Panamericana road trip memories 6
The Pan-American Road Trip began in December 2011. A road trip through South America with 83 classic Volvos. Over 35 days and 16,000 kilometres, these Volvo enthusiasts drove from Buenos Aires in Argentina, southwards to Cartagena de Indias in Colombia. Over the coming weeks, we’ll be sharing memories of this memorable journey on our blog.
Day 22: Arica – La Paz
We overslept on the one day we really couldn’t afford to. We drove on at a good pace and the scenery became beautiful. It grew greener and greener, with lovely views of the snow-capped mountain peaks; we saw some magnificent llama-like animals, the snow was getting closer, and the heat had gone. We drove past stretches where lorries were queuing for kilometres, waiting for us to pass. Nobody got angry. We were applauded; they took photos and gave us the V-sign. We reached the border. Oh dear, oh dear, what a nightmare that turned out to be. I won’t go into the whole story, but we were fourth in the queue at the first counter and, four hours later, emerged last, thoroughly frustrated. By then, we were both suffering from altitude sickness and were given oxygen. I couldn’t walk any more; I couldn’t ‘roll’ my feet any more. Pain, pain, pain. I reckon I’ll be suffering from it until 2040. We weren’t allowed to travel together either, so I’m in the technical support car and one of the mechanics is driving with Mel in our car.
It was now dark, and in the distance I could see a wide strip of lights. La Paz? It turned out to be the massive suburb of El Alto. What I saw there surpassed the chaos I’d ever witnessed in Congo and Nigeria. Thousands of people amongst dimly lit market stalls along the roadside. Dressed in that typical traditional attire, women wearing those little black bowler hats. The exhaust fumes choked us; the honking was deafening. Then one of the engines cut out. We tried to tow it, but the road was going downhill, so the brakes overheated. I was put into another car, whilst the rest waited for the breakdown van.
As a bonus, I suddenly saw the most beautiful view I’ve ever seen. We rounded a bend and, a kilometre below us, lay the town. A zillion lights, like a brooch studded with gemstones. I held my breath. What a magnificent sight. The truck carrying spare parts got stuck again; the engines overheated and we had to stop. I was eventually put back with Mel. After midnight, we arrived at the wonderfully luxurious Radisson Hotel, where we enjoyed a delicious meal on the 15th floor – with a panoramic view of the city. At 2 o’clock, I collapsed onto my bed.
“ We went to hell and back and that’s all I’ve got to say about it ”
Book a Pan-American Highway road trip
The book ‘Panamericana Road Trip’ has been published as a memento of this memorable journey. The story is told through the stunning photographs of travel photographer Thijs Heslenfeld, accompanied by a selection of the many stories written by the heroes of this journey. For anyone who didn’t make the journey, this is a wonderful book to lose yourself in. The proceeds from the book will go towards the special projects run by the HoPe Foundation. This organisation – founded by Walter Meekes – focuses primarily on developing education in the remote mountain villages around the Peruvian city of Cuzco.
More about LatinAmeriCar
Would you like to join one of these exclusive road trips yourself? Then take a look at our LatinAmeriCar page. Do you have any questions about a unique trip of Latin America, would you like a bespoke travel proposal, or would you like to arrange an appointment at our office? Please feel free to get in touch with us. Send an email to info@sapapanatravel.nl or call +31 73 610 62 04. We’d be happy to help.