Shopping

I guess, I'll find shopping for food or things a bit boring by the time I make it back to Switzerland.

  

More than Sweet Asses...

Isn't that a sweet, old ass indeed? 

But believe me, that small Southamerican Country with fewer inhabitants than most big cities of the world has much more to offer than sweet asses.

Come along with me and see...

...what Uruguay has to offer.

Spontanous art installation made of leftovers on a construction site in Montevideo.

Vitnesses of early times...

...of the second smallest country of Southamerica.

Unexpected: Outstanding wines are produced in Uruguay.

More than in any other country I could find classic cars, some still running, some awaiting some new life to be blown in their old metal.

No trash! There is a lot to see in Uruguay.

Come along with me and visit the newest blue truck photo gallery URUGUAY.

Enjoy!

Some pictures you don't wanna zoom in too close!

You know, ever since I started off to this trip in New Jersey in October 2010, I have taken my digicam when ever the odometer of the car recorded an other 1'000 kilometer driven. And took a shot out of the windshield.

It has been an interesting experiment, since I totally did not care what it really looked like exactly that moment out and in front of the Land Cruiser, all I did was just point and shoot while heading down the road, the track or where ever the wheels of the blue truck carried me to. So there are a couple of interesting shots. Some of them, like the one above you might not want to zoom in too close. Leaving the windscreen whipper alone that just came up the very same moment... 

...other show me cruising through...

...the night...

...wilderness...

...or just explain the vastness of the land better than words ever could.

Sometimes it's been wet and other times it's been...

...wild or...

...dark.

There have been roadside encouragements... 

...and stinky crossings.

Sometimes it's been muddy, wet and narrow.

But most of all it has been breathtakingly beautiful!

CLICK HERE to see the full series of my thousand kilometers photo gallery. 

Probably just one or two more pictures to follow.

Thanks for riding along - Enjoy the ride!

Remember those days?

Do you remember those days, the days before the internet. The days before smartphones, even the days before cell phones. Just yesterday I have been skyping (by the way: a word that did mean nothing to me a couple of years ago) with my brother back home in Switzerland and we discussed the matter. I remember the days I travelled very early 90ties, my first trip to the US, I used to call home once a month, to do so I found myself collecting quarters and nickels for the rest of the month to end up at a public phone with a bag full of coins just to call home to Switzerland for a couple of minutes to say:"Hi I am all well. How are you, all good with you and Dad?"- "O.k., great! Thanks, call you next month. Ciao!" and while speaking with the headset between shoulder and head I've been grabbing one coin after the other out of the little plastic bag to drop it in the slot of the public phone. Times have changed since. I tell you! They have changed a lot, keep reading on. Nowadays...

...when travelling I do not even handle the communications myself anymore. I have an assistante whoe handles my calls and does all my texting for me. 

He is even handling the trip preparation and guidebook reading. I just sit back and have a beer while the next step of my trip comes about.

And should I decide for a change to go back to old fashioned, no worries. That little green guy does it for me too.

And he's writting my postcards just like a pro. To be honest, since he's around I am actually glad I at least get to pick the post cards myself at the shop. 

Happy trails, travelling companions! - Nothing stays as it was. - And even if you have moved up and are travelling with all those fancy bells and whistles of modern communications and those green little dancing and singing guys to assist you in all and every matter, once in while, I tell you, it will do you good to remember those days when you were standing in a phone booth with a bag full of quarters nickels and dimes!

Lesson # 3 in getting adjusted to the Italians: Food!

Are you following the blue truck blog regularly? If so, you know that the Toyota is soon going to ship back home to Europe. Doing so aboard an Italian vessel requires to get some adjustments to the Italians and there way of living - and eating. After 4 years on the Americas I wanna make sure we're prepared. So, after having gotten used to the accent when Italians speak English, which is the official language aboard, we have trained some more on the subject. 

But now it is time to learn some about what Italians are most famous for: Food! Needless to say, we have high expectations prior to heading to Montevideo boarding the Grimaldi ship. Here you go: "Rosmarino..." - "...I have one mother..." - "...very strange mother..."

Stay tuned the blue truck and its team keep getting adjusted to the big trip over the Atlantic. 

A Shitty Subject!

Hey Folks, coming soon for those that are working on a dream!

Working on a dream here? - Now Thomas has gone totally nuts, you might think, and you do almost rightfully think so. Almost!

But hang on: A) Some of the world's greatest ideas might have been thought of on that quiet place. And B) in the example above you will not even have to be thinking about that invention all by yourself, this establishment is fully capable to cater to outstanding team work and creating some of the best ideas, while being efficient and using usually usless moments very - yes - useful. So that might be where you think of your dream, preparing your truck to go on the Panamericana.

So here it is, what's coming soon: Does your four wheel drive overland vehicle need a potty? 

Stay tuned and read soon about it, my last post on the GBU's about the water system would not really be complete without what's coming soon on "The GOOD, the BAD, the UGLY of the blue truck": Do you need a potty in your off-road overlander?  -   Good question - No Shit!

On The Road Again - On The Ship Again

Today it is exactly two years since I was heading down to Veracruz to get prepared to leave Central America and Ship to Colombia. The following two pictures I shot while driving down to the coast leaving the beautiful Central Highlands of Mexico behind. 

Funny, now exactly two years later I am on my way to shipping again. This time it will be for the long way, back over the Atlantic towards Europe. 

Today though I am not on the road and therefore can neither present broken axles nor Chassis-Pilots to you. So all you get is a little Flash Back. - Sorry.

If you are on the road yourself, HERE is some insights to Vehicle Shipping. - Whether on the raod or on the sea, happy cruising!