Preparation – Electronics

I do not deny it, I love electronic gadgets! My iPhone, camera, GPS and laptop will be essential tools for me on this trip.

My ongoing challenge is to bring only what is absolutely necessary while making sure to have the tools needed to communicate, navigate, picture, save and share those memories!

Let’s start with communications. I’ll have my iPhone 6s Plus. It will be installed (and powered) on the handlebars of my motorcycle and will allow me to easily communicate with the outside world while making available navigation apps like Google Map and Maps.me.

Note that I can stay in contact with my relatives thanks to roaming packages from Rogers, which, with an additional fee of a maximum of $100 per month, let’s me make unlimited calls within the country I am in and to the North America, as well as being able to use the data included in the plan as if I was in Canada. In the past, when travelling, I bought local SIM cards for each country. It can be a bit less expensive, but it does make it possible for people home to contact me easily. I also had trouble of having to find a place to buy for every border crossing, which is not always easy.

Although this is a major expense for a period of 6 or 7 months, I have included in my overall budget and is a must as I do let my girlfriend, family, friends and some obligations behind.

The main GPS navigation will be done via my old Garmin Zumo 550. My family, friends and curious will be able to follow me through a Spot GPS device.

With respect to photography, I had to make big sacrifices. Indeed, I would have loved to bring my Canon 5D and all of its premium lenses. However, its value and its weight make risky and difficult to transport. So I turned to a cheap point and shoot camera. The model is a Canon SX610H. I’m still surprised by the quality of the images when light is good, and a rather powerful zoom. I would have loved to have a little GoPro, but it was out of my budget.

To manage my files and update this blog, I will carry a MacBook Air and 2 small hard drives to save the data.

Everything is secured in waterproof bags. You never know when one will drop the bike in a river!

Next article will cover travel documents.

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Preparation - Documentation, GPS maps, Itinerary and Budget

Only 3 days before the big start so I'll try to cover documentation, maps (paper and GPS), my itinerary and budget in one post. Let's start with documents. It is well known that the border crossings in Central America are saying, complex and several photocopies of documents such as passports, driving ... Read more

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Preparation - Clothing

Travelling, no matter with which means of transport, undeniably involves difficult choices when it comes to clothes. You must find the right balance between what you want versus what you need versus what can be brought! Whether you're on a backpack trip to Europe, a Machu Picchu expedition or a 6-month motorcycle trip, I ... Read more