From Uyuni armed with our copied maps we tackled the main road SouthWest towards the Chilean border. After having been overtaken in 2 minute intervalls by the 50 odd cars of the red Rangerover gang, we stopped somewhere next to a road construction site to cook our lunch. Soon afterwards the road improved quite a lot and we could accelerate from an initial 35 km/h to 70-80 km/h. This was due to the mines in the area that had been connected by dirt roads but are kept in very good condition to that the heavy trucks can make it there.
We stopped in a small village which was supposed to have a petrol station. And we found it. However, the petrol truck hadn’t come round yet and so we had to continue without bein able to fill up. After a days worth of driving we stopped a bit off the road in an area with many bolders of all sorts of shapes and forms surounded by the Bolivian volcanoes.
We stopped in a small village which was supposed to have a petrol station. And we found it. However, the petrol truck hadn’t come round yet and so we had to continue without bein able to fill up. After a days worth of driving we stopped a bit off the road in an area with many bolders of all sorts of shapes and forms surounded by the Bolivian volcanoes.
Just finding the sliproad was already a challenge, but after having driven a few times up and down the road, stopped a few trucks and busses we thought we knew where it was and left the main road. It turned out quickly that this was not really better than the other one. The trucks had created deep rutts that were to deep for our camper - so I had to drive on the hills left and right and hope not to drop into thoses ditches. On top there were a lot of smaller stones that got stuck between our double wheels in the back and I had to stop to take the wheel off to get them out again. But slowly we made it down the path. After two hours or so we had made round a volcanoe and started to feel as if we could make it - when we came across a river that looked quite deep. It was at least 60 cm deep and it was not clear whether the ground would be solid or not. We hadn’t seen another car for a couple of hours and it did not look as if cars ever came along when the river carried water. So we decided not to risk it and turn back. Great dissappointment again. When driving back we looked across the valley to find another path that would allow us to avoid the river and indeed it looked like a litte track on the other side would allow to circumvent it. The only obstacle here were the bushes in the middle of the road that hit the car constantly. We managed to get around the river and were making our way down the mountain towards the Laguna Hedionda when we heard a loud explosion. We stopped and discovered that a spiky stone had gone strait through our tire and literally exploded the tire. This made me very worried. We had another 400 km to go through this terrain and we only had one spare tire left. After changing the tire we made it down to the laguna where we camped.
We climbed a number of them and made a nice fire for the night.
The following morning we had decided to risk the path along the various lagoons strait South. So after a few km we found the point where the road left. After a few meters we discoverd the challenge. Lots of big stones meant that Kate had regularly to jump off the camper to push them off the road - otherwise we would have hit them with our low chassis. Only a kilometer in we were stopped by a land cruiser driver who explained us we would not be able to get through on this path, in particular since there was a quite steep bit just a bit down the road. We asked him whether there would be an alternative and he mentioned a small path a few km down the main road which went off to a tiny village. We could take it and like that rejoin the path we were on 15 km further where it would be much better. We were obviously quite dissappointed but nevertheless wanted to try out his recommendation.
The following morning we had decided to risk the path along the various lagoons strait South. So after a few km we found the point where the road left. After a few meters we discoverd the challenge. Lots of big stones meant that Kate had regularly to jump off the camper to push them off the road - otherwise we would have hit them with our low chassis. Only a kilometer in we were stopped by a land cruiser driver who explained us we would not be able to get through on this path, in particular since there was a quite steep bit just a bit down the road. We asked him whether there would be an alternative and he mentioned a small path a few km down the main road which went off to a tiny village. We could take it and like that rejoin the path we were on 15 km further where it would be much better. We were obviously quite dissappointed but nevertheless wanted to try out his recommendation.
Over night I had not slept very well, constantly worried about the car, the tires and breaking down up here with nobody to help you. The only cars coming by were Jeeps or Landcruisers - not really able to pull us out in case of major damage. After a lot of discussion we decided to go back the way we had come and try to go to Chile in the East on the main road. The trip back was not much fun. Same problems as before, just this time I grounded the camper on a rock in the middle of the road and had to jack it up to get it going again. On top, the camper started to move on the jack and fortunately fell on the wheels. It took us half a day to get back but we made it. I felt much of relief when we were back on the main dirt road and could drive towards Ollague, one of the active volcanoes of Bolivia to make for a night camp in the middle of the desert.
The following day we came to the border post where also a railway junction existed. After having to wait for a passing train to be checked and papers to be done it was our turn. The border policeman went through the paper and then asked to see the camper to check the numbers. When he stepped outside his hut a big gust of wind blow the paper out of his hand and it was gone. We were frozen with fear remembering our adventures in Guatemala. But then the guy turned round shrugged his shoulders and waved us through!!!