Bikes on the way to East Timor

Managed to get the bike prepared and loaded in time for the barge cutoff time. Even Australian Customs was helpful and stamped my Carnet de Passage dispite the document having a start date of the 1st of December.

Total cost for shipping the bike (Toll Marine) with the panniers fitted and uncrated from Darwin to Dilli was only $420, but I think the guys in the international freight office did me a favour or two when they measured the bike ( thanks Guys, I owe you a very cold beer or two). All pretty easy and only took about 45 minutes to complete everything.

 

Bike loaded up for shipping to East Timor all that's missing is a tank bag and my waterproof roll bag which I will take on the plane.

Flight is booked for the 10th of December and hopefully I will be able to pick the bike up on the same day.

Life is adventure and the adventure is about to begin.

 

Posted with Blogsy

Time to panic a little

Was looking forward to a slow week of prepping the bike, but went to Toll Marine to set up for a load date of the 2nd of Dec.......but no, they have changed the rotation of the vessels (yesterday) and I now must have the bike and all the gear there by 3pm tomorrow. Who brings a sailing forward by a week??? So now in a panic to get it all done as if I miss this sailing there is now nothing till the new year. Problem is my Carnet De Passage is Dated the 1st of December so I hope Customs will process it so I can load the bike.

Trying to quickly sort out what comes and what stays.

Life is adventure.....

 

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Made it to tropical Darwin

Well I finally made to Darwin. Four days 40,000 km far too much fatty food and fabulous accommodation, well not that fabulous.

 

The situation has improved greatly as I am now staying with a mate in his luxury waterfront home ( thank you Fred).

 

But I'm really here now and this is the jumping off point for my adventure. A few things to do before I have to load the bike on the barge to East Timor, but fortunately I should be able to get access to one of my ex clients workshop to complete everything. Still wait for my Carnet de passage to arrive,despite paying for it over three weeks ago and I need it to pickup my Indonesian Visa according to the staff at the Indonesian Embassy, not sure why, but no point arguing with them.

 

Really getting quite excited about the trip to looking forward to getting the bike on the barge in about a weeks time and both the bike and myself should be in East Timor early December.

 

Life is Adventure.

 

Posted with Blogsy

So close now

On the final countdown to the end of one chapter in my life and the beginning of another. My last day at work will be the 14th of November or 3 days away.

Have spent the last two weeks enjoying some corporate largess, with a week of Marlin fishing in Queensland and followed by a week in Darwin saying goodbye to most of my major customers. Funny thing is as I prepare to leave the corporate world the job offers are flooding in with the current count standing at nine. But I am sticking to the plan and at this stage and I will be in East Timor on the 9th of December to meet the barge and claim back my bike.

Thought I should post a few photos to better explain the hardship I have put up with over the past two weeks.

Nasty Port Douglas Hotel

 The competition begins with 6 boat and one mother-ship

 Sunrise at sea

 Sushi anyone

 Black Marlin

 Big smile and ugly board shorts

Will be departing for Darwin next Sunday. A lazy little drive of 4500 km which I aim to complete in five days.

Life is adventure....