Shona convinced security to let us park in the underground lot while I went to find wifi to connect with our absent host. Hotspot hunting led me to the local KFC. Connected, access info in hand, I headed back to join Sho with a large portion of fries and Oreo ice-cream. We slept well and, rejuvenated, headed out to the Equator. Coffee and snacks and a few poses later we were ready to leave the city behind. Quito's smog was soon a smudge on our mirrors as we wound on beautiful backroads towards the isolated San Cristobal Hostal. With daylight to spare we set about some routine bike maintenance and chatted with fellow adventurers @books_and_burners Preparing to leave the following morning, the local school was celebrating Christmas. The band played a beautiful tune as they paraded the town in colourful fancy dress. With friendly faces, fabulous music, blue sky and empty trails we left in high spirits. The stunning Quilatoa crater, then. Disaster. Departing, we realised Shona's phone was missing. We hunted, visited all the local shops asking if it had been found. Offered a reward, but. Nothing. With accomodation booked at the coast for a Christmas break we had no choice but to leave. Deflated we rode the mountain pass through aptly miserable conditions, descending to a unknown town where we secured a grubby room as darkness fell. 10pm. Shona is logged into her email, bank and social accounts, in the process of cancelling everything when a message pops up; "Hello friend"... The short story is, we were hustled. We agreed; divide and conquer. With 6 hours to our costal retreat and a 4 hour round trip to collect the phone, Shona would head to our Christmas haven to set up home, while I would backtrack for the phone. Without a phone Shona had no nav so it was back to the old methods of written directions taped to her windscreen and a paper map as standby. With a long day ahead we set alarms for 05:30. We needn't have bothered. A marching band woke us at 05:00. Bleary eyed, we donned kit and headed into the rain, one turned east, the other west. #travel #adventure #motorcycle #offroad #ecuador #himalayan #royalenfield #adv #adventurebike #hustle #diary #explore

We departed Colombia via Pasto. A transit town with little to offer except accomodation and proximity to Ecuador. Leaving at dawn, rain became sleet as our route accumulated altitude. Piling waterproofs on layers we pushed on, eventually staggering soggily into a roadside cafe for warmth. In our self pity we craved hot chocolate and comfort food but the best on offer was a bowl of hot milk and corn. Descending towards Ecuador the sun shouldered away the clouds with a welcome warmth. Technically simple, mysteriously time consuming, we juggled admin at the border and celebrated our early start as the queue grew rapidly behind us. Tumbling thankfully through final administration we rode the last few miles to this days home. Overnight our kit transitioned from soaking to merely damp. Fed, watered and rested we set off in good spirits for a route @nomadon2wheels inspired. Reserva Ecológica El Ángel is a landscape like no other. 16000 hectares of alien wetland prickles with stunning blue-green succulents. A multitude of plant species thrive, and in turn an ecosystem booms. The road through is travelled infrequently, unkempt and subject to significant landslides. Averaging barely a mile per hour we dropped bikes on slick climbs. Handballed luggage through liquid peat. Paddled sections where a sideways slip would end the trip. The skies darkened. Rain threatened. But luck smiled. Pushing south the route dried. Evening sun gilded the landscape. We found road and rolled for Quito. At the city limits, tired and in rush hour we took a wrong turn and were forced to ride away from our destination as darkness fell. Finally able to backtrack, we were now in total night with miles of bumper to bumper traffic between us and where we should have been long ago. Trying to remain calm we fought a heaving sea of red lights. Arriving at our Air B&B with nothing left... We couldn't get in. #adventure #adv #advrider #offroad #Ecuador #backroads #backcountry #moto #motoadventure #mud #royalsoffroad #royalenfield #royalenfieldhimalayan #worldtravel #worldtraveler #adventurebike #ortlieb #lomo #klim #beautiful #landscape #dji #explore

The route to the Jungle Lodge. A beautiful, middle of nowhere haven with waterfalls and jungle sounds about a luxury private cabin. A warning sign said one motorcycle at a time so that's what we did. Only afterwards did it occur that our laden Himalayans weigh the equivalent of 3 local motos... #ropebridge #fullyloaded #motorcycletravel #motoadventure #junglelodge #wildlife #wonderful_places #bridges #nature #tranquil #hotshower #royalenfieldhimalayans #royalenfield #dirtroads #offroad #adventureriding

Valle de Cocora is not for us. It's very much a tourist destination. Yes, it has Colombia's iconic sky scraper palms, but it also has paths, rules, tourists and a multitude of pointless selfie sculptures. But we enjoyed an opportunity to stretch our legs none the less, then headed for some RnR at the fabulous @donkeysunrise New but swiftly establishing a reputation as a go-to travellers destination, we were immediately welcomed by Tim and Isa. We enjoyed local rides, amazing home cooked food courtesy of Eleazar, we mucked in with chores, enjoyed a comfy bed and swapped all sorts of travel tales with @nomadon2wheels Tom, Chris, our trail buddy Ron and @ikgahiergoedop @jorgearlescardona made our bikes shine with his awesome bike wash. We highly recommend the service but unfortunately the gleam didn't last for long. Sorry Jorge! Despite the fun and hospitality, Ecuador was calling and a long awaited Christmas break enticed us away from the Donkey Family. We left via the Tatacoa Desert (much the same as Cocora, ugh!), San Augustin (incredible food with Sabores Ancestrales - jungle recipes passed down through generations) and a jungle lodge with rope bridge (thanks for the recommendation Quin!) before taking the little known Trampolina Del Diablo - aka Colombia's equivalent to Boliva's Death Road. In thickening cloud we twisted skywards crossing floodwater rivulets, cautiously eyeing the gaping chasm to our right. Loose surface tugged our wheels in directions we wanted to avoid. Mud. Ruts. Huge chunks of road missing, swallowed by the abyss. Oncoming trucks squeezing past us. Us passing trucks steadily grinding into the clouds. Overhanging rock. Dense and dripping foliage. Colombia made our hearts sing. What an incredible welcome to South America! #colombia #offroad #adventure #adventurebike #royalsoffroad #royalenfieldhimalayan #royalenfield #southamerica #mountains #amazingcoffee #foodie #jungle #trails #valledecocora #tatacoadesert #explore #blog #junglelodge #hammock #hills #traveldiaries

No bikes. Flying. Suddenly feeling like regular tourists again we enjoyed the simple things that aren't always so simple on the road. A seat. Coffee. Panini. The flight was too short for a film but just sitting back as the blue scrolled by was bliss. Then Bogota. Little Candles Day. The fabulous Cafe Heart right next to our accommodation. A bit of hassle to get the bikes but nothing too bad. A day in the city to visit the Gold Museum, stock up on essentials and catch up with our road mates @harryandhettie then. Off we go again. First, north following a word of mouth route full of promise. Leaving the city we pushed through a seemingly endless molass of traffic before disengaging and escaping into the hills with a sigh of relief. Property was simple, formed from immediately available materials and ingenuity. People softened. Smiles as we passed by. Kids waved and shouted. Back on tarmac again we stopped at the best coffee shop view in the world (probably). Braddan lost his 3rd pair of sunglasses. Our onward route through the mountains was wonderful and as the sun lowered in our town of choice, we grabbed groceries and watched the locals play bar games while we drank beer. Then we went to bed. Then we watched youtube untill 4am as the birthday party next door to our hotel apparently hadn't heard we were tired! Sleep deprived we wobbled off the next morning towards Filandia, a beautiful coffee town jam packed with vintage jeeps all lovingly customised. Next, Valle de Cocora. #colombia #travel #adventure #southamerica #royalsoffroad #royalenfield #royalenfieldhimalayan #adventurebike #dualsport #traveldiaries #traveldiary #blog #travelwriter #journal #journey #roadtrip #abr #adv #klim #lomo #mountain #offroad

The sky quickly ripened from rose and gold to bruised blue. Beneath the beauty, life. Panama arrived with now familiar border bustle plus added reality. Birds roosted, squabbling in discord below tin sunshades. Bats wheeled, parting lamplit bug clouds. A passing opportunist pinched his bicep, opening a weeping 2inch stab wound as his introduction. Fixers; more insistent. The vibe; very much about keeping all our possessions in sight as we completed paperwork. Maybe its true what they say, borders are best tackled in daylight. With dim stock headlamps we peered ahead, cautiously approaching our quirky but cozy motor cycle hostel for the night. Catia's warm welcome soon settled our frazzled nerves and after a good sleep we were on our way again. Towards our southernmost destination in Central America, from where we'lll freight our bikes south. 3 Lanes of road. 4 lanes of traffic. Heat. Diesel. Noise. We are filtering in a line of three, trying to get ahead of this mess. From nowhere a cyclist darts from infront of a bus and with his bicycle over Shona's front wheel he nimbly hops aside. As Shona tries to stop her motorcycle falling from the impact, the cyclist pulls relentlessly at his bike to disentangle it. Ultimately toppling Shona and her bike. He briefly surveys his handywork, then enthusiastically pats Shona on the back shouting 'you ok bro?' and rides off as traffic builds and the honking begins. Travelling slightly ahead I missed the incident but fortunately Ron was with us and quickly jumped off his bike to help Shona right hers. Soon reunited, there was fortunately nothing to do but laugh at the situation. Then. Panama city. Panama Canal. Pre Christmas bustle. The airport to finalise our airfreight. With bikes packed and flights booked we returned to the hotel with @tom_dualadventure who we'd met at the freight forwarding company, got our glad rags on and headed to the highest bar in town. We watched the sun set behind the smoke of a distant fire. Cheers to you Central America. Mañana South America. #royalsoffroad #centralamerica #panama #adventure #moto #motorcycle #royalenfield #traveldiaries #roadtrip #rooftop #blog #travel #bordercrossing

One more breakfast with Tom then he guided us out of the crater via tiny backroads slick with moss. Fond farewells made, we turned left towards the central circumference of the globe. Casually assuring Ron we'd get him through the borders we fell at the first hurdle. Our protagonist was travelling without an original title (US motorcycle papers). While until now his local fixers had brushed this under the carpet for a hefty fee, it meant Ron was now in a deadlock having formally departed Nicaragua, with no means to enter Costa Rica. Patience begets compromise, and it was finally agreed that a digital copy would be acceptable so, several hours behind schedule, we left Ron waiting for his friend to scan and email the required documents. In darkness and rain we twisted and climbed around a vast lakeshore before scaling a slick dirt track. Morning revealed a beautiful hilltop campsite. Like so many places we wish we could have stayed. But we needed more bike work and were scheduled for Heredia. Ron had made it through so we arranged to meet roadside, then rode through freezing mountain top rain. Past waterfalls and views beyond belief before dropping thankfully into the welcoming hug of a sunkissed valley. We passed through the gates of our wonderful colonial coffee plantation accommodation with daylight to spare and basked in the luxury of this beautiful and private period home. Bikes expertly checked by the brilliant Duani, we picked our way into the mountains again. We stoped to explore the cloud forest on foot, cherry picked offroad sections then dropped into the bustling San Isidro where we were due to stay with Bunk-a-Biker contacts and exceptional hosts, the lovely Gary and Evelyn. We crossed paths again with brothers @jason.moser.7902 who were staying there. Departing after a couple of nights rest, we stopped at the iconic and mysterious Diquís Spheres, named for the extinct culture thought to have created them. Then couldn't resist a small cable ferry and beautiful back roads that delivered us to the next border. Late. #costarica #todomotor #adventure #motorcycle #motorbike #overland #south #himalayan #royalenfield #roadtrip #explore #travel #offroad

We regretfully departed El Tunco. A few more days at least would have been wonderful. But the remaining motorcycle maintenance was scheduled. So we returned to @royalenfieldelsalvador before heading South again. Keen to put some miles down we started early and headed for the border. Crossed into Honduras, stayed one night and made for the Nicaraguan border. We would have liked to spend more time in Honduras but as we have already discovered, a year on the road does not give us all the time we thought it would... and the call of the Andes is strong. The fixers were on their game. We walked the tightrope of polite interaction and firm refusal, making reasonable ground. Ron, riding a modified KTM690, was not so fortunate. Fixers had made his life hell. We did what we could to help and got on the road. Stopping for lunch Ron caught up with us and we shared stories. With different destinations pre booked, we swapped details and promised to stay in touch. Next, Laguna Apoyo. A small, dormant volcanic crater, with a low key, lake shore community well away from the crowds. Our kind of place for relaxation. We swam, paddle boarded and kayaked. We drank cocktails and lazed. Stalked parrots and listened to howler monkeys. We rendezvoused with Ron. And as we packed to leave we met Tom and his father. It transpired Tom owns @freedivingnicaragua - a few doors from our hostel. He said "pop round in the morning - I have a class on". So instead of leaving, we did. We enjoyed amazing coffee, a fabulous breakfast and great company, then began the brilliantly informative theory session followed by practical. Although limited to 5m depth we were instantly able to appreciate and benefit from the theory. It's easy to see how free diving can get under ones skin. We're hooked already. We stayed another night thanks to the fabulous hospitality of Tom. We dined in a restaurant hidden amongst the jungle. We revelled in the magic of Laguna Apoyo. We planned our departure and plotted our return. #traveldiary #travel #freedom #freediving #adventure #nicaragua🇳🇮 #motorcycle #mototravel #twowheels #newskills #underwater #blog #elsalvador #eltunco #surf #ktm #royalenfieldhimalayan #go

It's difficult to put words with this post so we'll keep it simple. A modest statue stares seaward from the southern end of the El Tunco boardwalk. With the help of friends we have discovered the engraved verse is beautiful and poignant. It commemorates the life of a young, local, professional surfer who was struck by lightning while training. This moment although brief in our time on the road, struck a chord. It gave us pause to consider our decisions and where they have led. And to think of all those who share our adventure in any sense. To be aware of how things may change in an instant. At a time when we all look to the past and future it feels appropriate to share and we do so with the utmost respect. Katherine Diaz 1998-2021 Little stone, strong and unbreakable, You remain submerged in the waves of love. Did the sea fall in love with your beauty, Or was the sky envious of your greatness? Little marine soul, who always filled the morning with your joy, Today your light is hidden, but it will never go out. You will live in every thought, You will be formed in every wave, And you will surf on every crest. The sea has reclaimed your spirit, You will be part of the waves and the breeze, Little hard rock, you will be my story to remember, And one day, we will surf together again.

With long awaited services, spares and tyres pending in El Salvador we bent our rules unfavourably for an extended city stay in the capitol. Quick to adopt local customs, we threaded the needle of rush hour; lane splitting wherever possible and free flowing on the hard shoulder. Darkness was falling fast. San Salvador's drainage systems are elaborate and city wide - apparently necessitating frequent access in unpredictable places. Dark back streets, hard shoulders, 3 lane carriageways. Entrepreneurial locals appropriate the cast iron drain covers as they have substantial scrap value, thus gaping holes, big enough to swallow a front wheel, come at you at speed and unannounced from beneath leading vehicles. After an unspecified amount of time (and a spike in motorcyclist visits to Intensive care?) the municipality replaces stolen covers with recycled plastic facsimiles. These are promptly stolen again, and sold to a neighbouring municipality who need to replace their recently liberated street furniture. And so it continues. Drain dodging trough the twilight we arrived to a warm welcome at Royal Enfield San Salvador. We dropped the bikes and retreated to our Air B&B. We mooched in museums and cafes and galleries while repairs began, then had to kick our heels over the weekend as further repairs were needed but could not be completed immediately. We hoped the mountains would offer solace but unknowingly ended up on the party campsite. There is no noise like reggaeton at any time. But full tilt at 3am and immediately adjacent to your tent has to be experienced to be believed. Bleary eyed we bailed for the coast, where as can happen, our panicked ejection yielded favourable consequences. Our cheap, last minute hotel was marvellous. El Tunco out of season was a tranquil haven. And we surfed a very mellow point break. We cleaned the mould from our camp kit (residual humidity from Belize had nurtured a prolific culture), enjoyed sun downers, revelled in abundant fresh foods, swung in hammocks and planned our next days. #royalsoffroad #elsalvador #royalenfieldhimalayan #adventure #traveldiary #journal #motorcycle #overland #adv #womenwhoride #mototravel #eltunco

We decided very early on that this trip would be about switching it up. Snatching opportunities if and when they arose. At the risk of sounding like a 90's rom-com, it would be about saying yes. We crossed digital paths with Cisco - a friendly facebook entity and wealth of information for motorcyclists in Guatemala. He said "shout if youre passing Atitlan", but in our haste to see De Fuego we passed and didn't stop. We didn't see the lake. We didn't see Cisco. But something wasn't right. Missing Lake Atitlan, famous for its beauty was something we felt we'd regret. So when we left Antigua we headed north instead of south. Stopping in Guatemala city for tyres with the awesome @motoracing.gt we grabbed a lunch of street cart hot dogs, felt famous for a moment on the green carpet, then headed for mountains. Uphill we passed rattling chicken busses, their livery a blaze of colour. Mechanical magic carpets riding black clouds of belching diesel. Cresting each climb gnashing gears, these fragile tins of people and possessions lurch forward, hurling themselves into a gravity assisted, valley bound, thunderous descent, leaning impossibly at every curve. Any precious moment between stops seemingly worth sacrificing everything for. Turning from the main road we left the Chicken busses behind. Post highway maelstrom, the calm alternate universe of Cisco's lakeside family home was all the more special. Meeting fellow travellers, the lovely @twonieproject we explored the lake, dined and relaxed, while Cisco, our wonderful carefree host, joined his drum circle. We slept blissfully, breakfasted, waved goodbye to the twonies and kayaked on the lake. Later we walked the lakeshore to dine out with Cisco, then returned to pack the red bag and the yellow bag. P.S. if the two guys who fitted our tyres are reading this, THANKYOU! You were awesome 🙏👊 #royalsoffroad #royalenfieldhimalayan #royalenfield #guatemala #lakeatitlan #motorcycle #mototravel #motoadventure #traveldiary #travel #wanderlust #view #newshoes I say #tyre you say #tire #wherenext #amazingpeople #aboveandbeyond #lakehouse #lucky

Next stop, Antigua. Not the island. The small historic city. Crammed with courtyards, rooftops, alley ways and hidden corners. Oozing Spanish colonial style. Beautiful masonry. vibrant colours, cobbled streets. Little squares and shady foliage. Urban but in a charming way. A delightful hideaway paired with the opportunity indulge in some city treats. Good coffee. Laundry. The simple things. All this, beautifully presented in a compact parcle, nestled below the hulking, grumbling, spitting Volcan de Fuego. After a day's r'n'r we set out on our tour. A days hike to 3800m on the dormant volcano immediatky adjacent to the decidedly less dormant and aptly named De Fuego (the Fire). Despite struggling with a bad stomach, Shona made the climb and had re found her appetite as night fell. We piled layers on and fortified against the cold, dined family style in our moutainside shack and watched awestruck, senses assaulted as our giant neighbour reverberated in our feet and ears, belching vapours towards the shy stars. At 4am we awoke and struggled in the altitude to the 4000m summit. Sunrise eluded us as we huddled with strangers for warmth, stormbound, hoping to glimpse De Fuegos firey heart. Sadly it wasn't to be but as we descended to our base camp breakfast the sun broke through and we were rewarded with spectacular views. We returned to Antigua as the Kite Festival was underway, spent an evening in the superb hospitality of Greg @brooklynpizza.gt and met @jmoser169 brothers on a similar journey to ours. Then we changed our plans. But thats what plans are for! #volcano #defuego #mountains #views #mototravel #guatemala #storm #adventure #offthebike #centralamerica #royalsoffroad #hike #sunrise #cloudforest #altitude

Music Composed by @victorartis In LA we bumped into @victorartis a producer, artist and strong, peaceful human being steadily developing a diverse catalogue of amazing material through a deep passion for beautiful music. We've stayed in touch and are so happy that he is willing to share his work for us to use here. We hope you like it as much as we do! If you've been following our journey for a while, you may recall we loved our stay in Apoala. The road in from the north zigzagged skywards and we soon left the slabbed concrete track that clung to the mountainside - slipping and sliding through cloud forest on red mud. Ultimately descending into a deep valley with idyllic cabins, lovely locals, caves and a stupendous gorge and waterfall. It really was hard to leave. You can probably understand why. #music #producer #composer #beauty #landscape #audio #passion #royalsoffroad #royalenfieldhimalayan #royalenfield #moto #adventure #offroad #overland #waterfall #mountains #goats #dji

Westward we travelled, with the simple joy of fresh clothing and full stomachs thanks to a speedy laundry turnaround and 'breakfast included' at the hostel. Masked by clouds the low sun climbed weakly behind us as we rode from Belize to Guatemala. We inadvertently acquire a fixer at the border and didn't' have the heart to shut him down. He was earnest and operating at a fair and fixed rate. Our view is; it's important live and let live. While we are happy to hardline the sharks, It's hard not to be impressed by a good natured hussle. Squalls of rain circled us snarling as we ducked and weaved through the streets. Fried chicken and papas on the corner with smiling locals then onwards. Still the skies made muttered promise of rain. Two nights at Spanish es Cool. A tiny hostel on the shore of Lago Peten Itza. A simple room. Fabulous bar. Talented mixologist. Impeccable view. We swam in the quicksilver memory of daylight A small trail run (all plans of an ultra in every country now formally abandoned) and we were off. Frustrations of mundane roads and belching black diesel soon turned to joy as our route swiftly narrowed. Again we twisted and turned for miles. Finally the rain caught us but our fears were misplaced. It's far nicer to be wet with rain than soaked with sweat. Slowed by now slick trail we overnighted in an impromptu stop then, more incredible road. Hairpins, climbs, potholes and drops. But such fun! We stoped at an old coffee mill in Santa Cruz Verapaz and opted for a lazy day and night of luxury, scrubbing up for dinner again. Then continued south. Guatemala you spoil us! What a route. Dirt road, a rope bridge, detours, an amazing lunch spot. At first we feared a road block. And it was, of sorts. Some 300m of road under water. Locals having a ball. Entrepreneurs with crudely fashioned rafts moved people and produce. 4x4's and high clearance trucks provided lifts. Everywhere people chatted and laughed. We watched a while then joined the fun. Eventually we arrived in Antigua. #guatemala #overlanding #overland #royalsoffroad #royalenfieldhimalayan #backroads #sunset #lake #flood #south #adventure #traveldiary #blog #moto #mototravel #rain

Braddan thought he was funny getting the guy spraying the road at the Nicuagrua/Costa Rica border to also include my glove! #funnynotfunnybutfunny #tool #whataday

A slightly different update. Less flowers, more grit. Most of you reading this probably already know a trip like this isn't easy. It's an incredible opportunity. It's a privilege. It's memories that will last a lifetime. But it isn't easy. Some of you likely suspected it would be harder than we anticipated. Perhaps you were left scratching your head at our optimism as we departed. Sometimes everything comes together and the universe seems like a vast mechanism toiling solely in our favour. Those moments are incredible. And then it feels everything is going down in flames. Bike problems. Kit problems. Stupid mistakes. Google map issues. No laundry. No sim. No accommodation. Noisy campsite. Traffic. Hours and hours checking routes, finding rooms and campsites, laundrettes, mechanics, parts. Poor diet, lack of exercise. All the things that when discussed, sat at home, seem trivial, manageable. Worst case scenarios shrugged off with a worldly wise; "well thats life on the road". All these things and more, easily accommodated as unique occurrences. And yet when bundled up in a devilish package and mailed express delivery direct to the heart of your dream - are painful beyond belief. Not insurmountable. But painful. This is not a cry for help or cast for sympathy it's just our attempt to share the journey 'warts and all' as we always intended. It's our bit to say, despite what the internet will often depict. Life is rarely perfect. We have wonderful days and rubbish ones. But the good outweighs the bad and we're gonna keep going 👊 Our journey is incredible. It's our journey. It's absolutely worth it. #real #reallife #lifeontheroad #offroad #adventure #horizonsunlimited #advrider #panamerica #flysouth #elsalvador #journey #truth #truthhurts #upsanddowns #highsandlows #exploring #royalsoffroad #royalenfieldhimalayan #royalenfield @motorcyclenews @abrfestival @advmotomag @royalenfield

Our border crossing into Belize was smooth. So friendly. Slightly embarrassing as we didn't realise English was the national language until our dodgy Spanish was responded to in 'The Queens'! We dodged fumigation (vehicle sprayed to prevent transit of questionable matter) but were rumbled and sent back. The only upside being we can 100% confirm it's a scam. We paid for, and received our certificates but absolutely, positively did not get fumigated! It was a very good natured scam however, and we left on the best of terms. We buzzed through small towns, laughing with the locals, feeling very welcome. At our first pit stop, a local guy went out of his way to help us track down a sim card and ATM - jumping into his truck so we could follow him through a tricky one way system. We continued, adding to our collection of roadsigns. Historic Lamanai - a lakeside jungle township and temple ruin, our route more offroad than planned after getting confused with our directions. Arriving at dusk we spent a couple of nights with Mauricio, his lovely family and German moto traveller Claus. We explored the jungle at night and hiked the ruins by day, while camping in Mauricio's garden with roosters, a rabbit, iguanas, scorpions (they glow under a black light!) and a primal cacophony of frogs and howler monkeys. Fact: Howler monkeys dont howl, they roar! One of the loudest creatures on the planet, their intimidating vocals are used to soundtrack dinosaurs in film. To and from Lamanai we crossed many acres of land (once jungle, now stripped bare for farming) owned by Mennonites - a fascinating culture similar (from the outside) to Quakers. In stark contrast to the cheerful and friendly indigenous peoples, although affable in passing, the Mennonites left us in no doubt; we were outsiders. Next we stayed with DuCatty and Emma at the lovely @crashpadbelize explored the town, dodged the rain, visited the Jaguar Reserve, dodged more rain and made our way slowly to San Ignacio to plan our border crossing to Guatemala. #jungle #lamanai #horizonsunlimited #belize #sign #mototravel #royalenfield #adventure #centralamerica #guatemala #royalsoffroad #jaguar #temple #maya #cat #scorpion

Santiago Apoala. Exciting dirt roads in and out of this beautiful hideaway. Our heads said to camp but our bodies chose the cabin. #mexico #cascade #waterfall #aguafresca #dirtroads #wetmuddyroads #peace #reset #adventuretravel #offroad

We couldn't resist a second visit to the waterfall before riding high into the hills behind Apoala. Passing through tiny villages we enjoyed a combination of bright sun and modest temperature that has been infrequent in our journey. We embraced the simplest pleasures of exchanging waves and 'buenos tardes' with locals. We watched a farmer toil with an ox and wooden ploughshare. Too soon we were back on the road. Next, Oaxaca. Despite the approach being hot, dirty and dusty, we enjoyed the town and stayed longer than planned, exploring the back streets and roof top restaurants. Away from the main square, life was tranquil as we wandered - our senses brimming with beautiful architecture, the sound of pan pipes, colourful day of the dead preparations, local wedding celebrations, break dancing kids, the chatter of birds settling as darkness fell and lights twinkled. We visited the nearby temple and incredibly our hosts took us to the local Jaripeo (bull riding) competition - what a spectacle! From Oaxaca we headed towards the border. Climbed from hot to cold. Sat out a huge storm eating in a roadside cafe. Dropped to hot again. Camped a free night at a wonderful fresh water pool where the locals were cooling off after work. Watched fireflies dance to the choir of tropical dusk. Drank beer on the porch of the village shop. We couldn't talk for the sound of rain on the tin roof. Rode some more. Camped again, this time at a tired and overpriced site. A day of terrible roads and hilariously dubious driving. And then another glorious lakeside camp. Finally Chetumal. A quiet three night stop to catch up with admin and prep for our border crossing. We were all set for our final quiet evening putting finishing touches to our plans when our host arrived unannounced and whisked us out for a tour of the sights, street food and a stop for tacos on the way home - we were so spoilt! In the morning we packed the final bits and headed to Belize. #mexico #belize #camping #biketrip #offroad #backcountry #kindness #adventure #surprise #offroad #motorcycle #rehimalayan #royalenfield #royalenfieldhimalayan #flysouth #travel #traveldiary #adventure #freedom #jaripeo #oaxaca #lucky

Remember @skagway_joe with the orange Ural? His partner @cripyvarg is from Ciudad Guzman and although mainly living in Alaska, she happened to be visiting family the week we were passing. She messaged us to say stop by. We made our accommodation in time for a quick shower then headed to the park, us vagabonds welcomed warmly for fabulous home cooked food in typical alfresco social style. A celebration of Cris' grandfather's birthday. The next night the travelling fair opened. Cris picked us up and we inched towards the bright lights - seemingly the entire populus headed months to a flame through tiny bustling backstreets. We people watched, rode the big rides, Shona won on the 'horses' and - of course - we ate street food. Morning weather weighed heavy over the town. Open skies filling the streets with runoff. Opting for one more night we splashed ankle deep across watery streets for dinner. Abating overnight, the weather permitted our departure under clear skies, bound for Teotihuacan - the ruined remains of one of the Western Hemispheres first great cities. We explored, squeezed in a little run, walked the vast ancient remnants and then having agreed not to, gave in and treated ourselves to a balloon flight over the pyramids. Heading ever Southward we planned a stop in Puebla, enjoying the sights and buzz of the small, colourful city then headed for the hills. Santiago Apoala is remote, tiny and beautiful. We approached via the lesser used northern route, climbing until the concrete road terminated, then slipping and sliding on red clay roads through lichen hung cloud forest. Finally dropping through a series of hairpin turns we arrived at our destination as darkness fell. We meant to camp but the coziness and convenience of a cabin won us over. We stayed 2 nights exploring the stunning gorge and waterfall before heading into the mountains once more. #rehimalayan #royalenfield #royalenfieldhimalayan #cascades #waterfall #pyramid #balloonride #hotairballoon #offroad #mountains #mexico #adventure #adventurebikerider #backroads #notolls #papermap #royalsoffroad #caves #gorge #landscape #tripofalifetime #grateful