Around the Block 2007

Yes, today was literally a run for the border.  Took us a long time to get everything back into the saddle bags and loaded, so we didn't get off until about 9 am.  The first item was to catch the ferry? (really a wide pequi-pequi motor boat - pix 1 and 2) and get to the other side of the river.  It was quick, then on the road before long only to be stopped by the drug police.

After a few questions, they figured we were OK, so on for 180 km of dirt before we hit asphalt construction work (pix).  Lots of starts and stops.  Then completed asphalt (Peruvian president Alan Garcia just inaugurated this stretch yesterday) for 60 km.  We were stopped first at the entrance to Iņapari by police who right away saw we were organized and asked for T-shirts (how did they know?).  Then down to Aduana where they tell us "You cannot take these motos out of Peru.  You need to have documents from the Automovil Club Peruano and a deposit at the Bank equal to the value of the motos!  And all this you have to do back in Lima (2,000 km away!).  But go down into town and see the official..."

Well the official is on siesta, so wait, wait, wait.  Finally at 4 pm he comes out, we tell him our plight and he recommends to just 'run for the border' (literally!)  He can't give us permission, but he will let us just go.  On the Brazil side they won't care about the lack of Peruvian paperwork.  Our only problem will be getting the bikes back into Peru in a month.  We feel like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid!.

OK, Go For It!  We stop on the bridge (pix 4), film some, then off.  There is no control in the new building on the Brazilian side so we must go 110km in Brazil and go check in with the Policia Federal in the town of Brasileia.  Meanwhile we are on our own reconnaissance.

Almost immediately we are stopped by the Brazilian drug police.  They are very friendly and encourage us on.  Before long we are in Brasileia at dark trying our Spanish with Portuguese speakers.  We make do and find our way to the policia, but a whole bus on it's way to Peru has stopped and the line is too long...  Tomorrow...

We find a somewhat acceptable place to stay that will let us park the motos inside, but we had arrived with no $R (reals, Brazilian money) and no one seems to care anything about American $$.  The guy at the hotel says to just go down the hill and over the border to the Bolivia (Cobija) side to change the $$.  "It's OK, it's a zona franca!"

So we do it and weave thru the border crossing like we do this every day.  A pickup driver stops us and says we will be in trouble trying to get back into Brazil so be careful!  We only just got to Brazil today and now we are stuck in Bolivia!

A Peruvian on the Bolivian side sees our Peruvian flag patches and jumps in to help us change our $$.  Then he suggests that we go back across the OTHER bridge that hasn't seen us yet.  We do that and we are safely back in Brazil!  Not legal yet until the morning, but safe....

NEXT DAY:  day13brasileiatoriobran.htm

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