I managed to find the local mechanic. A few amigos helped hoist Ghost Shad up onto some wood blocks. The head man did an impressively quick chain adjustment and changed the oil. He refused money, but when I insisted they take the bottle of local liquor that was stashed in my saddle bags, one of them looked as happy as I've seen any man for quite a while. Riding for another few hours, climbing ad descending through the deserts hills, I arrived into a strange to...

My longest riding day to date, clocking up 520 clicks. The middle of the day comprised of riding through some more mountains, followed by some hours entering into The Atacama desert, the driest in the world. Riding through the desert on the coastline watching the sunset was quite spectacular. I am extremely grateful that my new jacket makes the riding much more comfortable.

Two days of riding, with a nights rest inbewteen. 500km's riding at times along the coast, and then finding myself making some long winding climbs through mountains, often riding through into the clouds. Arriving at night, I spent the first hour looking for a hostel. Already frustrated, cold, hungry, needing to take a slash and really wanting to get off the bike, I slowed down as to avoid hurting one of the many street dogs that have run at my bike trying to b...

"It'll be fine, I know the general direction" I thought. However my soon to be new sense of freedom was put on hold for an hour or so whilst i played a game of back and forwards through the city streets, trying to get myself and Ghost Shadow on and off the right and wrong motorways and becoming increasingly frustrated, which led me to making some very illegal but swift moves. Finally I was heading toward my first stop, Valparaíso. I clocked up the first 150k's...

I was interested, apart from the shiny red exterior, bells and whistles and sound remeniscent of a kids go kart. However, it was almost brand new with all the papers up to date. I did consider buying it and then dropping it in dirt and s*** a few times as to make it less like wearing a sign on my forehead saying 'gringo here, rob me'. I was somewhat over searching. It hadn't been easy. Latin American websites, translating messages, hoping that sellers spoke a ...