After driving three days at altitudes usually above 400 meters, I left behind me the freshness of the Peruvian and Bolivian Altiplano to dig into the furnace of the Argentine Pampa.

Today I had my longest day and warmer with more than 1000 km in temperatures up to 39 ° C. Sacred to the change of 5 ° C. a day earlier in Potosi. Potosi is also the vile of over 100,000 inhabitants the highest in the world, beating even Lhasa, Tibet.

The trip was not without problems. Again I saw that in the socialist countries the supply is not working as it should. And so, in a small town whose name I do not know the three gas stations were running out of fuel. Long lines of waiting trucks and tractors, drivers resigned to sitting in the shade. The next station was in Potosi, 215 miles! No chance to get here. But in socialist countries, one thing that works is the black market. I was able to buy gas near the station closed at double the price of the pump, ie 6 Bolivianos. For me, it was even a case as this dear Mr. Morales believes that foreigners have to pay 9 Bolivianos.

And everyone does not seem very happy in Bolivia: I met three processions of peasants and mining Protestants, chanting Justitia Justitia. Later, I even got my second blocking road, but this time there to let the gringo with no problems.

My time in Argentina is very short. Tomorrow I will come in Paraguay.

Before I left, my first estimate was 30,000 km, which I rounded to 35,000 for contingencies. Well, yesterday I passed the 36.000km, and I still have to cross 4 countries. A new reasonable estimate is 45,000, more than once around the world.