Trackstravel

Geo: 37.9325, 14.0873Time Check: 1755Location: Castelbuono: The Relais Santa AnastasiaPosition: "FLOPPED" Having just guzzled 2 Moretti Beers in about 6 seconds after a mammooth 300km/6 hour drive from Castelmola to Castelbuono involving mile after mile of hairpin bends and spectacularly bad driving from the locals. The highways department must have been on LSD when planning the road systems. Sure they have had to negotiate tricky terrain that is mostly mountainous and descends rapidly to narrow coastal flats........but there seems to be a plethora of roads that go nowhere........ cobbled dead ends and crazy switch-back junctions involving "plasma bag" popping turnouts! .....trash lorries coming head on at high speed with oblivious and bonkers moped drivers overtaking on blind corners! Absolutely no road discipline whatsoever! In the last two days I have ... read more

Geo: 51.113, -0.18312Time Check: 0725 Location: Gatwick South Terminal No 1 LoungeMuch mirth and cackling can be heard from a private booth in this "pay for" Business Class style lounge. The Stella and "PRUSSEKO " is already flowing..................a group of "Hens" celebrating a 50th Birthday and off to MARBELLLLA.......all wearing amply filled black Teeshirts with "FIESTA...SIESTA...TEQUILA......REPEAT."......depicted in silvers sequins.......are glugging away on the modern version of Lambrusco/Pomagne. I look around as various families wander about again sipping complimentary PRUSEKKO with hard nosed kids sporting those "short back and sides" haircuts you see in programs on Gypsy Knuckle Fighting......even at 6 years of age you wouldn't want to get into a fight with them!In the distance more cork popping noises can be ... read more

Geo: 11.019, -84.398RECAP After bailing out of The Remote Cano Negro National Park on 28th December we spent the next 2 nights enjoying the gentle adventure playground of the JURASSIC FLINT-STONE region of Costa Rica called The Arenal Volcanic National Part. The hotel located right in the foothills of the Volcano was excellent and the scenery superb only slightly tarnished by hoards of "buffet guzzling tourists" and small French children running free and uncontrolled in the Hotel campus crying "PAPA PAPA"...........This was useful downtime to wash SMALLS and regroup after a hectic 12 days of travel. New Years Eve! The 30th was a very very long day in the saddle........we left the comforts of The Hotel Lomas del Volcan in Fortuna Costa Rica at 0830 in the morning drizzle setting coordinates for the border town of ... read more

Geo: 10.914, -84.7964Catch up Blog as no Internet for 4 days due to line down!Tenorio Volcanic National Park Thursday 22nd Dec 1500h Ouch! Yikes!..... I'm being bitten..........I stumble on through the jungle for a few stinging yards before daring to look down.........my tender English lily-white legs and indeed arms are a succulent and easy target for a herd of killer jungle gnats! I turn into a human pin cushion as they feast gleefully on the inside of my arms and calves.......little droplets of blood appear within seconds as I madly squish the little black critters........will I survive this tropical trauma? I "squeak" to Cathy that I have been attacked........and immediately "about turn" and head back about 200m up the marshy jungle path and past the sloth perched high in a palm tree (the reason for our ... read more

Geo: 10.3041, -84.798At 0910 hrs yesterday (Monday) "PEDRO" was delivered. He is a rather "Natty" metallic gold Daihatsu 1500cc compact 4WD...His engine sounds like an anaemic wasp and has a dodgy front left wheel bearing but he buzzes along at 80kph and climbs potholed dirt track roads without complaint.At 1000hrs after pre flight checks that would put a 747 pilot to shame we set off and cautiously turn right out of the Van Trapp Motel. A few mopeds whizz past and I get tooted by a nasty looking lorry. Soon I am into my stride and after about 2 minutes into our journey we pull into a Peli Supermarcado for essential supplies.....crisps, UHT milk, Chilly sauce, Ginger Ale and some rather obscure Scotch at $5 a litre..... PEDRO is laden with goodies.......we tootle off West down ... read more