Not a bad idea for spares etc. When we did Morocco I prepared a box containing all the **** that might be useful (spare chain, carb bits etc.) addressed it to the hotel and left it with some dosh my mum and dad's. The idea was that if the bike was in trouble nearer the hotel than not, I'd get there ring for the bits and recieve the box in 24 hours by UPS. The theory is that parts availability would be better than any dealer, would work almost regardless of weekends and bank holidays and would be less hassle than paying some camel driver to get the bike back into Spain. As it was the box didn't contain the bit I needed (so I never sent for it) and I made it back into Spain anyway. I'd say the theory was sound enough though, the box list was sure lighter than the box.
For clothes and tent I'd be more wary. Imagine you turn up at the site, ask for your gear and are given a card in a foreign language that reads:
" Sorry you weren't in. We've left your parcel with the crack heads next door/with the bloke with the rabid rotweiller and throwing knives/taken it back to the depot 25 miles away/sold it on e-bay and will give you some cash back in 900 days. Please call us on the following premium rate number and when we can be bothered to answer we'll tell you which we did....."
You call the number and after 3 hours of "Reggie Hammond and his Organ does Country and Western hits from the 1860's" are told it's at the depot. You ride over and are told it's still on the van, so come back tomorrow.
Not a great start to a trip!
Andy
