Being overtaken by Paul Markland and his son Charlie in their 1936 Buick Convertible, Car No 4, on the very rough section of road with dreadful 'washboard'!
The tarmac felt wonderful when we finally reached it. There were spectacular views of the Andes as we hovered between 12 and 13,000 feet. We saw llamas, flamingos and the usual donkeys on the road. Again, the towns and villages were very poor, but everyone waved at us. There was a good straight road across the Altiplano, very stark with small scrubby bushes. I don't know how the local people live, with so few resources. Today we had very few lorries.
We joined the road bringing the others from Sucre, although we didn't see many of them. We had missed out on Sucre, an old white town and former Bolivian capital, as we needed the extra time in Potosi, in spite of the very high altitude. Tim drove all the way (I offered!) because Colin was not up to it. I tried to use the loo in a garage, but it was locked and I was escorted by a policeman! There were police and soldiers everywhere and the police finally escorted us all into La Paz.
The outskirts of La Paz
We joined the road bringing the others from Sucre, although we didn't see many of them. We had missed out on Sucre, an old white town and former Bolivian capital, as we needed the extra time in Potosi, in spite of the very high altitude. Tim drove all the way (I offered!) because Colin was not up to it. I tried to use the loo in a garage, but it was locked and I was escorted by a policeman! There were police and soldiers everywhere and the police finally escorted us all into La Paz.
The outskirts of La Paz
Entering La Paz with one of the many police helping us into the city.
We were welcomed with coca tea at the Radisson Plaza hotel, a high-rise building down in the "bowl" of La Paz. Colin was put in a higher room than ours - the 14th floor, I believe - and he said, "I am suffering from the altitude and they put me on the blasted 14th floor" (or words to that effect). We insisted he see one of the Rally doctors and he had a consultation with Greg Williams.
Tim and I had dinner in the hotel with the Robinsons and the Pelly- Frys.
View of La Paz from Radisson Plaza Hotel
Tim and I had dinner in the hotel with the Robinsons and the Pelly- Frys.
View of La Paz from Radisson Plaza Hotel
Total driving distance today was 323 miles.
