Venezuelans are the best.

Ahoyhoy to all my friends around the world as I know the blog now has a small but international audience,

I would like to say to start that I love you all. I am in that sort of mood – in pain and grateful to wonderful folk

Enough with the gushy shite. I left you last I think having suppered at Max´s house. the next morning it was arranged that Zapegato would accompany me as far as Puerto La Cruz and in good South American time keeping fashion we all left together 3 hours later. Ganzy & Chiqui on his African Twin, Little Hugo on his and me on Sir Humphrey. we soon made it through the drizzle to Max´s workshop. WOW! Max reminds me of my Dad, a true master craftsman. These hulls are designed and made totally by hand by Max alone from marine ply and red cedar. This will be a 16.5m catamaran.

Max rode with us for a while and we then stopped for lunch. I was still not permitted to pay for anything! Hugo had developed a hole in his exhaust pipework but nothing to stop us for long. Alas Max had to turn around at this point and go and look after Sandra who was still not feeling well after her accident. Onwards we went and at quite a pace, these boys ride fast - 90+mph. Barcelon was a bit of an industrial dump but Puertto La Cruz was the poshed place I{ve seen in South America - motoryachts moored in custom canals made for the housing developments. Soon it was dusk and we pulled into a huge pharmacy with a drive through so Hugo could call his uncle and see if we could crash there. Thanks heavens they said yes and we were soon in an air conditioned town house in a guarded develpoment with a garden and a BBQ already heating up for a sausage a steak fest. Pedro and Caroline welcomed us with open arms and their Schnauzer Jack bit me.

After a shower I felt a little more human and was delighted to be offered their sofa as a bed. Alas in the morning it took a double dose of painkillers to have me breathing deeply but at least Jack had decided that I was acceptable to be in his house and gave me a lick. The rest of Zapegato were awoken by claxon much to Pedro´s amuzement and we all went out for shark empanadas where we learned from the Sunday papers that Hugo Chavez has liver cancer. I said liver cancer was not good and together everyone else said its not good, ITS FANTASTIC! No big bikes have been allowed to be imported into Venezuela since 2008 so a BMW 1200GS from that year will cost you about $35,000US. For a second hand bike! Supply and demand I guess. It was becoming a hot day.

The guys and gal rode with me a short way before our paths diverged. I really miss them already and I know Sir Humphrey is as proud as I am to be a new members of Zapegato. What an honour! Thanks to all of my Caracas friends, Max, Sandra, Genzy, Chiqui, Big Hugo and Little hugo. Big Hugo had arranged for friends of his to meet me at the next town I´d stop in. How lucky am I!

But before getting there I passed through a rightously named town.

I guess lots of these by the side of the road and some ´interesting´ politics keeps petrol prices oddly low.

After not very long, about 200miles, I thought I had come to where I was going to meet Big Hugo´s friends but I waited for over an hour and no-one came. When storm clouds threatened I headed over a cool suspension bridge into town and found the cheapest hotel I could (I know this to be true as I think I tried every one).

My chest was aggrevating me more than it had been so I settled down with Jamie Oliver, took some diazepam and slept for 10hours.

The next morning things were much the same but I had high hopes of getting somewhere near the border 400+miles away. Alas after 50 odd miles my road was closed and the only diversion seemed to be through 20miles of deep soft sand which is fine for the multitude of pickups but a bit harder for buggered body Tigger. As usual any problems are always accompanied by a nice view. Emily said I should drive straight ahead but i decided to overrule her on this one.

The sand was not fun and thanks to it it was impossible to stop.

When I finally got back onto tarmac I was struggling to breathe. Not because of the effort, which was a lot, or the heat and humidity, which were high. It was the pain from my broken ribs and my costo-sternal joints. I stopped for fuel and to have a think what to do when a man ran up to me brandishing a toy Tigger and bade me follow him. This is what I found.

It was Big Hugo´s friends. I had got the wrong town originally and they had found me by following my Spot GPS locator. They were Luis, Anmar and her fiancee Dennis! I could have cried I was so happy to see them. I followed them to their home and I´ll stay her until tomorrow or until I am fit to ride again. Got to go now for an interview for the local paper!

Take care all. TTFN,

Tigger