15.12.09




As the hotel was virtually on the highway, we got straight into a good pace the next morning . After we had travelled about 200 kilometers, the road broke up into a dual highway, much safer for overtaking. We motored along at the speed limit of 120km per hour on good road conditions (and still cars were overtaking us). It helped that the weather had become a little overcast too.

We covered a distance of 420km this day (Tuesday), on the bikes for 5 hours and 48 minutes, with the occasional police stop asking for our papers. One officer wanted to see our bike Carnae which was tucked into our back panniers. As Des was leading he said to the officer "Yes, we do have a Carnae, it's on the following bike". So the cop asked me for papers. I raised my visor and gave him a broad smile and "Bon dia", good morning. I offered him our passports which I had on me, and refused to understand anything else. He flipped through Des's and said “Desmond Gerard” in a beautiful Spanish way, and I said “Si, my husband, in the front, there”. He commented that we had been to Pakistan, to which I said “Si, in 2006” . By this stage the traffic was banking up and tooting at the cop! He gave me back the passports and waved us on.

Our destination was Zabate, 100km north of Buenos Aires, which we arrived at by 4pm, after crossing 2 of the longest bridges over the Parana River. Magnificent, and lots of fun crossing them on the bike. The view left and right was fantastic from the great height.

As we were driving through town, I asked a motor cyclist for a hotel, and he replied “follow me”. He brought us to the Hotel Torreblanca, which had a garage 2 blocks further on. We unloaded all our gear into this lovely hotel, rode the bikes into the garage and resolved to stay at the hotel for a couple of days resting, washing and podding.

After a luxurious bath, and some American television, we asked the receptionist where the best steak house was. It did not disappoint.

Oh, one more little thing to write . At the Torreblanca Hotel we took everything we owned off the bikes, including the blow-up Air Hawk seat cushions we have on our seats, and rode the bikes to the garage, only to be met by a closed garage door, well back from the road. As I turned to drive into the garage I stopped the bike with the font wheel on the footpath and the back wheel was still on the high part of the road, naturally the gutter was under the motor. As I had come to a complete standstill, I put my feet down to find the ground below was a long way down. I nearly lost it, and had to stand on tippy toe with the bike balancing precariously between my legs, while Des opened the garage. If I had the Air Hawk on, I reckon I would have dropped it.