New Start

I have had quite a change. I don't want to detail my personal life, but instead, I would like to push my writing into a new area, that of motorcycling. In December 2019 I bought a brand-new Suzuki V-Strom 650. I have been delighted with it since I bought it. It is a beautiful machine, with a lovely dashboard interface, partially digital and partially analogue.

The revolution counter is analogue, but the left side is digital and clearly displays fuel tank range, time, air and engine temperature, and traction settings. I can move between traction settings and also other aspects such as fuel economy. It is more sophisticated than my car dashboard. Of course, the V-Strom is more expensive than my car, so that might explain the technical advances. It is a beautiful machine to look at, with lovely lines and a simple colour styling. I chose the white petrol tank which I have waxed. It seems odd to wax just the petrol tank but the reward is seeing it gleam. Another reason to wax it is because I met a guy on an immaculate scooter in Taupo. I complimented him on what looked like a new vehicle, but he said it was five years old, but well cared for. I realised he spent quite a bit of time cleaning his scooter and could enjoy the pride of a well-cared-for scooter.

So what next?

I hope to take a major road trip next year, 2021. Covid-19 has disrupted travel possibilities so it is impossible to make clear plans. My most adventurous idea is that of South America. I could fly to Santiago de Chile with the motorbike, then ride it to Buenos Aires, Uruguay, Brazil, Paraguay, back to Chile, then Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador and Colombia. From there, I could ride through Central America; Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala. Once I have gone that far, I can continue through Mexico. I am not sure about the US of America. It should be relatively easy to freight the motorbike from Mexico City, D.F., to Spain, and then I could begin a European tour. The Latin American tour would be well over 18,000 kilometres and, at a recommended 300 km/day, a minimum of 60 days. Online advice suggests that travellers should add on 1/3 to the number of days, which results in 80 days. A good point about South America is that I am fluent in Spanish though the accents might be difficult to deal with.

A more manageable possibility is a tour of Australia, the big tour around the country. The Australian State Highway One is 14,935 km, but many attractions are off that, so 15,000 km is minimal. I could go clockwise, starting from Sydney, and finishing there too. I could do such a tour in 48 days, or a month and a half.

If it is impossible to get to Australia or South America, then a tour of New Zealand is possible. I have seen much of New Zealand, so there is no great novelty, but it would be fun to see the country whilst on a motorbike.

Meanwhile, I need to get through the next five months, work out what is happening about Covid-19, and make some decisions.