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May 19, 2009

Barbados - USA, Miami, FL
By Marcelo da Luz;

At last waking up back in the island, Barbados. I can't believe it's been a year already. Wow! time flyes.

The day started very early, Ralph and I took the dogs for a walk while Lidia got breakfast ready. During the walk I learned about Barbados underground rivers. Behind the property there is a ravine, sort of (can'r remember what this geological formation is called), Ralf was explaining that it is a result of underground rivers colapsing down below. Huhhh it mde me wonder about the ground where I was walking. There are quite a few of those formations throughtout the island. As the water seeps into the ground, it erode the rock creating an underground river. The island of Barbados is a relativelly new island. Aparently it is only about 400,000 year. I guess it is an infant island when compared to the other islands near by like Trinidad and Tobago formed from vulcanic eruptions ions ago. The walk was short but envigorating, it was nice to see the ocean in the horizon, a previledge to be here.

Back at the house we had breafast, share photos and stories. Ralf has an amazing outdoor train set from when he was a child groing up in Germany. Lidia is from Brazil. So, you can imagine when Brazil and Germany played against each other during the world cup. Lidia and Ralf made the news paper in Barbados beacause of it.

I am back in Barbados to renew XOF1 lisence. I haven't been able to figure out yet if it required to have the lisence renewd while the car is temporarily out of the country. According to the 1949 Geneva Treay, both vehicle and driver have to be "legal" in its country of origen. So, I am not taking any chances.

The first stop was at the local lisencing office. Not knowing how to handle the insurance from a foreign company for outside the country the local office told me I had to go to the main office. Not having much time, my flight back to Miami depart at 14:20. I right away got concern about not having enought time for all the running around. Trying to save money and since the car is already insured, I decided to go to the main office. Hope it would dave me from getting local insurance that I know I won't be using.

The roads in the island are narrow, traffic sometimes can be hectic, particularly with the relax island life style on top of that there was some detours due to roads construction. Lidia was kind enough to drive me around and wait. We made to the main lisencing office. They didn't accept the insurance from a foreign company. As a result I had to get insurance in Barbados. I argued that the car is not in Bajan soil at the moment, it is being driven across North America and not in Barbados, showed all the paper work, no can do. I had to run to ICBL (Insurance Corporation of Brarbados Limited) renew XOF1 insurance and run back to the lisencing office.

More diving, this time to ICBL. It was nice to see some familiar faces. By now everyone knows about the solar car. The little green machine stands out, even the marketing manager remembered the solar car from when she was working on another department. There was a typo on the insurance letter, the name of the car was wrong. I went back to Vicky to get it fix. I can't say how please I was to see that typping mistake. For years I have been looking for a name for the documentary about the project, and, right there I found it. I guess, she was expecting me to be upset with the mistake but instead I had a grim from ear to ear :), at last I now have a name for the documentary, it is going to be called "_ _ _ _ - _ _ _ _ _". Well, I guess you all will have to wait until it is ready. Hey, don't email askin me about it, at least not yet, you will know soon. So, hang in there.

With the insurance paper work Lidia and I rushed back to the lisencing autority office. Lucklcy I didn't have to wait online.
While driving


By Josh Holton;

This morning I organized a sample wikipedia page for the XOF1. Jamie spent the day working on a face book page for the XOF1, as well as helping with getting Marcelo the tentative schedule. We also organized spreadsheets to keep track of logistics and operations. Audrey was a great help in organizing our progress. I also ran to the store to get some basil for Audrey’s homemade ricotta gnocchi, and some sunflowers by which she might remember the solar car team. When Marcelo arrived, we had the route plotted for Canada: a week to D.C., and 5,000 miles after that until the Arctic Circle! It was great hanging out in Miami, but after some great food and wine, we had to get some rest for driving the next day.





Ralf and Lidia in Barbados
With ICBL (Insurance Corporation og Barbados Limited) getting insurance for the solar car.
Lisence renewed for another year, yeah!!!!
Everyone showing their culinary talents
Eat one, cook two, eat one, cook two, the food almost didn't make it from the stove to the table.
Willy Wonca, on the way to the airport. Taking a well deserved break from the tour. He will be joining us again before the Artic Circle
Kobi sad to see Willy Wonca go