TOURING USA- IDEAS PEOPLE NEEDED

Stanski

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Where do we start? Need suggestions from you travel savvy folk.
Initial Plan - nutshell only
28 Sep 22 - Fly to Newark. Stay in New Jersey with friends hopefully
Drive to Austin - See F1 race weekend 21-23 Oct.
Somehow get to F1 in Brazil.
Have a trip along Panama Canal.
Get back to blighty for Xmas.

Background Info
Have delved into buying old RV - researched as an idea to save on accommodation costs, also freedom of movement.
Plan for possibly 3 USA trips, over 3 years of 4 months a trip.
Possible Canada purchase, then into USA, and on to Mexico, Central Americas and beyond.

Trying to find travellers who are doing similar and selling their RV, before returning home.

Have discovered Montana as a State that allows for RV purchase and simple'ish Licencing /Registration.

Ideas and suggestions please. How hard can it be?
 
A German company will ship your van over, you pick it up in Halifax (Novis scotia) I think.
 
Guatemala, Nicaragua, & Costa Rica are your problem not so much Honduras.

The Darien Gap‘s going to stop you in Panama unless your got a good 4x4

Columbia or Venezuela will be the real issue, I felt happy to get out of both alive, do not wild camp in either.

Last I heard the Columbia - Brazil border was closed, so Venezuela would be the way.

Personally I’d sell the Motorhome in Mexico, fly to Ecuador buy again and drive to Brazil via Peru
 
The ease of buying a motorhome in Montana is of interest to us.
Fly to usa and buy in montana.
Tour Montana Idaho Wyoming South Dakota and maybe the Rockies !
Maybe 3Months the 1 month hiring in Nova Scotia.
No this year but ?????
 
groyne said:
A German company will ship your van over, you pick it up in Halifax (Novis scotia) I think.
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Yes, they also go to USA, cost of container skyrocketed, was £1850 in 2019, now near £8k.
Our vehicle is 24yrs old, seen a bit, so now looking at replacement options - hence uncertain what to do for sensible option.
 
trevskoda said:
So it was you won the 106 million lottery, any chance of a tenner loan.
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Not me Trev.
We won a tenner from postcode lottery a couple weeks ago, you don't have it in NI.
Only worked as employed 8 months in last 2 1/2 yrs since knee op Sep19, then Covid struck, no help from government either, so took a pension to survive and have done some wheeling dealing with vehicles, delivery of sports equipment, and odd building work for family to massage my way through life.
Now discovered our frugal living over the years has reaped benefits, so now able to explore the world with a bit of financial security,
Mortgage ends next month - yippee.
Also learnt that work with no play was no fun, and health is to be nurtured and considered more as you age.
Wish you the same.
 
Boris7 said:
Guatemala, Nicaragua, & Costa Rica are your problem not so much Honduras.

The Darien Gap‘s going to stop you in Panama unless your got a good 4x4

Columbia or Venezuela will be the real issue, I felt happy to get out of both alive, do not wild camp in either.

Last I heard the Columbia - Brazil border was closed, so Venezuela would be the way.

Personally I’d sell the Motorhome in Mexico, fly to Ecuador buy again and drive to Brazil via Peru
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Many thanks for the advice Boris7, when did you travel these areas. I have a little experience of Belize, Mexico, not further south.
 
Stanski said:
Not me Trev.
We won a tenner from postcode lottery a couple weeks ago, you don't have it in NI.
Only worked as employed 8 months in last 2 1/2 yrs since knee op Sep19, then Covid struck, no help from government either, so took a pension to survive and have done some wheeling dealing with vehicles, delivery of sports equipment, and odd building work for family to massage my way through life.
Now discovered our frugal living over the years has reaped benefits, so now able to explore the world with a bit of financial security,
Mortgage ends next month - yippee.
Also learnt that work with no play was no fun, and health is to be nurtured and considered more as you age.
Wish you the same.
Click to expand...
Same here, worked like a bar stewart from an early age, one house bought outright, main one small part mortgage and paid off early, all this to find I'm knackered at 64, time to live a little now, have a good time where ever you travel to.
 
trevskoda said:
Same here, worked like a bar stewart from an early age, one house bought outright, main one small part mortgage and paid off early, all this to find I'm knackered at 64, time to live a little now, have a good time where ever you travel to.
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Agree, get your rig down to Rosslare and across to France, with either passport.
 
Canada down highway 101 the old hippy trail, redwood district, Yosemite park, Grand canyon, Sedona, San Francisco, LA, San Diego. In the 90's there was a company who would hire a motorhome for a one way trip either way.
 
Scotia said:
Canada down highway 101 the old hippy trail, redwood district, Yosemite park, Grand canyon, Sedona, San Francisco, LA, San Diego. In the 90's there was a company who would hire a motorhome for a one way trip either way.
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The hire companies still do at the end of the season to get all those one way trips returned.
 
Scotia said:
I thought it worked from both sides all season.
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Possibly but only if they have some to go back. When we were out in Canada we were told that at the end of the season they let you have three weeks rental for a pittance just to get them back. It may have changed from place to place I suppose and dependent on how many they have.
 
Stanski said:
Many thanks for the advice Boris7, when did you travel these areas. I have a little experience of Belize, Mexico, not further south.
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I’ve worked in South America a lot and travelled in Columbia and Venezuela, I’ve texted my mate in Brazil and asked him your best options, he will reply at some point.

The Darien Gap‘s going to stop you in your tracks unless you have something like this
and Columbia as lovely as it is needs to be thought through, if your an experienced traveller (and I don’t mean Europe) you’ll be fine, but there’s no direct main road to Brazil so Bogota to Guayana City then south to Manaus is where your at, by then Ecuador - Peru missing Bolivia will be a much safer bet and drop you onto São Paulo.

But Austin F1 is 23 October, and São Paulo is 13 November and you ain’t driving from one to the other in that time.

Now Austin to Mexico via Corpus Christi and Matamoros for the Mexican GP now thats not only doable but it would also be enjoyable, if you do plan drive past Panama then be very careful.

All that said South America is an eye opener and you’ll love it, but go with open eyes and not an unrealistic ideal.
 
Excellent advice, did consider Mex City GP, only wrote about Brazil as its my 63rd Birthday on 11th.
Was going to fly to Sao, then back to UK from there, before returning 6 mths later to reset vehicle, allowing time to sort plan for next jaunt.
Thought about shipping Veh around Darian, while taking Panama Canal cruise boat, SWMBO wants to see it, me too actually.
Experienced in rough terrain, take Motorhome places none would take a tank, ex mil, resilient, and tenacious. Belize 6 months tour, and 2 short visits, trekked and toured area.
Not so fit as was with knee injury, had penultimate op before replacement joint op in Sep19.
Thanks for contacting friend in Brazil, always good to know someone in area.
Will update as plan progresses.
 
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