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angrychicken
Samba Member
Joined: November 22, 2013
Posts: 166
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 Posted: Fri Jan 05, 2018 11:25 am Post subject: Re: Guatemala Bound |
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Just a little update.
Prosecutor looked at my insurance history. I've before leaving and had insurance including the times while in Mexico. I did have a current insurance policy that was on pause since it did not cover international travels. Looked at the time I crossed the border and the ticket time. Noticed that I had just crossed the border.
A no-insurance ticket is not being issued.
I'll have to be more cautious with this in the future and better communicate with my insurance company about border crossing times.
Make an international call or find wifi to use to reinstate my policy before crossing the border. |
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dobryan
Samba Member
Joined: March 24, 2006
Posts: 16508
Location: Brookeville, MD
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designer
Samba Member
Joined: November 05, 2009
Posts: 484
Location: Idaho-but just the tip
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| Posted: Fri Jan 05, 2018 6:29 pm Post subject: Re: Guatemala Bound |
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that was a great video. i miss c. america. drove to Panama in 97. In a 94 toyota pu with a shell on the back. i was early 20's and no fear. Stayed in Costa Rica for about 4 months.
Been thinking about doing it again in our Westy with the Family. did you have any shady encounters? Questionable events that would negate you doing that again with a wife and two boys along?
I just remember everybody being super friendly all the way down. Seeing the children in your video and the family at dinner reminded me of our trip. I Felt a little pressure in Guatemala just cuz the road was so terrible and remote. And all the teenagers at the border crossings with AK-47's. We had zero problems at all though, really. No theft. Got three tickets in nicaragua within about 10 miles for various BS things. Driving too fast. Driving too slow. Driving too close to the person in front. That's where i learned about the bribe. And i think the dudes were radioing ahead to their buddies. Easy targets.
I shipped my truck back up to the states to miami and drove back to CO from there. It was a blast.
_________________
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87 Syncro Westy : 2.5l
"It is that annoying, accelerating downhill so I can make it up the next hill in the same gear. Foot to floor hoping I can get out of the way of other cars getting onto the highway." - somebody on here around 2013. |
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angrychicken
Samba Member
Joined: November 22, 2013
Posts: 166
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| Posted: Sat Jul 21, 2018 2:16 pm Post subject: Re: Guatemala Bound |
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Sorry I didn't’ respond.
I had no issues. I think you just have to understand and respect local culture and rules. I would travel without hesitation with family. Just gotta do it safely. My biggest concerns with the Westy is the inadequate brakes.
Here is another cell vid that I made. Sort of a tribute to my friends and people that I worked with in Totonicapan.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-EBzeSNRy4&t=69s
Just returned from doing relief work in response to the recent volcano. Was able to visit Escuela de Esperanza (where we sponsor a health program) before working with Central de Salud and Rekko.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FhTLQQpbaFY
I’ll be down there again shortly to initiate an anemia program in Jocotenago.
I do want to travel through all of C. America soon. But I am strongly considering trading the Westy before I do and getting into something larger, more rugged,that i can live in more. Right now a Fuso 4x4 is at the top of the list as a base build. |
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gbrandt
Samba Member
Joined: April 04, 2006
Posts: 578
Location: Calgary
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| Posted: Sun Jul 22, 2018 12:15 am Post subject: Re: Guatemala Bound |
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| designer wrote: |
I just remember everybody being super friendly all the way down. Seeing the children in your video and the family at dinner reminded me of our trip. I Felt a little pressure in Guatemala just cuz the road was so terrible and remote. And all the teenagers at the border crossings with AK-47's. We had zero problems at all though, really. No theft. Got three tickets in nicaragua within about 10 miles for various BS things. Driving too fast. Driving too slow. Driving too close to the person in front. That's where i learned about the bribe. And i think the dudes were radioing ahead to their buddies. Easy targets.
I shipped my truck back up to the states to miami and drove back to CO from there. It was a blast. |
We managed all the way to Argentina without paying a bribe. Just took patience. All cops eventually let us go when ghey realize they’re not getting anything and there are dozens of potential bribes driving past 
_________________
'Lucky' our 1987 Red Westy, ASV 1.9 TDI ~130HP, Peloquin differential (had a GW 2.3 that we loved, but it died, we drove it hard!)
We've driven in 49 countries and 5 continents to date
Canada to Argentina and back, 2015 to 2017.
Canada to Europe and back (including Turkey, Morocco and Iceland), 2017 to 2019
Mexico 2022-2023
https://www.instagram.com/live.travel.play/
http://livetravelplay.ca |
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Abscate
Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2014
Posts: 22670
Location: NYC/Upstate/ROW
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| Posted: Sun Jul 22, 2018 4:36 am Post subject: Re: Guatemala Bound |
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Patience and calm, and willingness to wait them out is an almost universal skill in dealing with bribes in any country.
Once they get the sense you will swap money for time, you are sunk.
I got pulled over 300 meters from home for not having a front plate.
Turns out, people buy a car, buy insurance, register, turn in one plate, cancel everything, then drive on one plate. Cop some are all over it.
No ticket issued.
Btw State Farm would stop billing me when I did a diplomatic tour for 6 months overseas, I didn’t cancel anything, she said
I do have a lot of coverage with them...cars, houses, boats, planes, trains, hovercraft, eel farm
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