Hard Fingers After Snow Shoveling

Bolivia. Summary

After receiving the extension of the policy of insurance cross-border Quiaca Villazon, the process was quite long and tedious.

Already in Bolivia, faces in the side of Uyuni, promotion night stand in Tupiza, a few kms before I took a good hit by dodging a bus that even manages to be run. In this town the gasilona expensive charge me for having a foreign plate and being a city near the border,

Bolivian about 6 liter. The next day stop at Atocha after charging at a gas station that had come to hide in the bed of the river and drive about 5 kms from there! when I said that I thought that I was

fucking, but it was just like that.

between the salt flat in Uyuni to La Rojita, got about 20 kms to the salt hotel, confident, when I wanted to point out to any side and when I realized I had diverted to hell, I could do well after a while. Obviously after all this walk I had to send it to the sink, the salt once hardened is very difficult if not removing it with water pressure, on the other hand, the oxide appears at once. Spend the night right there early the next day I went to Potosi, are about 210 kms of gravel road in the mountains of the worst imaginable, so that took me about 7 or 8am to this stretch first Once I started going through villages lost in the middle of the mountain, abandoned villages ... suddenly appeared an elderly Bolivian loading from the back I could not explain whence came ", where was it, that could be doing there? everything that could be up toward the four points was the same: Mountains ... It took me to the bike path and they then up and down as if nothing out. Recently the ultimnos 45 kms are asphalted.

In Potosi I spent a couple of days, the city is extremely intricate, keeps the skin very colonial spirit, and at first glance one notices that is a very interesting city culturally very rich history.

GPS without maps I have it so moving around the city quite complicated to me until I get to the tourist office. As in all ranging from Bolivia, is impossible to ask someone about how to get somewhere, for more basic it is, say the parade, the only thing I managed to say is "shhheeecctito nomas", meaning they go straight, just in a city where on the curved streets, cut it unless you want a straight road. Spend two nights quite cool, I'm more than 3900 meters, equal, the cold did not begin in earnest yet. The second night I slept in a sort of charitable foundation, which very kindly offered me a hot coffee and a breakfast morning carrot juice and hot chocolate.

already out of Potosí improve routes lot, asphalt virtually all paved except for some stretches for miles. Coming to Sucre I learned that the day was coming President Cristina Fernandez and Bolivian President Evo Morales for an act which amounted postmortem Juana Padilla Azurduy General, the highest ranking Argentine army's voice Mercedes Sosa was ringing by the exquisite version of the song Juana Azurduy, there pickup immediately Argentina flag that comes to me but good to have on hand now I'm out of my country. Sucre very nice city but there was not much to do, also a couple of days and went to Cochabamba, I met Willy Vega who kindly gave me his maps of Bolivia for the GPS and I contact Carlos Ramos.

First puncture of the trip, good average, after more than 7000 kms, patch right there with no problems.

This spring city I left over a week, so far the time I'm in this country is without doubt the place I most like and more comfortable I felt. After doing a complete check of disarmament and the bike in the workshop of Carlos Ramos offered me place to stay, he and his family treated me with affection, I felt really comfortable there, I really enjoyed the talks we had while having tea with cinnamon ... I met many many people in the days I spent in the city, bikers everywhere, eagles and bikers legendary Moto Mil Club welcomed us and other my two boys Argentines, we walked around town and then finish night in a downtown bar.

Leaving Cochabamba to Oruro climbed to about 4,500 meters, I can not explain the cold that I went though was super warm even balaclava, I could not feel my hands and hit me back up drive, I had to stop because I had no strength in his arms and legs, regrets not having chewed coca, or at least a cup of tea with those leaves ...

Oruro Pass just one day and went to La Paz, I did not like much, say nothing but I did not like the view of the mountains surrounding the city, so after a couple of days, buy some food and finally resolve the issue of compu went to Tiwanaku ruins of Tiwanaku empire. I was offered accommodation in an NGO CUNA does agricultural research. The left Sunday to drain, Bolivia-Peru border, I took a long time back and forth until I could spend almost no money and no ATM in sight had to do some juggling (not literally) for further travel. I did not want to stay Copacabana wanting to know so I went there knowing it could not get the damn thing spit-money. And the truth I did very well to go, although it looked very little movement then I started chatting with people everywhere, especially in Argentina, suddenly even more of the south, Lomas de Zamora, Quilmes , Lanus, Adrogue, Glew ... Put the noodles Dad! We all!

As I got money in the end it was about to set up the tent near the beach ... Roberto, a Bolivian who was in charge of Hostal Andino offered me a room without charge, told me on in Argentina had sought the best and I knew what it was like being in a situation like that, that night was very very cold, but rather at dawn, do not want to imagine what would have been camping at the lake.

Bs With the last 20 I had left him refuel the Rojita and went to Puno, next stop on the road. Get scraping, get a little complicated to get accommodation, The hall of the Sports Institute of Puno would be my hotel that night.