2017-11-17 Day 197 Fri

 This is were we turn off from the northern route via Concepcion and head East to San Ignacio de Velasco. A dirt road that was initially wide and flat with lots of corrugations and - not holes not a good start to 286km. The road slowly got better and more interesting. The farmland dropped away behind us and the jungle closed in. The wet lands started, lots of water lillies and birds.


The vegetation is beginning to look more jungle like and it is starting to feel quite tropical (hot & humid).

We stopped to take photos of some wàter lillies and forgot to close windows letting many mozzies in!

I swerved to miss a spider - yes could clearly see that it was a spider from 30m away at 60km/hr. I pulled up and asked john to hop out and photograph the spider. He was unsure of what I was really asking. But it was the quintessential BIG hairy black spider!

We saw a few more wondering across the road as we drove on.

We stopped at some puddles on the road where there were hundreds of butterflies, about 7 different species fluttering about and sitting on the road.

Camped just after we reached the main north south road. We drove out to a water body which seemed to be a reservoir. It had a strange sign which did not say private property or keep out but did indicate that certain people could not enter. John wondered in and there were a guy fishing and a family near by so we thought it might be public land. Camped on the waters edge and enjoyed our drinks and nibbles outside.

Our second and last 12v fan died when I plugged it in. Luckily it was not a very hot night.

2017-11-16 Day 196 Thu

Rained gently during the night and into the morning. After some computer work we walked back up to the falls for a swim. Lovely water, not to cold and all to ourselves. We explored some of the smaller pools and still marveled at the skirts that the cascades had created.

Time to move on, we needed to be at the Consulate between 12:00-14:00hrs to pick up johns passport. We drove into a rain squall luckily when we were back onto a sealed road, bought 3 different types of mangoes. As there seemed to be a hold up on the road (maybe an accident caused by the rain) we took to the side roads. Finally found a way through and arrived at the Consulate with 10 minutes to spare.

Said our good byes to Santa Cruz and headed around the city on one of its 3 ring roads - and turned off to the East. Put 20l of diesel in at the foreigners price of Bs8.88 (AU$1.60)

At one of the police road blocks we were pulled over and made to wait for quite a while, until the cop was free to attend to us. John exited the vehicle and explained he only had a little spanish. The cop wanted to look inside so john opened the door for him but did not lower the steps. A quick perfunctory look and then into the hut. John followed. Supposedly the problem was Johns name on the Aduana (ownership of vehicle) and I was driving. The cop stamped the arduana then wanted to be paid for it. John said he didn’t understand so the cop pulled one of many Bs50 notes out of his drawer to show John want he wanted. John argued that what he was saying was incorrect. We had not paid for a stamp anywhere. My driving came up again and John said he’d drive. I arrived at the door to see where John had got to, as he had been away too long. The cop just asked john if I was his spouse and let us go. John drove off from the station.

We stopped for diesel to be told they did not serve foreigners, but the next one did. I was concerned they’d charge full foreigner price but it was only Bs4 so we filled up.

We had Internet signal on and off along the road. About camp time, and near Cuatro Canadas, we turned off into the farm land. Most of the land hand seemingly just been ploughed and planted so we wanted to keep out of that. The paddocks are slowly increasing in size as we travel further east, and more mechanical farming equipment is visible. We found a clump of trees to huddle beside.

We were entertained with thunder and lightning for most of the night, with only a little drizzle.

2017-11-15 Day 195 Wed

Left camp at 7am wondering if we would be in the Consulate in an hour as the road/track so narrow and rough. Within 5 mins we popped out onto a tar sealed road. Wow! then we came upon a dual double lane road of concrete in the middle of nowhere. Then back to a small tar sealed road again with holes. Arrived at the Consulate at about 7:30am so john had a shave while waiting for it to open. I got my passport and visa back and John put his application in to be picked up between 1200-1400hrs tomorrow.

Drove to Samacaya and Sergio’s sauna which was close by. Had a sauna and swim then a vegetarian lunch which Samacaya had cooked. The fact that the soup was made from Zucchini was hidden from John. He did like it though, the soup was followed by a vegie curry and rice. A little salty for our taste but that is common here. A very enjoyable meal seated outside under the big mango tree.

We said our good byes and headed back south to visit a waterfall for the night. Bought some mangoes and locuats strange that the locuats were more expensive than the mangoes. 20 mangoes for $2.

The Espejallo falls were quite extraordinary A short walk from the grassy car park up a ridge led us to th lower most pool, where a group of youngsters were cooling off after the heat of the day. Over the eons the clear water had carved its way through the jungle and into the solid conglomerate base. As we made our way up from one cascade to the next the jungle on either side afforded only a narrow view of the sky above. There must have been 20 pools each easily accessible and inviting for its unique shape and clear water. Most fascinating however ,was the cascade into each pool. Rather than gouging a path into the rock, each

cascade had deposited (limestone perhaps) under its path, forming a skirt over which the water spread. We made our way up from one pool to the next until a gap in the jungle revealed the upper most falls, we were presented with an idyllic vista of these 35m falls plunging into a large pool surrounded by cliffs, and capped by jungle. Here the water began as a narrow flute and fanned out evenly over its elegant skirt measuring perhaps 8 meters at the base the water glittered as it fell the final 3m from the hem into the pool

After dinner we discovered that the locuats were in fact something else. Although looking identical they had a hard skin and a solid white flesh surrounding a seed. Quite tart.

2017-11-14 Day 194 Tue

I asked if I could use Candy's wash station and do some laundry. While I was washing Candy came out and we had a bit of a chat about life and marriage. Interesting conversation not sure we understood each other 100%.

I asked Candy if she' like mums suitcase. we had been looking for someone to give it to as I didn't really want to throw it.


Took all the paperwork back to the embassy then headed to the Fuso dealer. Wrong place we needed to go 9km out of town.

They were wonderfully friendly and the spare parts guy had English so we were in good hands. We sat with WiFi and did lots of work. The leak from the transmission into the handbrake was due to over filling of the gear box and also of the rear diff. All fixed and we were ready to leave at 5.45pm. Couldn’t pay by visa (as the receptionist had gone home) but they accepted all the money I had, which was still a few dollars short.

Drove further out of town and crossed the river. The road degraded more as we traveled. Parked on a raised area beside the road.

2017-11-13 Day 193 Mon

Arrived at the consulate around ten to find out we needed to apply online and pay our US$120 at the bank of Brazil in center of town. We sat in the park and applied online using the consulates address as contact address in Bolivia.

Next to tackle the inner city. We found the bank easily and a park. John put on hazards and waited for a gap in the traffic to reverse into the park. Unseen by him a cop bike was close behind and the cop thumped the side of the vehicle with his hand. Lots of gestulation and annoyance by Rider Cop who told the pillan cop to sort. He wanted in the cab and I said only two seat belts. He tried to catch a ride with the bike but it took off so we followed him to the next block where we parked on a yellow edge (no parking) The cop was trying to explain that we were illegally (double parked) we tried to explain we were trying to park. He wanted John to go to the cop shop with him. A local stopped and asked if we needed help in English. John said yes please. The only question that the local asked was had we hit anyone. The answer was no. 

The Cop had our aduana (cars passport for Bolivia) John traded it for his international license but that was returned as well. The local went off to the cop shop with the cop. I went off to the bank to pay the visa fee only to find a long queue; took my ticket and returned to EC just as the local got back. He told us all was OK but not to park in town… His wife runs the shop we were parked beside and had phoned him. He saved our day. I thanked his wife.

John drove in circles for the next hour while I alternately waited in bank or was visiting ATMs for cash and finally paid for the visas. What a day.

We just wanted to get out but drove to the river and the green within the city and found a shady spot to do some internet stuff. Figured we’d just cross into a nearby quarry for the night.

Some guys in parque uniform came up and told us it was dangerous and we could go to the head guys place for the night. So we followed him home and after taking down his clothes line we parked in their back yard. His Wife candy was doing washing. They invited us into town with them in ½ hour so a quick shower and clean clothes. To my surprise he was finishing the washing while Candy was getting herself and their two daughters ready.

Interesting bus ride into the central plaza. We had a wander around and looked at sculptures on display in a gallery. Wonderful pieces and quiet cheap, very tempting. Lots of people hanging about playing chess or just sitting; lots of kids. Candy’s husband got a photographer to take a photo of us all in front of the cathedral. It was then printed out on the small printer hanging around the photographers neck!! We had an interesting time just looking at all the people spend their evening in the square. Still very hot with all the concrete around.

2017-11-12 Day 192 Sun

The drive down the hill was much more of a road than the track up. Which I was thankful for. Drove into Samaipata for a look and the Bank. We parked near the square and did a little Internet work. I took a photo of a tourist map lots of interesting things to do around here.  Was just thinking of driving off to buy a bit of oil when a car stopped beside us and a guy said hello. They invited us to accompany them for a swim in a river.

So we followed them. they paid our entrance then we drove up river (literally) to the pool. A man made circular pool in the middle of the river. They all swam but a bit cool for me. Sergio and Samacaya have two small boys an 8 and 2 year old, they live in Santa Cruz and here visiting Samacaya’s mum. The mum was French born and after traveling here with her husband decided to sell up in France and move here. We were invited back to her house for lunch which we accepted.

After they went for their afternoon nap we took our leave and continued east towards Santa Cruz.
It was getting dark when we finally found a camp by the river. Lots of people still here but with dusk they’d move home. Rubbish everywhere; such a shame. Locals come here at the weekend and have BBQ’s and a good time and leave behind such an awful mess. They obviously don’t see the rubbish.

2017-11-11 Day 191 Sat

It started to rain gently during the night and was still misty at dawn. John was up early writing emails. When I climbed out of bed it was just 6am. We both did Internet work. then melted some chocolates together for our evening treats.

We headed off at 10am and continued on cobblestones until the Red road, which we will down-grade to an orange. Lots more road works in 1 – 2 years this will be a sealed red road but at the moment just dirt and in places narrow.

When we joined with the other major red road ( -santacruz) it was at least sealed but with many potholes and uneven surfaces where some pipes had been buried.

Waved at all the truckies as we over took them. In one small village we stopped and bought a water melon and rock melon $2 each.  Some of the truckies passed us. We passed them again and when we pulled over for lunch lots of toots as they went past again.

We turned onto a short cut. 26Km of white windy road instead of 45kms of sealed potholed road with trucks. As with all shortcuts we got more than we bargained for. The road followed the gas pipelines and progressively got narrower and less used. Only one set of tracks now. Met a guy on the side of the road with binoculars around his neck. Stopped and asked if we could pass and he said yes but windy and a barrier we should go around. So all good. Most of it very steep in low range second we crawled up the first section. I got greedy and went for third thinking I could stop and start in first only problem brakes did not hold so handbrake. With John working the handbrake (I could not pull it on hard enough) we took off in first. It then became more steep and we just mosied on up trying to miss most of the washouts and rocks.

At the top we found a wonderful camp on an abandoned (green with grass and shrubs) soccer field; on a slope, not level. We dug in the top side and blocked the bottom – level. Our first green camp since Ecuador. Really surprised no-one is farming it. Although it does get grazed by cattle.

Sat outside to write and have nibbles and wine. Birds singing away. A lovely evening.