And then we hit a Curve Ball, the day before I fly. I am writing this Blog from the Cafeteria of the Ferry Terminal in Colonia del Sacramento, in Uruguay.
The ferry from BA was a 51km ride. We cleared Passport Control and left Argentina and then walked a few meters to the next line and our Passports were stamped by the Uruguay Passport lady and then we rode our bikes onto the ferry after handing in our TIP’s, we were out of Argentina and only needed to get a new TIP in Uruguay on arrival. The ferry was fast, a Catamaran, and it was mostly empty of cars, but lots of pedestrians who walked on to the ferry after arriving by bus.
When we arrived at the Uruguay Port we found our old friend Murphy waiting for us, smiling, he had other plans with us. Peens went into the Customs office 1st and got his TIP. Then a lady arrived and offered to also help us from her desk so that we could be out faster. Then she asked for our Insurance. We had insurance when we were riding in the USA. Then as we crossed into Central America we got Insurance from a little kiosk at the different borders. The entire South America we have had no insurance and was never asked, until now. The lady said that it was also a Public Holiday in Uruguay and we could not walk across the street to buy insurance as they are closed. So we may enter but our bikes must stay behind, we could sleep in a hotel in town and then try and get insurance in the morning.
We have made our office at the Cafeteria and at times it is nice and quiet after a ferry leaves, but then the next arrive and we can hardly hear ourselves thinking with all the noise. For the past 3 hours we have been trying different option. We tried on Line, we tried begging, we made many friends and heard lots of words of encouragement, but that seems a dead-end. Millsy even went to the guys where you rent a car ad tried to get insurance through them. The language is a problem, and to try and get insurance you need a fast internet connection, so we slowly had to sort ourselves out. Millsy was on the phone to his insurance broker and tried to get some letter from him but Uruguay is not a country they cover.
Rocky and Peens got hold of the man where we plan to store the bikes, Willy, and he suggested a friend of a contact who is an Insurance Salesman, Catarina, and we are now speaking to her. Well, Rocky speaks to her in Portuguese and she seem to understand him. She has requested photos of all the Passports, Drivers Licenses and the bikes Titles. We sent that and she said she can help us definitely in the morning, but will try now and contact her boss and see if he is available to help on this Public Holiday.
The other 3 guys who stayed behind in BA spent the morning washing bikes and playing tourists.
Our Ferry
Last night we went to listen to some live music, Jazz. And this morning Pie took a video of us leaving while Dog’s phone was playing Dont Cry For Me Argentina. Below are the 2 videos.
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I see the wi-fi is letting me down, will send in due course when my life is back on track.
We are 180km away from Montevideo, from where we fly back. I have to be at the airport in 24 hours from now. The other guys fly a day later, so no pressure for them. I was looking so forward to this last little ride tin Uruguay to Montevideo. Now I am sweating in my riding gear in the Ferry Terminal. The WhatsApp’s between us and Carolina are still “flying” and there is now confusion about who is the “Pilot” on which bike. I dont have much hope that we will come right today, but let’s see.
I hope things will happen quickly tomorrow if we dont win today. Worst case scenario is that I ride straight to the airport and I leave the bike there and then Rocky and Peens can lift each other to my bike to put it in storage.
The passangers disembark like with a plane at an airport:
Sadly that is the sorry state of todays blog, thought Blog 400 was going to be a happy celebration blog telling you haw we parted way and hugged and cried a tear, but the only tears are mine, for a different reason. But I guess things cant always just go well and that there will have to be days like today. I just dont like cutting things this fine, there is now no margin for error tomorrow. Doubt I will sleep well tonight.
Be Happy you are not sitting in a ferry terminal!!!!
XXXXXX
Fleisch
We’re crossing all our fingers for you. But I cannot imagine that you will not manage this issue after all the challenges you’ve managed the last 23 legs and 399 days.🤞🤞🤞
I can confirm that I am very happy not to be sitting in a ferry terminal!!