Life is good… bumpy and full of surprises

Life is good and life is interesting but also exhausting when spending many hours behind the steering wheel on narrow dirt-roads of what sometimes feels more like a four-wheeled dual-sport (motorcycle) than a truck. It does absolutely everything and is literally unstoppable but of course we lack the comfort of a more modern vehicle.  But when we hit the dirt, high water or mud, which we regularly do cruising the Andes, we feel like king and queen of the road and I wouldn’t change vehicle for anything (well, maybe a little bit more ground clearance in the rear would be good as we keep on hitting the ground). Or maybe I simply must be more attentive and slow down the speed when approaching steep downhill slopes and deep holes.

But not once has the sturdy Toyota let us down in any way. And neither have we, moving along for long distances at 20 km/hour speed. The benefit of this speed at least is that we get the chance to really enjoy the beautiful scenery. As a matter of fact, it’s simply impossible to increase the speed due to the condition of the road and also the possibility of vehicles heading in the opposite direction on these narrow and curvy mountain roads.

Some nights we camped in small Andean villages, and some nights we spent free camping in accordance with locals’ suggestions. One night during easter we even camped in front of a small and humble Seventh-day Adventist chapel and listened as an indigenous woman (alone) sang her prayers at night. Other nights we spent nearby houses, but always asking permission, and sometimes at public or private parks, and at times even close to thermal waters. Other times we have camped on open land close to gas stations or in truckers’ rest areas.  

By now we have done it all. One night Mona even asked, based on my blue eyed and innocent insistence, for a room in a roadside motel with an hourly rate, and with a discreet both parking and entrance… Smiling, we eventually declined the offer and camped behind the nearby gas station.