tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-103416326377514832024-02-07T09:11:55.016+03:00Our Shared Planet Motorcycle Adventures مـغـامــرات كـوكـبنا المـشترك للـدراجـات الآلية3 Kuwaiti Bikers travel the world visiting different continents and countries every time. Round the world in 2009, Africa Adventure 2011, South America Adventure 2013, Australia & New Zealand 2016, To North Cape 2019. Kuwaiti Biker Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10295654059928819523noreply@blogger.comBlogger269125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10341632637751483.post-30899105830281964832019-06-13T21:44:00.000+03:002019-07-12T21:47:25.185+03:00On the way to Zanjan<style type="text/css">
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<span class="s1">Woke up at 5 am today and started putting things on the bike by 5:30 am . We didn’t leave until it was around 6:30 heading north to Zanjan. The weather improved to a degree that I had to wear my jacket , and it got down to 12 Deg. C. it was a big contrast to the 45 deg. C we had yesterday.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1">We know we had a long ride and it started in the mountains with great vistas and nice curvy roads but we had to stop so that the guys can get their liners on since it was still cold.</span></div>
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/tv/ByttrEoAKoa/" style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">انطلاقنا من خرمآباد الى زانجان</a></div>
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A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ospkw/" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" target="_blank"> Our Shared Planet</a> (@ospkw) on <time datetime="2019-06-15T02:55:40+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">Jun 14, 2019 at 7:55pm PDT</time></div>
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<span class="s1">Two hours in we stopped at a Felafel restaurant for breakfast and continued until we had to fill with fuel and a stop that was intended to be a coffee break and turned out to be an Ice cream break. But we were attracting a crowd and had to leave so as not to create a traffic jam.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">We reached the hotel in the afternoon while the temperatures remained mild and cool. Tomorrow we head to Tabriz .<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
<br />Kuwaiti Biker Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10295654059928819523noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10341632637751483.post-66730466890938255442019-06-12T18:22:00.000+03:002019-07-12T21:44:32.095+03:00Here we go again<style type="text/css">
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<span class="s1">We knew the temperatures were going to be high especially during the first 4 to 5 hours until we reached the mountains and higher altitudes. So we left just after sunrise at 6:40 am and fill our camelbacks with cold water. it was 32 deg C. when we started to ride and slowly started to rise by the time it was 11 am it was a nice 45 deg. C and we started to get exhausted. With the mountains in sight we took a break at a small store where we got more water , juice and a block of Ice to put in our water. The block of Ice was big and there was some left over so I decided to fill my pockets with Ice to get me through the heat at least to reach the mountains. Luckily about 20 minutes later the mountains started and the temperatures started to reduce at places it was a nice 33 deg. C.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/tv/Bync3XPhFN3/" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Our Shared Planet (@ospkw)</a> on <time datetime="2019-06-12T16:31:45+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">Jun 12, 2019 at 9:31am PDT</time></div>
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<span class="s1">We stopped at a rest stop had a cup of coffee and tea , filled up with fuel and continued to Khuromabad getting there around 2 pm . We rested had lunch and prepared for our next days trip to Zanjan which was expected to be at least 7 hours riding.</span></div>
<br />Kuwaiti Biker Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10295654059928819523noreply@blogger.comKhorramabad, Lorestan Province, Iran33.4646833 48.33896440000000933.2528058 48.016240900000007 33.6765608 48.661687900000011tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10341632637751483.post-27067884804105626852019-06-11T18:21:00.000+03:002019-07-12T21:39:21.904+03:00Day two of the Paperwork<style type="text/css">
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<span class="s1">Since tomorrow is a holiday here we needed to get the bike out today else be delayed for another 3 days with the weekend coming up . Furthermore it was a half day of work and by noon the port control would be closed, so we headed early to the shipping company to get the papers finalized. We then started to get really busy and once we got the paperwork sorted and picked up the bikes, and rode in the heat stoping at each station to finish a piece of the paperwork puzzle. </span><br />
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<span class="s1">At the last gate two documents didn’t have the chassis number printed so the fixer rushed to one of the offices to get it stamped , and once done the officer quested how the bikes were allowed to enter the country being more than 250 cc . The fixer explained that he had no idea and that it was too late now they are out. We rode back to the hotel waited for late afternoon when the it was a bit cooler to prepare our bikes for tomorrow’s trip north.</span></div>
<br />Kuwaiti Biker Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10295654059928819523noreply@blogger.comKhorramshahr, Khuzestan Province, Iran30.4256219 48.1891184999999530.2065189 47.866394999999947 30.6447249 48.511841999999952tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10341632637751483.post-79947113665122720302019-06-10T18:17:00.000+03:002019-07-12T21:38:43.194+03:00Day one of the Paperwork<style type="text/css">
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<span class="s1">We started our day at the shipping company to get the papers to start the process. They first complained that they still didn’t receive the manifest from Kuwait , then it was to be translated , then our names were not being accepted in their system, then the power went out and they could do nothing. We brought our helmets with us and put it in the fixers car trunk . </span><br />
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<span class="s1">We got access to enter the port to move the bikes and finalize out documents. We were allowed to remove our bikes from the ferry where they were inspected once again by a customs officer and ride them to a holding hanger. We then went to a building and waited for several hours. At the end we still didn’t finish the process and our fixer was held and the port gate with our helmets, so we had to go and explain that they were ours and that our fixer wasn’t smuggling them in.</span></div>
<br />Kuwaiti Biker Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10295654059928819523noreply@blogger.comKhorramshahr, Khuzestan Province, Iran30.4256219 48.1891184999999530.2065189 47.866394999999947 30.6447249 48.511841999999952tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10341632637751483.post-56272208325815300062019-06-09T20:46:00.000+03:002019-06-23T20:50:20.551+03:00Ferry to Iran<style type="text/css">
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<span class="s1">We all arrived around 8:30 am at the port terminal and started to wait inline for the entry and passport control. It took quite a while for us to get on the bus to the ferry , and once we got there I realized that Ali had reserved the business class portion which was less crowded. The ferry trip took about 5 and a half hours, it left around 11 am and reached Iran 7 pm Iran Time. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">We were greeted by our fixer Abu Aqeel , who explained that the bikes will remain on the ferry for tonight and we will be allowed to move them tomorrow and start the process of getting them into the country.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">We got to the hotel and cleaned up, it was not much cooler here in Khuromshaher it was 43 Deg C in the late afternoon. We waited for the sun to set and headed to get ourselves a meal at a local restaurant and a short stroll around the hotel. We were hoping to finish the bikes entry by tomorrow.</span></div>
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Kuwaiti Biker Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10295654059928819523noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10341632637751483.post-66987754585738823232019-06-08T16:23:00.000+03:002019-06-23T17:38:51.895+03:00Packing for the new adventure<br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">After preparing our bags to go on the ferry Husain took them to the terminal for check in in the morning , a day ahead of our departure. We were leaving Kuwait on a ferry to Khorumshaher Iran. and were waiting for the call to take our bikes to be loaded. </span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">It was a very hot day reaching 50 deg C when we started on the road from our homes to the port. With minimum safety clothing we were allowed to enter the port to finalize the carnet and reached the ferry only to see a crane waiting for us. Previous bikers had prepared a pallet for the bike mounting so that the crane can lift the bikes from the dock onto the ferry .</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"> The reason was that Kuwait did not have a ramp for the bikes to be rides in. once the bikes were in the ferry we spent some time tying them down and by the time we were done we were exhausted from the heat.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span></div>
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Kuwaiti Biker Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10295654059928819523noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10341632637751483.post-67175220237032973202019-05-09T21:28:00.000+03:002019-06-23T09:56:00.634+03:00The Plan<br />
Well it's been 10 years since we started our RTW trip and we didn't at that moment ever dream that it would lead us hear. For the past two years we have been toying with the idea of going to Norway's Nord Cap through Russia. Finally this year we decided to do it , but how since we cannot go north through Syria or Iraq the option was to either ship to an EU country or go through Iran.<br />
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Today Ali and Hussain, Came by and we went through our planned route to North Cape , or Nord Cap. Whichever you prefer. It entails taking the ferry to Iran, then Armenia, Georgia, Russia, then Latvia Estonia, and Finland before reaching Nord Cap in Norway. We then Ride back into europe via Sweden , Denmark , Germany , and the Netherlands. We intend to end things in Germany and then fly back to Kuwait.<br />
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Looking at a map is much more easier and fun than looking at a screen especially when planning. although we alway have a laptop handy to get info on distances etc.<br />
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We are all excited about the trip and understand that there is a chance that Iran may not let the bikes in since they are more than 250cc and they now enforcing this rule on tourists. It is one of those we will go and see what happens.<br />
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<br />Kuwaiti Biker Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10295654059928819523noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10341632637751483.post-85785822910748452812016-10-06T07:07:00.000+03:002016-10-06T07:16:38.544+03:00Final Day in New ZealandAdmiring the view when we woke up, we had breakfast with Christine and Drew, and since we had such a wonderful time at the La Casa Lodge we decided take a shared photo right before we left.<br />
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The ride to Auckland was pleasant until about 10 km from Auckland center when it started to rain heavily and traffic kicked in. it took a good 30 minutes before we got out of traffic and back on route to the bike rental company.<br />
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About 1 km from the bike drop off place we filled the bikes up with fuel and stopped for the final coffee break especially since we were about 30 minutes early.<br />
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Once we delivered the bikes we packed our bags and waited for the our transport to the airport who was late and upon calling we found out that they had the times mixed.<br />
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So we were delayed 30 minutes, luckily we booked early and arrived well in time for our check in at the airport. Now all we have to do is endure the 24 hour travel to Kuwait.Kuwaiti Biker Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10295654059928819523noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10341632637751483.post-71171239274502591682016-10-05T03:01:00.002+03:002016-10-05T21:03:53.404+03:00Coromandel Salty roadsWe left Rotorua and as usual under cloud cover since it rains here a lot we took mostly highways and some farm roads. the winds today were gusty and with a strong side wind we moved a bit slower than usual, we entered route 25 on the Coromandel Peninsula and it must have been high tide since the waves from the sea at places were splashing on the road.<br />
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The view was amazing from the hotel on the hill top and the owners Christine and Drew were very friendly they made us coffee on the veranda. in the afternoon we left for Thames which is about 10 km away to look for Manuka honey and bought a bunch. Then we continues on route 25 until we reached Coromandel town. The road was coastal and curvy but the enjoyment short lived since there was gravel from unfinished repairs in many places.<br />
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While the road passed through the hills we could see the mussel farm and witnessed a tractor pulling in a load. We walked around town for a while then went to a very nice restaurant and had salmon for dinner. We rode back early along the same road and caught the sunset from the hotel.<br />
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Later we started preparing our bags for tomorrow's trip, we will ride to Auckland deliver the bikes and then go straight to the airport.Kuwaiti Biker Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10295654059928819523noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10341632637751483.post-41057913185401716222016-10-04T11:52:00.003+03:002016-10-05T11:24:17.661+03:00Steamy to Rotorua<div class="p1">
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<span class="s1">Initially we thought the weather would be nice but it soon changed and got cold. with mountains roads we rode for a couple of hours until we could see steam rising from the grounds in the fields around us. It was a geothermal location and since we were here we headed to Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland which is located in the Taupo Volcanic Zone.</span><br />
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<span class="s1">We parked our bikes in front of the main building, bought our tickets and headed down the footpath to see different holes and ponds that were steaming over with different colours . There were many tourist and a newly wed couple taking wedding pictures. We were instructed to stay on the path since it was dangerous to got off.</span><br />
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<span class="s1">After our walk we went back to the main building for our usual hot drinks and snack , Rotorua was only 32 km from here so weren’t in any hurry. We took a leisurely ride into town and got the motel around 2:30 pm. After sorting our things and resting a bit we walked into town window shopping and had dinner at the end of our journey at another indian restaurant. </span><br />
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<span class="s1">Initially we were planning to go tomorrow to Coromandel but decided to go to Te Puru which is about 45 minutes before to make our journey to Auckland easier. That said we will still visit Coromandel just not stay there. </span></div>
Kuwaiti Biker Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10295654059928819523noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10341632637751483.post-21497002310721052952016-10-03T10:54:00.000+03:002016-10-04T11:51:34.416+03:00Traffic on the road to NapierOur destination today was Napier an Art Deco town on the eastern side of the northern island overlooking the pacific ocean. So we decided to leave early since the GPS mentioned more than four hours of riding. We managed to leave around 8:45 am and left Wellington with roads full of traffic and road work that lasted about an hour and a half.<br />
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This made us uneasy and yearn for the southern island where it was much less congested. but once we were on country roads again we felt much better. We arrived at the motel and for once had an uncomfortable experience , I guess it was bound to happen you cant have all nice people and service.<br />
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We had reserved three rooms and requested that they all be on the ground floor. What we got was one ground floor room. When we asked we were told that the motel was fully booked even though we had arrived early where switching of rooms was possible. For whatever reason they just didn't want to do it. Giving us excuses and attitude wasn't the way to go , luckily we are only staying one night.<br />
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We took a nice walk into town and met other grouchy people before we started to meet the nice ones. We stumbled upon an indian restaurant that had the best service ever. They made us soup that was not on the menu and what we ordered was so good and plentiful we couldn't finish our meal. With stuffed bellies we walked back to the motel to finish up some chores like laundry and grocery shopping for tomorrow's breakfast.<br />
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Kuwaiti Biker Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10295654059928819523noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10341632637751483.post-72412224695151087132016-10-02T06:45:00.000+03:002016-10-03T22:48:09.352+03:00The Ferry to WallingtonIt was a nice and drizzly morning yesterday when we gathered to have a quick bite to eat before we headed to Picton to catch the ferry to Wellington. We left at 8 am and the roads were foggy and quiet with little traffic at first. We rode along a gorge with twisty roads and beautiful views and came across many single lane bridges and farmland.<br />
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About midway through we wanted to take a break, we saw a sign for a cafe and followed it to a nice place concealed from the main road. We didn't want to stay long since we had already booked our ferry and needed to be there ahead of time.<br />
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About 60 km from Picton the GPS took us on a merry go round until it put us on the right path. a fuel stop later and we were in Picton looking for the vehicle check in terminal, since there were two companies running ferries we rode around until we found the right one about an hour before the final check in time.<br />
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We met a couple of bikers while waiting , the ferry would go through some scenic views before it hit open water and that only lasted for about an hour. During our voyage there was a practice emergency drill for the crew and those who wanted to participate. Ali was excited to participate and after the drill he asked to visit the bridge and meet the captain which he did.<br />
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We got off the ferry on time and headed to our hotel where we rested and met later for dinner at Malaysian restaurant across the street from the hotel. We found out last night that the embassador was staying at the same hotel and that the embassy was under renovation and was walking distance from the hotel.<br />
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This morning was a lazy sunday morning, it was raining with many places closed we had breakfast at a sister restaurant to the one in Christchurch. Afterwards we took a small walk while I returned to the Hotel Ali and Husain continued along the docks and around town. Ali wanted a Kathmandu store and I needed to finish up some work.<br />
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In the Afternoon we visited the Wellington Museum which gace a glimpse of Wellington and it's maritime history.<br />
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Later in the evening we visited the new location of the Kuwait embassy with the ambassador of the state of Kuwait in New Zealand his excellency Ahmad Al-Wehaib and his staff. They later took us to a very nice dinner at a local restaurant where we exchanged memories and stories since his excellency was also the ambassador to Ethiopia when we were on our Africa adventure in 2011.Kuwaiti Biker Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10295654059928819523noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10341632637751483.post-43635652491173795462016-09-30T06:44:00.000+03:002016-10-02T03:34:02.619+03:00The tides at WestportWaking up at Franz Joseph was peaceful and serene with the backdrop of the mountains we had breakfast in house with Ali's preparation of breakfast. Our bikes being parked at the door of the room were packed easily and although there was some drizzle we rode off north along route 6 which is mostly a coastal road.<br />
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We wanted to visit Pancake Rock which also had blowholes when the tides is in unfortunately high tide was at 11:20 and we would not get there until 12:45.<br />
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Furthermore the seas were relatively calm and so when we arrived all we saw was very nice views and rocks that have been carved up by the waves and weather. The walk took about 30 minutes and then we had our coffee break before continuing on the other 60 km to Westport.<br />
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At the motel we decided to make a shift in our plans and ride early tomorrow to take the ferry to Wellington and spend two nights there instead of riding to Picton spending the night and then taking the ferry the next day.<br />
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Making the Ferry reservations was easy but the hotel reservations were much more difficult since most of the hotels and motels were booked. I tried different sites, and even call a few places just to make sure. At the end we had to settle of a high end hotel that would cost more.Kuwaiti Biker Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10295654059928819523noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10341632637751483.post-41004518431940280102016-09-29T10:47:00.000+03:002016-10-02T00:40:38.364+03:00West coast to Franz Joseph GlacierThe lodge we stayed in Wanaka had a beautiful setup for breakfast which gave it a homemade feeling.We met a couple on their holiday visiting different ski slopes in the area. After we packed our bikes we headed to the west coast of the southern island along alpine roads with vistas of lakes and white peaks. It seems that it is always partly raining here with episodes of sun every now and then.<br />
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along the way we stopped for some photo opportunities , and enjoyed the twisties especially at Haast Pass. the usual coffee break later and we were on a coastal road with the Tasman sea on our left. The weather got warmer and then cooler as we got closer to our target for the day. Our destination was a motel with villa type accommodations overlooking the mountains about 3.5 km outside of Franz Joseph Glacier.<br />
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We enquire about restaurants and the guy at the reception mentions that some will actually supply transport to and from the restaurant for free. Ali has chosen the best restaurant in town which serves asian cuisine, the meal was wonderful and we head back to prepare for the next day.<br />
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Tomorrow we head to Westport. <br />
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<br />Kuwaiti Biker Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10295654059928819523noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10341632637751483.post-38683805922423431272016-09-28T11:05:00.000+03:002016-10-01T06:26:59.239+03:00Wanasa WanakaI had found a nice cafe that opens really early in town so we left at sunrise which is 7:30 am here. And after breakfast we had reload our bikes since we removed every thing yesterday to pack our riding gear when we went on the cruise.<br />
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On the way we saw a caravan of caravans which looks like they were rented and on tour. We also stopped near Queenstown and bought a 4 terra hard drive since Ali's hard drive is inaccessible and mine might act up soon. We decided to take a different route than the highway which put us in a very nice and twisty road towards Cardrona passing many farms and running through valleys.<br />
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At the we reached the lodge and found it was run by a wonderful couple , we were staying in the main house with three very nice rooms. After we rested we found out that the lodge lends tenants bicycles so we got three and rode into town exploring before heading for the restaurant for dinner. Wanaka is very touristy with many clothing and souvenir shops. <br />
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Tomorrow we head to Franz Joseph Glacier.Kuwaiti Biker Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10295654059928819523noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10341632637751483.post-36326265205884774112016-09-27T06:56:00.000+03:002016-10-01T04:55:51.350+03:00Milford Sound wayToday we planned to visit Milfourd Sound and take a two hour cruise. In the morning we had a quick breakfast in Casa De Ali with toast and yogurt and some green tea. We were advised to leave early before all the tourist busses were unleashed so by 9 am we were on the road unfortunately it was still overcast and the clouds hid the mountains so when we reached mirror lake there was no mountain to mirror.<br />
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But as we rode on the clouds started to part and more vistas were revealed . We stopped two more times at lookout places and viewed wonderful nature and glaciers. There were many tourists and a few were flying drones for some aerial photography.<br />
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about 20 km before reaching Milford Sound we reached a stop light with a timer that was counting down from 8 minutes and a tunnel. It seems that the tunnel is one way at a time , while waiting some birds got really close and one was on Ali's bike with them came a sign "Don't Feed the Birds" .<br />
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After the tunnel there was a sharp descent and we reached the parking lot only 20 minutes before the boat was scheduled to depart with no idea where to go. First we needed to take off our riding gear and store it in the bikes, then we needed to split up to see where to go and keep in contact with our phones. Ali was done first so he left for the docks and I left for the offices only to discover there is no cell service. Once I saw the map Husain and I started to walk towards the docks and met Ali midway , there was no time only 10 minutes if we didn't make it we would miss out on the cruise. So we quickly walked helmets in hand until we reached the ticket office and off to the cruise , not two minutes after we were on the boat did it depart.<br />
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The cruise would takes us all the way to the sea and back, on the way we got to see the mountains and the different shades of granite in the rock from the different metals. We also saw small penguins hiding in the beach , many waterfalls and seals laying on a big rock. The biggest waterfall was Stirling and the boat got right up and close to it.<br />
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When we got back we had a small break at the cafe and started to ride back right when the rain started to fall, another light for the tunnel but this time it was green , and the rain stopped. There were so many cars and campers right after each other that we were glad we were on motorcycles overtaking them one by one was easy with light bikes especially on twisty roads.<br />
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We reached the hotels with time to spare for laundry and a proper meal at a classy restaurant. Tomorrow we head back north to Wanaka.Kuwaiti Biker Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10295654059928819523noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10341632637751483.post-7380471269478257462016-09-26T11:38:00.000+03:002016-10-01T04:20:04.133+03:00Beautiful Road to Te Anau It rained all night and when we woke up it was still 6 deg C since we wanted to eat at a nearby cafe that was supposed be open at 8 am but the sign said 9 am. Since checkout is 10 am there was no time to have breakfast so we had some toast, dates and tea and rode on south.<br />
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It was cold and within the hour we were climbing Lindis Pass where temperatures reached 3 deg C. Although we were wearing all that we could it was still very cold and we were happy when the road started to descend. Later the temperatures got much better and we started to see double digits. <br />
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Mid way to our trip we passed Lake Wakatipu and stopped for some photo opportunities before taking a break at Kingston . The fuel light went on about 40 km after that and we stopped for fuel after another 20 km or so.<br />
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Once we reached Te Anau we walked into town the lake is very nice , and there is plenty to do and see. This is truly a touristic town with many tour booking offices and souvenir shops.<br />
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Tomorrow we ride to Milford Sound and take a cruise , let's hope the weather is good.Kuwaiti Biker Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10295654059928819523noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10341632637751483.post-5874338278000464752016-09-25T11:10:00.000+03:002016-09-27T12:25:41.307+03:00One hour goneWhen the alarm woke me up I was confused the phone said 5:30 but the clock said 4:30 so I got on the net and realized that today was the start of daylight savings time and that we had lost an hour. Knowing this I went to the hotel reception when they opened at 8 and asked for one hour late checkout. Australia and New Zealand both have checkout at 10 am in most of the places we stayed at.<br />
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As we expected it was drizzling on and off , so we went for breakfast at good restaurant where the locals go on Sundays. It was packed and we had to sit on a small table. After breakfast we started to load up the motorcycles and managed to leave before 11 am . There was light rain and the roads were wet , we also were getting used to handling of the new bikes.<br />
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initially the weather was cold but bearable. then it got really cold and down to 5.5 deg C . at times we would get strong side winds and the overcast was constant. We passed by some very nice scenery and finally parked in front of Lake Pukaki , the color was different a light turquoise that we have not seen in a lake before . Unfortunately the clouds covered the mountains and Mount cook could not be seen.<br />
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Husain's bike started to warn that fuel was low and before we entered the motel we filled up at a gas station . Once we arrived we realized that the motel was under new management for a week now. There was no internet and no guest laundry service.<br />
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We rested and warmed up for a while and then walked into town for a meal. on the way back we stopped to buy some food a grocer for Ali's late night snack. tomorrow we head further south to Te Anau .Kuwaiti Biker Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10295654059928819523noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10341632637751483.post-20659388501973967722016-09-24T10:20:00.000+03:002016-09-27T12:25:29.313+03:00We have Bikes...New Zealand is two hours ahead of Australia's east coast so we arrived at midnight and managed to get through immigration and customs in less than an hour. This might be because Christchurch is not that big a city and not alot of travelers go through here.<br />
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We got a taxi to the motor lodge where a sign on the door told us what our rooms were since the reception was closed. In the morning we went out for breakfast and in the afternoon we took a car to the rental office to pick up the bikes. We wanted to try something different so we rented BMW F800GS bikes, while we were there we met John who was still preparing things. Initially we ordered one GPS , and then Ali wanted to all to have GPS units.<br />
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Ali's bike wasn't filled with fuel so John filled it, then I asked about the registration and he had forgotten to add the road tax so he bolted out quickly to do that. With all the paperwork and preparation it took us 2 hours to actually get on the bikes and leave back to the hotel.<br />
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We realized that it was much colder than we expected so we went into the mall and stocked up on thermal clothing and liners to layer up for tomorrow's ride to Twizel.Kuwaiti Biker Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10295654059928819523noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10341632637751483.post-36024352082701058572016-09-23T09:45:00.000+03:002016-09-27T12:25:16.730+03:00To Christchurch NZToday was a long day and we know it before hand , So we left for Brisbane right after breakfast hitting the highways , who know there would be so much traffic? We arrived at a hotel that we had booked for a few hours and started to unload the bikes and prepare them to be shipped. Husain put his drone on his bike and we all rode another 35 minutes to the depot where are bikes were received to be shipped back home. We then took a taxi back to the hotel and packed up our riding gear , rested a bit then headed to the airport.<br />
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When we got there we found out we were flying on New Zealand Air. Checking in took along time since Ali's passport wasn't going to the proper authorities when it was scanned. Luckily we had arrived early and once passed immigration and customs we had a bit to eat at a cafe waiting for our flight to leave it left on time and was expected to reach Christchurch at midnight.<br />
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tomorrow we need to get the bikes from the rental company and prepare them for our New Zealand Adventure.Kuwaiti Biker Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10295654059928819523noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10341632637751483.post-54220250968691002512016-09-22T23:43:00.000+03:002016-09-25T11:29:37.072+03:00Hello Gold CoastYesterday we woke up to the sound of rain, and admired the view while birds start to play.<br />
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We had breakfast quit early and left with haste, since the rain would delay us reaching the place.<br />
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Of sun and beach and warmth all the day , the Gold Coast is where we wanted to stay.<br />
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On the highway there was a thought in my mind, where is my phone did I leave it behind?</div>
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At the next rest stop we inquired and all was revealed, my phone was in fact 150 kilometers from here.<br />
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The Hotel patrons called back with an idea in mind, "We'll send it with a courier you should have it in time".</div>
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A fuel stop later and while we rest, we met some locals with some interest .<br />
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Many questions were asked and we replied, We like making friends who wave us goodbye .<br />
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We will ship our bikes home and in three days receive, new rented motorbikes in New Zealand I believe.<br />
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For now we will enjoy the Gold Coast with it's sun , who knew this place would be so much fun.<br />
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Beach walking and shopping , and souvenir hunting all with kids week events and tram hopping.<br />
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We peaked out our windows and guess what we found? A member of the biggest bike group in town.<br />
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Tomorrow we must deliver our bikes in Brisbane and catch our 6:30 flight.</div>
Kuwaiti Biker Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10295654059928819523noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10341632637751483.post-85107581859772157372016-09-20T23:19:00.000+03:002016-09-24T09:43:36.529+03:00The Look out at DorrigoWe walked into town to the local cafe and had a breakfast where everyone knew each other, and had very nice french toast. Packing our bikes we realized that although the wind temperature was low about 15 Deg. C , the sun was really hot which evened out the equation giving us another beautiful day to ride.<br />
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Leaving the hotel the GPS wanted us to go back a few kilometers to the highway but we had other plans and decided to continue on our way taking back roads to Tamworth where the Powerhouse Motorcycle Museum was. We glazed over the many bikes there comparing it to the Museum we visited in Bicheno Tasmania, then left on our way to Dorrigo.<br />
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When we reached Armidale we took our break then continued on one of the best roads for motorcycling we have seen, with grand vistas and curvy roads , we were mesmerized and a little disappointed that it ended when we reached the Hotel. Later we found out that there were waterfalls along the route that we could have stopped at had we ventured off the road but we didn't care, The enjoyment we got from the ride and the road was far more than enjoying watching a waterfall.<br />
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The hotel was atop of mountain with nice scenery all the way to the ocean, and the patrons here told us of another look out about 4 km from the hotel so we rode there and took some very nice photos. We decided to stay in today and had our dinner in Ali's room which was quite good. Tomorrow is a long ride to the Gold Coast and the weather forecast is RAIN.<br />
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<br />Kuwaiti Biker Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10295654059928819523noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10341632637751483.post-63437623856401308322016-09-19T13:19:00.000+03:002016-09-24T03:38:15.784+03:00Putty to QuirindiIt was a dry sunny day when we left Sydney heading north. A few days ago we met a guy who mentioned the Putty road and since we value local knowledge we decided to try this road on our way today. and After a many kilometers of traffic and lights we hit Putty road which is infamous for Sydney riders.<br />
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Midway we stopped for fuel, tea and coffee and found out that there is an accident almost every weekend from motorcyclists that push their bikes too hard. We also met some other bikers who were riding Ducati's and enjoying the twisties.<br />
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We reached Quirindi late in the afternoon, and while I was making hotel reservations for tomorrow and sending emails to secure our motorcycle shipping, Ali took a stroll around town and taking pictures of the sunset. We later went to a local pub for our dinner and decided to visit a local cafe for tomorrow's breakfast. Kuwaiti Biker Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10295654059928819523noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10341632637751483.post-85152079604052098332016-09-18T22:36:00.000+03:002016-09-19T09:34:27.830+03:00Sydney with friendsThe weather cooperated with us yesterday giving us partly cloudy blue skies, and the road was mostly highway with plenty of service and rest areas. On our way we saw a line of motorcycles going towards Canberra that wasn't ending so when we saw Harley riders on our break we asked what was going on , and they mentioned the<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <strong style="background-color: white;"><a href="http://www.walltowallride.com/" target="_blank">Wall to Wall : Ride for Remembrance</a> </strong><span style="background-color: white;">which honours the Police force and later we found that there were 2058 registered riders, no wonder the line didn't end.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">After our break we headed to Parramatta as suburb of Sydney since we don't like to say in high traffic cities. After we got settled we went out and visited some old friends that we haven't seen since the eighties who used to live in Kuwait. When we arrived at the Isaac family house Ali immediately saw a bunch of kangaroos since a national park is right behind the premises. Rowena prepared a wonderful meal and Husain spent the time talking to Younan about their colleagues when they were working together.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">We woke up this morning to clouds and drizzle so after breakfast we headed into Sydney on our motorcycles to try to get a picture of the Opera House. Along the way we saw a sign that mentioned the Harbour bridge being closed due to the Sydney Marathon, with blocked roads we tried to reach the Opera house but couldn't so we settled for a nearby park that overlooked the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">We rode back and settled for resting and doing our laundry while the rain increased. Parramatta is filled with cafes and restaurants so getting something to eat was a short walk. We hope the weather improves since we have a few long riding days ahead of us until we reach the Gold Coast.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span>Kuwaiti Biker Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10295654059928819523noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10341632637751483.post-55933080303180555262016-09-16T09:15:00.000+03:002016-09-19T09:27:49.877+03:00Cold CanberraAfter Ali Prepared breakfast yesterday , we gathered our things and left sunny warm Eden and headed north. The Forecast was for rain and we were prepared for it. about an hour into the ride a sign showed a steep incline for 10 km and that's when we moved from being in 16 deg C weather to 8 deg C weather with overcast. And after I couldn't handle the cold any more we stopped briefly to put on a layer of clothing. While we were on the side of the road I saw something hopping in the woods, it was a kangaroo I showed Husain but by the time the news reached Ali it was gone. Finally we saw a live wild kangaroo.<br />
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We stayed at a hotel a bit out of the city and closer to the embassy. We then left for a shopping center were Ali and Husain got a haircut and I was trying to recall when was the last time we saw a shopping center. Perth yup we didn't see any until we reached Canberra, and since we were here we decided to go see a movie too.<br />
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Since we were staying in an apartment style hotel there was no breakfast, so I volunteered to go into town and buy what we needed for our meal. it was 8 deg C at 7 am when I ventured to the closest supermarket that was open at the time and rode back very careful not to break the eggs I was carrying.<br />
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Later that day the clouds subsided and the weather was just right for our ride to the embassy. We met the embassy staff and Mr. Mahdi Alajmi, Mr. Abdulaziz Almenaifi, and Mr. Abdulaziz Aldekheel. Later we Met with his excellency the ambassador Mr. Najeeb Albader.<br />
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We talked all about our travels and took some photos, the ambassador insisted that we see some of Canberra before our dinner with him tonight. And assigned a car to take us to the Australian War Memorial which is a highly recommended visit.<br />
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Later in the evening we went to the ambassador's house where we met more staff as well as the current and future cultural attache. And as we talked about the great role our embassy's and ambassadors play we got to know that the former ambassador to Ethiopia when we visited in 2011 is now the ambassador to New Zealand where we hope to see in a few weeks. The meal and company were very well enjoyed and we went back to our hotels to get ready for Sydney.Kuwaiti Biker Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10295654059928819523noreply@blogger.com