Conversation will, conversation comes, managed to convince the police to let us use a computer these same, to write and print a letter! In the end everything went well and still ended up using the computer's police chief!!

Task 4 - Objective: bureaucracies and final settlement of payments. Duration 2h. We returned to the Port Society to pay the invoice for the documents and some port procedures. Moreover, to inform them the time that the police had agreed with us to our survey of narcotics. They confirmed the time, which would be the next day at 8am, e nos deram um documento para entregar aos policiais.

Task 5 - Objective: Perform a famous narcotics vistoria. Duration 4h. We came to the door to 7:30 am, well in advance to avoid any unforeseen! That surpresa! After everything has been so sure something had to go wrong, everything was going too well!! It happens that when we got there the police said the police the previous day (informed me that there was the time when the survey was conducted) havia be fooled, the survey could not be made at 8am, would be just to 14h. After much insistence unsuccessfully, back to the hotel! Finally, às 13h40, were there back to the survey and then yes it worked, Gustavo entered the port (a person can only enter by car) and headed for the Tanajura to begin withdrawing ALL things from inside the car, Bucket, tents and cabinets! Yes, this survey is famous precisely because of this, the police make you take absolutely everything from the car and has a reputation for being quite implicants! Well, in our case we did not have any problem, quite the contrary, the guards were not fans of Brazil and made me take everything from car! Cabinets, for example, or I had to empty. He said they were clothes and they would get all dirty if I had to put them on the floor! They agreed, analyzed to see if there was any background or false wall in closets and released to lock them. That is to say that they are fairly strict with regard to inspection, Some examples: led the refrigerator to pass a scanner, experienced one of the remedies to see if there was drug, examined until the cap of the glass of olive oil to see if there was nothing hidden inside, etc.. Feita a vistoria eles entregaram um papel de liberação e estava tudo certo.

Task 6 - Objective: Finalizing procedures. Duration 1h. After parking in the courtyard again Tana (after inspection) and hand over the keys to her port personnel, we turn again to the Naves Colombia, deliver all the paperwork that accumulated with these procedures and ready, tínhamos completed all tasks, a treasure hunt ended havia!! Now it was only expected to board the ship Tanajura!!

Procedures finalized, Tana no porto, ready to ship and we look forward to start clearing the end of the summer in the United States!!

The post Tanajura and His Journey to the U.S. Maritime appeared first on 4x1.

Date: 09/08/2012 a 18/08/2012

Saímos of: Santa Marta – Colombia

Destination: Cartagena de Indias - Colombia

Distance: 254km

Travel time: 4h

Path: We left the Tayrona National Park towards Cartagena, passando por Santa Marta e Barranquilla.

Where to sleep: Hotel Marlin, movimentada located na Crescent Street, heart of the historic district of Gethsemane, onde se hospedam a maioria dos mochileiros que buscam uma boa relação custo-benefício.

What eat different: PF-style soup with Colombian entry. Not that the plate is different, but the fact that everywhere we find this combination of a tasty chicken soup, with lemon squeezed, with the PF, nos fez elegê-la como a principal cara da nossa estadia em Cartagena.

Tire cheio: The sympathy of the Colombian people and the beauty of the old city, ou cidade murada. Walking the streets of the walled city can feel in another time, with houses all restored and conserved. Isso junto à simpatia e receptividade dos colombianos são os pontos altos da nossa estadia em Cartagena.

Tire murcho: Run time and closed the ride to Playa Blanca. A Playa Blanca em if E sensational, but the day trip we did not worth the time it takes to transport Cartagena beach (near 5 hours). Moreover, had the “kind” we close the tour on a rainy day and closed time. Se formos para lá ém uma próxima oportunidade o faremos com mais dias para aproveitar melhor o passeio.

Cartagena de Indias – Journey into the Time Tunnel

We left the Tayrona National Park, near Santa Marta, on the morning of 9 August toward Cartagena, passing by Barranquilla. Barranquilla is the city of Shakira, but not found there in our brief. So we asked some people on the streets where the singer was, but it seems they do not like her very much there! Or do not like us, viravam a cara todas as vezes.

We arrived in Cartagena in the early evening and went straight to the neighborhood of Gethsemane, where is located the most lodging cheaper (including hostels for young tourists) look for something with good value for money. After all, Cartagena would be that the embarcaríamos Tanajura and therefore not contaríamos with our tents to sleep Automotive. The city was full, but we managed to find a last minute spot in a hotel at Rua Media Luna. Exhausted after a day traveling (and the night before bad sleeping), comemos algo rápido e já fomos dormir.

The next day (Friday, 10 August), we had to split to achieve fazer Tudo you wanted: two of us went to see the paperwork that would be required for the process of sending the Tana, while the other three were looking for a new hotel, given that the former would have no vacancy for the other days we stayed in Cartagena. Surprisingly, the process ran extremely well in the harbor, without delay or wasting time with unnecessary bureaucracy, contrary to what we expected based on reports from other travelers. Therewith, just the day fairly early and I went to the hotel where we spent the rest of the days in Cartagena: the Hotel Marlin, whose owner personally greeted us and was very excited about our project. The hotel was just down the street from each other when we were, we keep close to the old town center, que fica cercado por uma grande muralha.

As we 9 Cartagena days, split time between there and know the area work on outstanding issues that had, how to plan details of the route to Alaska, write, upgrade the site and stuff. And also a little rest. We had been on a routine run to get to Cartagena, because we had a deadline to be in town, due to the sending of the car!

Well, speaking of sending the Tana, foi tudo tranquilo, as we had seen on the first day we were in port. We gave her a nice bath, Agenda survey of narcotics in the door and we said goodbye, with a heavy heart, our companion. At the appointed time to deliver to the company that would make transportation: now, just to see you again in Seattle - USA !

Without Tana to take us from one corner to another, we are located close to the attractions of the city was crucial. To complete, found a small, friendly family restaurant near the hotel called This is the point, serving dishes-made, entitled to input a soup and drink, for something equivalent to 7 real. Great value for money! Almoçamos lá quase todos os dias em que estivemos em Cartagena.

Another restaurant we attend the pizzeria was quite the Ciudad Movil, a cultural center that offers photography workshops, juggling and Afins, and operates a pizzeria at night. A pizza was incrivelmente buoy!

As we near the walled city, or former center, Cartagena, also walk by there almost every day, enjoying the beautiful local architecture, restored, and the sea view from the top of the wall. A pity that the care we had to restore and maintain this historic center of Cartagena is not seen in many places outside of the wall. Walking a few blocks away you can see houses very similar to encontadas inside the wall, mas muito pouco conservadas.

As we walked through the old city we felt like we were in another time, the richness of detail and perfection in the structures in the maintenance of buildings. Along with this, o povo alegre nas ruas e a abundância de cores nas roupas e objetos transformam uma simples caminhada pelo local em uma incrível viagem no tempo.

The Gold Museum, Cartagena, is located within the walled city and is quite interesting. It's not very big but is very rich in culture with valuable information. A estrutura e a didática impressionam.

We seek the very famous Colombian coffee, but it was not so easy to find. In many places we find coffee, but a normal coffee, halfway watery. We finally found something we can call real coffee at Juan Valdez, although not very suitable for a real experience to be like a Starbucks Colombian. Anyway, was better than the other samples that had: bodied coffee, express, quite flavorful!

We decided to take one of the days we had in Cartagena to go to Playa Blanca, a day trip by boat back and forth. The beach is amazing, clear blue water with white sand well, even on a cloudy day, makes the scene look like something movie. However, unfortunately this was one of the greatest of our stay stuck in Cartagena. O barco Saiu, delayed, às 8h40min, a trip 5 hours tied to Playa Blanca, 45min with a stop in an expensive aquarium on an island on the way, we decided not to go and hopefully by the beach. Several people who came out saying it was not worth the price they charged. We arrived at Playa Blanca just before two o'clock in the afternoon and went straight to lunch, which was included in the package. We ate quickly and went to make the most of the beach. It was two o'clock in the afternoon and at that time we were informed that we should go back to the boat at 15:30, to go to 16h. Would only 1h30min beach! That's it, take 5 hour ride to get less 2 Beach hours! Promptly, all already on the boat, we started to get to 16h to 18h in Cartagena. Conclusion: to get to the aquarium, we stopped on the way, we made a detour to go 1h 1h and more to return to route. A beauty! And the worst is that the tour is sold as if it were a day of Playa Blanca, with a "small" parade in aquarium. Holed total. The ideal would be closed under a package of more than a day in Playa Blanca, it can sleep wool. So even taking all this time of course it would have been more worthwhile. Well, As all worth it if the soul is not small, ficamos com o aprendizado e com a bela paisagem da praia na memória.

Cartagena took the flight to Los Angeles, with stops in Bogotá and Miami. Although we were a long time in Cartagena and Santa Marta in a bit, ainda existem muitas coisas e lugares que não pudermos conhecer na Colômbia.

Do not know yet if we go through here on the way back, mas com certeza o povo hospitaleiro desse país será lembrado com intensidade nos nossos Retratos das Américas.

For more pictures of Cartagena, visit our Flickr here!

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Date: 06/08/2012 a 08/08/2012

Saímos of: Merida - Venezuela

Stop em: Ciudad Ojeda, Venezuela

Final destiny: Santa Marta - Colômbia

Total distance: Just over 750 km (in 2 days)

Path: Mérida follow toward Ciudad Ojeda undergoing Valera and Agua Viva. We passed Maracaibo, San Rafael of the Mojan, Já Paraguachón na Colômbia, ate chegar em Santa Marta.

Where to sleep: Ciudad Ojeda (tents inside a motel), Santa Marta (Hostel La Brisa Loca on first night and rented tents at Cape San Juan, within the Tayrona park).

What we eat good: Fried potato dumplings, stuffed with ground beef. Bom custo benefício.

Filled Tire : The soccer field at Cape San Juan, within the Tayrona park, which allowed us to have our second soccer game, integrando pessoas de diferentes paises com uma mesma paixão.

Tire murcho: The price charged to tourists from other countries come in Tayrona National Park, quase três vezes mais caro que o cobrado para colombianos.

Venezuela Border – Colômbia and Santa Marta

We left Merida one afternoon in order to cross the border with Colombia the next day. We spent the night in Ciudad Ojeda, a roadside motel after we tried to stay for free in the parking lot of a hospital and a club, unsuccessfully. Agreed the following Manhã, to 7:00 Morning and 30 minutes we were all ready, inside the car, towards our second border. Halfway, we passed 2 situations that are worth reporting. The first occurred in the city of Maracaibo, second largest city in Venezuela, well known for their business meetings related to the vast oil region. At our stop for breakfast, We were met by Brenda, a friendly lady who served us a bread stuffed with cheese and an apple juice. She reminded us of a practice we are doing along the journey: ask a local person, that somehow has collaborated or at least spent a pleasant time with the expedition, colar a bandeira do país na Tanajura.

With hunger satiated and pasted the flag, follow toward the border. Em San Rafael, almost on the border, we were forced to stop the car, já que a pista principal estava fechada. Buses and cars had crossed the runway, some tires on fire and several people shouting together for another group farthest we could not see. We decided to return and go for an alternative path, the first street parallel to that of the manifestation. To our surprise, had several people with ropes crossing the street, charging a kind of toll. Depending on the weather that was in the neighborhood, do not hesitate to pay 10 bolívares (R$ 2,50 approx.) motoboy suggested by the path indicated that there were. Worse than pay a toll that does not exist, was having to pay 4 times, já that each 10, 15 meters had such a rope. In the last barrier that was missing was not biker, trying to rua. It was a tense moment that lasted a short time. As soon as we approached the car window, asked where we were, Brazil and talk and make jokes about football, soon we were liberated to follow our path. A few meters ahead, and we encounter another group, we had not seen before. They were policemen who were trying to contain the demonstration. In our view the reason was related to the trafficking of fuel that exists around the border. Indeed, locals were upset with the review which is done by the police and eventually prevents the illegal trade. Although the Venezuelan side, near the boundary, were surprised with an output rate of the country in the amount of 90 bolivars per person, equivalent to R $ 20,00. By paying this fee, we received a card that would ensure the exit stamp in the passport a few miles further on. JA to release out of the car, não foi necessário pagar nada.

With all the red tape solved the Venezuelan side, chegamos em only Colombian, More specifically Paraguachón, to 13:00, local time. This is the main land border, both foot traffic and in terms of cargo. The entry process was simple and cheap, both for us and for the car. In all, spend a little more than 12.000 Colombian pesos, equivalent to R $ 13,00 about, used to draw some xerox and pay a guy who "recorded a plastic" chassis number of the car. From there we straight to Santa Marta, Our first destination in Colombia. With the help of the guide, find or Hostel La Brisa Loca, que possuía uma ótima localização e era super bem recomendado.

After presenting the project to the two owners, que são irmãos, we got a free night. The hostel was set in a kind of old mansion. There were three floors, with numerous rooms and a central span that ended in a pool on the first floor. In coverage, had some gym equipment, where one could get a good view of the city while we burned some calories purchased with arepas. From the little we visited the urban area of ​​Santa Marta, what else caught our attention was the Cathedral Basilica of Santa Marta, uma das mais antigas da américa do Sul e onde foi enterrado Símon Bolívar.

After leaving the hostel, we went to the Tayrona National Park, conhecido por suas belas praias e trilhas.

But before speaking of our experience within the park, worth reporting the discrimination that exists between local and foreign. It is true that in some places they charge different prices at the entrance of the tourist attractions. But, a foreigner to enter the park the amount to be paid is approximately three times that paid by a local. The amount charged to us by people was 36.500 Colombian pesos, equivalent to approximately R $ 40,00. Moreover, charged 10.500 Colombian pesos to enter the car park and more 7.000 Colombian pesos per night which car gets parked in wool. This situation left us quite dissatisfied because, despite being an expensive place still exists and that differentiation among tourists, the service is not up to snuff in the park. We took more than one queue 1 time to go, tracks has not always signaling and the restaurant we eat not accept credit card in certain situations, As for breakfast eg. The park is huge, with closed vegetation, lembrando em alguns momentos nossa mata atlântica.

After almost two hours of walking, arrived in Cabo San Juan, the last beach park. Havia uns 4 areia meters, between the campground and the crystalline sea water. The length of the beach did not reach 500m. O visual era realmente fantástico.

We spent the night camped in a tent, aluagada lá mesmo, as the cheapest option was to sleep in network, was already exhausted. A differential of camping for us Brazilians and South Americans as a whole, football lovers, era o campinho de terra batida de frente para o mar.

One evening, soon after a few kicks and pro embaixadinhas goal among us, soccer players came from all over: Argentines, Colombians, Venezuelans, besides Spanish, Australian and Bulgarian. The meshing of the time 4×1 and their aggregates, nos ajudou no placar.

Before in the park despedirmos and Santa Marta, the beauty of the place and the pleasant moments we spent, não deixamos de registrar nossa insatisfação no livro do parque em função do que chamamos de abuso e exploração aos turistas.

For more photos of Santa Marta, click here!

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Since the beginning of planning our trip, one of the most critical points would be the crossing of South America to Central America. This was the first question raised as there was a crazy idea to drive to Alaska. It would be possible to drive the whole way to the extreme north of the continent? Crossing the Darien Gap, national park that connects Colombia and Panama by land is not a viable option. There is a road that crosses the park and the region is very dangerous, since it is used as a hideout for drug traffickers and the FARC. Thus, as opções hoje se resumem a enviar o carro por mar.

But how? In our initial roadmap, counted with the operation of a ferry from Cartagena de Indias (Colombia) and Columbus (Panama). The governments of both countries have official notes highlighting the importance of this project, I was scheduled to open on 10 May 2012. So, crossing between the two countries would take about 12 hours and cost somewhere around $ 350 for the car and $ 99 per person (ida and time). It was a perfect solution, whereas the export process of the car, would be the only alternative, is extremely bureaucratic, expensive and slow. The same path as the ferry be done in a matter of hours, would be expected to arrive in about two weeks when it comes to temporary export. E ainda há de se contar com possíveis atrasos do navio cargueiro.

It has been over two months since our departure and ferry do not know why, but still does not work. Thus, we must continue the hard way, exporting the car to ship – na initial ideia, Panama and Cartagena pro, so, across Central America. No entanto, without the agility of the ferry, lose of 15 the 20 days compared to what we had previously planned to address all of bureaucracies, await the arrival of the ship and even cross the Central American. Since our calendar to Alaska before crossing the ice to prevent our passage (end of September / mid October) was very tight, we had to consider alternatives as soon as possible. Also in Brazil, began to examine options. We contacted several agents who work with this type of export, we quote prices and raise all the information needed to make the decision of where and how we would send our car beyond the Darien Gap. We had a number of points to be taken into account;

1) Where to send the car? Since the ferry Cartagena was not an option, Why not send the car directly from Venezuela? Maracaibo, for example? The answer was simple, Maracaibo would send much more expensive due to logistic. Another option would be to try to find a boarding Tanajura small cargo ships depart regularly carrying coffee and other agricultural products of Santa Marta, Colombian cidade 230 km from Cartagena, ate or Panamá. Because there is core business these companies was difficult to find any information that had the correct dates and cost. No. we will be sure of anything before you arrive wool, which would be relatively late. So also ruled out this option. A Tanajura sairia de barco de Cartagena mesmo.

2) To which? This was the most critical point of discussion. Depending on the route of travel, some adventurers usually do this shipment to the port of Colón, in Panama where follow through Central America and Mexico, to the United States; others send directly to the U.S., normally for the city of Miami, Florida. We had many factors to take into account, but in general, We can summarize them in two groups: cost (As would spend to send the car to Panama and then heading to the U.S.? What would it cost to send directly to the U.S.?) and time (When you leave the ship? How long would it take to reach? Getting to Alaska with the roads open?).

After some preliminary research and analysis focused our efforts on two shipping options, all starting Cartagena. The first consisted in most travelers on wheels is: send the car to Colon in Panama and continue its journey through Central America and Mexico. The second would be sent directly to the United States. In this option, raise the possible destination ports: Miami-FL e Houston-TX (more usual), além de Los Angeles-CA ou Seattle-WA (on which no limos no reports of travelers). We believe in our path and timing over power to drive to Alaska. As we are very sensitive to time, think the best solution, in the case of sending directly to the U.S., would be to export the car directly to the west coast, Where are our points of interest focused on the script. Thus a few days and would win not only could reach Alaska in a timely manner, como também poderíamos aproveitar o fim de verão na Califórnia.

Considering Costa Oeste, Los Angeles or Seattle would be the best solution? With the dates of arrival and departure of ships, addition to the shipping costs in hand, further narrowed our options. The idea of ​​sending to the U.S. east coast was to export the ship Tanajura, and while it was on its way (something like 20 days, Sendo em 10 them the ship would be stopped in the Panama Canal), alugaríamos an alternative vehicle to the west coast until the return to our lap Tanajura. Em thermos logistics, Seattle made more sense, since they could fly to Southern California and then travel in a rental car there, while in Los Angeles would have to return part of the way. Thus, as the difference in cost did not justify the loss of time, excluímos Los Angeles dos planos.

And now, Panamá ou Seattle? In terms of cost, send to Panama would much cheaper in the end. Would spend about U.S. $ 890 to ship or truck, while sending to Seattle would leave $ 2,200. Moreover, In the second case we would have additional costs for more expensive tickets and rent another car. In terms of time, send directly to the U.S. makes much more sense. The time it will take to cross Central America and Mexico (estimate between 12-15 days, which basically would spend sleeping, driving and crossing borders), but the time it would have to KNOW the west coast, also run, undermine our arrival to Alaska. While in another option, however the vessel to reach the very delayed Seattle, we take this time to know the U.S. West Coast. There is always the risk of delaying the ship, mas este estaria presente em ambos os casos.

Overall, pointed to the cost in one hand while the gain in time and its benefits pointed to another. We did the math and prefer not to compromise our passage to Alaska and still enjoy the summer in California, even if a paying a high price for that. Vamos mandar a Tanajura para Seattle.

3) As? Finally, with starting point and destination set, we only had to decide if we would send our car for RoRo or within a container. For RoRo car traveling in the open field subject to any kind of external influence, while in the container, apparently, is safer. It turns out that the cost difference is quite significant between the two options (+- US$1.000). As I talked with export agents, RoRo usually does not cause problems or serious damage to the vehicle. Decidimos então economizar e assumir este risco.

We changed plans and we traveled, Expedition can not stop. We will send a ship Tanajura Cartagena to Seattle, on a journey that should last 20 days. Meanwhile, voaremos to Los Angeles, where rent a temporary replacement for Tana, and follow the road to Seattle enjoying the summer on the west coast of the U.S.. Mexico and Central America will be back to, When will pass outside of the rainy season!!! What makes even more sense!

We will miss Tanajura these days without it and we are confident that her side the feeling is the same. But all for the sake of travel, after all, temos que aproveitar ao máximo.

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