Diary: Hello, Rio, or Fighting Customs

November 8, 2026

Diary: Hello, Rio, or Fighting Customs

Books › This World Is Conquered › Hello, Rio

instead of warming up

Friends and sympathizers, my next motorcycle rally – this time through South, Central and North America – is starting!

I have been torturing you for a long time, putting off this start time after time. But life is such a thing – it makes adjustments every now and then: personal life, social life, cataclysms, finances…. But just to give up and deflate – not for me. And everything is just beginning!

I decided to start in Brazil and finish in Alaska. How do you like this route: Brazil – Paraguay – Argentina – Uruguay – Argentina – Chile – Bolivia – Peru – Ecuador – Colombia – Venezuela – Colombia – Panama – Costa Rico – Nicaragua – Honduras – El Salvador – Guatemala – Belize – Mexico – USA – Canada – Alaska (USA)?

I would like to remind you that I dedicate this motorcycle rally to the honorable memory of my son Denis.

Fighting for a hat. Copacabana Beach.

Hello, Rio, or Fighting Customs.

So, I'm in Brazil. And that means that the big break is over and the motorcycle tour continues! I've been relaxing lately because of the unexpected stops….

Not so long ago I was traveling the highways of the USA. And what a contrast: from Arizona with 25-degree heat to winter Washington with snow and sub-zero temperatures! But I have never been frightened by the weather with its cataclysms – I have seen all sorts of things. As always, more problems are created by sending the bike – paperwork, searching for a cheap ship (oh, those rogue brokers!). This time it turned out to be as I planned: 700 dollars for delivery of my bike from New Jersey to Rio de Janeiro – quite a real price! But, as they say, the miser pays twice. After the registration I suddenly thought that this ship would not come to Brazil soon (they warned me that the ship would be formed for a month and go for two weeks!).

But, as it turns out, that's not a problem either. Question: how to pick it up from customs in Rio? I've been convinced many times in different countries that the magic starts when I show up there in full force and demand my bike ;-). In Rio everyone was in a panic! No one knew how to process and release this cargo (motorcycle) from the warehouse of the customs and border crossing point.

For some reason, I was sure that all of North America traveled through South America, much less Brazil, on their own two-wheeled or four-wheeled vehicles.

Fest "moto-capital" 2012.

No way! No one gets from the US to Brazil that way. And now I am beginning to guess that the reason for this is the lack (or is it ignorance?) of the relevant laws and regulations on this side. During several days of constant communication with customs officers, who demanded the most unthinkable papers and confirmations that I am not a businessman and not a "shuttle", my absentee love for Brazilians and Brazilian women has almost faded. It felt like I was the first biker to land on the shores of Latin America with my bike!

I won't bore the reader with details, but it cost me almost half of its price to pick up my iron horse! There is no other way. Almost everyone here calms me down and says with one voice: "What did you want? This is Brazil!". And indeed: you can't see cars and motorcycles with foreign license plates here, although there are a lot of tourists! And it's not always people's fault. Sometimes they strictly follow the letter of the law (bribes are out of the question) and … they can't do anything! The further I went, the more uncomfortable I felt here. Having money on my bank card, I could not get it from any of the banks I met on the way or withdraw it from an ATM. Only in one (expensive!) hotel I managed to pay by card. Thanks to my relatives, who sent money via Western Union, and I was revived. I had something similar in Iran, but this country has bad relations with the USA, hence the problems with international VISA and MasterCard cards. And what is wrong in Brazil, one of the friendliest and most stable countries in the world?…?

There was no limit to my happiness! As soon as I cleaned up my bike, I immediately went to see the sights of Rio. As my bike is not a small one, all in stickers and, of course, traditionally it has two flags on it – Kazakhstan and the country I am traveling through, I immediately attracted everyone's attention. Of course, I am not used to being in the center of attention, and I even like it, because this way people get to know a little about Kazakhstan.

I sometimes ironize myself: I have been on the road since 2004, I have been wherever I have been on my round-the-world trips, and still there are people scratching their heads: "Kazakhstan? It's the first time I've heard of it.". Alas, few people know anything about our country and where it is located. That's why every time I answer that I am from Kazakhstan, I start explaining that we border Russia and China, I tell about our achievements in sports (one London Olympics 2012 is worth what!), in politics…. No, guys, in order for the whole world to learn about our country, for people everywhere to greet us with the words "Oh, Kazakhstan! Welcome!", each of us still has a lot of work to do!

You can talk endlessly about the sights of Brazil. First of all, I was interested in visiting the famous Maracana Stadium (here it is called "Marakesh"). Once it used to rumble all over the world with 200 thousand spectators who never stopped talking! But after all the seats were made seated, the capacity was reduced to 130 thousand, and this year, after another reconstruction, they left 80 thousand. As it was explained to me, all this is done to improve the comfort and safety of fans. But I understand that the matter is different: the soccer excitement of the 60s and 70s has gone into History.

Rio – photos with the fans. That's why everyone here is looking forward to the World Cup!

The statue of Christ the Redeemer. It is the symbol of the country. Spreading his arms thirty meters wide, the Lord majestically looks from Corcovado Mountain to Rio de Janeiro. Very impressive!

Copacabana Beach. Great – clean and free!

Prices. Unrealistically expensive – no matter what you take. It seemed to me that the ratio of American dollar to local real – 1 USD = 2 BRL – is unreasonable here. I haven't been inside the country yet, but I hope prices are more reasonable there.

Weather. It's winter, which means that the temperature doesn't exceed 30 degrees. You could say it's just right for me (although it drizzles rain every day, the main thing is that it doesn't pour).