Caravana Pan Americana: ramblings of the journey

General Information

We are currently on a driving trip from British Columbia, Canada to Tierra Del Fuego in Argentina. Purpose of the trip is see new places and meet new people. We are a married couple in our mid-forties who only have about six months to complete the trip (because of employment considerations) and are not on too much of a limited budget (we have allowed for $14,000 US) so this has makes the trip a little easier.

We have friends who are going to fly down to Argentina to meet us and they will do the return journey in our vehicle while we fly home. A good arrangement for both of us!

In early 1996 I did a smaller trip (a probe) which went from Canada to Panama City and return , by BMW motorcycle. This was a solo journey that I only had just over three months to complete (again due to work considerations). Our Spanish is very poor (survival use only) even after two weeks in an Antigua school.

Currently we have are in Quito, Ecuador.

We have kept a detailed daily journal of our travels to date (more of a travelogue than a technical blow by blow) and we are willing to answer questions via our email address.

Vehicle Description and Security

1988 VW Vanagon

2.1 gas engine, fuel injection, water cooled, white, odometer reading on departure 131,000 km

automatic transmission, air conditioning

Vehicle is basically stock (it already had automatic locks, single key entry, locking gas cap). We added a kill switch, spare battery, cable and lock for spare tire, inverter (12v dc to 110v ac) and several 12v accessory plug ins, and a home made wooden storage box to fit in the roof storage rack. We removed the top mattress and used that area for storage.

The top storage box is very handy (it is about 44@x15@x14@) and securely stores these items:

2-2 1/2 gallon gas containers
2-1 gallon containers of phosphate free coolant
8 quarts of 20-50 oil
3 road warning triangles
8 gallon water container
backpacker stove and fuel
2 each of front and rear brake pads
spare engine belts,
folding shovel, axe
folding saw
100' tow rope
2 each of fuel, oil and air filters
siphon hose
flat repair 'Goop' with compressed air
ceramic block sealer
a few other miscellaneous repair parts

Shipping

We shipped from Panama City to Cartagena, Colombia.

We used:

Barwil Agencies
Box 3002 - Balboa , Panama
jennifer_paredes@barwil.com

office located on Balboa Ave. right on the waterfront of the business section in town just several blocks east of the Miramar Hotel, second floor, phone 263-7766) which seemed to be a well run, professional company.

Our contact there was Jennifer Paredes, a pleasant woman who spoke good English. We also hired an agent who was familiar with the shipping process to assist with the paperwork and give us general guidance and advice (Grupo Aduanero Kam, Agentes Corredores de Aduana, Heidy Kam or Alejandro Kam phone 236-0018, or 445-1092 (Colon) Centro Bel Air, Local 11, Via Ricardo J. Alfaro, email heidy@panama.c-com.net). The fee for their services was $75 US.

If your Spanish is passable and you have time, you can do without this service. We chose Cartegena mainly because we planned to go to Venezuela to obtain a libretta and it seemed to be the most easily accessed port on the north coast. The ship was a container ship so we paid for a 20' container. Total fees in Panama (see Colombia section for additional fees in that country) were $1025 US (900 for container, 100 for dock fees/loading and 25 for paperwork).

Ships leave approximately every three weeks and do not always run on schedule (ours was two days late and we had to have new PTJ documents prepared). Transit time was 2 days. We met another Canadian couple who were doing the same trip but on a more limited budget so they spent several days shopping around trying to get the cheapest rate (she spoke fluent Spanish so was able to do most of this by phone since Panama City has an excellent phone system). They ended up going on a roll on/roll off ship to Guayaquil, Ecuador for $1040 (they were just over 2 meters high so they had to pay for overheight otherwise it would have been $875). Their research confirmed that Barwil to Colombia had the cheapest container prices with the exception of perhaps some consolidating companies. These are companies that would put other freight in the container with your vehicle to share the cost of the container. They found these companies to be disorganized and suspicious so they opted not to use them. The purported cost was $500 not including dock fees which could be as much as $125.

Here is the process we went through on the Panama end.

Obtained shipping application form from Barwil via email.
Measured exact dimensions of vehicle (we removed the roof box prior to shipping)
Emailed completed form back to Barwil.
On arrival went to Barwil, paid fees (cash only accepted) and received 4 copies of bill of lading.
Went to Policia Tecnica Judicial (PTJ) to obtain a release form which basically states that the vehicle is not wanted by the police for any reason. Appropriate dress is required in some areas of this building so do not wear shorts or sleeveless tops. When you enter the building you will be given an identification badge when you give them your passport number or you must surrender something of value as deposit for the badge (camera etc.). You want to go to Hurtos de Vehiclulos. You will need 4 copies of the vehicle title, passport photo and number, entry stamp for the vehicle in your passport, Control de Vehiclulos (green paper you received when entering country), and bill of lading from the shipping company. Copies can be had at the building next door. The Hurtos de Vehiculos will issue you a paper which you take down the hall to the Secretary-Generals office where this form is converted to a more formal document of which you should get two copies in preparation for the next office. This document is valid for 8 days from date of issue.
Proceed to Direcion General de Aduanas (this building is just a few hundred meters from the main bus depot in Conundru). In the front door, turn left at first corridor, office of the Control de Vehiculos is the unmarked first door on right. There you will need a copy of all the above documents and if you are there in the morning you will be told to return at 1:00 otherwise, the next morning for the completed document.
You are now ready to proceed to the port (ours was Cristobal in Colon) at the time designated by the shipper. An minimum of 24 hours before departure is needed at the port. In some cases, depending on when the ship is scheduled to leave, you may have it there earlier. Upon arrival at the port you will be taken to customs where they will inspect all the papers and your vehicle and when they are satisfied will stamp and sign all the documents. You then deliver the vehicle to the appropriate dock and hand it over to the port authority. He will fill out a form that basically describes the vehicle and its condition at that time and you sign it off after making sure that anything you might have in or added to your vehicle is listed on the form. You will then be told at what time to return to observe the vehicle being placed in the container.
With all stamped papers in hand, return to Aduanas in Panama City to have the vehicle stamp in your passport canceled. There is a few of $4 for this and if you are there in the morning it can all be processed in the same day.
Twenty-four hours after the ship has left you should pick up your original bill of lading from your shipping agent. You will need this document to get your vehicle back. Ours was mistakenly sent electronically to the agent at Cartegena but we were able to retrieve it there without a problem.
That's it! You are now free to leave the country and try to reunite with your vehicle at the port of embarkation.
We found everyone involved to be very professional and friendly.

What follows is the process to retrieve our van in Colombia.

Went to our shipping agents office. Navemar Ltda., Edificio Suramerica de Seguros, Piso 7, Avenida Venezuela, Cartegena, 57 5 6642048. We received our original bill of lading, paid $200 deposit on the container, and a letter of authority from the shipping company to the port, authorizing emptying of the container. This process took more than a day and several trips to the port and the banks (companies do not accept cash, you must deposit the funds in the bank of their choice and then return with the receipt and the banks in Colombia are excruciatingly slow).
Go to Terminal de Maritimo. At the main office see the service rep to direct you through the process. We were very lucky to be met by an energetic, helpful man who spoke wonderful English as was happy to guide us through the entire process. There was no cost to us as he said this was part of his job. He is a 'people person' that was able to move freely behind the scenes to expedite our paperwork. Cartegena is mainly a commercial port so our type of shipping was a bit of an oddity however he got everything done smoothly and with a smile! What a wonderful welcome to Colombia! His name is Andre Velasaviz (spelling may be off a bit) and he welcomes inquiries via his email (fanve@hotmail.com or check out the port's page at www.sprc.com.co for info). His direct line is 650-2398. He confirmed that the container was in storage and could be opened whenever customs was ready for it. At the port we paid a $75 port fee use and $85 for container handling.
Go to DIAN (Dirrecion de Impuestos Y Aduanas Nacionales) with is located 4 blocks east of the Terminal de Maritimo (where presumably your vehicle is). You will need 2 copies of title, passport (photo and #), entry stamp (in passport), bill of lading. Go to Commercio Exterior offices and fill out an Aduanas application, then to Document Section for data entry, then return to Commercio Exterior with stamped papers to then arrange for an appointment with Group de Inspectores to arrange for a time to inspect the vehicle at the docks.
At this time you will have enough papers to show the port so that the container may be unloaded. Be present at the unloading, have a customs official inspect the container (a form was provided by our agent), do not allow any additions to this form (such as needing to be cleaned etc. or this will cost you more) and then you will be shown where to park it until customs inspects it)
Back to DIAN to see inspector, he will drive down to the port with you or he may elect to just stay at the office and do the paperwork. He will issue you a Temporary Vehicle Importation Permit (good for 30 days) and affix a stamp in your passport. You will have the original permit (for you to keep) and a second copy which you surrender to the port authority upon which they will release your vehicle.
Mandatory insurance can be obtained at Aseguradora Solidaria De Colombia (located in the old city just off the Plaza de Aduanas) for about $9 for 30 days. Get it as you will be stopped and asked for it!

That's it! You can be on your way again.

The whole process only took two complete days. Again, all people involved were very professional and helpful.

Comments

Security within the ports was very tight. We chained and bolted down all of our boxes within the van and nothing appeared to have been touched.
When we do it again we will have all our fees included in the shipping companies fees. This way they are responsible for the vehicle until you actually take possession at the dock.
One outside of Cartegena, transit police stopped us frequently for checks and 'collections'. This seems to be an accepted practice in that area according to locals and $1 seems to solve all problems.
All gas is unleaded as of 1994.

Venezuela and Libretta

While in Cartegena we went to the Venezuelan Consulate (new location at Edificio Centro Ejectivo, Bocagrande, Cr 3, 8-129, Piso 14, 6650382) to obtain visas (no fee, picked up next day) and vehicle permit ($50, two photos) also picked up next day. With these documents we had very easy entry into Venezuela (5 minutes).
When driving in Colombia, seek local knowledge of best routes and times to avoid guerrilla activity. We went to Santa Marta one day, then very early the next morning drove straight through to border at Maico (4 hours). Expect to pay for many tolls on Colombian roads, we found that toll costs totaled almost half of our road expenses and required cash.
Libretta can be obtained in San Cristobal as discussed in the SAEC Driving Packet. We paid a fee of 165,000 Bolivars some of which will be reimbursed when we are finished with it. Required only 24 hours to obtain it.
Maracaibo - San Cristobal : good fast road, 9 hours, many Guardia Nacionale checkpoints but we were seldom stopped or required to show documents, very friendly and polite.
San Cristobal - Merida - Pico de Aigle - Barenas - San Cristobal : two days, good scenic road to highest paved road in Venezuela (4003m), steep and windy but no troubles with the van at that altitude
Gas is very cheap and of excellent quality, we always used highest octane available when traveling in higher altitudes.
San Cristobal - Colombia border : only short distance but allow several hours due to narrow, curvy road and heavy truck traffic.

Colombia - Ecuador

Very easy border crossing at Cucuta, no fees, papers that we had received in Cartegena allowed us to re-enter the country with no further paperwork as they were good for 30 days and allowed multiple exit / entries.
Cucuta - Bucaramanga : guerrilla area again, allow full day to do this stint, steep, windy road with little traffic but in decent shape. Many minor landslides that crews were cleaning up.
Bucaramanga - Bogata : full day, roads continuously improved with many kilometers of newly paved and reconstructed road.
Bogata - Armenia - Buga : full day, no road blockages, military presence around Armenia but everyone was courteous.
Buga - Popoyan : 5 hours, we detoured around Cali on sideroads, we found ourselves in guerrilla territory with no traffic and paramilitary presence near some towns, not recommended to travel after dark.
Popoyan - Ipailes : full day, excellent roads. We parked for the night at the Travelodge (just a few hundred meters from the frontier) for a $1.
Crossing to Ecuador was simple with the libretta, they requested this on both sides and would not look at any other documents.

Ecuador

Frontier - Quito : full day, noticeably less traffic on road but roads were in poorer condition but still better than expected as we did see crews out patching potholes.
Good maps available at most large grocery stores (Pocket Guide to Ecuador in English)

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