Saturday March 8th 2025 Formosa
Morning Bingo said you want any breakfast, I said NO! lets get out of here, which he totally agreed on, except with the words how we going to get all this gear to the new place with one bike, easy, taxi-rank over the road, put bags in that and you ride to the place. Also a bit of another school boy error we book the new place 3 miles away from the bike shop!

So I got a taxi with all my bags, as Bingo cycled there, when we got to the new place went to pay the guy only had Paraguayan currency “Guarani” luckily he took that no problem, get did get a good rate mind you. All sorted in the new place, off we go to pick up the bike, just a little stroll through the urban streets of Formosa, into some nice bits, then some not so nice bits as we marched on.

I was a bit nervous as we entered the shop, the proprietor sitting on a stool trueing up a wheel, gave me a toothy smile, “Hola Gringo, ¿cómo estás? Ya tienes tu bicicleta lista” basically your bike done. Took it for a little spin all seemed good, Bingo brought some more puncture patches off them as well, left with a few pics and firm handshakes here we go again.

Back to the non-flea infested digs to have a pleasant afternoon watching the 6 nations and hearing how the mighty SCWRF got on, they beat Cranbrook away to leave them one win away from winning the league, fair play to the young lads respect.

Just one last thing before we re-start our crazy ride again tomorrow, still need to sort out a route, but it is just following the bus, but not in it!

Thank you so much everyone for the fabulous support, I know I have said it before but it is been inspirational, it has been greatly appreciated and a special mention for all those who have contributed to the beer / food kitty, you have been very kind, we are feeling your support all the time and it been so welcome thanks to the following for their generous support :-

Baden & Stevie Powell
Dave & Nade Austen
Dennis & Hayley Price
Billy & Tina Plews
Carl & Mandy Moses
Steve Plews (Dambuster Inn)
Ray & Debbie Skelton (True athlete)
Mick Howarth (Bull Fossils & School mate)
Tony Westcott (Chatham dockyard long long time ago)

Thanks from Bingo & Gringo

Friday March 7th 2025 Villa General Manuel Belgrano to Formosa
Next morning push the bikes to the bus kiosk, was an hour early but wanted to get the tickets sorted etc all done then had a coffee in the petrol station over the road, been here that long we are locals now on first name terms. So we got on the bus gus, 4 hour bus w* again but so be it, needs must.

Very difficult with your head going backwards but thats what us adventurers have to do, I really wanted to get this quote in somewhere so here we go “many will call be an adventurer and that I am… only one of a different sort: who risks his skin to prove his truths” Ernesto (Che) Guevara. One of my all time super hero’s dont worry I have a few more up my sleeve. Forgot where I was now as I more into superhero mode.

Yes we finally arrived in Formosa, unloaded all the gear, then headed for the first hotel, by our standards it was bleak and that is saying something, my sister Deborah even asked if we had bed bug spray! We are both that quick the blighters can’t catch us I hope. Dropped the bags off in the infested place (it probably was) and headed to the afor mentioned bike shops. Little bit of a trek to say the least, but us intrepid travellers ploughed on, first one closed, few bad words by me sorry Mum, 2nd one closed but least with an opening time on the door, an hours wait. We’ll have a beer and wait, which we duly did, me a bit edgy said come lets go with 10 mins to wait, sure enough the guy was there opening up, great. Not so great when he just looked shock his head and said not here mate “aquí no amigo” think I might have said bollocks then! But held my composure and asked him anywhere that would be able to do it, nice as pie he said yes guy around the corner about 400m away “Un chico a la vuelta de la esquina, a unos 400 metros de distancia” off we trudged. Sure enough the guy was there, had a shop full of old bike parts, looked at my poorly bike and my sad face, he had to fix it. Within ten minutes he had a new chainset and bottom bracket, laid out for us, top guy, I said go for it, bit of chatter then agreed to come back tomorrow at 10:00 to collect, for 60,000 peso, about £30.

Well I must say I did feel a bit better, but still apprehensive, least it was not a fix completely new parts, much more encouraging.

Took the long trek back to the flea infested hotel (thanks Deb keep thinking about that now), with a view to eating posh tonight. Lovely meal, though we did surprise them my turning up early and waiting like a scene in “Oliver” it was worth it though.

Decided to change digs (because of my ever loving sister), so in the morning we had a bit of a logistical challenge, but nothing we can’t handle.