The First Big Hitch

Finally after a month of travelling we´ve run into our first big hitch. Crossing the border into Bolivia.

What should have been an easy border crossing ended up taking 9 hours and we had to spend a night in La Quacha, the border post on the Argentinean side after initially being refused entry! Let me explain...

It was a day that started really badly and ended up worse. We woke up at 7h. This was the first problem. The bus from Salta leaves at 7h15. We put on clothes and ran all the way with our heavy bags, reaching the bus terminal just in time. In the process we forgot our drinks and food for the day in the fridge. Nothing we could do, so we didn´t worry to much. After 7 hours on the bus we arrived in the horribly boring and dusty frontier town of La Quacha at 13h30. We had to catch the train on the Bolivian side at 15h30. Lots of time.

We stood in a long line on the Argentinean side to get our exit stamps. Then when we finally arrived on the Bolivian side we were denied entry because of a small tear in one of the pages of my passport! We argued and begged, but to no avail. It took about 2 hours of negotiating and meetings and calls. Finally we had to turn back and queue again on the Argentinean side again. By now we had serious headaches, hunger and bladder pains. We were also suffering from the extreme altitude (3440m). We finally got back in La Quacha, found a hotel and decided to go see the consulate first thing in the morning.

After some disprins, food and sleep we woke up the next morning feeling more positive. We went to the Consulate and waited until they opened (late, of course) at 9h10. They made some calls, held meetings behind closed doors and finally started typing a letter. After this it was more calls and waiting. FINALLY they beckonned us over went out the door and started walking! They were taking us to the border personally! Lloyd had to run back to the hotel and get both our big backpacks. He then had to carry the full 30+ kg´s the whole way and meet me on the Bolivian side. After more meetings and calls, they finally stamped my passport! We walked into Bolivia at 13h45.

Bolivia looks very different from Argentina! It is amazing how much one kilometer makes! This side is much poorer and has a much more lively market scene. Most of the population seem to be of indian descent. We did get a good meal for very cheap, about R14 for salad, soup, main meal and dessert and a litre cooldrink.

Because we missed the train on the first day (only runs certain days) we had to take a LOCAL bus. These busses are very cheap and you get what you pay for! It was quite an experience. The road is incredibly dusty and very corrugated (the bus does not have functioning shocks). Certain parts it feels as if the bus is being rattled to pieces! It was only a few hours before we arrived in Tupiza.

Tupiza looks like a cowboy town. It is dusty, a bit rundown and surrounded by beautiful red mountains and canyons. This is the town where it is rumoured that Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid finally met their match. It has a lot of charm and it is a shame that we can´t stay here longer.

Tomorrow we are heading off on one of the highlights of our tour. A 4-day jeep trip to Uyuni via the Salares de Uyuni. The worlds highest and largest salt flats. This tour includes the salt flats, canyons, sand stone rock formations, countless lagoons of many colours (including red), a volcano, thermal springs, subzero temperatures, llama meat dinners and a night at the Salt Hotel (made entirely of salt). We are travelling and staying with Valle Hermoso.

I´ll post many photos and details in 4 or 5 days.

Neil