With just a week left before departure, I’ve cleared the remaining obstacles, and relief washes over me. Today, my insurance broker confirmed coverage for the South American leg of my journey. Securing insurance for single-engine airplanes beyond the standard territory – typically covering the US, Canada, Mexico, and Caribbean – proved challenging. Not all underwriters venture south.
Months of preparation have paid off. I’ve navigated international border requirements, acquired essential emergency gear, upgraded Diana’s panel, and completed her annual inspection. Just three weeks ago, doubts lingered about meeting my early January departure goal. Delays included:
- Waiting three weeks for a new exhaust system (replacing the damaged tailpipe and muffler)
- Obtaining a DTOPS decal for re-entry into US territory
- Finding suitable insurance coverage through multiple brokers
Now, only unforeseen circumstances or weather can delay my departure!
Sharing the Journey
My mother’s holiday visit has been a welcome distraction during these final days. Showing her around keeps me busy. Yesterday, I integrated my Garmin InReach with this website, enabling live route tracking. You’ll find a “Tracker” link in the header for easy access. For tech-savvy enthusiasts, subscribe to my RSS feed for automated notifications (my friend Carlos even set up an IFTTT rule to receive email updates).
The countdown continues. Next stop: Adventure!
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