It's a sunny day when we get up. Till we have packed up and loaded the car it's almost 10 am. We drive into the village to get breakfast that we eat in the car on the plaza.
Road conditions deteriorate to just Epizana where we branch off to Totora and I gain hope that not all roads will be so bad: There's a stretch of excellent road, then it turns into one of pave stones to Aiquile, where it's back to dirt road in a decent conditions. Luckily Mr. Sakurai is driving who definitively is used to it and time's running out. Although it is supposedly just 300km we'll end up taking 12 hours with mere breaks for picture, bath and gas only.
About 90 km before Sucre it's paved road but in such bad condition that we actually are not any faster on it. Mrs. Sakurai doesn't mention it (until after the trip) but she sick from fear on the roads. Actually she feels saver when it's dark because then she doesn't see the dangers luring everywhere: trucks stopped in the middle of the road, cliffs with no railing, others driving on our side of the road, … So luckily in Bolivia at 6pm the world goes pitch black (when there's no moon) as reflectors or street lighting are a rare thing and drivers are very energy conscious and save on having their headlights on.
With all the up and downhills we had to do, it was amazing to see the temperatures change from 74°F to 54 and up again. Heights are constantly changing from 1500m to 3000m. At some point we reach the clouds blowing over the ridge and converting the rather arid vegetation to the dark green dense rain forest.
We stay in the Hostal Charcas right opposite the main market. As it is late we end up eating in hole in a wall as all other places are closed. I don't eat really as my stomach is bothering me.
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