Posted on

Packing big trucks in small containers

On Sunday we visited the Miraflores locks on the Panama Canal.
Early on Monday morning, we met with the other parties, all French travelers, and we booked two containers and a flat-track to transport the four vehicles. Sharing a 40-feet container with another vehicle, I had to pay US$950, not including fees on the Colombian side.
All day Monday was busy running from one police station to the other, filling tons of meaningless papers, always looking for the next stamp. First we needed the inspection of the vehicle, when the police check the truck serial number. Then we had to go to another place where they check that you didn’t get a ticket while in Panama. They then give you an exit authorization. We had to go back to the shipping agent to pay and get the Bill of Lading.
The day after, we left the city at sunrise with only one driver per vehicle, since only one person can enter the port with each shipment. It took us one hour to reach Colon, on the Caribbean coast. We stopped shortly before the city to wash the car, as the port authority can have you pay US$100 to clean the vehicle if they judge it too dirty to enter their rusty containers.
All the first part of the day went running from the custom offices to the shipping agent, to inspections, to get port entry passes (US$5), and to have drug searches done on the trucks.
At last, around 2 p.m., the port employees guided us to our containers. My vehicle, the smallest of all was able to enter without problem in the 2.6-meter-high box. We un-mounted a roof-tent from the other vehicle we stuffed in the same container, and also had to let the air out of the tires so it would fit.
In another container, we stuffed without problem a big Dodge truck, but had to force a bit to get the U-Haul trailer in.
Another camping car found its place on the flat track.
At 3:30 we were out of the harbor and dirty like dogs. We shared a car to the airport where employees would soon understand how bums from the road look like.
It was very disappointing to fly above the Darien Gap at night and I will always regret I didn’t see this mysterious place. I bet that in a decade there will be a road there, changing the fragile equilibrium between the jungle and its inhabitants.
Nadia flew earlier in the day in another plane to get hotel rooms in Cartagena with other people of the gang ($30 and less for a room). Around 11 p.m. we met her in the city after a 1-hour flight (US$240, could cost $180 in advance, but you need to have your Bill of Lading in hand before you buy your ticket).
Two hours and few beers later, we were in bed, exhausted.
NOTES:
Shipping between Colombia and Panama can cost $750 to $1400 for a big SUV. You can use Ro-Ro (roll-in roll-out boats, a bit like ferries) or containers. There is no ferry service. The most common route is Cartagena-Colon. It takes 2 days to do the paperwork before departure, two days at arrival, and 1-2 days transit time.
Another solution I found out too late is that there is a possibility to use banana boats to go from Colombia to Costa Rica (skipping panama). It is also possible to ship from Ecuador to Costa Rica. There are at least a weekly departure for cars between Panama and Colombia with the two most used shipping companies, which are Wilhelmsen and Seaboard. Both companies are similar in prices. All depend of if you ship alone, share containers, and how many containers you will book. You can ask quotes to Vanessa de Gracia
(vdegracia [AT] seaboardmarinepanama.com) from Seaboard and Evelyn Batista from Wilhelmsen (Company used to be call Barwil) (evelyn.batista [AT] wilhelmsen.com).
For the banana boat, ask a quote and a list of destinations to Alicia from the famous Chiquita company (alromero [AT] chiquita.com). Use the Banana boat only if it is way cheaper.
Entering the container on the Colon harbor
Entering the container on the Colon harbor

Along with a group of other people shipping trucks, we were able to find a container boat leaving Colon, Panama on Wednesday. We went with Wilhelmsen (http://www.wilhelmsen.com), a worldwide company. If you are interested in shipping your car, there is a note at the end of this entry giving contact information.

Miraflores locks on the Panama Canal
Miraflores locks on the Panama Canal

On Sunday we visited the Miraflores locks on the Panama Canal.

Early on Monday morning, we met with the other parties, all French travelers, and we booked two containers and a flat-track to transport the four vehicles. Sharing a 40-feet container with another vehicle, I had to pay US$950, not including fees on the Colombian side.

Waiting for the police officers to finish lunch
Waiting for the police officers to finish lunch

All day Monday was busy running from one police station to the other, filling tons of meaningless papers, always looking for the next stamp. First we needed the inspection of the vehicle, when the police check the truck serial number. Then we had to go to another place where they check that you didn’t get a ticket while in Panama. They then give you an exit authorization. We had to go back to the shipping agent to pay and get the Bill of Lading.

Old streets of Panama City
Old streets of Panama City

The day after, we left the city at sunrise with only one driver per vehicle, since only one person can enter the port with each shipment. It took us one hour to reach Colon, on the Caribbean coast. We stopped shortly before the city to wash the car, as the port authority can have you pay US$100 to clean the vehicle if they judge it too dirty to enter their rusty containers.

At the custom office, trying to communicate
At the custom office, trying to communicate

All the first part of the day went running from the custom offices to the shipping agent, to inspections, to get port entry passes (US$5), and to have drug searches done on the trucks.

Going in
Going in

At last, around 2 p.m., the port employees guided us to our containers. My vehicle, the smallest of all was able to enter without problem in the 2.6-meter-high box. We un-mounted a roof-tent from the other vehicle we stuffed in the same container, and also had to let the air out of the tires so it would fit.

Not much space inside the container
Not much space inside the container

In another container, we stuffed without problem a big Dodge truck, but had to force a bit to get the U-Haul trailer in.

Another camping car found its place on the flat track.

Getting ready to close the containers
Getting ready to close the containers

At 3:30 we were out of the harbor and dirty like dogs. We shared a car to the airport where employees would soon understand how bums from the road look like.

Cutoms employee closes the boxes
Cutoms employee closes the boxes

It was very disappointing to fly above the Darien Gap at night and I will always regret I didn’t see this mysterious place. I bet that in a decade there will be a road there, changing the fragile equilibrium between the jungle and its inhabitants.

Nadia flew earlier in the day in another plane to get hotel rooms in Cartagena with other people of the gang ($30 and less for a room). Around 11 p.m. we met her in the city after a 1-hour flight (US$240, could cost $180 in advance, but you need to have your Bill of Lading in hand before you buy your ticket).

Panama City airport
Panama City airport

Two hours and few beers later, we were in bed, exhausted.

Appologies to all for the delay posting this entry, but it seems that in Colombia, access to my blog is blocked by a government program of internet censorship. It may be a problem until I leave the country.

NOTES:
Shipping between Colombia and Panama can cost $750 to $1400 for a SUV. You can use Ro-Ro (roll-in roll-out boats, a bit like ferries) or containers. There is no ferry service. The most common route is Cartagena-Colon. It takes 2 days to do the paperwork before departure, two days at arrival, and 1-2 days transit time.Another solution I found out too late is that there is a possibility to use banana boats to go from Colombia to Costa Rica (skipping panama). It is also possible to ship from Ecuador to Costa Rica. There are at least a weekly departure for cars between Panama and Colombia with the two most used shipping companies, which are Wilhelmsen and Seaboard. Both companies are similar in prices. All depend of if you ship alone, share containers, and how many containers you will book. You can ask quotes to Vanessa de Gracia (vdegracia [AT] seaboardmarinepanama.com) from Seaboard and Evelyn Batista from Wilhelmsen (Company used to be call Barwil) (evelyn.batista [AT] wilhelmsen.com).
For the banana boat, ask a quote and a list of destinations to Alicia from the famous Chiquita company (alromero [AT] chiquita.com). Use the Banana boat only if it is way cheaper.

Posted on

Route planning: trying to stay out of trouble

The first step in planning a round-the-world trip is to study which country you can cross or not. Somehow, driving west to east may be more difficult now than in the sixties, even if cars are stronger and roads better. Latin America is actually easier now, but the Middle-East is more of a challenge.
It is difficult now to cross Iraq and Afghanistan, and Myanmar (Burma) closed all its land borders to foreigner. China is more economically open now, but they make an overland trip an expensive affair by forcing you to take a government-approved guide in exchange of a considerable amount of money. The road to South-East Asia is sealed.

In Africa, it is very difficult to obtain visas for Chad and Sudan, making the west-to-east road impossible, as crossing the Algeria deserts and even isolated areas in Egypt is a good solution if one wants to experience kidnapping – or worst.

It takes a bit of time for the traveler to settle on an itinerary, which will never be perfect anyway. Situations keep changing, and need to be monitored frequently.

On my current route, there are still few places that could be problematic:

few spots on the road are still hazardous
Few spots on the route are still hazardous

The Darien Gap
A 100 miles long area of swamps and rain forest separating Panama and Colombia. There is no existing road connection, which make it the missing link in the Pan-American Highway. The inhabitants of this mountainous jungle with no marked trails are Indian tribes, guerillas and drug traffickers. There are no police or military in the area, and National Geographic calls it the most dangerous place in the Western Hemisphere.

Solution: Find a boat in Panama to ship the car to Colombia. While the car is on its way, take a small plane over the jungle, and pray to not have to do an emergency landing.

Angola
The problem with Angola is to get the visa. Hopefully I can get it in South Africa, the only place where it is available. Not getting it would force me to ship the car again, or to cross through a larger part of the Democratic Republic of Congo, which is better avoided these days.

Solution: Don’t leave South Africa without visa.

Nigeria
Violent crimes, religious tensions, armed muggings, assaults, burglary, kidnappings, extortions, carjacking, roadblock robberies, and armed break-ins are few of the features the country.

Solution: Go as fast as possible, and try to cross the country in few days.

Iran
Once inside the country, no problem. great country, nice people, few incidents are reported by travelers. I am more worry about arguments between countries that would lead to border closures, and no visa handed to foreigners.

Solution: Hope the situation stay under control and that my government will not get too excited. Get the visa in Paris at the same time I’ll get India and Pakistan visa.

Pakistan
Just imagine how much fun it will be to cross the country with NY license plates. A recent wave of suicide attacks dissuaded the last tourists to visit the country. Swat in the North West Frontier Province, which used be a great attraction for tourists, is in the grip of violence with militants demanding implementation of Islamic laws through the country.

Solution: Go as fast as possible, and try to cross the country in few days. Right now, foreigners driving overland benefit of military escort, which make the travel even more fun as soldiers drive like New York taxi drivers.

Myanmar (Burma)
The government doesn’t allow you to cross the country overland. Officially you can apply for a transit visa, but in reality, it is always denied. Tourists can only stay in few cities and areas.

Solution: Ship the car from Bangladesh to Thailand or Singapore. It is too difficult and costly to go via China.

Moving target: In few weeks, my route changed considerably

The old route
The old route

The new route
The new route