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it is because in every country noted here the government (and financial regulations)How are we so far behind? Aren't Visa/MC 'Murican?
I had the Southern Cone (South America) as one of my regions before I retired. I sadly waited to long to make the move to ride my BMW 1200GSA on Ruta 40 from Bolivia to Ushuaia, Patagonia in Argentina. Most of the route is along the base of the Andes Mountain chain. The road is good to excellent by South American standards. Depending on your kids ages, the ride can be kid friendy. I visited a number of the cities in auto/vans when working (Mendoza has possibly the best wine in South America, Ushuaia possibly the best cold water sea food on the planet although Chile may argue that point). The people are very friendly to foreigners the crime rates were not that bad although you don’t want to spend too much time in Bolivia and you can catch a plane out of Argentina in Buenos Aires after the Ushuaia visit.Want a unimog to drive to the tip of Patagonia. Wife isn't into the idea. She wants to go to Iceland to see the aurora borealis. Renting a Defender 110 would be awesome.
On the way to Alaska, the Canadians were making fun that we still have to insert the chip and sign. Everything there is touch your card to the screen. How are we so far behind? Aren't Visa/MC 'Murican?
get a new wife?Wife isn't into the idea.
Strangely, I believe the opposite is true. Perhaps for the first time ever, certain motor vehicles are increasing significantly in value. I don't know exactly what the reason is, but it is postulated that because people are working remotely due to covid, and the black lives bullshit riots scared them, they are fleeing urban areas. This has driven up the demand for homes in less populated areas, and many people are buying RVs, trailers, sprinters, etc. This has also driven up the price of vehicles that can tow. Used pickup trucks are on fire right now. My son has a 2014 GMC Sierra with 90k miles on it that he wants to sell. I bought that truck new for him when he went to college for just over $30k ( a bribe to have him go to school in state). He just got offered $26k for it. No sh!t.Pretty much everywhere in coastal areas.
My favorites are the ones in the Encinitas area. Super hardcore, built to plunge deep into Baja for weeks, with big knobby tires and not a scratch or nick on the paint.
Pro tip: I don't know anyone who owns one that can actually afford it. I'm sensing future buying opportunities.
The sticker and tire cover tell you plentyIs it weird that there isn’t a speck of dust on this rig? I think the shocks were waxed like the rest of the ride.View attachment 97784View attachment 97785
Seems like some strange projections and leaps in logic are happening hereStrangely, I believe the opposite is true. Perhaps for the first time ever, certain motor vehicles are increasing significantly in value. I don't know exactly what the reason is, but it is postulated that because people are working remotely due to covid, and the black lives bullshit riots scared them, they are fleeing urban areas.
I recently saw a breakdown on this and the data did not comport with the claimThis has driven up the demand for homes in less populated areas....
What are your favorite Icelandic alcoholic drinks?Ok, let me try to sum up without writing a book.
Been 3x. Last trip was 8 days and nearly drove around entire island. The only place I didn't cover was the West Fjords northwest of Huna Bay. Ran out of time. I took Highway 1, starting from airport and went counter clockwise. Also split off from '1' many times to drive out to the fjords.
1. First and foremost, for the love of god, make sure you have a PIN number for your credit card. This fvcked me on one of my trips. My CC's don't have pin numbers. Instead, they have usual zip code. But there, you need PIN number or it won't work at gas stations. Then you'll be forced to buy a gas card at an upped rate. Gas is already $8-9 per gallon, so a trip around the entire island will cost you a ton of money in gas, especially if you have to buy the gas cards. If I recall correctly, my last trip where I rented a car, I spent over $600 in gas in 8 days. Each fill up was roughly $110 (for a car!).
2. Don't run out of gas. There are some stretches where you can go a ways before you see the next station. I actually rolled into a gas station one time on empty. It was not a good feeling. This must happen often because at the car rental counter, they have maps that show where all the gas stations are at. Get that map.
3. Consider a sleeper van. I've not tried one yet but saw them all over the island. Very popular choice. You can pretty much pull over anywhere and go to sleep. https://www.kukucampers.is/ You can also AirBnb your way around entire island. Seems like almost everyone there has turned their house into an AirBnB. lol
4. When you rent, get gravel protection. Roads are all made from crushed volcanic sh!t that can rekt the underside of the car, and much of the roads that looked paved on the map are not. They will give you some trumped up bs charge if you do not get this 'protection' insurance.
5. Tell your CC company you will be traveling to Iceland. Make sure they allow purchases in that country. Many CC's auto block foreign countries for security against scams, etc. If you have layover in another country, be sure to tell your CC to allow that country as well.
6. Go during summer solstice and you will get to see the sunset at midnight, and then watch it come up again about 1.5h later. Depending on weather, it can create the most awesome sunset/sunrise/twilight you will ever see in your life. I'll have to dig up some pics of my last trip.
7. Plan for little sleep. The crazy thing is you can pull up at a glacier or waterfall at midnight and you can see everything in the twilight, and there will be other people there too. You can hike at night. You can do everything at night. There are no parking lots closed. Everything is just pull up and there is something spectacular in front of you. I tended to go to sleep around 2am each night, and woke up around 7:30 or 8.
8. Buy food at Nettó: https://rb.gy/pmhqpd Big grocery store with everything and better prices than the airport grocery store (yes they have full on grocery store in the airport). Buy for as many days as possible. Many times I found myself traveling through little towns after everything had closed already, so plan ahead with food.
9. Bring your best rain gear, from head to toe. Weather is insane. It can downpour rain at any moment, and be sunny the next, just like Scotland. It's not cold in summer, but damn you can be soaking wet hiking on the trail. My last trip, I wore board shorts every day, but constantly switched in/out of my rain gear from Walmart, that I got for about $40. Cheap jacket and pants did me as good as $500 setup from Northface but my feet and hands were soaked.
10. See it all. Entire island is mind blowing. Like nothing else I've seen in the world. Sensory overload and almost end-of-world- spiritual in a way. Hard to describe. 7-8 day trip would be ideal. By the time you lay eyes on the 1000th waterfall, you'll be like, ok I guess I can stop saying 'Wow, look at that waterfall!'. I'm not joking, there are over 10,000 waterfalls.
So, how much time do you plan for?
Goddamn, I should just change my name to Rick Muthafuckin Steves.
Saw one of these roaming around Sedona last week, Impressive in person, really cool retired couple exploring the SW and Rockies. I like tricked out Srinters, looks fun! Only problem is the wife doesn't want anything w/o a flushing toilet and shower.
Maybe he just washed it? I know it's stupid, but I always wash my Vanagon before a camping trip.Is it weird that there isn’t a speck of dust on this rig? I think the shocks were waxed like the rest of the ride.View attachment 97784View attachment 97785
I've never drank any kind of liquor so I don't know. However, I do remember looking at a beautiful frosted bottle of Volcanic Vodka from Iceland, in the airport. It was something like $290. Does that make it good?What are your favorite Icelandic alcoholic drinks?
Is that guy down at the cliffs still driving the Rolls Royce with roof racks bolted through the roof? That was a statement!erm.... i do. freqently. like every weekend. was easier to spot back when the 5 still had weekend traffic.
That's not an off-road camper. Imagine if one of these bad-boys pulled up in the neighborhood and took up 5 spaces?So Sprinters annoy some of you. How about these?View attachment 97810View attachment 97811
Enframed says no. But I like expensive booze. I'm a loozerI've never drank any kind of liquor so I don't know. However, I do remember looking at a beautiful frosted bottle of Volcanic Vodka from Iceland, in the airport. It was something like $290. Does that make it good?
Volcanic Drinks - Icelandic Spirits
Volcanic Drinks has set itself the task of distilling high-quality spirits that are unique and unmistakable in taste.volcanic.is
What is 'enframed' ?Enframed says no. But I like expensive booze. I'm a loozer
Link? I'm curious,been hearing anecdotes of people bailing Babylon and wonder what the data shows. There are people leaving SFBay, but it sounds like the destination is maybe a smaller city or other state, but not necessarily the sticks.I recently saw a breakdown on this and the data did not comport with the claim
I think this urban flight thing is just a story that drives clicks