Another Trip to Bolivia

Geoff has just returned from another trip to Bolivia in order to check in on activities there.  It seems like it shouldn’t be that far to go but it can take days travelling each way.  For starters, it’s the summer vacation season in Chile and everyone travels to the lake and river district, and that is where we are.  It was not possible to get a flight from Valdivia to Santiago, so Geoff took a comfortable overnight bus and spent a day roaming around Santiago before catching a flight to Lima, Peru and then another one to La Paz, Bolivia.  Summer time in Bolivia is the rainy season, so road travel is full of obstacles – like mud, and lots of it.  There was also some hail and snow at times which made for a multi-seasonal trip, or so it seemed.

On the drive back into town from the field area recent rains had caused some flooding along the rivers, and since the main road crosses the river a few times, travelling was delayed or halted altogether.  Several buses were seen stuck in the middle of rivers while the passengers got out to try and help or just sat around waiting for the water to subside.  We pulled out a couple of the smaller vehicles but left the buses behind.  On one crossing we used the pickup like a boat, floating part way across the river until the tires could grab terra firma on the other side.  The boys in the back seat were glad to be back on dry land after the trip which left a high water mark across the hood of the truck as proof of the depth.