Today: Saturday January 3sd, 2004
The anguish corrodes me, I feel crushed, tired and I in bucket with me to take down the jaw of it. Around me reigns a nauseous odor which does not make that to worsen this state of depresses.

What do we make there, and why this depresses? All had however started well, it had not had rain there for three days, at least in Brazil. The track the day of the departure was perfect, we had even started to give him small names. There initially had been the "track with the butterflies" bus of the thousands of butterflies were bound around the small puddle pools of the road. Then there had been the "track with the pigs", because the puddle pools growing, the pigs bathed inside. Then there had been the "track with the trucks" because we had crossed and missed striking on several occasions of enormous trucks. Who says trucks, known as botched tracks and there had thus been the "track with the ponds" difficult to cross. To crown the whole and to perfect our new chart of Bolivia, we had finally had the "track with the fords".

"Such a quantity of water was not seen since 1979". It was 17h30, we were close of Roboré halfway between Santa Cruz Of the Sierra, our destination and Corumba, our starting place. The ford was supposedly there, in front of us. But as a ford, we had a water which arrived to us above the knee and enormous stones at the bottom of this river inflated by the risings. We had hesitated vis-a-vis with the obstacle for ten minutes, devoured by the horseflies. But in front of the insistence of the driver of the Chevrolet which had just crossed without encumbers, and his insurance to help us in the event of problem, we had decided to pass, not without to have removed ones with ones the large stones.
The car is descended slowly towards the river, was inserted in water, patinated a little then is brought out smoking but unscathed. It is good, one continues!
According to the Bolivian one that we had taken in stop at the beginning of the afternoon, it was to be the last river. Obviously 500m further, whereas the weather started to be black, we fell on another, it was the fifth of the afternoon, without counting the twenty large puddle pools like ponds. On this ford a truck and a 4x4 were already planted.
"It is too much, one makes half-turn?" Geoffroy wants to make half-turn, return the car and to continue in the train.
Unconscious in front of the problems which watch for us, I wanted that one tests. We thus helped the 4x4 to leave water then looked at how to circumvent the truck. Once more, the car was inserted in water and started its increase on other bank. Very of a blow our Bubulle fixed, plus nothing, here the buttocks in water, impossible to start again. After 5 minutes of discussions, everyone helped us to push it and leave it water. In a few minutes water had penetrated in all the cockpit. But it is not what worried us more. As usual the forecasts fused: "the engine is foutu, in fact the rods released and patati and leg with the air..." That of which we were sour, it is that in the event of big problem, the car was irrevocable in Bolivia.

The driver of the Chevrolet then brought us the promised assistance, and much more. He initially helped us to tractor draw Bubulle with his hurdy-gurdy old crock and that during more than one hour using a cord which broke all the time. It was then necessary to stop, make a reef knot and to set out again. With each one of these operations, the two cars unrelentingly approached one the other what was not without danger. Roof of improvement, after 15 minutes without engine, the computer of C3 passed in economic mode and we did not have any more electricity. Once more, as in the Egyptian desert, we have to leave our head light and to light our "saver" to avoid striking it with the first brake application.

Today we are in the family of the Chevrolet. The house to be strictly accurate consists of three parts, two rooms (of which one was reserved to us) and a room tele. In the garden another small house with two other rooms and another small building for the shower and the toilets. Fortunately only outside at flooded summer, but is there that is held the life of the family during the day, under a thatched roof, cooks, room-with-to eat, living room, all is still muddy.
We are thus in waiting of a mechanic so that it assure us that we tightened the engine or pété a rod or worse. Who knows? Then we will see! That makes one day and a night that our tour started in Bolivia and already we must change our plans for all South America and undoubtedly lose this car.

Today: Monday January 5, 2004
Here three days that we are in this family. The problem of the car was transformed into another problem. In fact, at the time of the drowning, of water entered the engine by the air flow. It thus has is enough to transfer the candles and to make turn the engine. When I say "it A is enough", it is a little short, makes the candles of them required a special key that nobody had here. The technician thus took a hollow metal part and put at fire. Some blows of hammer later, we had a beautiful special key for candles of C3.
The new problem it is the oil leakage which we discovered by moving the car. "Choueeeette! ! "
It would seem that it is limps it speed. We do not know yet very although to make, can be to leave tomorrow?
Yesterday we went to the place of the river where the drinking water of the village is collected. Strolls in the mountain was very pleasant, except for Geoffroy who was in tong. We crossed two species of monkey besides. Impressive when they are not out of cage !

Today: Wednesday January 7, 2004
We early leave this morning to join Campo Grande in Brazil. Eh yes! After the telephone diagnosis of the Citroen technician, we have a leakage with the joint of the input shaft. If oil leaves out of that limps wants to say that it can also contaminate the clutch, and there, it is really the shit!
In fact, this joint has a weakness with construction. It is that with what made him undergo we; it was even less resistant.
For the voyage of the return (1000Km) we quickly will give from oil in a mechanic of the corner which advises us all to replace by a very viscous oil so that we lose some the least possible in the course of road.
Only black task, it is the fine of USS60 per anybody who is reproduced on our passport and whom we must pay at the time of our next return to Brazil.

Today: Saturday January 10, 2004
We are finally in Argentina, there is 5 years ago that I did not give feet in.
The return on 300Km of Bolivian track occurred very well, we spent 10 hours. The five passages of ford and the twenty pond-puddle pools did not pose problems. Wisely, we always adopted the same technique which was to go down from the car out of shorts and naked feet to probe the exact place where was to pass each wheel. Incidentally these exits also enabled us to be made devour by the million mosquitos and horseflies which populated the neighbouring marshes.
When it was 10h pm, we were in Corumbá, the border being closed, us thus did not pass there.
The following day after 600 km of road in Brazil, we arrived to Citroen.
We have one moment thought of retrogressing and retenter the track, but we are tired too much that to face all uncertainties which it comprises moreover following raw bridge was carried (assessment 15 died) between Santa Cruz and Lima, forcing us to make a 2 days turning.
We thus decided to cross Paraguay, Argentina then Chile to join Paz. It is a madness, it acts of 4000Km, but I wanted absolutely to see the Andean cordillera and people. The other alternative was to go down to see the Earth of Fire, but they are 7000Km outward journey and return, with little meeting of population (Argentina is made up of 84% of townsmen, the campaigns are thus empty) and a rather monotonous landscape in the plains: grass, trees and cows! And finally, towards the end of the third second of the road of the imposing landscapes.
We thus started from great morning for Paraguay. Arrived at the Paraguayan border, we just stay 24h in Brazil without visa and were very proud we. But when the dumb of Paraguayan customs officer gave us an infringment of USS40 per capita of pipe not to have of exit visa of Bolivia, we made definitely less the malignant ones. Amend or wine pot, we will never know in spite of the receipt which was delivered to us.
We paid because we did not have time to make the strike pickets.

Hardly 300 meters after the customs, we were stopped at a police station. A cop in Sancho Panza checked our papers, and announced to us the air contrit "you do not have your headlights, it is obligatory here, it is payable US$100 at the national bank". There above I saw red, it said true, us had not seen the panel, but three cars had just passed without headlights and it had not stumbled. On this I tore off papers of the hand to him while saying to him out of me: "I do not remain a minute more in this country, I go back to Brazil. I already have just paid a fine at the border. What do you believe that the money falls from the sky?"
On it with my great surprise, my Sancho Panza returned a part of papers to me which I had not recovered and said to me "you have to only continue, but you will have problems further". And very happened well thereafter!
The evening even we rolled night on a road good, but strewn with fatal holes. They are the worst roads, they put to you in confidence, the car advances all alone and suddenly great blow of wheel to avoid a foutu pothole (with rather of ostrich!).
In fact, we planted ourselves and we had taken the longest way to arrive at Asunción. Owl one required only that!
Blow one was found in full Paraguayan Pantanal and the only room which we had found was in a small rotted farm. The room dirty and was stripped plaster, but with a ventilator. Fortunately we had a pillow, a bag with meat and a mosquito net to isolate a little this hostile environment to us.
Outside, under the standard lamps an opaque billion column mosquitos dreamed to devour us. Under this column, three toads buffaloes (large as of the hedgehogs) vainly tried to goulûment help us by puffing out them.

Today: Monday January 12, 2004
Here two days that we roll to Argentina. How it is large and monotonous!
For decorated our road, a small funny story: the meeting of nice cops any smile who wanted to check our papers. Made thing, he wanted to see the two triangles obligatory reflectors of help (and we had only one of them) and towing of rigour bars it (and we had only one cord).
Estimate of the almond US$100, that becomes a mania! In ten minutes, they understood that we did not have a peso, that we were ready to go in prison if we contravened the law. And that in any event "Mister so-and-so of the embassy of France in Buenos Aires, that we know well, will be able what to make to explain us our rights and our duties and to send money so necessary". Policemen they were immediately transformed into automobile salesmen of articles, saying to us where to buy the bar and the triangle and at which price.
Thank you, goodbye!
Today we arrived early in a hotel of Jujuy where we negotiated like animals a superb room for a bread mouthful.
It is my birthday and in this feastday we made a sprinkled good gueuleton of a good bottle of an Argentinian fruity white. I am spoiled, Geoffroy in Khartoum the day of his birthday had to be satisfied with a half-beer which we had with difficulty found in a country where the alcohol sale is prohibited.

Today: Thursday January 15, 2004
We are already in Chile. By leaving Jujuy two days ago we took a spectacular road on which we took full with photographs. But the road went up quickly, very quickly, oxygen was done rare, I were with 110 pulsations/minutes without anything to make, Geoffroy, resists to him better, it was to 80. In fact we will discover a few meters higher than we were with 270meters!
The road then crossed several Salars (drained salted lakes). It was perfect, we thus could sink with 150 km/h with 4000m of altitude between two salted lakes, it was rather impressive.

Meet at the top: Bertrand Gonthiez and Hydrotour
A quite pretentious title, but which describes well the geography of the place of meeting, the tops are around us. We are in San Pedro of Atacama the most perfect desert of the world (less 5mm of precipitations per annum).
Bertrand Gonthiez is a true professional of water (he at least...). Old from Hydraulics Without Borders, it comes to create an ONG called IDEau. For three months, it has furrowed the roads of South America (and this for six months) to the meeting of projects for water. We are quite glad to cross a fellow-member and we even let us benefit from it to interview it.
It is with much sadness that we left it below San Pedro of Atacama, we go towards North and him towards the South.

By leaving it, we travelled the knowledge of Pan-American or N°5 in its Chilean portion. We expected a superb motorway and we fell on one two ways, rather good, but, by place, always these famous holes!

Today the 15 we arrived at Arica, city more in north of Chile with its beaches, its spots of surfing, its churches and, which interest us more, its cyberplace for the update of our Web site.

We will leave after tomorrow for Bolivia and the natural reserve Sajama, 4200m of altitude for the plain, 6520m for the volcano Sajama, the most top of Bolivia.

Newspaper from the 2 to January 15, 2004 writing by Loïc

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