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!

Miles and Miles

I have done about 140'000 kilometers with the Toyota since I left the home of my friends in New Jersey and started off to my trip of the Americas.

When ever the odometer counted another 1'000 kilometers...

...I have pulled out my camera and took a picture. Independent from where it was, whether raining or sunny, nice or ugly, city or country. Out of all those pictures I have created THIS photo gallery, still growing. The Toyota itself is soon celebrating it's quarter milion kilometer, however as mentioned above, it had already some 100'000 k's on the meter when I started off.

I hope you'll enjoy miles and miles on the roads of the Americas.

Overlanding in a Toyota?

Here are some useful Links for you while on the road: 

http://www.toyodiy.com/

http://www.toyota-global.com/select_region/

http://panamericanainfo.com/info/#garage

http://www.abenteuertour.de/2012sa/reisetipps.php#werkstaetten

Would you like to see many pictures of Toyotas that have crossed my way on the Americas? Click HERE and HERE.

Would you like to see pictures of the transformation of my Land Cruiser to become the blue truck you will find them HERE.

Happy trails and be safe!

Ruta 8 in Paraguay...

...can be a muddy affaire after a couple of days of rain.

On the Road on Ruta 8 in Paraguay. 

And this is where the blue truck planned to spend the night. Camping Municipal in the Ciudad Iturbe. I know I have been a smart ass on "Water Crossings", I admit. Camping here would require much more than a snorkel on the Toyota. Being Swiss I maybe should have set off in a Rinspeed Squba... or an even better choice: A submarine, either might do the trick. 

The only Hotel in town was nice and agreeable alternative. 

Do you remember...

...this?

That was some time ago after I have covered roughly 18'000 kilometers travelling in America. It took many more kilometers until the blue truck was as good at counting "...123..." again, check this out : 

Do you want to see more of what kilometers covered with the blue truck look like?

`

Ever since I hit the road, starting my trip with the blue truck, I have pressed the shutter of my digicam, everytime...

...the odometer recoreded another 1'000 kilometers more, whether ugly...

...beautiful or...

...just long streches of road, you can see all those pictures HERE!

Enjoy!

Summer? - Hell yes! Tierra del Fuego.

This is what it looked like today staring through the blue trucks windshield. 

And yes, on the southern hemisphere it is still supposed to be summer. Believe it or not, the blue truck has finally set wheels on the island of Tierra del Fuego, yesterday that was and rolled into Argentina's most southern City, Ushuaia today. 

With temperatures around 0°C during the day, strong winds and, yes, a whole lot of wet snow... the crew of the Toyota has decided to trade the pop-up first floor bedroom of the blue truck for a heated hotel room. May the overlander-camping Gods forgive us. - And we hope that Fabio, the hitch-hiker from Bergamo, Italy, who found shelter and a ride aboard the blue truck to Ushuaia is safe, warm and dry, where ever he rolls out his sleeping bag.

Greetings from very close to the end of the road and very close to the southern end of the Americas.

Stay warm! 

Driving at Night?

Here is why it is better not to drive at night in Central America. 

Any questions?

The True Off-Road Driving Experience!

Simulator-Training or how did you learn to drive?

Todays lesson: 

Parallel-Parking!

This interesting Simulator that I saw in the same museum as the ghosts has a full functional cockpit, with cluch brake and gas pedal as well as a gear shifter at the steering column. Speedometer, ignition and hand-brake. The road underneath the car is rolling according to the gas-pedal's position and the car moves on the road depending on the position of the steering wheel. There's also a traffic light on the top right hand corner.

In the rear view mirror you probably see your driving teachers secretary sitting at her desk doing her best to distract you from paying attention to your on-road adventure.

Did you learn driving like that? - I figuered that is the true way to be driving "off-road". 

More for car nuts and classic car freaks

Have you checked out my Road Warrior Photo Gallery lately?

Freaky buggies...

...well loaded bread delivery boys...

French...

...and American Classics...

...Home built...

...Brazilian hard core off roader...

...Italians and Brits waiting for some love...

....sporty dreams of our youth...

...rare Italian station wagons...

...many generations of French Peugot sedans...

...and many more interesting vehicles can now be observed right HERE. 

Enjoy!