Arrived in San Jose Costa Rica to pick up my bike at 4.30 AM. I knew i had a busy day full of bureaucracy ahead of me to release my motorcycle from the almacen fiscal where I left it in March. With a good Costa Rican cup of coffee in my hand I seat on the street and i regroup my energy for the day. At 6.00AM i arrive in front of the custom office but the office does not open until 8.00AM. When finally at 9.00 I am able to speak with someone the customs official start saying that I will not able to pick up my bike without paying a huge fine of $1,000 because I should have terminated my temporary permit of transit back in March. This is a wake up call for me. It reminds me that for the next month or so I am not in Canada nor in Italy and my mind-set has to change right away. Having some experience in this kind of matters I keep calm and starting to explain that at the custom depot, where I left my bike back in the month of March, I was told that by storing the bike with them I did not need to terminate my permit because it was done automatically by their software system. No chance. The custom official did not want to hear any of that and started calling her superior. I knew I just had to stay calm and I apology for the inconvenience. Of course inside of me I was mad and I really wanted to jump across the desk and bite her hear off. In any case to make a long story short, I was able to release my baby only at 3.00 PM. Of course i did not have to pay any fine whatsoever. My good friend Andres from the Almacen Fiscales ” El Coco” gave me a great hand.
The following day I bring my motorcycle for a full tune up and plan my route to reach Panama. I decide not to cross into Panama from the main border crossing of Paso Canoas but to take the northern, smaller entry of Rio Sereno.
The road is stunning. I reach 10,000 feet of altitude and the temperature is freezing. What will it be when i will be riding at 15,000 feet in Bolivia and Peru’ I ask myself ? I definitely misjudge my clothing equipment once again.
The mood is high and in just one day I had the chance to remind myself that I am not doing just a sunday ride but something a bit more complicated. I am very exited and ready. Let the adventure continue. The kids of ” Virgen de Fatima” are waiting.
BTW.
The very first day of my departure a great article on the ” Corriere di Arezzo” written by Francesca Muzzi, was telling our story. I will not translate the all thing as we know the intent of our trip around the world. The funny part of the article described Matteo as being a slim man with a long beard while myself as a bit “chubby”. The article says that if we were to be put together we could be identified as Santa Claus bringing gifts to the children around the world.
We certainly hope that the next article will not describe us as being like Laurel and Hardy………..
From Italy helping children around the world on Motorcycles 