It’s going to be another scorching day. No hurry to leave the hotel so we enjoy a hearty breakfast and are leave the hotel by 10am.
Border crossing.
The border with Paraguay is reached in 10min. It’s chaos. Half of Brasil is crossing to do their shopping. There are very few instructions on procedure for foreigners. It seems that locals can cross quite easily for short duration’s. There is a car park just before being funneled into a queue, so we take it and set off for immigration and customs to have our passports stamped out of the country, and then have to ask where we can have out vehicle TIP stamped out. In an office of six people, there is only one who can do that. The others are looking bored but in due course we are accorded the honour of the official’s attention.
With Brazilian formalities complete, it’s a 50m drive to the Paraguayan side. It only takes 10 min to deal with passports, and 15min to get a new TIP.
Ciudad del Este. Paraguay.
The city is on the opposite side of the river. Bigger and more bustling than its Brazilian neighbour. Sat-nav takes us along a parallel smaller road beside the main arterial one. We should have ignored her, in the sat-nav, but blind obedience was fortuitous for a change. Along the road are tyre shops. Not just one or two, but dozens and dozens! Seeing the Brazilian tyre we had been trying to buy in Brazil, on huge advertising hoardings along the road, I decide to make a call, park Poki and enquire availability at one of the shops. The attentive sales lady indicates that she can source our size, now the only impediment, price! She indicates 93 for one. I assume it’s likely the local currency a guarani is approx 10,000 to the GBP or 7900 to the US$. On the basis of US$ it did not make sense. 93 Guarani. Anyway, turns out it’s US$93+4 to fit and balance. US$388 cash, for four. The tyre has the same tread as BFG A/T. Slightly different sidewall pattern but it would cost us the total amount for one BFG in the UK.
It didn’t take long to make that decision, so an assistant guides us to the fitting shop on his motorbike a block or two away. In just over an hour, we drive out with four new tyres on the floor, the spare tyre we bought in Brazilia, replaced with a better spare and the spare tyre swapped from one of the better worn tyres. Both spares were flat. It’s now time to fill up with diesel. It’s cheaper than Brazil at just under US$1/litre.
A little history
This city has a shady history. Still known as the contraband capital of South America and originally named after a former dictator president, Puerto President Stroessner, it is still bustling and vibrant but less lawless. Are our tyres made of cheese and will dissolve in a few days? At that price, it wouldn’t be a catastrophe..;)
The same photo as above but with a longer lens.
Once away from the built up areas we need to stop for some lunch at 2.30pm. The shade of some trees provides a place to pull in, but it’s not quiet. Traffic is flying by about 30m away.
There is still 297k’s to Asuncion, the capital. Our expectation was that we would get closer than we have, though there is no hurry as we now have time to spare. Poki feels much softer on the road with the new tyres. It’s hard to believe we have been so lucky..☺️
Overlander is warning us of issues from past travellers, regarding police corruption along this road! Particularly those wit RHD. Seeing a police control point ahead, we slide by on the other side of a giant truck.
By 3,15pm, we are conscious that we need to find a motel/hotel for the night. Scanning each side of the highway. By 4.15pm Jen spotted a motel on the opposite side of the road. They have space and with breakfast and wifi included, £22 or about $50NZ. Not only that, there is a covered parking space, just high enough to take Poki. Just as well, as when backing her in, the wind got up, dust and branches started flying around. The sky is black, suddenly. Could we get rain? That would be a novelty..:)
Cricket.
I had forgotten the game was on, till Kelvin msg’d to say we were 128 – 1. The pundits had predicted a South African win. This time they got it wrong. Some great batting saw NZ post a formidable total South Africa were not able to match. The final now with India again. What will the pundits predict? ..:)
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