I’m no longer calling them rest days, but non-driving days. Inevitably they are busy with various tasks.
This morning was a lovely sunny day. I have been wearing winter clothing, but now we have descended over a thousand meters, I’m boiling. To start the morning, while Dennis was cooking our breakfast, I hand washed our bag of washing. It accumulates so quickly! It was a great day for washing and by mid afternoon it was all bone dry.
Vehicle maintenance.
After breakfast, Dennis, started on Poki maintenance. Changing the air filter, checking the oil etc.
Meanwhile, I was chatting to our neighbour, Pierre. He has given us some very useful information regarding places to stay in Potosi and Uyuni, where we should be able to get fuel on the black market. The campsite owners have their way of obtaining fuel. However, we have to be very careful truck drivers don’t see us filling our tank. Some wait more than a week for diesel. We don’t want to start a riot! Also the local cost is 3 Bols, but we will have to pay about 8 Bols.
Dennis put in 3 jerry cans today, which we hope will get us to Uyuni, but we will probably need more to get us to the Argentinian border.
Topping up the larder.
Late in the morning, we set off on a combined sightseeing, supermarket trip. Genteel Sucre is Bolivia’s most beautiful city, with a lovely old colonial centre. Set in a valley surrounded by mountains with a glorious ensemble of whitewashed buildings. Sometimes known as the White City.
We wander past a big market selling fruit and vegetables to the Main square, Plaza 25 de Mayo. A very pretty square with palm trees, flower beds and statues, surrounded by wonderful colonial architecture. The hibiscus here are amazing. Small trees, smothered in large blooms, some of them double flowers.
It seems to be the case, that in all the old colonial cities, which obviously attract tourists, there is a much higher standard of shops, cafes etc. Not having seen a supermarket so far in Bolivia, the SAS supermarket today, was quite impressive. Finding everything we needed, but not necessarily in the packaging we would have liked. Milk and cream are in plastic bags. Impossible to store once opened. We have to decant them into something else.
When we left the supermarket, we found a nice looking coffee shop and stopped for a snack/lunch. Me for a coffee infusion, while Dennis had a Pina Colada Frappe. We both had toasted cheese and ham croissants. Very tasty.
The selection of fruit and vegetables wasn’t brilliant in the supermarket, so we decided to go back to the market for them. By the time we arrived, many stalls had already packed up. We managed to find a fruit and a veggie stall still open and are now restocked for a few days. As it was closing up, the entrance gate we had come through was now locked. We had to walk a long way round with our heavy bags to get back to the campsite.
An option to sell Poki!!!
When we returned, Pierre was very excited. He has been liaising with a gentleman in Santiago, Chile to sell his French registered camper, at the end of their journey. There is a market with other overlanders wanting to buy a vehicle, which they then sell at the end of their trip. Pierre said he had been offered the same money he had paid for his vehicle, so he was very happy.
Dennis wonders if we could sell Poki – I don’t believe he will part with her 🙂
A man’s work is never done, so Dennis had to clean the in-line filter to our water tank. Once done we refilled it with 21 litres. Then Poki had to have a wash. This was interrupted as we sat down for a chat with our German neighbours, Raphael and Natalie – I hope I’ve got that right. My memory for names is terrible. Once Poki was washed, it was time for a tea break and soon after cooking dinner.
Tomorrow we’ll be back on the road again. Destination Potosi.
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