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TRAVEL
Around
the World in 12 Issues
4. THE BORDER
October
2002 - Peru, Bolivia, Chile & Argentina
Hello.
We have left Cusco for the last time and made it to La
Paz. So goodbye and good luck to Fiona, Shawn, Marlo,
Guillerme and Jane at South American Explorers, Andy and
Tatiana of Cusco Weekly, the bar staff at Paddy's, the
Irish pub, and Gary, our landlord in many guises.
 In
La Paz we investigated the many markets of the city, witches,
coca, and made time to shove lots of ice cream down our
throats. Travelling south, we enjoyed a railway service
that puts British Rail, or whatever it's called now, to
shame before heading to the spectacular reflective salt
flats of the Salar de Uyuni, crossing mountains and deserts
into Chile.
Our
time in South America is running low; we spent most of
the time in San Pedro de Atacama enjoying the sun and
trying to get to Argentina. We managed this with a journey
from Hell. A ten hour delay, without food, at the border
in the middle of nowhere; tyre blow outs, and overheated
engines virtually tripled our journey time to 24 hours.
For the most part we, and our six other unfortunate travelling
companions, spent the time ripping the piss out of our
increasingly nervous driver and guide Erich.
 Marty,
an Australian, and I, the two worst Spanish speakers of
the group were sent on foot down to the border post with
a note requesting permission for our Chilean guide to
enter Argentina without papers; to use their phone and
find out where our connecting bus was. Returning up the
hill with another note we hitched a lift in a truck where
Marty took over the wheel and drove up the twisting dirt
road to the surprise of our friends.
The
Argentine police and customs, after initial gruffness,
invited us in, fed and watered us and eventually, once
our bus arrived, waved us off with smiles and kisses blown
to us. Overall, a surreal, exhausting, but rewarding experience
that has allowed us to see a gentler side of the authorities.
We are now in Salta, a hot and charming town, enjoying
European comfort at third World prices (for example: two
Italian meals, garlic bread, a bottle and a half of wine,
and two large orange juices for less than a fiver), and
about to get on yet another bus to the Igazu falls.
 Despite
all this travelling, we have relaid out the site, though
with minimal I-net time and, at times, electric, there
are still a few inevitable errors to correct. I've also
fallen a little behind with emails, so apologies for this.
Elsewhere on the site, I wish to do a long overdue issue
of the Working Traveller soon and add outstanding listings
and links. As for JAB, the October issue is in danger
of being published in November so the next issue will
be short and sweet and sent to you all in a week or two.
>>
Next >> 5. Leaving LA
1.
First Issue / 2.
Inca Trial / 3.
Lake Titicaca / 4.
The Border / 5.
Leaving LA
6. Flush
& Queue / 7.
Christmas Dinner & Bombs in Bali / 8.
Thieving Monkey
9.
Islands / 10.
Cheesecake & Whiskey / 11.
Another New Year
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