Asia-Europe 2012

Guyana Space Center

The visit at the center lasted for about 3 hours. We moved by bus and visited two launch sites and two command centers. We learned there are 5 launch sites: Ariane 4 and Diamante 2 (both decommissioned), Ariane 5, Soyuz and Vega (last two under construction, to be completed by end of 2010). Three launch sites are needed so the space center will be able to accommodate all customers’ needs (regarding payload size and orbit type). The command centers were extremely silent, totally opposed to the agitation seen on TV.

Pictures show: Parts/payload, in storage after shipped by plane; Ariane 4 launch site; Ariane 5 launch site; Centre de Lancement 3; Centre de Lancement 3.

csg 1 csg 2 csg 3 csg 4 csg 5

Tags: museum

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July 8, 2010|18 france (guyana)|Post Comment »

Hanging out in French Guyana

This weekend was very boring. In Cayenne, most stores remained closed, public library also closed, nobody on the street. So for Sunday I decided to move to Kourou, expecting a change. But there it was even worse: Sunday ar 2PM only aMcDonald’s and one gas station were open. Everything else was closed, even the movie theater! Absolutely nobody on the street. Just like in a deserted place! Fortunately, the public swimming pool was open so I was able to relax and practice there for an hour. In Kourou I found out food and accomodation are extremely expensive. A hamburger at McDonald’s was 5EUR (7.50EUR with meal) and the cheapest room available in town was 101EUR (three stars, single). So the tent saved me around 250EUR during this weekend!

Monday I was scheduled for Space Center visit. The tour lasted for about three hours and it was free of charge. We visited the launch site for Ariane 4 (abandoned), Ariane 5 and the Jupiter control center. I will get back with some photos soon. Now I am back in Cayenne. If I will get the Suriname visa this afternoon, as planned, I will proceed immediately towards the border. Hopefully, by night I will be in Paramaribu.

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July 5, 2010|18 france (guyana)|1 Comment

Parting ways

Since two days ago we are in Cayenne, French Guyana. Trying to sell Palomina here is less successful than expected. So today I applied for a visa for Suriname, from where there are more freight shipments to USA and hopefully I will be able to ship her home.

In two hours Laura will be departing from the airport to Martinique, Paris and then Bucharest.

In the meantime we visited the Space Museum at the Guyana Space Center and I booked a tour of the center for Monday morning.

1162 space

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July 2, 2010|18 france (guyana)|Post Comment »

Crossing the Oiapoque

Like every time before when we had to cross a body of water (except for that time when we crossed the Magellan Strait in Chile), crossing the Oiapoque was not without hassle: the prices (for a 15 minute trip by canoe or ferry) varied from 20EUR to 200EUR but you never know who can be trusted and who can’t. Even the ferry had no schedule at all! After two days of bargaining we managed to find some guys willing to take us across for 30EUR.

In the end we paid 35EUR because they claimed the bike was heavier. For us, it felt so strange: we were in South America but also in European Union at the same time. 1159 oiapoque 1160 oiapoque 1161 oiapoque

Tags: watercraft

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July 1, 2010|18 france (guyana), 17 brazil|1 Comment

The Amapa jungle

After completing the 1000km of jungle South of Amazon we said to ourselves “How easy. That was it?”. But here, in Brazilian State of Amapa, we found the real problems: from Macapa there are ~500km until the border with France, out of which only 300 are paved. Immediately after entering the unpaved road, a rain began that made riding even more difficult.

At some point the road was blocked because two trucks were caught in mud and other trucks were trying to help. After one hour of efforts some drivers gave up and began cooking the lunch (where we were invited to join). After another hour one truck was back on road but two more vehicles were in trouble: a car and a bus. The fun may have continued for many hours, but we left the scene and we arrived at the Oiapoque river after two days.

For reference, I have included two pictures from 20 years ago (the last ones) made by our friend Eladio. As you can see, not much has changed since then!

1149 jungle 1150 jungle 1151 jungle 1152 jungle 1153 jungle 1154 jungle 1155 jungle 1156 jungle 1157 jungle 1158 jungle