Camper Travel 1974-1975

On a 13-month journey from North America through Central & South America, back to our starting point in NYC. Our means of transportation was a model 1972 VW Westfalia camper with a 1700cc engine and pop-up top. Total miles 37,492. Read more

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Camper Travel 1974-1975 Traveler
Day 103 - Costa Rica
August 12, 1974 in Costa Rica
(Ursula) We slept relatively late and woke up to rain instead of the sun. Then we continued driving toward Costa Rica.

The terrain was less hilly, and we made good progress. The border officials were very polite but had a few strict requirements.

We had to purchase mandatory car insurance. Then we needed to have the wheels sprayed with disinfectant. But the worst was the Agricultural Police, who confiscated our two spare tires because they were not mounted on rims. Apparently, they could have contained harmful insect larvae. Heinz pleaded with the officials, but they reacted tensely, and we didn't want to escalate the issue.

Every country seems to have its border harassment. However, this one was costly!

Later, we found a beautiful trailer park in Liberia. The owner had designed it himself. It had generous spaces laid out beautifully between tropical plants and trees. There was a mini zoo with monkeys, colorful parrots, and other tropical birds.

A young puppy was trying to bite my leg while I was cooking.

Stats: Miles 97, Expenses $17.50Read more
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Camper Travel 1974-1975 Traveler
Day 104 - Dolphin Trailer Park CR
August 13, 1974 in the United States
(Ursula) We enjoyed the refreshing swimming pool.

Our neighbor at this Dolphin trailer park was a former Consul of Nicaragua. His house was destroyed by the earthquake two years ago, and he decided to move here. We had an engaging education about mastering the mind through meditation. Wally had a migraine headache and offered to be the Guinea pig. The session miraculously worked! After ten minutes, Wally's migraine was completely gone. Unbelievable!

Büsi wanted to wander around outside and went on a sniffing expedition. Then Wolfgang & Barbara suddenly showed up. What a coincidence again! The last time we saw them was at a campground near San Jose.

Barbara and I prepared dinner, and later, we wrote letters and postcards to our friends and family.

Heavy rain fell during the entire night.

Stats: Miles 131, Expenses $19.05Read more
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Camper Travel 1974-1975 Traveler
Day 105 - San Jose CR
August 14, 1974 in Costa Rica
(Ursula) Büsi has become a flattering creature. He comes in the middle of the night and cuddles himself between Heinz and me. We can’t really be cross with him.

The rain stopped, and the sky looked so clear that I went for a swim early in the morning.

Shortly after breakfast, we departed with Wolfgang & Barbara for San Jose. We stopped at Volkswagen to purchase spare parts and at the Swiss, Consulate to pick up the mail.

Lastly, we found a super-Mercado where we stocked up on food. We were surprised at how much more expensive everything was.

Lunch was at a Spanish restaurant Mr. Tiesch from the Dolphin had recommended. The food was indeed delicious, just as he promised.

I liked San Jose. It was slightly Americanized, clean, and seemed well organized. Driving out of town toward Panama, we passed many new developments with single-family homes. Costa Rica seemed to have more middle class than other Central American countries.

We camped off the Panamerican Highway near Golfito, a few hours from the Panamanian border. Tomorrow we have a long drive ahead of us. Our boat to Colombia sails on the 19th.

Stats: Miles 157, Expenses $61.05Read more
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Camper Travel 1974-1975 Traveler
Day 106 - Heading for Panama
August 15, 1974 in Panama
(Ursula) We had fallen asleep last night when three peasants on horseback with flashlights and machetes knocked on our camper window. They let out a barrage of sentences we didn't understand, but they seemed very concerned and mentioned the word "Banditos." That made us quickly understand that this place probably wasn't safe.

We didn't hesitate for a second and packed up and left. We drove the whole night looking for a safer spot but couldn't find one until we got to the Panamanian border, where we stayed the rest of the night by a lit gas station.

(Heinz) The restaurant next door played music that sounded like a slumber song. We were exhausted and finally fell asleep. Wally had to repair something on the engine this morning, and then we endured another border crossing. Panamanian officials were friendly and polite. Büsi stayed in her hiding place under the passenger seat and didn't make a beep, as if he knew!

We received a free Panama brochure and travel guide. The national currency here is Balboa.

We followed the Panamerican Highway south until we found a beautiful beach on the Pacific coast. The place was so wonderful that we stayed there for the night. We purchased fruits and vegetables from a farm stand and took on a hitchhiker on the way here.

He turned out to be a smelly hippie only interested in finding hallucinating mushrooms. We felt uncomfortable having him and asked him to leave.

Dinner was once again delicious. Congratulations to Chef Ursula, who constantly amazes us with her creativity.

Stats: Miles 324, Expenses $17.30Read more
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Camper Travel 1974-1975 Traveler
Day 105 - Almost missed the Boat
August 16, 1974 in Panama
(Ursula) It was a lovely Friday morning at this beautiful Pacific Coast beach, and I wanted to stay. But Heinz suggested we drive to Panama City to be a few days early for our boat trip to Colombia on the 19th.

Oh man, was that a wise decision!

The broker informed us that our vehicle had to be dropped off at the Port pronto because the Port Authority was closed on weekends.

Thus, we raced like the devil to the ship docks in Colón.

Heinz presented the shipping documents and filled out the necessary paperwork at the Italian Line agent. After our vehicle was scrutinized for scratches etc, it was accepted for transport by the Port Authority. By sheer luck, Heinz managed to get all the paperwork and requirements done before the end of the day.

We were so relieved and could breathe again.

Although it was against the rules, an officer allowed us to sleep in the camper inside the Port that night. It was noisy but safe.

Oh no, our Büsi had another little accident. We had to get up in the middle of the night and wash our sleeping bags.

Stats: Miles 112, Expenses $55.60Read more
TravelerBüsi is the Alemannic German (High German Dialect) for "Cat", I just learned. Amazing how so much had to "work out" for you on this incredible adventure!!
5/11/23Reply
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Camper Travel 1974-1975 Traveler
Day 106 - Colon, Panama
August 17, 1974 in Panama
(Ursula) We packed the necessary belongings into travel bags and exited the secure Port area.

Heinz found us an inexpensive hotel nearby to stay until Monday. The room was reasonably clean and had a camping-style shower.

Panama City and Colón appear bi-lingual; you can hear Spanish and English. Reason: the Port and Panama Canal were under US control. Almost every person we see is predominantly of African descent. It looked unusual after not seeing any "black" person in Central America.

Our room was on the hotel's first floor, right above the bar. And so, we had free entertainment all night. Someone always selected the same song from the Jukebox. It was slowly getting on our nerves.

August 18th
(Ursula) We slept until late and woke up hungry. Heinz went to get sandwiches for us. Then we wrote letters, and I sent a birthday card to my Dad. I can imagine how our parents must worry and would be grateful to receive a sign of life from us occasionally.

We had a huge appetite in the evening and could hardly wait until they served us a Banana-Split at Dairy Queen. Back at the hotel, we were glad nothing was stolen while we were gone.

Again, free music from the bar below all night long! Büsi slept on the balcony.Read more
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Camper Travel 1974-1975 Traveler
Day 108 - Sailing to Colombia
August 19, 1974, Caribbean Sea
(Ursula) Today was departure day.

What a joy when we spotted our camper on the deck of the cruise ship when we arrived at the port. After some formalities, we went on board the Rossini. Our 3-person cabin was great. They also allowed us to access the camper to change clothes and attend to Büsi as needed. We attached him to a long leash so he could move freely on the deck.

Soon we were on the high seas sitting in the dining room for a delicious lunch. After the dessert (ice cream with bananas flambé), we went on a discovery of the ship.

The swimming pool was small and had too many kids in it. Heinz felt the impact of the waves. He got seasick and had to retire to the cabin.

Meanwhile, Wally went for a $2 haircut. It was a pity Heinz couldn’t join us for a fabulous dinner. First, we had Minestrone and freshly baked rolls. Then roast beef with beans, potatoes, and a spinach omelet. For dessert, they served chocolate cream tarts with pears and assorted cheeses. It was so delicious, and we wondered how First Class could have been any better.

We took a food tray back to the cabin for Heinz, but he could hardly manage to get anything down. The evening was dull, so we went to bed early and slept wonderfully without ever waking up. No wonder when you are rocked to sleep so gently.

We will be in Cartagena, Colombia when we wake up tomorrow morning!

Stats: Expenses $530.90Read more
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Camper Travel 1974-1975 Traveler
Day 109 - Hello South America
August 20, 1974 in Colombia
(Ursula) Rossini docked at the port in Cartagena. We were guarded because we heard horror stories from other travelers about difficulties getting their vehicles released from the Port Authority.

Heinz supervised the unloading of the camper. Then an official accompanied him to customs, where he handled the necessary paperwork. An agent would usually be needed for that. Heinz ensured the camper stayed locked at all times to avoid anything stolen or someone planting drugs.

Everything went smoothly, but it required extra patience. I think he is slowly getting used to the “Southern” pace. After paying the port tax, we had to wait a few more hours for some documents and pay the $31 exit fee.

After that, we had the green light to roam about the continent. Hello South America - we have arrived!

The $516 transportation cost from Panama for the 3 of us + the camper was a significant expense, but we had no choice, as there is no connecting road between the two countries.

We liked Cartagena with its colonial buildings and old fortress walls. The travel guide described it as dangerous, but we had a positive experience. Anyway, we didn’t plan to stay in town for very long. We wanted to get to Venezuela.

The plan was to drive from Venezuela South, crossing the Amazon basin to Brasilia and Rio de Janeiro. Then continue to Argentina and Chile and travel up the west coast to Bolivia, Peru, and Ecuador.

By the evening, we came upon a small restaurant/truck stop on a lake with toilets and showers, where we spent our first night on this new continent.

My first impression of Colombia couldn’t have been better.

Stats: Miles 45, Expenses $9.06Read more
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Camper Travel 1974-1975 Traveler
Day 110 - Santa Marta - Maicao
August 21, 1974 in Colombia
(Ursula) We arrived at the Magdalena River and took the ferry across to Fundación.

Then we hit a poorly maintained dirt road with many potholes, questionable bridges, and missing wooden planks. Heinz had to drive slowly and navigate cautiously.

After Santa Marta, we continued Route #90, which led along the Caribbean Sea through the lush foothills. It looked like paradise, with palm trees and glimpses of turquoise-blue water in the background.

Later, the landscape changed to something like a flat, stony desert with cactuses and dry shrubs. How the people here could make a living was a mystery to us. They wore wide cape dresses and just sat by the roadside waiting for something, or we saw them at water fountains filling up plastic containers.

We wanted to stay on a beach, but after several warnings about banditos, we continued to Maicao. Unfortunately, there was no campground or trailer park. Then we found a hotel with a large parking lot, but they wouldn’t permit us to park for the night. The gas stations and the airfield didn’t appear to be safe either.

So we left, drove to the Venezuelan border, and parked next to the customs building.

We woke up frequently during the night from the noise of wandering donkeys, barking dogs, and our Büsi roaming around the camper. It wasn’t the best place to stay, but at least it was safe.

Stats: Miles 305, Expenses $6.15Read more
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Camper Travel 1974-1975 Traveler
Day 111 - Venezuelan Consulate
August 22, 1974 in Colombia
The border official I talked to this morning informed me we would need a tourist visa for Venezuela and could obtain one at the Consulate in Maicao.

So, we drove back to Maicao, where I stood in line for an hour while Ursula and Wally waited in a restaurant keeping an eye on the camper. When my turn was up, a policeman led me to the consul’s office.

He was an intimidating figure dressed in a highly decorated uniform, sitting behind an enormous desk. He told me I could leave our passports and return the next day to pick up the visas. He required that I bring along cash to prove we carried sufficient funds for the time we intended to stay in the country ($25 per person per day). I explained (in my broken Spanish) that we didn’t carry such large amounts of cash with us for security reasons. Instead, I would present a $6,000 letter of credit from Citibank. He wasn’t familiar with such a thing and insisted on cash only.

This seemed very strange to me. Thus, I thanked him and left without leaving the passports. After discussing the situation with Ursula and Wally, we decided to try a different Consulate further south.

We didn’t want to waste more time and left via Route #6 in the direction of Valledupar. It was a gravel road, partly in lousy shape, leading through mountainous terrain. On the way, we stopped by a creek for a refreshing dip. Ahh, so lovely!

We found an Esso gas station on the outskirts of Valledupar that allowed us to stay for the night. That was convenient because it had restrooms and showers. Gasoline in Colombia costs 17 cents per gallon, and we love the great-tasting coffee!

Stats: Miles 137, Expenses $6.70Read more
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Camper Travel 1974-1975 Traveler
Day 112 - Valledupar - Rincón Hondo
August 23, 1974 in Colombia
(Wally) Today a word from our board mechanic: The new horn we installed in Guatemala was full of water and didn't function anymore. I turned it upside down so the water could drain. One of the rear shock absorbers had slipped out of the rubber block and needed to be secured. It probably happened yesterday while we drove on those rough dirt roads.

I got the car ready for travel by noon. Heinz seems happier than yesterday, but I don't know why, maybe because the horn works now! Fortunately, our journey mainly continued on dirt roads, which were in better shape.

(Ursula) South America is a vast continent. Sometimes we drive for hours and hours, and when I check the map, I see that we only moved the width of my little finger. At one point, the road led through a wide, shallow river. We stopped right in the middle and gave the car a complete wash outside and inside. Lots of fine dust had accumulated.

Then we all took a refreshing bath ourselves (and even Büsi was shampooed). Since the spot was so convenient, I also took the opportunity to hand-wash the dirty clothes.

It was soon dark, and we needed to consider a place to stay. Shortly after Rincón Hondo, we found a small restaurant by a lake. The parking lot was lit, and other cars and trucks were parked. That's always a positive sign.

We had a nice fish dinner at the restaurant and drank five Coca Cola. We first thought it was an error - the total bill for the three of us was only $2.20

Stats: Miles 99, Expenses $10.55Read more
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Camper Travel 1974-1975 Traveler
Day 113 - Bucaramanga - Cucuta
August 24, 1974 in Colombia
(Ursula) Today we drove a long time on dirt roads passing through Aguachica and Bucaramanga. Then climbing rapidly to an altitude of 11,800 feet.

It was freezing up there. We reached the top with only a few drops left in the gas tank. Luckily, a truck driver shared some fuel with us. We need to purchase a 5-gallon fuel canister for emergencies. The closest gas station was two hours away in Pamplona, where we refueled and found a place to camp for the night.

Then a misfortune happened. Büsi was caught by the rear wheel when Heinz backed up the Camper at the gas station. Something is now wrong with his hind leg, and he is breathing heavily. Heinz feels terrible about it. Poor Büsi!

August 25th
(Ursula) We were finally out of the mountains, and hair needle curves were behind us. Now it was just a gentle downhill on a paved road that led through a long valley. We saw tropical plants and bright flowers again. The road followed the river and passed through many small villages until we reached the border town of Cucuta.

The town center was well-maintained, and people looked well-dressed for Sunday. The Tourist Office and Venezuelan Consulate were closed. We had to wait until Monday morning.

Luckily again, we found a restaurant parking lot where we could stay. Our Camper with the pop-up roof was a novelty in these parts of the world. People often stopped by to chat and satisfy their curiosity. It allowed us to ask questions, learn about the culture, get information, and practice our Spanish.

Stats: Miles 315, Expenses $16.20Read more
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Camper Travel 1974-1975 Traveler
Day 117 - Second Visa Attempt
August 26, 1974 in Colombia
(Ursula) Getting into the Venezuelan Consulate was quite an undertaking.

We were not the only ones trying to grab and hold (which was even more challenging) a spot by the iron gates to the Consulate at 8 AM. And when it finally opened (more than an hour late), the whole mob raced to the front door of the building like animals.

We were wedged in the crowd and could only assert ourselves by creating as much elbow room as possible. Some people were waving at the officials with a bunch of papers, screaming words we didn't understand. Everyone wanted to be served first.

Wally joined us a little later. He was too polite and slow and had to fight through the crowd with our Passports and extra photographs. We needed to stay together. We waited and waited patiently for hours.

At noon, an official announced that the Consulate would close for lunch and everyone should return in the afternoon. Whaaat!

In the afternoon, the same ordeal repeated itself. Only this time, we had more experience and were better prepared. It became apparent that not everyone was there to obtain a tourist visa. After an hour or so, Heinz got the official's attention and mentioned that we were Swiss tourists who needed Visas.

We don't know if it was the word Swiss or Tourist or Visa, but things started moving rapidly for us. We were led down a corridor to the Consul's office, skipping a long line of people.

The Consul was an amiable and polite man. He collected our passports and said to come back just before closing time to pick them up with the Visas (no request to show $25 per day per person in cash). We were much relieved!

It was not a stress-free day, but we now had permission to travel and stay in Venezuela for 14 days.

Stats: Miles 34, Expenses $25.41Read more
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Camper Travel 1974-1975 Traveler
Day 118 - Crossing into Venezuela
August 27, 1974 in Venezuela
(Ursula) We drove from Cucuta to the border yesterday evening after receiving the Visas. Still, we couldn't leave Colombia because our Carnet de Passage en Duane was missing the exit stamp from Aduana Nacional. Their office was in Cucuta and opened at 8:00 AM the following day. What a pain!

Nothing is easy. We drove back to Cucuta and spent another night at the gas station. The following day, I noticed one of the rear tires low on air. By sheer luck, there happened to be a Michelin agency in Cucuta that replaced it under warranty.

After obtaining the exit stamp at Aduana Nacional, we made another attempt to get to Venezuela. Naturally, we had to endure a similar border procedure as previously experienced in Central America.

After immigration, the camper was thoroughly searched by customs. We also had to open the luggage compartment on the rooftop and take everything out. Maybe the officials were just curious, or perhaps they just did their job, but I couldn't help myself thinking they wanted to demonstrate their authority and power just because they could. It was tough for Heinz to stay calm and patient.

After that ordeal, the door to Venezuela was finally open to us!

Initially, the road led through a hilly area that later flattened out into lush, green agricultural fields. We passed the town of La Fría. Bananas grew everywhere, even next to the road, and were offered for sale along with oranges, grapefruits, papayas, and melons.

The road was paved and in decent condition. By evening we reached Lake Maracaibo, near La Ceiba, and set up camp on a beach with palm trees. We relaxed at a nearby restaurant and toasted with a Polar beer on the birthday of Ursula's dad.

The restaurant owners were very accommodating. They allowed us to fill up with drinking water and use the toilets.

Chef Ursula served us Macaroni in eggs with beef Ragut and a side salad tonight.

Stats: Miles 190, Expenses $8.23Read more
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Day 119 - Driving towards Caracas
August 28, 1974 in Venezuela
(Ursula) Our journey continued on Route #1 along endless banana plantations to Barquisimeto, San Felipe, and Puerto Cabello, where Venezuela's oil industry thrived.

The harbor was filled with tankers, and we passed numerous oil refineries and clusters of large storage tanks. We are again spending the night on a beach, near Punta Borburata, under palm trees. The Caribbean Sea was just beautiful and an invitation for a swim.

On the way here, we took advantage of the abundance of fresh fruits and
vegetables and are well stocked for the coming days.

It was hot and humid. Our Büsi seemed to have recovered a little bit. Stats: Miles 297, Expenses $6.97

August 29th
We were not in a hurry to get going this morning. The Caribbean Sea was so lovely for swimming. Wally cleaned his upstairs bedroom before we continued the trip toward the Capital, Caracas.

The road was beautiful to drive. Almost the whole stretch was a multi-line highway. What a luxury for a change! We got stopped by the Transit Police, who checked our car and passports along the way.

After a long wait, we could continue and arrived in Caracas at 5:00 PM. Finding our way around the maze of city streets was difficult. So, we obtained a detailed map at a gas station that helped us navigate better.

In the meantime, it was getting dark, and we found nowhere else to stay except in Los Caobos Park, right in the city's center. The police didn't mind that we parked there and were patrolling the area all night.

Stats: Miles 155, Expenses $13.20Read more
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Camper Travel 1974-1975 Traveler
Day 121 - Caracas
August 30, 1974 in Venezuela
(Ursula) The local currency in Venezuela is Bolívar.

We picked up the mail at the Swiss Consulate in the morning. Among it was a letter from my Mom and Heinz's sister Hedi. Wally's friend Pedro sent him a Motorcycle Magazine. The consulate informed us we would not need Visas for other South American countries, except a tourist card for Bolivia that can be obtained at the border.

(Heinz) Then we visited the Brazilian Embassy. Wow, the Portuguese language sounded exciting and had a slight melody; however, we couldn't understand a single word and had to communicate in broken Spanish.

I asked about the road situation through the Amazon. They couldn't tell us much, but there is a road from El Tigre to Boa Vista in Northern Brazil. Beyond that, they were unsure. Chances are we would have to travel on rivers if roads were unavailable. Rumors also had it some roads become impassable during the rainy season. That was good to know, and we could sense that challenges would be waiting for us down the road!

Afterward, we drove to Plaza Chacaito and visited the jewelry store Joyería Retzignac. Retzignac was the representative for Piaget watches in Venezuela. I had previously communicated with them while working for the brand in New York.

The Retziniac family was super friendly. The father, Georges, showed us their workshops, which were more significant than I had imagined. Besides selling Swiss watches, they also handcraft high-end custom jewelry. His son Marcos (who was educated in Switzerland and spoke French fluently) later accompanied us to the Patrizzi family, whom we had briefly met back at the border in Cucuta.

We were impressed by their beautiful house and estate. Their daughter knows some boys with information about the roads through the Amazon, but unfortunately, she wasn't home. We talked at length with Mrs. Patrizzi and had interesting conversations about her upbringing in Colombia and her new life here in Venezuela.

We left late in the afternoon and told Mrs. Patrizzi we would return the next day to talk to her daughter. Marcos Retzignac then guided us back to the city, where we thanked him and said our goodbyes. We are spending another night at Los Caobos Park.

Stats: Miles 54, Expenses $20.55Read more
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Camper Travel 1974-1975 Traveler
Day 122 - Caracas
August 31, 1974 in Venezuela
I got lost in the jungle of streets on the way to the Patrizzi family - it would help if the streets had name tags! But in the end, we did find the house.

Fortunately, the daughter was at home. She had spoken to her friends, who confirmed there was no road connecting Boa Vista to the South. OK, we have an unknown challenge waiting for us!

That evening we savored Minestrone and Lasagna at a hole-in-the-wall Italian Restaurant in the old part of Caracas. As we were leaving, another VW Bus pulled up, and we started a conversation. It was Robert and Raquel with their daughter Kika. They drove down from California last year and work here until they have enough money saved to continue to Chile, where Raquel is originally from.

They invited us to stay at their house. After two nights in Los Caobos Park without a shower and bathroom, we gladly accepted their offer.

Stats: Miles 20, Expenses $3.13Read more
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Camper Travel 1974-1975 Traveler
Day 123 - Ávila Mountain
September 1, 1974 in Venezuela
Another month has passed! We are now officially four months into this journey. Time flies so fast.

After a hearty breakfast with pancakes and cheese, we took the gondola to the top of Ávila Mountain. From up there (6,906 feet), we saw Caracas to the South and the Caribbean coast to the North. Unfortunately, it rained on and off, which made the view difficult.

When we arrived back in town, we spotted another camper (the exact duplicate of ours and even the same color) parked next to a Taxi stand. We knocked on the window and met the owners, Mr. and Mrs. Bonet, a couple in their 60's. We discussed our plans with them over a cup of tea and biscuits and learned more about the route through the Amazon. They gave us the address of a Volkswagen garage in Caracas where we could purchase spare parts for our engine type. Mr. and Mrs. Bonet gave us a ride back to Robert and Raquel's house.

Raquel's brother had just arrived from Chile for a visit. He talked to us for hours about his country, and we wrote down addresses and places to visit. He said Patagonia was pure nature and very beautiful, with mountains, streams, and glaciers. He got us all excited!

Stats: Miles 0, Expenses $6.22Read more
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Camper Travel 1974-1975 Traveler
Day 124 - Caracas
September 2, 1974 in Venezuela
We got up early and drove to Shell Oil headquarters.

I wanted to talk to them about our journey and possibly advertise the brand by putting their Logo on our camper. They were interested, but it would take weeks to get such a "project" approved. Oh well, it was worth a try!

Now that we are about to conquer unknown territory, we want to be prepared for the unexpected. Wally purchased some critical spare parts for our engine, including a rebuilt fuel pump, just in case. In addition, we purchased a 10 Liter fuel canister. Ursula roamed the supermarket and bought canned food, rice, flour, sugar, and mosquito repellent.

We gifted Rachel a bouquet and Robert an excellent Chilean wine. Rachel served a delicious roast beef dinner with noodles and salad tonight.

Later that evening, we watched a slide show from their travels through Mexico. Many of the places and pictures looked familiar to us.

Stats: Miles 10, Expenses $41.50Read more
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Camper Travel 1974-1975 Traveler
Day 125 - Boca de Uchire Playasol
September 3, 1974 in Venezuela
Robert's VW California camper had been broken into several times. He liked the safety hooks that I installed on ours to secure our triangular vent windows. Hence, I offered to install a set as gratitude for their hospitality.

We said goodbye to these wonderful people shortly before noon and drove east toward Barcelona. We spotted a lovely beach on the Caribbean coast, where we set up camp for the night. It was called Boca de Uchire Playasol. The place had toilets, showers, and a restaurant.

Our Büsi was still not OK and looked a bit skinny. It hurts me to see her suffer. Hopefully, he will recover.

Stats: Miles 151, Expenses $35.60Read more
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Day 126 - Camping on the Beach
September 4, 1974 in Venezuela
(Ursula) It wasn't planned, but I declared today a rest day so we could enjoy this beautiful beach a little longer. Well, rest day is a little bit of an exaggeration. Wally worked on the car, and Heinz and I were busy catching up on dairy entries, expense reports, and sorting notes and addresses.

Traveling in a camper as we did is not exactly a vacation where you can always sit back and relax. It's a nice way to live, that's for sure. However, it comes with work attached, like logistics, planning, maintenance, shopping, washing, cooking, etc.

August passed quickly and was the most expensive because of the boat trip. But if we deduct that, it was the month with the least expenses. Colombia cost us very little, but Venezuela, on the other hand, is more expensive.

The restaurant here has an outdoor enclosure with three funny monkeys who loved munching on the bananas we fed.

(Heinz) Ursula and I had lunch at the restaurant. Wally wasn't hungry, but he was very thirsty. He drank a record of 10 Pepsi Cola today and stashed another three by his bunk bed for the night! We are very thankful to Wally for always looking after the car and keeping it in top shape.

We went for refreshing dips in the sea a few times during the day. Tonight, Chef Ursula prepared one of my favorite dishes, Spaghetti with Tomato and Meat Sauce (cabbage salad for appetizer and Jello for dessert). How can you top that?

Stats: Miles 0, Expenses $2.45Read more
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Camper Travel 1974-1975 Traveler
Day 127 - Playa Colorada
September 5, 1974 in Venezuela
Nothing special happened today. We started late, leaving this lovely beach and driving toward Barcelona.

The road was all nicely paved. A few miles before Puerto la Cruz, we stopped at Playa Colorada, another wonderful beach, and decided to stay there for two days.

The sea was very calm in this cove and excellent for swimming. We parked the camper under palm trees right on the water. It would have been a spectacular picture for the front cover of National Geographic Magazine! Stats: Miles 95, Expenses $3.05

September 6th
(Ursula) Even if the day wasn’t completely cloudless, it was terrific to relax totally. The beach was so beautiful. I just sat there for hours looking out at the turquoise water. A few small rocky islands were in the bay, and I saw occasional fishing boats go by.

A German couple invited us for a Guarapita (a typical rum drink). Then we decided to join them for dinner. It was an interesting couple-we talked until midnight.

Stats: Miles 0, Expenses $0.00Read more
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Camper Travel 1974-1975 Traveler
Day 129 - Ciudad Bolivar
September 7, 1974 in Venezuela
(Ursula) Heinz played a game of chess with Gerhard while Wally and I were getting the camper ready for the road. Then we jumped in the water one more time. The next time we would have the opportunity to stay on a beach is probably be in Rio de Janeiro.

The farewell was difficult. It was early afternoon before we finally let go of this nice place. The road to Ciudad Bolivar was in good condition, and we arrived there quicker than we thought. We found a restaurant on the outskirts of town where we were welcome to stay for the night.

The locals are always curious everywhere we stay. They would always come and talk to us.

Depending on their interests, we sometimes unfold our North America and South America maps and show them where we started and what was still ahead. We hear lots of aahs and oohs, but sometimes I doubt that people can fully grasp the great distance we have traveled.

The restaurant owner offered us appetizers and drinks, and good-looking Wally, with his wavy blond hair, had to politely refuse a marriage proposal. The poor man could hardly manage all the beer he was being offered.

We finally escaped back to our camper for dinner. All the little girls followed us and watched me prepare dinner on the Coleman stove.

Stats: Miles 204, Expenses $4.42Read more
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Camper Travel 1974-1975 Traveler
Day 130 - El Dorado
September 8, 1974 in Venezuela
September 8th
(Ursula) The restaurant operation started relatively early on this Sunday morning. Corn cubs were steaming in large pots, and a pig roasted over an open fire pit in the front yard. Little by little, the place filled with people for the lunch feast. The owners brought us coffee and a large bag of fruits before we drove off.

People are so friendly in Venezuela. We had never been refused or felt reluctance when we asked for a favor. I don’t even want to think about the reaction one would get on that subject in Switzerland.

(Heinz) And off we drove in the direction of El Dorado. The road signs were confusing in Ciudad Guayana, and we had to ask for directions. The person who helped us out was a Swiss named Emil Schmidt. What a coincidence!

Emil was a geologist, and we learned from him that the region was rich in gold and diamonds. Most mining places were deep in the rainforest and difficult to exploit. The other challenge, Emil explained, was to find a company that was willing to finance the mining and get the necessary permits from the State. There was also much corruption and politics going on. In addition, the President of the Republic changed every five years, and with that, regulations were constantly changing.

Emil told us about a fatal accident of young Swiss canoeing in the jungle and perishing down a cataract. He was only 28 and wanted to raise a camp for tourists. The young man knew the river well. Emil suspects there was foul play from a competitor involved. But there is no proof.

We were able to camp on the river bank by Emil’s house.

Stats: Miles 241, Expenses $14.40Read more
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Camper Travel 1974-1975 Traveler
Day 131 - La Grand Sabana
September 9, 1974 in Venezuela
(Ursula) We had just woken up when Emil knocked on the window and handed us hot tea. Wally made pancakes which we brought over to his house for breakfast. Then the men attempted to repair Emil's emergency generator but were unsuccessful.

We said our goodbyes to this lovely man and hoped he would receive the $100,000 for his staked gold mine. He gave us three samples from his collection as a souvenir. Each one was said to contain 7-12% gold.

A few miles after El Dorado, the pavement ended and continued as a dirt road, but it was in reasonably good condition. Later it changed to concrete slabs and started climbing up to a rocky plateau called La Grand Sabana. Very little vegetation was up there, and it looked strange, like the moon's surface with fine red sand.

We were now near Santa Elena de Uairen (the Brazilian border). But first, we had to cross a few rivers and hope we wouldn't get stuck. The third one was the worst. A bridge had been washed away and was missing. The only way to get to the other side was to drive down a rocky river bank and making across and up the steep bank on the other side.

Like the first two rivers, the water was generally shallow, but there were a few deeper sections that our VW Bus would not have been able to handle. So, Wally and I started to fill these sections with large rocks. It took us more than an hour to build a solid foundation. Then we made it successfully across and up the other bank. Wow!

We set up camp on a rock platform. It was the perfect place to once again wash our clothes and take a bath. Wally found a nice water hole downstream that resembled a bathtub. I saw him sitting in there, his torso fully lathered with soap, shampooing his hair. What a funny sight!

Heinz returned from a short reconnaissance walk downstream. He reported that there was a considerable drop-off and waterfall.

We all went to take a look and spotted the bridge that was washed away, looking like a shattered toy laying at the bottom.

Stats: Miles 146, Expenses $0.00Read more
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